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

Populus, 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 Populus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Populus in America

Populus is the 138304th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Populus surname appeared 121 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 Populus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Populus 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 Populus

The surname Populus originates from Latin and first appeared in ancient Rome. It is derived from the Latin word "populus," which means "people" or "community." The name likely referred to someone who lived among or was a part of a particular group or settlement.

In the early days of Rome, families often took on surnames based on their occupation, physical characteristics, or place of origin. Populus may have been given to someone who worked closely with the populace or had a role in civic affairs.

One of the earliest records of the name Populus can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Livy, who mentioned a prominent Roman citizen named Marcus Populus in his work "Ab Urbe Condita" (From the Founding of the City), written around 27 BC.

During the Middle Ages, the name Populus spread across Europe as a result of Roman influence and the expansion of Latin culture. In medieval records, the name is sometimes spelled Populi or Populo, reflecting variations in language and spelling conventions of the time.

In the 12th century, a notable figure named Petrus Populus was a scholastic philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Paris. He wrote several treatises on logic and metaphysics, which were widely studied in academic circles.

Another prominent individual with the surname Populus was Giovanni Populus, an Italian Renaissance painter and architect who lived from around 1450 to 1520. He is best known for his frescoes in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

In England, the name Populus is believed to have been introduced by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest in 1066. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Radulfus Populus in the county of Wiltshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several members of the Populus family were prominent in the arts and sciences. Michael Populus (1548-1616) was an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

In the 18th century, the name Populus was associated with the French Enlightenment philosopher and writer Jean-Jacques Populus (1712-1778), whose influential work "The Social Contract" explored the foundations of political legitimacy and sovereignty.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname Populus throughout history, reflecting the name's rich and diverse origins across various cultures and epochs.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Populus

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

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

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

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