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

Bellam, 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 Bellam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bellam in America

Bellam is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bellam surname appeared 125 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 Bellam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bellam 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 Bellam

The surname BELLAM is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "bellan," meaning "to bellow" or "to roar," suggesting a connection to a loud or boisterous individual or perhaps someone who lived near a noisy waterfall or stream.

The earliest recorded instance of the BELLAM surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk, dated 1273. This document lists a certain Richard Bellam as a resident of the county. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Bellam is mentioned.

During the 14th century, the BELLAM surname was predominantly concentrated in the counties of Norfolk, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire. It is speculated that the name may have derived from a place name, possibly a now-lost or obscure location that incorporated the Old English word "bellan" in its name.

In the 15th century, the BELLAM surname gained prominence with the rise of William Bellam (c. 1420-1492), a notable English merchant and philanthropist from Bristol. He was a prominent figure in the city's mercantile community and played a significant role in the construction of several churches and charitable institutions.

Another notable bearer of the BELLAM surname was Robert Bellam (1552-1621), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, from 1612 until his death. He was a respected scholar and theologian during the Elizabethan era.

The BELLAM surname also found its way into literary circles with the celebrated English writer and poet, Mary Bellam (1658-1728). Her works, which included poetry and plays, earned her recognition among the literary elite of her time.

In the 18th century, the BELLAM family produced a notable military figure, General Sir Thomas Bellam (1742-1816). He served with distinction in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War and later became the Governor of Gibraltar.

Throughout its history, the BELLAM surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Belham, Bellham, Bellom, and Bellome, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in earlier centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bellam

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

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

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

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