2000
#12,213
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,339
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.87
Rare Last name
Pompey
Derived from the Roman cognomen Pompeius, which originally referred to a person from the city of Pompei.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,608 Americans carry the last name Pompey. That puts it at #12,923 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.76 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 131,424 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pompey 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
2.6K
1 in 131,424
Census rank
#12,923
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,274 bearers of the surname Pompey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.76 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12923rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pompey, the largest self-reported group is Black at 73.5%. The next largest groups are White (14.3%) and Two or More Races (7.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pompey
The surname Pompey originates from England, and its earliest recorded use dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "pompé," which means "pompous" or "boastful." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname or a reference to someone with a grandiose or showy personality.
The name Pompey is closely associated with the city of Portsmouth, located on the southern coast of England. It is believed that the surname may have originated from this region, where the surname was commonly found in historical records. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which was a census-like survey of landowners in England during the reign of King Edward I.
In the 16th century, the name Pompey gained prominence through its association with Sir Thomas Pompey, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Portsmouth. Born in 1520, Sir Thomas Pompey played a significant role in the English wool trade and served as a Member of Parliament for Portsmouth. His influence and success likely contributed to the widespread use of the surname in the region.
Another notable bearer of the name Pompey was Sir William Pompey, a 17th-century English naval commander. Born in 1648, Sir William Pompey served in the Royal Navy and participated in several major battles during the Anglo-Dutch Wars. He later became a respected naval administrator and was knighted for his service.
The Pompey surname also has a connection to the city of Portsmouth's football club, which is commonly known as "Pompey." The club's nickname is derived from the city's association with the surname, and it has been used affectionately by supporters and locals for generations.
Other historical figures with the surname Pompey include John Pompey, a 14th-century English scholar and clergyman, and Edward Pompey, a 17th-century merchant and landowner from the county of Hampshire. The name also appears in various parish records and legal documents throughout the centuries, further cementing its English origins and historical significance.
Overall, the surname Pompey has a rich history deeply rooted in the southern regions of England, particularly the city of Portsmouth. Its origins as a descriptive nickname and its association with prominent figures and locations have contributed to its enduring legacy and recognition within English genealogy and history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pompey
Among Census respondents with the surname Pompey, the largest self-reported group is Black at 73.5%. The next largest groups are White (14.3%) and Two or More Races (7.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Pompey 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 Pompey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American73.5% · 1,671
- White14.3% · 326
- Two or more races7.1% · 161
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 86
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 21
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pompey
Pompey 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
#12,531
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,473
+134 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.84
Rank movement Down 318 places
2020
#12,923
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,274
-199 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Down 392 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,213 | 2,339 | 0.87 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,531 | 2,473 | 0.84 | +134 bearers (+5.7%) | Down 318 places |
| 2020 | #12,923 | 2,274 | 0.76 | -199 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 392 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 Pompey 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 | #12,531 | #12,923 | -3.1% |
| Count | 2,473 | 2,274 | -8.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.84 | 0.76 | -9.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pompey bearers went from 2,473 to 2,274 (-8.0% change). The surname moved down 392 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,531 to #12,923.
FAQ
Pompey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pompey?
Name Census estimates that about 2,608 living Americans carry the surname Pompey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 131,424 residents.
How common is Pompey?
Pompey ranks #12,923 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.76 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,274 people with the surname Pompey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,608), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.76 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.76 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Pompey.
Has Pompey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pompey went from 2,473 recorded bearers to 2,274. That is a decrease of 199 (-8.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,531 to #12,923.
What does the Census say about the background of Pompey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pompey, the largest self-reported group is Black at 73.5%. The next largest groups are White (14.3%) and Two or More Races (7.1%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Pompey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.5% (1,671 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pompey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (73.5%), White (14.3%), Two or More Races (7.1%). 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 Pompey (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 Pompey mean?
Derived from the Roman cognomen Pompeius, which originally referred to a person from the city of Pompei. 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 Pompey (0.76 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 Pompey?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.