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

Port, 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 Port surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Port in America

Port is the 11283rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Port surname appeared 2,800 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 Port.

We can also compare 2010 data for Port 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 Port

The surname Port has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "port," which referred to a harbor or a town with a harbor. This suggests that the name was likely originally borne by individuals who lived near a port or worked in a port-related occupation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Port can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named William Port is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Curia Regis Rolls of Yorkshire in 1201, which mentions a Robert del Port.

The Port surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Port Meadow in Oxfordshire and Portbury in Somerset. These place names may have influenced the development of the surname or vice versa.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir John Port (c. 1250-1322), a wealthy landowner and benefactor from Derbyshire. He founded a hospital and almshouses in Etwall, which are still operational today.

Another significant figure with the Port surname was Sir John Port (1516-1557), a merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1554. He was involved in establishing the Muscovy Company, which traded with Russia.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Port surname was also found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. Notable individuals from this period include William Port (c. 1590-1670), a member of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and one of the founders of Springfield, Massachusetts.

In the 18th century, John Port (1726-1806) was a prominent English industrialist and entrepreneur who established the Port Dundas foundry in Glasgow, Scotland. He made significant contributions to the development of the iron industry in the region.

Another bearer of the Port surname was Sir John Port (1778-1839), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was later appointed as the Governor of Malta.

While the Port surname has continued to be present in various parts of the English-speaking world, its origins can be traced back to medieval England and its association with ports, harbors, and maritime activities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Port

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

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

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

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