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

Belgum, 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 Belgum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belgum in America

Belgum is the 91221st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belgum surname appeared 202 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 Belgum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Belgum 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 Belgum

The surname Belgum has its roots in the Netherlands, originating in the early 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "belg," which means "bag" or "pouch," and may have been an occupational name for a purse or bag maker.

The earliest recorded mention of the Belgum surname can be traced back to a Dutch census record from the city of Amsterdam in 1532, where a Pieter Belgum was listed as a resident. This suggests that the name was already established in the Netherlands by the early 16th century.

In the late 16th century, the Belgum surname began to appear in records from the Dutch East Indies (modern-day Indonesia), indicating that some individuals with this name had ventured to the Dutch colonies in Southeast Asia as traders or settlers.

One of the earliest notable figures with the Belgum surname was Johannes Belgum (1601-1672), a Dutch merchant and explorer who was among the first Europeans to establish trade relations with the Kingdom of Siam (modern-day Thailand). His travels and accounts of Southeast Asia provided valuable insights into the region during that era.

Another prominent individual was Adriaen Belgum (1628-1701), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and seascapes. His works can be found in various museums across Europe, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

In the 18th century, the Belgum surname gained recognition with the birth of Willem Belgum (1732-1808), a Dutch philosopher and author who wrote extensively on ethics and moral philosophy. His most famous work, "De Virtutibus" (On Virtues), was widely studied in European universities during the Enlightenment period.

The 19th century saw the emergence of a prominent Belgum family in the Netherlands, with Pieter Belgum (1812-1889) being a successful businessman and philanthropist. He founded several charitable organizations and donated generously to various causes, leaving a lasting impact on Dutch society.

As the Dutch diaspora spread across the globe, the Belgum surname traveled with them. In the late 19th century, several individuals with the Belgum name were recorded as settlers in the Dutch colonies of South Africa, where they contributed to the development of the region's agricultural and commercial sectors.

While the Belgum surname has its origins in the Netherlands, it has since been dispersed across various parts of the world, with descendants carrying on the legacy of this historic Dutch name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belgum

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

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 Belgum 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 Belgum 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 Belgum was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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