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

Potts, 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 Potts surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Potts in America

Potts is the 902nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Potts surname appeared 38,277 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Potts.

We can also compare 2010 data for Potts 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 Potts

The surname Potts is derived from the Olde English pre 7th century word "Pott", meaning a deep hole or pit. It originated in northern England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. The name may have described someone who lived near a deep hole or pit, or perhaps worked in occupations associated with pits or quarries.

One of the earliest known references to the surname is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pot". Over time, various spellings emerged, such as Potte, Pott, and eventually Potts. The addition of the "s" suffix was common in English surnames to denote possession or association.

In the 13th century, records show a John Potte in the Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219. Another early bearer was Richard Potte, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. These early records demonstrate the surname's presence in different regions of England.

The name Potts can also be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, where a William Pottis is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname Potts include John Potts (c.1438-1505), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1505. Another prominent figure was Sir John Potts (1585-1637), an English judge and member of the House of Commons.

In Scotland, the name Potts is associated with the village of Potts in Berwickshire, which may have influenced the surname's prevalence in that region. One notable bearer was Annandale Potts (1683-1767), a Scottish lawyer and historian who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Thomas Potts (c.1635-1683), an English Quaker who settled in Pennsylvania and became a prominent landowner and public figure.

Another notable American was Jonathan Potts (1745-1810), a Revolutionary War soldier and member of the Continental Congress. His grandson, James Henry Potts (1824-1868), was a prominent Baptist minister and author.

These examples illustrate the widespread distribution and historical significance of the surname Potts, originating from the northern English counties and spanning various regions and historical periods.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Potts

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

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

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

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