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

Poteet, 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 Poteet surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Poteet in America

Poteet is the 7625th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Poteet surname appeared 4,353 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 Poteet.

We can also compare 2010 data for Poteet 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 Poteet

The surname Poteet has its origins in France, where it first emerged in the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "potée," which referred to a type of thick, hearty soup or stew made with vegetables and sometimes meat or fish. The name likely referred to someone who prepared or sold this dish, suggesting an occupation or trade associated with the name's origin.

The earliest recorded instance of the Poteet surname dates back to a French census record from the year 1567, which lists a family by the name of Poteet residing in the village of Béziers, located in the southern region of Languedoc. It is possible that the name may have originated in this area or nearby regions, as many surnames in France were initially based on occupations or locales.

In the 17th century, the name appears in several historical documents from the Normandy region of France, particularly in the town of Caen. One notable example is a record from 1642 mentioning a Pierre Poteet, a merchant and landowner in the area. This suggests that by this time, the Poteet family had established roots and potentially attained a certain level of prominence and wealth.

The Poteet surname eventually spread beyond France, with some individuals bearing the name migrating to other parts of Europe and even to the Americas. One early example of the name in the United States can be found in the records of the Virginia colony, where a Jean Poteet is documented as having arrived from France in the late 1600s.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the Poteet surname. One such figure was Étienne Poteet (1720-1795), a French philosopher and writer who published extensively on topics of ethics and morality. Another was Jacques Poteet (1810-1872), a French artist known for his landscapes and portraiture during the Romantic period.

In the United States, one prominent individual was Samuel Poteet (1834-1908), a businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, in the late 19th century. Additionally, Mary Poteet (1862-1943), an American educator and women's rights activist, played a significant role in the suffrage movement and the advancement of educational opportunities for women.

Lastly, a more recent figure was Robert Poteet (1918-2000), an American actor and writer best known for his roles in several Western films and television shows in the mid-20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Poteet

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

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

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

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