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

Polston, 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 Polston surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Polston in America

Polston is the 9827th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Polston surname appeared 3,295 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Polston.

We can also compare 2010 data for Polston 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 Polston

The surname Polston is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the village of Polston, which is located in Northamptonshire, England. The name likely derives from the Old English words "pol" meaning "pool" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "village", suggesting that the original bearers of this surname may have lived near a pool or pond.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Polston name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records from the reign of King Edward I. The entry lists a William de Polston, indicating that the surname was already in use during that time period.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Polstun, Polestun, and Polleston, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common before the standardization of English orthography. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 include a reference to a John de Polstun, while the Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 mention a Robertus Polleston.

The Polston surname is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is Sir John Polston (1480-1557), who served as a member of the Privy Council during the reign of King Henry VIII. Another notable bearer of the name is William Polston (1622-1701), a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who played a significant role in the development of the wool trade in the region.

In the 17th century, the Polston family had a strong presence in the county of Worcestershire. Records from 1642 mention a Thomas Polston (1612-1678), a farmer and landowner from the village of Tenbury Wells. His son, John Polston (1645-1712), was a renowned clockmaker and horologist, known for his innovative designs and contributions to the field of timekeeping.

Another notable figure with the Polston surname is Mary Polston (1755-1832), a philanthropist and advocate for education in the city of Bristol. She founded several schools and charitable organizations dedicated to providing education and support to underprivileged children.

Over the centuries, the Polston name has undergone various spelling variations, including Polston, Polstone, Poulston, and Poulstone, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the historical village of Polston in Northamptonshire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Polston

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

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

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

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