2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Policare
An Italian surname possibly derived from Latin meaning "to care for" or "to nurture".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Policare. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Policare surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Policare in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Policare, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Policare
The surname Policare originated in Italy, with records dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "poli," meaning "city," and "care," meaning "to care for" or "to manage." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who held positions of authority or responsibility within a city or municipality.
One of the earliest known references to the Policare surname can be found in the historical records of the city of Siena, Tuscany. In a document dated 1387, a certain Giacomo Policare is mentioned as a prominent merchant and member of the city's governing council. This suggests that the name had already established itself within the region by that time.
In the 15th century, the Policare family seems to have expanded their influence beyond Siena. Records from the city of Florence mention a Luca Policare, born in 1431, who served as a diplomat and advisor to the Medici family. His diplomatic skills and expertise in matters of governance likely contributed to the family's prestige and the spread of their name.
As the centuries progressed, the Policare surname continued to appear in various historical records across Italy. In the 16th century, a notable figure was Benedetto Policare (1523-1591), a renowned scholar and philosopher from Verona. His writings on ethics and political theory were highly influential during the Renaissance period.
The 17th century saw the birth of Girolamo Policare (1612-1683), a military commander from Naples who fought in the Thirty Years' War. His bravery and leadership on the battlefield earned him recognition throughout Europe, further elevating the reputation of the Policare name.
In more recent times, one of the most prominent individuals bearing the Policare surname was Marcello Policare (1879-1957), an Italian architect and urban planner. He was instrumental in the redesign and reconstruction of several cities in Italy after World War II, leaving a lasting impact on the country's infrastructure and urban landscapes.
While the Policare surname may not be as widespread as some others, its rich history and association with individuals of influence and accomplishment throughout the centuries have contributed to its enduring legacy in Italian culture and society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Policare
Among Census respondents with the surname Policare, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Policare bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Policare surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.0% · 97
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Policare
Policare appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,460 places
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-15 bearers (-13.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,068 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 7,460 places |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -15 bearers (-13.3%) | Down 10,068 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Policare surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #146,201 | #156,269 | -6.9% |
| Count | 113 | 98 | -13.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -18.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Policare bearers went from 113 to 98 (-13.3% change). The surname moved down 10,068 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #156,269.
FAQ
Policare surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Policare?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Policare. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Policare?
Policare ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 98 people with the surname Policare. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Policare.
Has Policare become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Policare went from 113 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 15 (-13.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Policare?
Among Census respondents with the surname Policare, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Policare in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.0% (97 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Policare appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.0%), Two or More Races (1.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Policare (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Policare mean?
An Italian surname possibly derived from Latin meaning "to care for" or "to nurture". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Policare (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Policare?
You can see how many people are called Policare on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.