Find out how popular the last name Pole is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Pole.

Pole, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Pole surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pole in America

Pole is the 30250th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pole surname appeared 774 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pole.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pole to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Pole

The surname Pole has its roots in medieval England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "pol," meaning a pool or pond, suggesting that the name's earliest bearers may have lived near a body of water or worked as fishermen.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1182, where a Robert de la Pole is mentioned. This spelling variation, "de la Pole," was common in the Middle Ages and indicated the family's association with a particular place or locality.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various manorial records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a William de la Pole is listed. These records provide valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of the name during that period.

The Pole family rose to prominence in the 14th century, with Michael de la Pole (c. 1330-1389) serving as Lord Chancellor of England under King Richard II. He was a influential figure in the English government and played a key role in the political struggles of his time.

Another notable figure with the surname Pole was Reginald Pole (1500-1558), an English cardinal and the last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury before the English Reformation. He was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church and a vocal opponent of King Henry VIII's break with Rome.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contribution of Sir William Pole (1561-1635), a renowned antiquarian and historian from Devon, England. His work, "The Descriptions of Devon," published in 1617, remains a valuable source of information on the history and topography of the county.

The surname Pole has also been associated with several place names, such as Pole Farm in Nottinghamshire and Pole Bridge in Derbyshire, further reinforcing its connection to the English landscape and localities.

Throughout history, the Pole surname has been carried by a diverse range of individuals, including Arthur Pole (1501-1570), a Catholic priest and martyr during the English Reformation, and John Pole (1649-1728), a renowned English merchant and philanthropist.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pole

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Pole.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Pole was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Pole has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Pole was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Pole, please contact us.

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