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

Ponciano, 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 Ponciano surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ponciano in America

Ponciano is the 21034th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ponciano surname appeared 1,250 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 Ponciano.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ponciano 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 Ponciano

The surname Ponciano has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the Roman period. It is derived from the Latin name Pontianus, which itself comes from the Latin word "pontis," meaning bridge or bridge-builder. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked on bridges, or perhaps even constructed them.

In Spain, the name Ponciano can be found in historical records dating back to the 9th century, when it was often associated with members of the nobility or clergy. One notable early bearer of the name was Ponciano de Aragón, a 13th-century bishop and diplomat who played a significant role in mediating conflicts between rival factions in the Kingdom of Aragon.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Ponciano was prevalent in the regions of Castilla and Andalucía, where variations such as Poncian and Poncio were also used. The town of Ponciano, located in the province of Salamanca, may have contributed to the spread of the name in that area.

As Spanish explorers and settlers ventured to the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries, the surname Ponciano was carried to various parts of the New World, including Mexico, Peru, and Colombia. One notable bearer of the name was Juan Ponciano de Arce, a 17th-century Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of Chile.

In the 19th century, Ponciano Arriaga was a Mexican statesman and politician who served as President of Mexico from 1867 to 1868 during a turbulent period of the country's history. Another notable figure was Ponciano Vega, a Mexican general and revolutionary who fought alongside Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution of the early 20th century.

Other historical figures with the surname Ponciano include Ponciano Ponzano, an Italian painter and engraver who lived in the 18th century, and Ponciano Leiva, a 19th-century Chilean writer and journalist known for his contributions to the development of Chilean literature.

While the surname Ponciano is not as common as some other Spanish surnames, it has a rich history spanning centuries and continents, reflecting the diverse cultures and experiences of those who have borne this name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ponciano

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

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

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

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