2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ponchot
A French surname possibly derived from a nickname for someone short or stout.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Ponchot. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ponchot 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Ponchot in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ponchot, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ponchot
The surname Ponchot originated in France, specifically in the northern region of Normandy, during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French "ponchon," which referred to a pointed stake or peg used for marking boundaries or securing tents.
One of the earliest written records of the name Ponchot can be found in the Livre Blanc, a census document compiled in the late 13th century for the city of Rouen in Normandy. The name is listed as Ponchon, an early variant spelling.
During the late 14th century, the name appeared in various municipal records and tax rolls across Normandy, often associated with landowners or prominent families in rural areas. It is possible that the name was initially an occupational surname given to individuals involved in boundary marking or construction work.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Ponchot was Jean Ponchot, a skilled architect born in Caen, Normandy, around 1520. He was commissioned to design several churches and public buildings in the region, leaving a lasting architectural legacy.
Another significant figure was François Ponchot, a prominent lawyer and jurist from Rouen, who lived from 1578 to 1642. He served as a magistrate in the Parlement of Normandy and was renowned for his expertise in legal matters.
During the 17th century, the Ponchot family established roots in the town of Bayeux, where they were landowners and prominent members of the local gentry. One notable member was Pierre Ponchot (1622-1694), a respected clergyman who served as the Dean of the Bayeux Cathedral.
In the late 18th century, the name gained recognition beyond France when Louis Ponchot (1770-1845), a French military officer, participated in the Napoleonic Wars. He rose through the ranks and was awarded the prestigious Légion d'Honneur for his bravery and service.
Over the centuries, the Ponchot surname has also been associated with various locations and place names in Normandy, such as Ponchon-sur-Mer, a coastal village near Caen, and Ponchonville, a hamlet in the Calvados department.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ponchot
Among Census respondents with the surname Ponchot, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Ponchot 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 Ponchot surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.1% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ponchot
Ponchot 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+6 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,288 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+5 bearers (+4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,311 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.9%) | Down 3,288 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.6%) | Up 4,311 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 Ponchot 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 | #151,532 | #147,221 | 2.8% |
| Count | 108 | 113 | 4.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ponchot bearers went from 108 to 113 (+4.6% change). The surname moved up 4,311 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #147,221.
FAQ
Ponchot surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ponchot?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Ponchot. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Ponchot?
Ponchot ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Ponchot. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Ponchot.
Has Ponchot become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ponchot went from 108 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 5 (+4.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Ponchot?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ponchot, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Ponchot in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.1% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ponchot appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.1%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Ponchot (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 Ponchot mean?
A French surname possibly derived from a nickname for someone short or stout. 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 Ponchot (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 common is the surname Ponchot?
You can see how many people have the surname Ponchot on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.