Post
An occupational surname referring to a messenger, courier, or gatekeeper.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 27,249 Americans carry the last name Post. That puts it at #1,530 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 7.95 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 12,579 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Post surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
27K
1 in 12,579
Census rank
#1,530
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
8.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
23K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 23,458 bearers of the surname Post in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 7.95 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1530th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Post, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Post
The surname "Post" is of German and Dutch origin, originating in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old High German word "bosta," meaning a post or pillar, which was often used to mark boundaries or to support structures.
The name first appeared in areas of what is now modern-day Germany and the Netherlands, particularly in the regions of Westphalia and Rhineland. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval documents and records from these areas, dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries.
One of the earliest known references to the name "Post" is in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the Kingdom of Saxony, which mentions a person named "Conrad Post" in a document dated 1282.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Liber Radicum, a register of landowners in the Duchy of Brabant (now part of Belgium and the Netherlands), where a person named "Henricus Post" was listed as a landowner in the village of Herentals in 1368.
During the 15th century, the name "Post" began to spread to other parts of Europe, particularly to England and Scotland, where it was sometimes anglicized to "Poste" or "Postle." One notable figure from this period was John Poste (c. 1470-1540), a medieval English scholar and author who wrote a famous treatise on logic.
In the 16th century, the name "Post" appeared in the records of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), which played a significant role in the colonization of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). One of the earliest recorded VOC employees with this surname was Adriaen Jacobsz Post (c. 1580-1650), who served as a ship's captain and explorer for the company.
Another notable figure from this period was Pieter Post (1608-1669), a Dutch architect and sculptor who is considered one of the key figures in the development of Dutch Classicism. He designed several notable buildings in the Netherlands, including the Mauritshuis in The Hague.
As the name spread across Europe and beyond, it was adopted by various families and individuals, some of whom became prominent in their respective fields. For example, Emily Post (1872-1960) was an American author and etiquette expert who wrote several influential books on manners and social conduct.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Post
Among Census respondents with the surname Post, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Post bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Post surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8%
- Hispanic or Latino2.0%
- Two or more races1.6%
- Black or African American1.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Post surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,406 | #1,530 | -8.8% |
| Count | 23,155 | 23,458 | 1.3% |
| Per 100K | 8.58 | 7.95 | -7.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Post bearers went from 23,155 to 23,458 (+1.3% change). The surname moved down 124 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,406 to #1,530.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Post
FAQ
Post surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Post?
The surname Post holds position #1,530 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 27,249 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 7.95 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Post surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Post, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.