Poole
A habitational surname meaning “one who lived by a pool, lake, or waterside.”
The #604 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,491 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Poole comes from Old English pōl, meaning a pool, small lake, or stretch of still water. In medieval English records it appears in forms such as Pool, Poole, and De la Poole, and it was often given to someone who lived near a pool or by the water. Some later writers also treated it as a place-name surname tied to specific settlements called Poole.
History
The name is well attested in medieval England, especially in Cheshire, where a family known as Poole of Poole held land from an early period. Historical spellings varied widely, including Pool, Poole, Pull, and De la Poole. It also appears in related surname forms and place-linked branches in other parts of England.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Lower notes that the Cheshire family of Poole of Poole Hall was regarded as one of the oldest families of the name, with medieval spellings recorded in several different forms.
From the historical record
“POOL \ (Eng.) Dweller by a Pool or Lake POOLE J "'" " •' ^^ ■'" Cp. Pole. [M.E. pool{e,pol()i, O.E.piiq POOLEY (Eng.) Dweller at i the Pool Island or Waterside [O.E. pdl +' i(e)gi 2 the Pool-Lea [O.E. pdl + leak (M.E-”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)