2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Populis
An Italian surname possibly derived from the Latin word "populus" meaning "people".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Populis. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Populis surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Populis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Populis, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Black (21.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Populis
The surname POPULIS is believed to have originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "populus," which means "people" or "community." The name was likely given to individuals who lived in or were associated with a particular town or village.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name POPULIS can be found in a 13th-century document from the city of Genoa, where a merchant named Giovanni POPULIS was mentioned. This suggests that the name had already gained prominence in the region by that time.
In the 14th century, the POPULIS family appeared to have spread throughout various parts of northern Italy. Records from the city of Milan mention a nobleman named Luca POPULIS, who was known for his involvement in local politics and civic affairs.
During the Renaissance period, the POPULIS name became associated with some notable figures in the arts and sciences. One such individual was Francesca POPULIS, a renowned painter from Venice who lived in the late 15th century. Her works were highly regarded for their vibrant colors and intricate details.
In the 16th century, a scholar named Antonio POPULIS made significant contributions to the field of botany. He was born in the town of Parma in 1520 and published several treatises on the classification and cultivation of various plant species.
Another notable figure from this time period was Gian Battista POPULIS, a military commander who served under the Venetian Republic. He played a crucial role in the defense of the city during the Ottoman-Venetian War of 1570-1573.
As the centuries passed, the POPULIS surname continued to be represented in various walks of life. In the late 18th century, a composer named Giuseppe POPULIS gained recognition for his operas and symphonic works, which were performed in major cities across Europe.
During the 19th century, a philosopher named Emilio POPULIS made significant contributions to the study of ethics and moral philosophy. His writings explored the relationship between individual rights and societal obligations, and his ideas influenced subsequent generations of thinkers.
Overall, the surname POPULIS has a rich history that spans several centuries and encompasses a diverse range of individuals from various fields, including commerce, arts, sciences, military, and academia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Populis
Among Census respondents with the surname Populis, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Black (21.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Populis bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Populis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.3% · 90
- Black or African American21.2% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Populis
Populis appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+16 bearers (+15.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,921 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.7%) | Up 14,921 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Populis surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #158,432 | #143,511 | 9.4% |
| Count | 102 | 118 | 15.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Populis bearers went from 102 to 118 (+15.7% change). The surname moved up 14,921 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #143,511.
FAQ
Populis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Populis?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Populis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Populis?
Populis ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Populis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Populis.
Has Populis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Populis went from 102 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 16 (+15.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Populis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Populis, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.3%. The next largest groups are Black (21.2%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Populis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.3% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Populis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.3%), Black (21.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Populis (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Populis mean?
An Italian surname possibly derived from the Latin word "populus" meaning "people". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Populis (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Populis?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.