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

Pons, 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 Pons surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pons in America

Pons is the 12897th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pons surname appeared 2,384 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 Pons.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pons 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 Pons

The surname PONS has its origins in the Latin language, where it referred to a bridge or passage. It is believed to have first emerged as a surname in France during the Middle Ages, particularly in the southern regions of Provence and Languedoc.

In the early medieval period, the name PONS was often used as a topographic surname, indicating that the original bearer lived near a bridge or crossing point. It could also have been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a bridge builder or toll collector.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the PONS surname can be found in the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Victor de Marseille, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 11th century. This document mentions several individuals bearing the PONS name, including a certain Pontius PONS who lived in the region of Marseille.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the PONS surname became more widespread across various parts of Europe. In England, the name appeared in its anglicized form as "Pounce" or "Pownce," as evidenced in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a record of landholders compiled in 1273.

Notable historical figures with the PONS surname include Arnaud de PONS (c. 1235-1298), a French nobleman and military leader who fought in the Eighth Crusade. Another prominent bearer of the name was Jean PONS (1528-1589), a French Catholic theologian and scholar who played a significant role in the Counter-Reformation.

In Italy, the PONS surname can be traced back to the 14th century, with records showing individuals bearing the name in various regions, including Venice and Florence. One notable Italian bearer of the PONS name was Pietro PONS (1675-1743), a renowned architect and sculptor from the city of Genoa.

Moving into the 15th and 16th centuries, the PONS surname continued to spread across Europe. In Spain, there are records of individuals with the surname PONS in Catalonia and Valencia, potentially indicating a connection to the Occitan-speaking regions of southern France.

Other historical figures of note include Jean-Louis PONS (1761-1831), a French astronomer who discovered several comets and asteroids, and Louis-André PONS (1789-1855), a French botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the Mediterranean region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pons

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

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

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

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