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

Pollema, 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 Pollema surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pollema in America

Pollema is the 115034th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pollema surname appeared 152 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 Pollema.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pollema 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 Pollema

The surname Pollema is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, specifically in the province of Friesland, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old Frisian word "polle," which means "pool" or "pond," and the suffix "-ma," which denotes a person or a family. This suggests that the name may have referred to individuals or families who lived near a pool or pond.

One of the earliest known records of the Pollema surname dates back to the 14th century, when it appeared in a local parish register in the town of Leeuwarden, Friesland. At that time, the name was spelled "Pollema" or variations such as "Pollama" or "Pollema."

In the 16th century, the Pollema name was found in various historical documents and records throughout Friesland, including property deeds and tax records. Some of these records mentioned individuals with the Pollema surname who held positions of authority or influence within their local communities.

A notable figure with the Pollema surname was Jelle Pollema, born in 1642 in the village of Stiens, Friesland. He was a respected scholar and author who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Friesland. His most famous work, "De Situ Frisiae," published in 1677, provided a detailed account of the geography, customs, and traditions of the Frisian people.

Another prominent individual was Bauke Pollema, born in 1715 in the town of Franeker, Friesland. He was a renowned mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. Pollema's works on calculating the orbits of planets and comets were widely studied and cited by other scholars of his time.

In the 18th century, the Pollema surname appeared in records from the city of Groningen, located in the northeastern part of the Netherlands. One notable figure from this period was Auke Pollema, born in 1753, who was a respected merchant and member of the city council.

During the 19th century, the Pollema name spread beyond the Netherlands as some families immigrated to other parts of Europe and North America. For example, Jacob Pollema, born in 1821 in Leeuwarden, Friesland, later settled in the United States and became a prosperous farmer in the state of Michigan.

Over the centuries, the Pollema surname has maintained a strong presence in the Netherlands, particularly in the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. While the name has evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its roots can be traced back to the medieval era and the Frisian heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pollema

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

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 Pollema 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 Pollema 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 Pollema was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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