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

Porch, 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 Porch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Porch in America

Porch is the 10847th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Porch surname appeared 2,936 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 Porch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Porch 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 Porch

The surname Porch originated in England during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'porc', meaning a small enclosed area or enclosure, often referring to a small farmyard. The name was likely given to someone who lived near or worked in such an enclosed space.

Records show the name appearing in various forms, such as Porche, Pورche, and Pourche, in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, which mentions a Robert de la Porche.

The name Porch is not found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, suggesting it emerged after the Norman Conquest. However, it is possible that earlier variations of the name existed but were not recorded or have been lost over time.

One notable historical figure with the surname Porch was Sir John Porch (c. 1520-1594), a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1590. Another was Richard Porch (1668-1743), a British writer and clergyman who authored several works on theology and philosophy.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name is William Porch, who was born in Virginia in 1635. Another early American with the surname was Thomas Porch (1676-1743), a Quaker preacher and author from Pennsylvania.

Other notable individuals with the surname Porch include John Porch (1783-1856), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and Kathleen Porch (1919-2006), an American author and illustrator of children's books.

Overall, the surname Porch has a long history in England, with its origins likely dating back to the Middle Ages and reflecting the occupation or location of its earliest bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Porch

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

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

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

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