Find out how popular the last name Popson is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Popson.
A surname likely derived from a patronymic meaning "son of Pop".
Popson, 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 Popson surname is from the 2010 census data.
Popson is the 51830th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Popson surname appeared 401 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 Popson.
We can also compare 2010 data for Popson 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 | 51830 | 48776 | 6.07% |
Count | 401 | 406 | -1.24% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.14 | 0.15 | -6.90% |
The surname Popson is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "popp," meaning a small mound or hill, and the suffix "-son," indicating it was originally a patronymic surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Popson name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a John Popeson. This suggests that the name was already in use during the medieval period in England.
In the 14th century, the Popson surname appeared in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, mentioning a William Poppeson. This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames during that era.
The Popson name is also found in the Hearth Tax Returns of Gloucestershire in 1672, indicating its continued presence in the region. The tax records list a Robert Popson as a landowner in the village of Bibury.
Notable individuals with the Popson surname include Richard Popson (1587-1644), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Bristol Cathedral. Another notable figure was John Popson (1614-1670), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the Popson name gained prominence with the birth of Elizabeth Popson (1725-1805), a renowned artist known for her landscape paintings and portraiture. Her works can be found in various art collections across England.
The Popson surname also has connections to place names, such as Popson's Hill in Gloucestershire, which likely derived its name from an individual or family bearing this surname.
Another notable figure was William Popson (1801-1876), a successful businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of his local community in Oxfordshire. He was instrumental in establishing several schools and charitable organizations in the region.
The Popson surname, while not as common as some other English surnames, has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be traced back to its Old English origins. It has been associated with various professions, from clergymen and politicians to artists and philanthropists, leaving a lasting impact on the communities where its bearers resided.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Popson.
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 Popson was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 95.76% | 384 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 2.24% | 9 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | (S)% | (S) |
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 Popson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 95.76% | 97.78% | -2.09% |
Black | 2.24% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Hispanic | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
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 Popson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/popson-surname-popularity/">Popson last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Popson last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/popson-surname-popularity/.
"Popson last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/popson-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025
Popson last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/popson-surname-popularity/.
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