Pounds Conversion

The pound is a unit used to measure weight. Use one of the conversion calculators below to convert to another unit of measure, or read on to learn more about pounds.

Pound Conversion Calculators

Choose a unit of weight to convert to.

US Customary & Imperial Units

Convert pounds to tons: 1 pound is equal to 0.0005 tons
Convert pounds to ounces: 1 pound is equal to 16 ounces

SI Units

Convert pounds to metric tons: 1 pound is equal to 0.000454 metric tons
Convert pounds to kilograms: 1 pound is equal to 0.453592 kilograms
Convert pounds to grams: 1 pound is equal to 453.59237 grams
Convert pounds to milligrams: 1 pound is equal to 453,592 milligrams

Other Units

Convert pounds to long tons: 1 pound is equal to 0.000446 long tons
Convert pounds to carats: 1 pound is equal to 2,268 carats

Pound Definition and Usage

One pound is defined as a unit of mass/weight equal to 16 ounces, or 0.45359237 kilograms. One pound is equal to 7,000 grains in the avoirdupois or apothecaries' systems.^[1]

The pound is a US customary and imperial unit of weight. A pound is sometimes also referred to as a common ounce. Pounds can be abbreviated as lb, and are also sometimes abbreviated as lbs, lb_m, or #. For example, 1 pound can be written as 1 lb, 1 lbs, 1 lb_m, or 1 #.

Background and Origin

The pound originates from the libra, which is where the abbreviation "lb" comes from. The libra was a Roman unit of mass equal to 328.9 grams, or about 123 ounces.^[2]

Over time, the libra was replaced by variations of the pound, such as the tower pound and the troy pound. Eventually it evolved into the modern variation, the avoirdupois pound.

Pounds Measurement Conversion Table

Common pound values and equivalent imperial and metric weight measurements
pounds	tons	ounces	metric tons	long tons	kilograms	grams	milligrams	carats
1 lb	0.0005 t	16 oz	0.000454 t	0.000446 lt	0.453592 kg	453.59237 g	453,592 mg	2,268 ct
2 lb	0.001 t	32 oz	0.000907 t	0.000893 lt	0.907185 kg	907.18474 g	907,185 mg	4,536 ct
3 lb	0.0015 t	48 oz	0.001361 t	0.001339 lt	1.360777 kg	1,361 g	1,360,777 mg	6,804 ct
4 lb	0.002 t	64 oz	0.001814 t	0.001786 lt	1.814369 kg	1,814 g	1,814,369 mg	9,072 ct
5 lb	0.0025 t	80 oz	0.002268 t	0.002232 lt	2.267962 kg	2,268 g	2,267,962 mg	11,340 ct
6 lb	0.003 t	96 oz	0.002722 t	0.002679 lt	2.721554 kg	2,722 g	2,721,554 mg	13,608 ct
7 lb	0.0035 t	112 oz	0.003175 t	0.003125 lt	3.175147 kg	3,175 g	3,175,147 mg	15,876 ct
8 lb	0.004 t	128 oz	0.003629 t	0.003571 lt	3.628739 kg	3,629 g	3,628,739 mg	18,144 ct
9 lb	0.0045 t	144 oz	0.004082 t	0.004018 lt	4.082331 kg	4,082 g	4,082,331 mg	20,412 ct
10 lb	0.005 t	160 oz	0.004536 t	0.004464 lt	4.535924 kg	4,536 g	4,535,924 mg	22,680 ct
11 lb	0.0055 t	176 oz	0.00499 t	0.004911 lt	4.989516 kg	4,990 g	4,989,516 mg	24,948 ct
12 lb	0.006 t	192 oz	0.005443 t	0.005357 lt	5.443108 kg	5,443 g	5,443,108 mg	27,216 ct
13 lb	0.0065 t	208 oz	0.005897 t	0.005804 lt	5.896701 kg	5,897 g	5,896,701 mg	29,484 ct
14 lb	0.007 t	224 oz	0.00635 t	0.00625 lt	6.350293 kg	6,350 g	6,350,293 mg	31,751 ct
15 lb	0.0075 t	240 oz	0.006804 t	0.006696 lt	6.803886 kg	6,804 g	6,803,886 mg	34,019 ct
16 lb	0.008 t	256 oz	0.007257 t	0.007143 lt	7.257478 kg	7,257 g	7,257,478 mg	36,287 ct
17 lb	0.0085 t	272 oz	0.007711 t	0.007589 lt	7.71107 kg	7,711 g	7,711,070 mg	38,555 ct
18 lb	0.009 t	288 oz	0.008165 t	0.008036 lt	8.164663 kg	8,165 g	8,164,663 mg	40,823 ct
19 lb	0.0095 t	304 oz	0.008618 t	0.008482 lt	8.618255 kg	8,618 g	8,618,255 mg	43,091 ct
20 lb	0.01 t	320 oz	0.009072 t	0.008929 lt	9.071847 kg	9,072 g	9,071,847 mg	45,359 ct

References

Encyclopædia Britannica, Avoirdupois weight, https://www.britannica.com/science/avoirdupois-weight
Arika Okrent, Why are pound and ounce abbreviated as 'lb' and 'oz'?, The Week, https://theweek.com/articles/461362/why-are-pound-ounce-abbreviated-lb-oz