Find out how popular the last name Posa is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Posa.
An occupational surname meaning someone who made or sold woolen cloth.
Posa, 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 Posa surname is from the 2010 census data.
Posa is the 43077th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Posa surname appeared 502 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 Posa.
We can also compare 2010 data for Posa 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 | 43077 | 36999 | 15.18% |
Count | 502 | 568 | -12.34% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.17 | 0.21 | -21.05% |
The surname POSA originated in Italy, with records dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "posa," meaning "pause" or "rest." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was known for being calm, patient, or taking breaks.
One of the earliest known bearers of the POSA surname was Giovanni Posa, a merchant from Venice born in 1472. Records show that he traded in spices and textiles, and his business dealings took him throughout the Mediterranean region.
In the 16th century, the POSA name appeared in various municipal records and tax rolls in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. This indicates that the family had spread across central Italy during this time period.
The village of Posa, located in the province of Perugia, Umbria, may have played a role in the origin of the surname. It is possible that early bearers of the name hailed from this area or that the place name itself was derived from the Italian word "posa."
A notable figure bearing the POSA surname was Francesco Posa, a sculptor and architect born in Siena in 1592. He was known for his work on several churches and public buildings in his native city, including the Church of San Martino and the Palazzo Piccolomini.
In the 17th century, the POSA name appeared in records from the city of Naples, suggesting that members of the family had migrated to southern Italy. One such individual was Girolamo Posa, a lawyer and writer who lived from 1620 to 1687.
Another significant bearer of the POSA name was Pietro Posa, a military officer and diplomat who served under the Bourbon kings of Naples in the 18th century. He was born in 1712 and played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and alliances during his career.
As the centuries progressed, the POSA surname continued to be found throughout various regions of Italy, with families settling in cities like Rome, Milan, and Turin. While the name may have evolved in spelling or pronunciation in some areas, its Italian origins remained consistent.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Posa.
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 Posa was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 80.08% | 402 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 9.96% | 50 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 1.00% | 5 |
Hispanic Origin | 7.97% | 40 |
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 Posa has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 80.08% | 85.21% | -6.21% |
Black | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | 9.96% | 4.93% | 67.56% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | 1.00% | 1.06% | -5.83% |
Hispanic | 7.97% | 8.63% | -7.95% |
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 Posa was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/posa-surname-popularity/">Posa last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Posa last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 18, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/posa-surname-popularity/.
"Posa last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/posa-surname-popularity/. Accessed 18 May, 2025
Posa last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/posa-surname-popularity/.
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