Poydras last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Poydras

Of French origin, a topographic surname referring to someone living near marshy land.

Poydras, 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 Poydras surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Poydras in America

Poydras is the 86981st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Poydras surname appeared 214 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 Poydras.

We can also compare 2010 data for Poydras 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 86981 84968 2.34%
Count 214 205 4.30%
Proportion per 100k 0.07 0.08 -13.33%

The history of the last name Poydras

The surname Poydras originates from France, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "poudrier," which means "maker of powder" or "gunpowder maker." This connection suggests that the name was originally an occupational surname, referring to someone who manufactured or worked with gunpowder during that era.

Poydras is closely linked to the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, where it has a significant historical presence. One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the records of French colonists who settled in Louisiana during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Among them was Julien Poydras, a merchant and landowner who arrived in the colony in 1718 and became a prominent figure in the region.

Another notable figure with this surname was Julien Poydras de Lallande, who was born in France in 1746 and later emigrated to Louisiana. He served as a wealthy planter and politician, holding various positions in the territorial government, including that of a judge and a member of the legislative council. His son, Julien Poydras, born in 1783, followed in his footsteps and became a successful businessman and philanthropist in New Orleans.

The Poydras surname is also closely tied to the Poydras Street in New Orleans, which was named after Julien Poydras, the philanthropist. This street is a major thoroughfare in the city and home to numerous businesses, hotels, and other landmarks.

Throughout history, several individuals with the Poydras surname have left their mark. One such figure was Piere Poydras, a French soldier and explorer who served in the French and Indian War and later settled in Louisiana in the 18th century. Another notable individual was Benjamin Poydras, a wealthy plantation owner and businessman who lived in Louisiana in the early 19th century.

While the Poydras surname has its roots in France, it has become deeply intertwined with the history and culture of Louisiana, particularly in the city of New Orleans, where it remains a prominent and respected name to this day.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Poydras

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

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 Poydras was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 4.67% 10
Non-Hispanic Black Only 89.72% 192
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 4.21% 9
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Poydras has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 4.67% (S)% (S)%
Black 89.72% 94.15% -4.82%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 4.21% 3.41% 21.00%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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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!

"Poydras last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/poydras-surname-popularity/.

"Poydras last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/poydras-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Poydras last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/poydras-surname-popularity/.

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