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

Puma, 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 Puma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Puma in America

Puma is the 12889th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Puma surname appeared 2,386 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Puma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Puma 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.

The history of the last name Puma

The surname PUMA originated in Italy during the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "puma," which means "lion" or "cougar." This name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who exhibited lion-like qualities or strength.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the PUMA surname can be found in the municipal records of the city of Siena, dated 1587. These records document a certain Giovanni PUMA, a local merchant who traded in fine fabrics and textiles.

In the 17th century, the PUMA name began to spread beyond Italy's borders. Historical archives in Spain reveal the presence of a Spanish knight named Diego PUMA, who fought in the Battle of Almansa during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1707.

During the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the PUMA surname was Francesco PUMA, an Italian architect and engineer born in 1752 in Naples. He is renowned for his contributions to the design and construction of several iconic buildings in Naples, including the San Carlo Opera House.

The 19th century saw the rise of a prominent Italian politician and statesman named Vincenzo PUMA (1818-1892). He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and played a significant role in the unification of Italy under the House of Savoy.

In the early 20th century, a famous PUMA was the Italian opera singer Renata PUMA (1904-1988). She was widely acclaimed for her performances in operas by Verdi, Puccini, and other renowned composers, and she sang at some of the most prestigious opera houses in Europe and the United States.

Throughout history, the PUMA surname has been associated with various places and regions, particularly in Italy. Some notable examples include the town of Puma in the province of Campobasso, as well as the commune of Puma di Borno in the province of Brescia.

While the PUMA surname is relatively uncommon globally, it continues to hold significance and historical relevance, particularly in Italy, where it has its roots and where many prominent individuals have borne this name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Puma

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

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 Puma was:

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Puma, 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!