2000
#107,565
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Potente
An Italian surname meaning 'powerful' or 'mighty'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 232 Americans carry the last name Potente. That puts it at #96,572 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,477,389 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Potente 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
232
1 in 1,477,389
Census rank
#96,572
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
202
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 202 bearers of the surname Potente in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 96572nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Potente, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (22.8%) and Hispanic (13.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Potente
The surname Potente originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "potente," which means "powerful" or "strong." The name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive name given to someone who possessed notable physical strength or held a position of authority or influence.
The earliest recorded instances of the Potente surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Lombardy, and Emilia-Romagna. It is believed that the name may have initially been used to distinguish families or individuals who had gained prominence or wielded significant power within their local communities.
In historical records, such as medieval tax rolls and municipal archives, variations of the spelling can be found, including Potenti, Pottente, and Pudente. These variations likely reflect regional dialects and variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.
One notable historical figure bearing the Potente surname was Giacomo Potente, a prominent merchant and banker from Florence who lived in the 15th century. He was involved in the city's lucrative wool trade and established a successful banking enterprise that facilitated commerce throughout Italy and beyond.
Another prominent figure was Giovanni Battista Potente, an Italian architect and engineer who lived in the 16th century. He is best known for his contributions to the design and construction of several notable buildings in Rome, including the Church of Sant'Andrea della Valle.
In the 17th century, Antonio Potente was a renowned Italian painter and engraver who specialized in religious art and portraiture. His works can be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy, showcasing his mastery of the Italian Renaissance style.
During the 18th century, Luigi Potente was a respected Italian mathematician and philosopher. He made significant contributions to the field of geometry and authored several influential treatises on mathematical principles and their applications.
Lastly, in the 19th century, Vincenzo Potente was an Italian politician and statesman who played a pivotal role in the unification of Italy. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was actively involved in the Risorgimento movement, which ultimately led to the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
While the surname Potente is not among the most common in Italy, its historical significance and presence across various regions of the country attest to its enduring legacy and the influential individuals who have borne this powerful name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Potente
Among Census respondents with the surname Potente, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (22.8%) and Hispanic (13.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Potente 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 Potente surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White60.9% · 123
- Asian and Pacific Islander22.8% · 46
- Hispanic or Latino13.4% · 27
- Black or African American1.5% · 3
- Two or more races1.0% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Potente
Potente 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
#101,737
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 177
+24 bearers (+15.7%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 5,828 places
2020
#96,572
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 202
+25 bearers (+14.1%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 5,165 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #107,565 | 153 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #101,737 | 177 | 0.06 | +24 bearers (+15.7%) | Up 5,828 places |
| 2020 | #96,572 | 202 | 0.07 | +25 bearers (+14.1%) | Up 5,165 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 Potente 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 | #101,737 | #96,572 | 5.1% |
| Count | 177 | 202 | 14.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.07 | 12.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Potente bearers went from 177 to 202 (+14.1% change). The surname moved up 5,165 positions in the national ranking, going from #101,737 to #96,572.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Potente
FAQ
Potente surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Potente?
Name Census estimates that about 232 living Americans carry the surname Potente. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,477,389 residents.
How common is Potente?
Potente ranks #96,572 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 202 people with the surname Potente. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (232), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Potente.
Has Potente become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Potente went from 177 recorded bearers to 202. That is an increase of 25 (+14.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #101,737 to #96,572.
What does the Census say about the background of Potente?
Among Census respondents with the surname Potente, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (22.8%) and Hispanic (13.4%). 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 Potente in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.9% (123 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Potente appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (60.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (22.8%), Hispanic (13.4%). 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 Potente (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 Potente mean?
An Italian surname meaning 'powerful' or 'mighty'. 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 Potente (0.07 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 common is the surname Potente?
Find out how many people have the last name Potente on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.