The Power surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 14,890 people carried this name — #2,435 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 19,800 people counted. About the same as in 2000 (14,846).

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What the name means

The meaning of the Power surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the poor’.

An early record he cites: John le Poer, Yorkshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 619 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 272 births for the Power name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Munster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 12,100 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. One of them was indexed under another spelling of the name.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Munster 196
Leinster 68
Ulster 6
Connacht 2

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 73 people named Power live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 59
City of Buenos Aires 14

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

42 people named Power live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Geneva.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Geneva 15
Zurich 12
Vaud 8
Thurgau 4
Bern 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 28 people named Power.

Most of them — 18 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 7 départements, most often Seine-Maritime.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 18
Seine-Maritime 4
Charente-Maritime 1
Gironde 1
Indre-et-Loire 1
Haute-Savoie 1
Paris 1
Hauts-de-Seine 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

51 people named Power is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 51

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In Scotland’s registers today

Power was recorded 25 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 962nd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 26. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Power in American newspapers,
1889–1917.

Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Power
The Anaconda Standard 1889-09-17
Newspaper page from Daily Yellowstone Journal carrying the name Power
Daily Yellowstone Journal 1889-09-13
Newspaper page from The Ronan Pioneer carrying the name Power
The Ronan Pioneer 1917-04-20

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 8,843 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Power in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

243,846 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Power. The most, 37,028, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 101,353
Victoria 54,330
New South Wales 49,481
South Australia 16,479
Western Australia 11,694
Tasmania 9,119
ACT (Canberra) 915
Northern Territory 248

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Power.

Who carried it

People named Power,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Michael Power
    Michael Power d. 1880 · politician
  • Edith Crane
    Edith Crane d. 1912 · stage actor
  • James Power d. 1847 · politician
  • Victor O'D. Power d. 1933 · playwright
  • Victor O'D. Power d. 1918 · playwright
  • Peter Power d. 1587 · Catholic priest

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Power,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States7,557 records

7,557 records of the Power name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 4,046
  • Irish Famine arrivals at New York, 1846–1851 1,168
  • Other U.S. records 2,343
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Albert M. Power

    Born 1918 in Florida. Enlisted 1940 at St Petersburg; electrician from Pinellas County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1995, buried at Bay Pines National Cemetery, Florida.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Joseph M. Power

    Born 1921 in California. Enlisted 1942 at San Francisco; packer from San Francisco County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1956, buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Bianca Power

    Arrived at New York in 1912 aboard the Stampalia from Naples and Palermo, aged 24; housekeeper. From Napoli, Italy; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 7,557 records for Power in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia4,917 records

4,917 records of the Power name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 2,399
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 1,001
  • Other Australian records 1,517
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Patrick Power

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Hyderabad, sailing from Kingston in 1849. Native of Cork. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854. Married 1854 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 27.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Edward Power

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Neptune, sailing from London in 1837. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843. Married 1843 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 26.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Mary Power

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Kinnear, sailing from Dublin in 1848. Native of Waterford. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1852.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4,917 records for Power in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada2,550 records

2,550 records of the Power name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 2,397
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 57
  • Other Canadian records 96
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William Power

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 48; buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Power

    Came to Ontario in 1878 aboard the Texas, landing at Quebec, bound for Mimico, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Irvin B. Power

    Buried in 1965 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 70.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 2,550 records for Power in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

New Zealand103 records

103 records of the Power name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 58
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 28
  • Other New Zealand records 17
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Lancley Power

    Died 1941, aged 76; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Maurice John Power

    Born 1909, died 1988; buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Francis Grubb Power

    Buried in 1875 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 42.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 103 records for Power in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom43 records

43 records of the Power name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 36
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 6
  • Stirling Council burial records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Power

    Buried in 1906 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 65.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Johanna Rousseau Power

    Buried in 1792 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 36.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 2 of 43 records for Power in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands18 records

18 records of the Power name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 9
  • Dutch population registers 6
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Arthur Joseph Power

    Married in 1919 in Haarlem; "gouvernementsambtenaar".

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Ann Grace/Annie Grace Power

    Married in 1872 in Schiedam; born 1849 in Glasgow, Great Britain.

    Open Archives, Gemeentearchief Schiedam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 18 records for Power in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Ireland14 records

14 records of the Power name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bridget Ann Power

    Died 1981, aged 93; buried at Kilcummin, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Power

    Died 1970, aged 73; buried at Labane, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 14 records for Power in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France6 records

6 records of the Power name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Bernard Maurice Patrick Power

    Born 1931 in Darnétal (Seine-Maritime); died 1996 in Laon (Aisne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Cyril Power

    Born 1929 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Cahors (Lot).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Power in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Power name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Eugen Friedrich Power

    From Mannheim. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 11 August 1916.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Power.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Power is.
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