Pulju last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Pulju

A Finnish surname derived from the word "pulju", meaning a rounded or bulging shape.

Pulju, 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 Pulju surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pulju in America

Pulju is the 117480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pulju surname appeared 148 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 Pulju.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pulju 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 117480 116835 0.55%
Count 148 138 6.99%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.05 0.00%

The history of the last name Pulju

The surname PULJU has its origins in the region of Scandinavia, specifically in Finland, where it is believed to have emerged during the 16th century. This surname is derived from the Finnish word "pulli," which means "bubble" or "blister," suggesting that it may have been initially used as a nickname or a descriptive name for someone with a distinctive physical characteristic.

One of the earliest known references to this surname can be found in the parish records of Turku, a city in southwestern Finland, where a person named Matti Pulju was mentioned in the year 1582. This record provides valuable insight into the early usage of the name and its geographical distribution.

During the 17th century, the PULJU surname appeared in various historical documents, including tax records and land ownership registers, predominantly in the regions of Häme and Uusimaa in southern Finland. These records shed light on the spread and establishment of the name in different parts of the country.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the PULJU surname was Juho Pulju (1720-1789), a prominent farmer and landowner from the village of Hauho in the Tavastia Proper region of Finland. He was known for his influential role in the local community and his contributions to agricultural development.

Another individual of historical significance was Liisa Pulju (1785-1862), a renowned folk poet and storyteller from the village of Kurikka in western Finland. Her works, which captured the rich oral tradition of the region, were widely celebrated and helped preserve the cultural heritage of the Finnish people.

In the 19th century, the PULJU surname gained further recognition with the birth of Matti Pulju (1821-1898), a prominent Finnish linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of the Finnish language and its dialects. His research and publications were instrumental in advancing the understanding of the linguistic diversity within Finland.

The 20th century saw the emergence of several notable figures with the PULJU surname, including Eino Pulju (1905-1982), a renowned Finnish architect known for his innovative and modernist designs. His works, such as the Helsinki Olympic Stadium and the Kulttuuritalo (House of Culture) in Helsinki, have become iconic landmarks in the country's architectural landscape.

Throughout history, the PULJU surname has maintained a strong presence in Finland, particularly in the regions where it originated. While the name has not gained widespread recognition globally, it remains an integral part of the Finnish cultural and linguistic heritage, reflecting the rich tapestry of surnames that have emerged from this Nordic nation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pulju

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

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 Pulju was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.89% 136
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 4.73% 7
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 Pulju has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.89% 97.10% -5.51%
Black 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 4.73% 0.00% 200.00%
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 Pulju was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!

"Pulju last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on April 28, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/pulju-surname-popularity/.

"Pulju last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/pulju-surname-popularity/. Accessed 28 April, 2025

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

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