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

Cumming, 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 Cumming surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cumming in America

Cumming is the 10528th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cumming surname appeared 3,047 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Cumming.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cumming 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 Cumming

The surname Cumming has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "cumaing," meaning "milk pail" or "milk bucket." The name likely referred to someone who worked as a dairyman or was associated with the dairy trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Among the names mentioned is that of Adam de Cummyng, a Scottish nobleman from Cumbernauld.

The Cumming family played a significant role in Scottish history, particularly during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Sir John Cumming, a prominent knight who lived in the 14th century, was a staunch supporter of Robert the Bruce and fought alongside him at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various historical records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which mention a William Cumming who held lands in Aberdeenshire in 1456.

The Cummings were also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Cummingston in East Lothian and Cummingstown in Lanarkshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, suggesting that the Cummings were landowners in those areas.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Alexander Cumming, a Scottish soldier and diplomat who lived in the 16th century. He served as the ambassador to France and was knighted by King James VI of Scotland in 1587.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Gordon Cumming, a British naval officer who lived from 1772 to 1854. He played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars and was renowned for his bravery and leadership.

In literature, the name Cumming appears in works such as Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Bride of Lammermoor," where one of the characters is named Ravenswood Cumming.

Throughout history, the surname Cumming has been spelled in various ways, including Cuming, Comyn, Comying, and Cummyn, reflecting the regional variations and linguistic influences of different parts of Scotland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cumming

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

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

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

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