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

Ponko, 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 Ponko surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ponko in America

Ponko is the 108734th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ponko surname appeared 163 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 Ponko.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ponko 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 Ponko

The surname "PONKO" is believed to have originated in the region of Eastern Europe, specifically in modern-day Poland and Ukraine. Its roots can be traced back to the 15th century, when it was likely derived from a Slavic word or phrase that has since been lost to time.

Historical records indicate that one of the earliest known instances of this surname appeared in a Polish parish register from the late 1500s, where a family by the name of "Ponko" was listed as residing in a small village near the city of Krakow. It's possible that this name may have been a variation or phonetic adaptation of a different Slavic word or place name.

In the 17th century, there are references to a nobleman named Jakub Ponko, who was born in 1632 and served as a military officer in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. His exploits and service to the crown were documented in several historical accounts from that era.

As the name spread throughout Eastern Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as "Ponkov," "Pankow," and "Pankoff," among others. In the 18th century, records show a family by the name of Pankow residing in the Brandenburg region of what is now modern-day Germany.

One notable figure bearing this surname was Ivan Ponko, a Ukrainian writer and poet who lived from 1819 to 1892. His works were influential in the literary circles of his time and helped shape the cultural identity of Ukraine during the 19th century.

Another prominent individual was Konstantin Ponko, a Russian mathematician and academic who was born in 1862 and made significant contributions to the field of number theory and algebraic geometry. His research and publications were widely respected within the scientific community of his era.

In the early 20th century, a Czech artist named Jaroslav Ponko (1892-1967) gained recognition for his avant-garde paintings and sculptures, which were heavily influenced by the Cubist and Expressionist movements of the time.

While the surname "PONKO" may not be as widely known today, its rich history spans centuries and encompasses various cultural and historical contexts, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have borne this name throughout the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ponko

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

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

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

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