2000
#13,359
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,092
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.78
Rare Last name
Puma
A surname derived from the Latin word for "cougar" or "mountain lion," likely referring to a fierce or brave person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,628 Americans carry the last name Puma. That puts it at #12,827 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.77 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 130,424 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Puma 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
2.6K
1 in 130,424
Census rank
#12,827
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,292 bearers of the surname Puma in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.77 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12827th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Puma, the largest self-reported group is White at 56.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (39.2%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Puma
Among Census respondents with the surname Puma, the largest self-reported group is White at 56.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (39.2%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Puma 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 Puma surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White56.5% · 1,295
- Hispanic or Latino39.2% · 898
- Two or more races2.2% · 50
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6% · 37
- Black or African American0.5% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Puma
Puma 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
#12,889
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,386
+294 bearers (+14.1%)
Per 100,000 0.81
Rank movement Up 470 places
2020
#12,827
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,292
-94 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.77
Rank movement Up 62 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,359 | 2,092 | 0.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,889 | 2,386 | 0.81 | +294 bearers (+14.1%) | Up 470 places |
| 2020 | #12,827 | 2,292 | 0.77 | -94 bearers (-3.9%) | Up 62 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 Puma 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 | #12,889 | #12,827 | 0.5% |
| Count | 2,386 | 2,292 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.81 | 0.77 | -5.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Puma bearers went from 2,386 to 2,292 (-3.9% change). The surname moved up 62 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,889 to #12,827.
FAQ
Puma surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Puma?
Name Census estimates that about 2,628 living Americans carry the surname Puma. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 130,424 residents.
How common is Puma?
Puma ranks #12,827 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.77 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,292 people with the surname Puma. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,628), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.77 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.77 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Puma.
Has Puma become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Puma went from 2,386 recorded bearers to 2,292. That is a decrease of 94 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,889 to #12,827.
What does the Census say about the background of Puma?
Among Census respondents with the surname Puma, the largest self-reported group is White at 56.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (39.2%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Puma in the 2020 Census, accounting for 56.5% (1,295 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Puma appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (56.5%), Hispanic (39.2%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Puma (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 Puma mean?
A surname derived from the Latin word for "cougar" or "mountain lion," likely referring to a fierce or brave person. 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 Puma (0.77 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 Puma?
Want to know how many people have the last name Puma? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.