2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Posvar
A surname derived from the word "posvár" meaning a metalworker or blacksmith in Old Slavic languages.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Posvar. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Posvar surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Posvar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Posvar, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Black (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Posvar
The surname POSVAR originates from the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, particularly in the areas that are now modern-day Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its origins can be traced back to the late 15th century, when it was first recorded as a variant spelling of the name Posavec, which means "one from Posavina" or "one from the Sava river region."
The name POSVAR is believed to have evolved from the Old Slavic word "posavski," which refers to the region along the Sava River. This river played a significant role in the lives of the Slavic people who settled in the area, serving as a vital transportation route and a source of livelihood for many communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name POSVAR can be found in the ecclesiastical records of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, dating back to the late 16th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as Posavar, Posavac, and Posavec, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and orthography.
In the 17th century, the POSVAR surname gained prominence in the region, with several notable individuals bearing this name. One such figure was Ivan Posvar (1620-1688), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Bishop of Zagreb from 1670 until his death.
During the 18th century, the POSVAR name spread beyond the Slavic regions as a result of migration and trade. In 1756, a merchant named Marko Posvar (1728-1792) established a successful trading company in the city of Trieste, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
In the 19th century, the POSVAR surname appeared in various historical records, including military rolls and census documents. One notable figure from this period was Petar Posvar (1819-1887), a distinguished military officer who served in the Austro-Hungarian army during the Napoleonic Wars.
As the 20th century dawned, the POSVAR name continued to be associated with individuals of influence and achievement. Milica Posvar (1901-1982), a renowned artist and sculptor, gained international recognition for her works, which are now featured in several museums and galleries across Europe.
Another notable bearer of the POSVAR surname was Nikola Posvar (1925-2008), a celebrated writer and poet whose works explored the themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the complexities of human experience. His literary contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious National Literary Award in 1978.
While the surname POSVAR has its roots in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. Nevertheless, the name remains deeply connected to its historical origins and the cultural legacy of the Sava River region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Posvar
Among Census respondents with the surname Posvar, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Black (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Posvar bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Posvar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.7% · 104
- Black or African American2.7% · 3
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Posvar
Posvar appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+10 bearers (+9.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 791 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-3 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,445 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.6%) | Up 791 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.6%) | Down 3,445 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Posvar surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #145,220 | #148,665 | -2.4% |
| Count | 114 | 111 | -2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Posvar bearers went from 114 to 111 (-2.6% change). The surname moved down 3,445 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #148,665.
FAQ
Posvar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Posvar?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Posvar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Posvar?
Posvar ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Posvar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Posvar.
Has Posvar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Posvar went from 114 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Posvar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Posvar, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Black (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Posvar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.7% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Posvar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.7%), Black (2.7%), Two or More Races (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Posvar (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Posvar mean?
A surname derived from the word "posvár" meaning a metalworker or blacksmith in Old Slavic languages. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Posvar (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Posvar?
You can see how common the surname Posvar is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.