Find out how popular the last name Alms is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Alms.

Alms, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Alms surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alms in America

Alms is the 35345th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alms surname appeared 637 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Alms.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alms to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Alms

The surname Alms is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "ælmesse," which means "alms" or "charitable donation." The name likely referred to someone who either received alms or was involved in the distribution of alms to the poor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alms can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions an individual named "Ailmarus" in Cambridgeshire, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the name Alms.

In the 13th century, records show a William de Almes residing in Oxfordshire. The use of the preposition "de" in his name suggests a connection to a specific place, possibly a town or village named Almes or a variation thereof.

During the 14th century, the name Alms appeared in various spellings, such as "Aylmys" and "Aymes," reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography at the time. Notable individuals bearing this surname include John Almes, a merchant from London who was granted a royal charter in 1382 by King Richard II.

In the 16th century, the name Alms gained prominence with Sir Michael Alms (1500-1570), a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry in Hertfordshire. His descendants continued to play a significant role in the region's affairs for several generations.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Alms (1615-1681), a member of the English Parliament during the reign of King Charles II. He was a staunch Royalist and supported the restoration of the monarchy after the English Civil War.

Other prominent individuals bearing the surname Alms include John Alms (1789-1863), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and William Alms (1822-1897), a pioneering industrialist who played a crucial role in the development of the textile industry in Lancashire.

While the name Alms is not as common today as it once was, it remains an integral part of English history and serves as a reminder of the importance of charitable acts and social welfare in medieval and early modern society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alms

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Alms.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Alms was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Alms has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Alms was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Alms, please contact us.

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