2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Pulera
A surname possibly derived from an Italian word meaning "to clean" or "to polish".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Pulera. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Pulera 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Pulera in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Pulera, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Pulera
The surname PULERA has its origins in Italy, specifically in the southern regions of Sicily and Calabria, dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "pulera," which means "girl" or "young woman." The name may have been initially used as a nickname or a descriptive term for someone with a youthful appearance or demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the PULERA surname can be found in a document from the town of Palermo, Sicily, dated 1487. This document mentions a certain Giovanni PULERA, a merchant who was involved in trade with other Mediterranean regions. Another notable mention is in a register from the town of Reggio Calabria in 1521, where a Caterina PULERA is listed as a landowner.
In the 16th century, the PULERA surname spread to other parts of Italy, particularly in the regions of Campania and Lazio. During this time, the name appeared in various forms, such as PULERA, PULERÀ, and PULIERO, reflecting regional dialects and spelling variations.
One notable individual with the PULERA surname was Francesco PULERA (1550-1623), a renowned architect from Naples who was responsible for designing several churches and palaces in the city. Another notable figure was Girolamo PULERA (1624-1692), a Sicilian poet and playwright whose works were widely acclaimed during the Baroque period.
In the 18th century, the PULERA surname gained prominence in the island of Sardinia, where a family of landowners and merchants bearing this name was documented. One member of this family, Antonio PULERA (1732-1801), was a respected maritime trader who established trade routes between Sardinia and other Mediterranean ports.
As the centuries progressed, the PULERA surname continued to spread across Italy and beyond. In the late 19th century, a wave of Italian immigration brought the name to various parts of the world, including the Americas and Australia. One notable individual from this period was Vincenzo PULERA (1865-1942), an Italian-American sculptor who contributed to several public art projects in New York City.
Throughout its history, the PULERA surname has been associated with various professions, including merchants, artisans, writers, and artists. While its origins can be traced back to Italy, the name has since become a part of the cultural fabric of many countries around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Pulera
Among Census respondents with the surname Pulera, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Pulera 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 Pulera surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 6
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Pulera
Pulera 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,033 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+17 bearers (+16.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,735 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 10,033 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+16.3%) | Up 14,735 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 Pulera 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 | #156,044 | #141,309 | 9.4% |
| Count | 104 | 121 | 16.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Pulera bearers went from 104 to 121 (+16.3% change). The surname moved up 14,735 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #141,309.
FAQ
Pulera surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Pulera?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Pulera. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Pulera?
Pulera ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Pulera. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Pulera.
Has Pulera become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Pulera went from 104 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 17 (+16.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Pulera?
Among Census respondents with the surname Pulera, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Pulera in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Pulera appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Hispanic (5.0%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Pulera (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 Pulera mean?
A surname possibly derived from an Italian word meaning "to clean" or "to polish". 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 Pulera (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 common is the surname Pulera?
Find out how many people have the surname Pulera on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.