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

Pournaras, 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 Pournaras surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pournaras in America

Pournaras is the 143149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pournaras surname appeared 116 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pournaras.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pournaras 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 Pournaras

The surname Pournaras is of Greek origin, originating from the Greek island of Crete in the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "pournari," which means "pomegranate tree." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or cultivated pomegranate trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pournaras can be found in a manuscript from the 16th century, which mentions a family with this surname living in the village of Arkalochori, located in the Heraklion regional unit of Crete. The name was likely used to identify individuals or families who were involved in the cultivation or trade of pomegranates, which were an important agricultural product on the island.

In the 18th century, the Pournaras family gained prominence in the region of Sfakia, located in the western part of Crete. During this time, several members of the family were involved in the local resistance against the Ottoman Turks, who had occupied the island. One notable figure was Ioannis Pournaras, born in 1745, who participated in the Cretan Revolt of 1770-1771 against the Ottoman Empire.

Another significant individual with the surname Pournaras was Georgios Pournaras, born in 1820 in the village of Anopoli, Sfakia. He was a renowned scholar and educator who played a vital role in the preservation of Cretan culture and traditions. Georgios Pournaras established one of the first schools in Sfakia and wrote several books on Cretan history and folklore.

In the 19th century, the Pournaras family expanded beyond Crete, with some members migrating to other parts of Greece. One notable figure from this period was Konstantinos Pournaras, born in 1860 in Athens. He was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Greek Parliament and was actively involved in the Greek national movement.

Another individual of note was Nikolaos Pournaras, born in 1892 in the village of Arkalochori, Crete. He was a renowned painter and sculptor who gained recognition for his works depicting Cretan landscapes and traditional life. His artwork played a significant role in preserving and promoting Cretan cultural heritage.

While the surname Pournaras originated in Crete, it has since spread to other parts of Greece and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in various fields, including politics, education, art, and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pournaras

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

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

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

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