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

Cam, 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 Cam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cam in America

Cam is the 20434th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cam surname appeared 1,300 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 Cam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cam 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 Cam

The surname Cam is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "cam," meaning "crooked" or "bent." This could suggest that the name initially referred to someone who lived near a winding river or crooked path.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cam can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Willelmus Cam, indicating the name's presence during the Norman conquest of England.

During the 13th century, the surname Cam appeared in various records across England, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed landowners and their holdings. One such entry mentions a Thomas de Cam, suggesting the use of the "de" prefix to denote place of origin.

In the 14th century, the name Cam was associated with several notable individuals. One example is John Cam (c. 1300-1349), a English philosopher and logician who taught at the University of Paris and wrote extensively on logic and metaphysics.

The 15th century saw the rise of the Cam family, a prominent lineage that held significant landholdings in Gloucestershire and Somerset. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as "Camme" or "Cammes," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

One of the most famous individuals bearing the surname Cam was Sir Robert Cam (c. 1483-1543), a successful merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1540 and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Cloth Workers' Company.

In the 17th century, the name Cam was linked to several scholars and clergymen. Notable examples include Thomas Cam (1585-1670), a Church of England clergyman and author, and John Cam (1624-1670), a Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, and a renowned classical scholar.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Cam has been associated with various place names in England, including Cam in Gloucestershire, Cam Fell in Cumbria, and Camerton in Somerset. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cam

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

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

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

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