2010
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Polous
A Greek surname referring to someone from the city.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Polous. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Polous 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Polous in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Polous, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Polous
The surname "POLOUS" is of Greek origin, and it can be traced back to the Byzantine era, around the 9th century AD. The name is believed to be derived from the Greek word "polous," which means "many" or "numerous." This suggests that the name may have been given to families with a large number of members or those who were known for their fertility.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a Byzantine manuscript from the 11th century, where a nobleman named Nikephoros Polous is mentioned. This document provides valuable insight into the use of the name during that period.
In the 13th century, a village named Polous existed in the region of Thessaly, in central Greece. It is possible that the surname originated from this place name, as it was a common practice for people to adopt surnames based on their place of origin.
During the Ottoman Empire's rule over Greece, which lasted from the 15th to the 19th century, the surname Polous continued to be used. Several historical records from this period mention individuals bearing this name, indicating its endurance over time.
One notable figure with the surname Polous was Ioannis Polous, a Greek scholar and philosopher who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his work on ancient Greek literature and his contributions to the intellectual discourse of the time.
In the 18th century, a prominent military leader named Georgios Polous played a significant role in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. His bravery and leadership were celebrated, and his name has been recorded in historical accounts of the conflict.
Another notable individual with the surname Polous was Sophia Polous, a pioneering female writer and activist who lived in the 19th century. She was a vocal advocate for women's rights and education, and her works shed light on the social and cultural issues of her time.
As the centuries passed, the surname Polous continued to be carried by families across Greece and the Greek diaspora around the world. While the name may have evolved in spelling or pronunciation over time, its Greek roots and historical significance remain intact.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Polous
Among Census respondents with the surname Polous, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Polous 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 Polous surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.8% · 105
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.0% · 6
- Two or more races4.1% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Polous
Polous appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+10 bearers (+9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,038 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.0%) | Up 7,038 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 Polous 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 | #148,347 | #141,309 | 4.7% |
| Count | 111 | 121 | 9.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Polous bearers went from 111 to 121 (+9.0% change). The surname moved up 7,038 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #141,309.
FAQ
Polous surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Polous?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Polous. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Polous?
Polous ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 121 people with the surname Polous. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Polous.
Has Polous become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Polous went from 111 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 10 (+9.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Polous?
Among Census respondents with the surname Polous, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Polous in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.8% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Polous appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (5.0%), Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Polous (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 Polous mean?
A Greek surname referring to someone from the city. 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 Polous (0.04 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 have the surname Polous?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.