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

Pounds, 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 Pounds surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pounds in America

Pounds is the 5121st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pounds surname appeared 6,838 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Pounds.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pounds 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 Pounds

The surname Pounds is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "pund," meaning an enclosure or pound for livestock. This name first emerged in the medieval period, likely referring to someone who lived near or worked at such an enclosure.

The earliest known record of the name Pounds dates back to the 13th century in the county of Oxfordshire, England. In 1273, a John atte Punde was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, an early census-like record. This spelling variation reflects the evolution of the name over time.

By the 14th century, the name had spread to other parts of England, appearing in various forms such as Pownde, Pounde, and Pound. In the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327, a William Pound was listed as a taxpayer.

The Pounds name can also be traced to place names in England, such as Poundstock in Cornwall and Poundbury in Dorset. These locations likely took their names from the presence of livestock enclosures in the area, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its occupational origins.

Notable individuals with the surname Pounds include Richard Pounds (c. 1512-1594), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake during the Marian Persecutions. Another significant figure was John Pounds (1766-1839), an English philanthropist and educator who established one of the earliest English schools for the poor in Portsmouth.

In the 19th century, Thomas Pounds (1814-1892) was a British architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in London. Henry Pounds (1897-1951) was a Royal Air Force officer and flying ace during World War I, credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft.

Additionally, James Pounds (1931-2020) was an American sculptor and artist renowned for his large-scale public artworks, including the iconic "Transcendence" sculpture in downtown Los Angeles.

Throughout history, the Pounds surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting the diverse origins and occupations associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pounds

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!