2000
#84,968
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 205
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Pugach
A surname potentially derived from the Russian word for "button maker" or "cannon maker."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 341 Americans carry the last name Pugach. That puts it at #70,918 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,005,145 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pugach 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
341
1 in 1,005,145
Census rank
#70,918
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
297
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 297 bearers of the surname Pugach in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 70918th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pugach, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.3%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pugach
The surname PUGACH has its origins in Ukraine and Russia, dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Russian word "pugach," which referred to a person who lived near a ravine or a deep valley. The name may also be linked to the Ukrainian word "puga," meaning "fear" or "fright," suggesting that the name could have been given to someone who was easily frightened or scared.
In the early days, the surname was often spelled as "Pugachev" or "Pugachov," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. Some of the earliest records of the name can be found in historical documents from the Russian Empire, such as tax registers and census records.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname PUGACH was Yemelyan Pugachev, a Cossack rebel leader who led a major peasant uprising against Catherine the Great in the 1770s. His rebellion, known as the Pugachev Revolt, lasted from 1773 to 1775 and aimed to overthrow the Russian monarchy.
Another individual of note was Ivan Pugach (1819-1890), a Ukrainian writer and poet who played a significant role in the development of Ukrainian literature during the 19th century. His works often portrayed the struggles and daily lives of Ukrainian peasants.
In the 20th century, Raisa Pugacheva (1926-2003) was a prominent Soviet and Russian actress, known for her roles in numerous films and theatrical productions. She was awarded the prestigious title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1988.
Moving to the present day, Alla Pugacheva (born 1949) is a renowned Russian singer and actress, often referred to as the "Prima Donna" of Russian pop music. She has been a major cultural figure in Russia for decades, with a career spanning over 50 years.
Another notable figure is Sergey Pugachev (born 1963), a Russian businessman and former banker who was once one of the wealthiest individuals in Russia. He was involved in various business ventures and was a prominent figure in the Russian banking industry during the 1990s and early 2000s.
While the surname PUGACH has its roots in Eastern Europe, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, its historical origins and connection to the Old Russian and Ukrainian languages remain a significant part of its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pugach
Among Census respondents with the surname Pugach, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.3%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Pugach 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 Pugach surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 289
- Two or more races1.3% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 3
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pugach
Pugach appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#80,131
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 237
+32 bearers (+15.6%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 4,837 places
2020
#70,918
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 297
+60 bearers (+25.3%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 9,213 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #84,968 | 205 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #80,131 | 237 | 0.08 | +32 bearers (+15.6%) | Up 4,837 places |
| 2020 | #70,918 | 297 | 0.10 | +60 bearers (+25.3%) | Up 9,213 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 Pugach 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 | #80,131 | #70,918 | 11.5% |
| Count | 237 | 297 | 25.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.10 | 24.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pugach bearers went from 237 to 297 (+25.3% change). The surname moved up 9,213 positions in the national ranking, going from #80,131 to #70,918.
FAQ
Pugach surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pugach?
Name Census estimates that about 341 living Americans carry the surname Pugach. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,005,145 residents.
How common is Pugach?
Pugach ranks #70,918 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 297 people with the surname Pugach. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (341), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Pugach.
Has Pugach become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pugach went from 237 recorded bearers to 297. That is an increase of 60 (+25.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #80,131 to #70,918.
What does the Census say about the background of Pugach?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pugach, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.3%) and Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Pugach in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (289 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pugach appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Two or More Races (1.3%), Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Pugach (2000, 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 Pugach mean?
A surname potentially derived from the Russian word for "button maker" or "cannon maker." 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 Pugach (0.10 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 share the surname Pugach?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.