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

Poulson, 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 Poulson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Poulson in America

Poulson is the 9466th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Poulson surname appeared 3,437 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 Poulson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Poulson 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 Poulson

The surname Poulson is of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Poul, which was a diminutive form of the name Paul. The name Paul has its roots in the Latin name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble." Poulson essentially translates to "son of Poul."

In the early records, the surname appears with various spellings, such as Paulson, Poulston, and Poultson, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century in Yorkshire, England.

One notable historical reference is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, which mention a Robert Poulson. The Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insights into the lives of individuals during that period.

In the 16th century, the Poulson surname gained prominence with the birth of John Poulson (c. 1520-1573), an English churchman and author who served as the Dean of Bristol Cathedral. His writings on ecclesiastical matters were widely influential during the Reformation era.

Another notable figure was Robert Poulson (1630-1705), a merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire, England. He played a significant role in the development of the local economy and left a lasting impact on the region's commercial landscape.

Moving into the 18th century, Thomas Poulson (1720-1792) was a renowned English architect and surveyor. He designed several notable buildings in and around London, including the famous St. George's Church in Bloomsbury.

In the 19th century, the Poulson surname was associated with the British textile industry. William Poulson (1812-1888), a successful mill owner from Yorkshire, made significant contributions to the development of textile manufacturing techniques and the welfare of his workers.

Another notable figure from this period was Emily Poulson (1840-1915), a pioneering English educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools and worked tirelessly to promote equal educational opportunities for girls and women.

While the Poulson surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and various historical events. The name continues to hold significance as a representation of its English heritage and the individuals who have carried it throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Poulson

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

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

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

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