Explore the Family Name Poles

The meaning of Poles

1. English and Welsh: variant of Pole and Powell + genitival or excrescent -s. 2. Italian (Friuli and Veneto): probably a derivative of the personal name Polo. It is also found in Slovenia. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Angelo, Livio, Primo, Santo.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Poles in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Poles saw a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 45,149th most popular, but by 2010, it had risen to the 44,500th spot, representing a 1.44% change. The number of individuals with this surname also grew from 447 in 2000 to 483 in 2010, an increase of 8.05%. However, when looking at the proportion per 100k people, there was a slight decrease of -5.88%.

	2000	2010	Change
Rank	#45,149	#44,500	1.44%
Count	447	483	8.05%
Proportion per 100k	0.17	0.16	-5.88%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Poles

The ethnic makeup of those with the surname Poles also shifted during this period, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. There were no recorded Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals with this name in either year. The percentage of those identifying as two or more races rose from 2.24% in 2000 to 3.31% in 2010, a significant increase of 47.77%. Individuals identifying as white increased from 41.39% to 44.51%, a 7.54% change. The Hispanic population also saw substantial growth, increasing from 2.46% to 4.55%, an 84.96% change. However, those identifying as black decreased from 51.90% in 2000 to 45.76% in 2010, a drop of -11.83%.

	2000	2010	Change
Black	51.9%	45.76%	-11.83%
White	41.39%	44.51%	7.54%
Hispanic	2.46%	4.55%	84.96%
Two or More Races	2.24%	3.31%	47.77%
Asian/Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native	0%	0%	0%