There have been zero American popes so far; no pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church has been from the United States.

Quick Scoop: How Many American Popes?

  • As of 2026, the Catholic Church has had around 266–267 popes, depending on how you count certain historical cases.
  • None of these popes were born in the United States or are considered “American popes.”
  • Discussions and videos on the topic explicitly state that, despite the large U.S. Catholic population, there has not yet been a pope from America.

Recent Twist: First American Chosen

In 2025, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago native, was chosen as pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV , and is widely described as the first American to lead the Catholic Church. That means only one pope in history is recognized as American, and his papacy begins this new chapter.

So in summary:

  • Before Pope Leo XIV: 0 American popes.
  • With Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Prevost): 1 American pope, the first in nearly 2,000 years of papal history.

TL;DR: Historically there were no American popes, but with Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Prevost), there has now been one. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.