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

Posey, 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 Posey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Posey in America

Posey is the 1773rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Posey surname appeared 20,263 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Posey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Posey 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 Posey

The surname POSEY originated in England, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "poser," which means "to rest" or "to pause." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who was known for their calm and composed demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name POSEY can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, dated 1221, which mention a William Poser. It is likely that the name underwent various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Pocer, Poseye, and Posie, before settling into its modern form.

In the 14th century, the POSEY surname appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating its presence in the region. During this time, the name may have also been associated with certain place names, such as Posey Green in Oxfordshire or Posey Farm in Wiltshire.

One notable figure bearing the POSEY surname was Sir John Posey (c. 1545-1612), an English soldier and Member of Parliament who served under Queen Elizabeth I. Another was Thomas Posey (1750-1818), a Revolutionary War officer and the third Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky.

In the literary realm, the name POSEY gained prominence through the works of Edgar Allan Poe. His short story "The Posey Case" (1845) featured a character named Monsieur G. Auguste Dupin, who was inspired by the real-life Parisian detective Eugène François Vidocq (1775-1857).

Other historical figures with the POSEY surname include:

1. Alexander Posey (1873-1908), a renowned poet, journalist, and humorist from the Muscogee Creek Nation.
2. John Posey (1786-1857), a U.S. Representative from Virginia.
3. David Posey (1770-1836), a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.
4. Carnot Posey (1818-1863), a Confederate general during the American Civil War.
5. Sarah Posey (1857-1939), an American teacher and activist for women's suffrage.

While the POSEY surname may have evolved over time, its enduring presence throughout history reflects its deep-rooted English origins and the notable individuals who have carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Posey

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!