Explore the Family Name Pontiff
The meaning of Pontiff
Americanized form (translation into English) of French Pontif: from Old French pontif ‘pontiff’, an ironic nickname for a vain or pompous person. The surname Pontif is rare in France (it is found in Seine-Maritime). Some characteristic forenames: Irish Donovan, Murphy. French Evest, Octave.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pontiff in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Pontiff has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name ranked as the 36,917th most common surname in the United States, dropping to the 39,352nd position by 2010. This represents a change of -6.6 in ranking. The number of individuals with this surname also decreased from 570 to 559 over this decade, marking a drop of 1.93 percent. Additionally, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100k residents also dropped by 9.52 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #36,917 | #39,352 | -6.6% |
| Count | 570 | 559 | -1.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.21 | 0.19 | -9.52% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pontiff
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Pontiff shows some changes according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, nearly 98 percent of those bearing this surname identified as White, dropping slightly to approximately 95 percent in 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or belonging to two or more races were negligible in 2000 and suppressed in 2010 for privacy reasons. By 2010, however, small proportions of the Pontiff population began identifying as Hispanic (1.61%) and Black (0.89%), which were previously unrepresented. Furthermore, there was an increase in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native going from 0.88% in 2000 to 1.97% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.72% | 94.63% | -3.16% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.88% | 1.97% | 123.86% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.61% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0.89% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0.88% | 0% | 0% |