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

Exum, 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 Exum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Exum in America

Exum is the 11118th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Exum surname appeared 2,852 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 Exum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Exum 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 Exum

The surname Exum has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ex," meaning "ox," and the suffix "-um," indicating a place name. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where oxen were bred or kept.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Exham." This early spelling variation provides insight into the name's evolution over time. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of 1332 mention a John de Exham, indicating the use of the surname in that era.

The Exum surname is also associated with various place names in England, such as Exmouth in Devon and Exning in Suffolk. These place names likely contributed to the development of the surname, as people often adopted surnames based on the locations they were from or associated with.

In the 16th century, the Exum name gained prominence with the birth of Sir Thomas Exum (1516-1587), a notable English politician and landowner. He served as a Member of Parliament for Southwark and played a significant role in the Tudor era's political landscape.

Another notable figure bearing the Exum surname was John Exum (1701-1776), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He fought for the British forces and was captured during the Battle of Long Island in 1776.

In the 19th century, William Exum (1822-1892) made a name for himself as a prominent American businessman and industrialist. He founded the Exum Manufacturing Company, which produced agricultural machinery and played a crucial role in the industrialization of the United States.

The Exum surname also gained recognition through the work of Mary Exum (1895-1981), an American artist and sculptor. Her works were exhibited in renowned galleries and museums across the country, and she is considered a significant figure in the American art scene of the early 20th century.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contributions of Herbert Exum (1920-2005), an African-American civil rights activist and lawyer. He played a pivotal role in the desegregation movement and fought tirelessly for equal rights and opportunities for minorities in the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Exum

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

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

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

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