2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Publow
A locational surname derived from a place name in Somerset, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Publow. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Publow surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Publow in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Publow, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (6.6%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Publow
The surname Publow is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Somerset, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "pibban" meaning pipe or stream, and "hlaw" meaning hill or mound, suggesting that the name may have been a topographic descriptor for someone who lived near a piped stream or a hill.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Publow can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land holdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 11th century.
The village of Publow, located in the Chew Valley area of Somerset, is believed to have been the original place from which the surname emerged. The name of the village itself is thought to have been derived from the same Old English root words, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the geographic location.
In the 13th century, records show a John de Publow, whose name indicates the use of the locative prefix "de" to denote his association with the place Publow. This early usage of the surname reflects its evolution from a geographic descriptor to a hereditary family name.
One notable figure bearing the surname Publow was Sir John Publow (c. 1495-1566), who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in local politics and was involved in various disputes over land ownership in the region.
Another individual of note was William Publow (1701-1779), a prominent landowner and farmer in Somerset, whose family had held estates in the area for several generations. His descendants continued to be influential members of the local community well into the 19th century.
In the 18th century, the surname Publow can be found in parish records and other historical documents across various parts of Somerset, suggesting that the name had spread beyond its original geographic origins.
Other notable individuals with the surname Publow include Elizabeth Publow (1820-1892), a wealthy philanthropist and benefactor in the city of Bath, and Thomas Publow (1856-1924), a successful industrialist and entrepreneur who established a successful manufacturing business in Bristol.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Publow
Among Census respondents with the surname Publow, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (6.6%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Publow bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Publow surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.0% · 88
- Asian and Pacific Islander6.6% · 7
- Two or more races4.7% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Publow
Publow appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+5 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,373 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+5.0%) | Up 7,373 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Publow surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #159,712 | #152,339 | 4.6% |
| Count | 101 | 106 | 5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 18.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Publow bearers went from 101 to 106 (+5.0% change). The surname moved up 7,373 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #152,339.
FAQ
Publow surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Publow?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Publow. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Publow?
Publow ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Publow. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Publow.
Has Publow become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Publow went from 101 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 5 (+5.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Publow?
Among Census respondents with the surname Publow, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.0%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (6.6%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Publow in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.0% (88 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Publow appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (6.6%), Two or More Races (4.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Publow (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Publow mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name in Somerset, England. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Publow (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Publow?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Publow on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.