Find out how popular the last name Ponti is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ponti.
An Italian surname derived from the plural form of the Italian word "ponte" meaning "bridges" or "bridge builders".
Ponti, 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 Ponti surname is from the 2010 census data.
Ponti is the 51723rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Ponti surname appeared 402 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 Ponti.
We can also compare 2010 data for Ponti 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 51723 | 43629 | 16.98% |
Count | 402 | 466 | -14.75% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.14 | 0.17 | -19.35% |
The surname Ponti originates from Italy, where it first appeared during the medieval period. It likely derives from the Latin word "pontis," meaning "bridge." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near a bridge or worked as bridge builders or gatekeepers.
One of the earliest known records of the Ponti surname dates back to the 13th century in the city of Milan, where a family by this name is mentioned in historical documents. The name also appears in various Italian manuscripts and records from the 14th and 15th centuries, indicating its widespread use across various regions of the country.
In the late 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Ponti surname was Giovanni Ponti, a renowned architect from Vicenza, who was responsible for designing several iconic buildings and monuments in the city. Born in 1562, his works included the Palazzo del Capitanio and the Church of Santa Corona.
Another prominent individual with the Ponti surname was Giovan Battista Ponti, an Italian painter and engraver from the 17th century. He was born in Casalmaggiore in 1625 and is best known for his religious paintings and engravings, many of which can still be found in churches and galleries throughout Italy.
In the 19th century, the Ponti name gained further prominence with the birth of Gio Ponti, an influential Italian architect, industrial designer, and writer. Born in 1891 in Milan, Gio Ponti is considered one of the most influential figures in the modern Italian design movement and is renowned for his innovative and iconic designs, including the Pirelli Tower in Milan and the Superleggera chair.
Another notable bearer of the Ponti surname was Shashi Ponti, an Italian-born Indian film actress and dancer who gained fame in the Bollywood film industry during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Rome in 1946, she appeared in several popular Indian films and is remembered for her captivating performances and dance numbers.
Throughout history, the Ponti surname has been associated with various professions and disciplines, from architecture and art to entertainment and design. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval Italy, its legacy has extended far beyond its initial roots, with bearers of this surname leaving their mark across various fields and cultures.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ponti.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ponti was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 86.57% | 348 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 1.99% | 8 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | 9.20% | 37 |
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 Ponti has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 86.57% | 88.41% | -2.10% |
Black | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.99% | 3.43% | -53.14% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | (S)% | 2.15% | (S)% |
Hispanic | 9.20% | 5.58% | 48.99% |
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 Ponti was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ponti, please contact us.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/ponti-surname-popularity/">Ponti last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Ponti last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 2, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/ponti-surname-popularity/.
"Ponti last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/ponti-surname-popularity/. Accessed 2 July, 2025
Ponti last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/ponti-surname-popularity/.
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