Note Borrowings (Notes payable) (Parenthetical) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Advances due 2017 To 2029 with fixed Rates 0.81% to 4.19%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advances with the FHLB, earliest maturity	2017
Advances with the FHLB, latest maturity	2029
Advances due 2017 To 2029 with fixed Rates 0.81% to 4.19% \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advances with the FHLB, interest rate	4.19%
Advances due 2017 To 2029 with fixed Rates 0.81% to 4.19% \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advances with the FHLB, interest rate	0.81%
Floating Rate from 0.22% to 0.34% over the 1 month LIBOR with maturities ranging from 2018 to 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advances with the FHLB, earliest maturity	2018
Advances with the FHLB, latest maturity	2019
Floating Rate from 0.22% to 0.34% over the 1 month LIBOR with maturities ranging from 2018 to 2019 \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advances with the FHLB, interest rate	0.34%
Floating Rate from 0.22% to 0.34% over the 1 month LIBOR with maturities ranging from 2018 to 2019 \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advances with the FHLB, interest rate	0.22%
Floating Rate from 0.09% to 0.24% over the 3 month LIBOR with maturities ranging from 2018 to 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advances with the FHLB, earliest maturity	2018
Advances with the FHLB, latest maturity	2019
Floating Rate from 0.09% to 0.24% over the 3 month LIBOR with maturities ranging from 2018 to 2019 \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advances with the FHLB, interest rate	0.24%
Floating Rate from 0.09% to 0.24% over the 3 month LIBOR with maturities ranging from 2018 to 2019 \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Advances with the FHLB, interest rate	0.09%
Fixed Rate 7.00% Percent Notes Due July 2019 paying interest semiannually, net of debt issuance costs of $4,691 for 2017 and $5,212 for 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate Percentage	7.00%
Senior Debt Maturity Year	2019
Debt issuance costs line of credit arrangements net	$ 4,691	$ 5,212
Fixed Rate 6.125% to 8.327% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures Due 2027 to 2034, net of debt issuance costs of $470 for 2017 and $476 for 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes Payable Maturity Year Range Start	2027
Notes Payable Maturity Year Range End	2034
Debt issuance costs line of credit arrangements net	$ 470	$ 476
Fixed Rate 6.125% to 8.327% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures Due 2027 to 2034, net of debt issuance costs of $470 for 2017 and $476 for 2016 \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate Percentage	8.327%
Fixed Rate 6.125% to 8.327% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures Due 2027 to 2034, net of debt issuance costs of $470 for 2017 and $476 for 2016 \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate Percentage	6.125%

Latest year the outstanding debt instruments are required to be repaid.

No definition available.

Name:	bpop_NotesPayableMaturityYearRangeEnd
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Earliest year the outstanding debt instruments are required to be repaid.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_NotesPayableMaturityYearRangeStart
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maturity year the outstanding debt instruments are required to be repaid.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bpop_SeniorDebtMaturityYear
Namespace Prefix:	bpop_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt issuance costs related to line of credit arrangements. Includes, but is not limited to, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section S45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68176171&loc=SL68176184-208336

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtIssuanceCostsLineOfCreditArrangementsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The earliest year of maturity for the advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank as of the Balance Sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479118&loc=d3e64650-112822

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesGeneralDebtObligationsDisclosuresDueDateEarliest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The last year of maturity for the advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank as of the Balance Sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479118&loc=d3e64650-112822

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesGeneralDebtObligationsDisclosuresDueDateLast
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

States the interest rate applicable to Federal Home Loan Bank advances outstanding as of the Balance Sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479118&loc=d3e64650-112822

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesGeneralDebtObligationsDisclosuresInterestRateAtPeriodEnd
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=bpop_FixedRateAdvancesDue2016To2029Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=bpop_FloatingRateFrom0.22To0.34OverThe1MonthLIBORWithMaturitiesRangingFrom2018to2019Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=bpop_Maturing2019FloatingRatesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=bpop_FixedRate700PercentNotesDueJuly2019Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=bpop_FixedRateJuniorSubordinatedDeferrableInterestDebenturesDue2027To2034Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: