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

Filmore, 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 Filmore surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Filmore in America

Filmore is the 34185th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Filmore surname appeared 664 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 Filmore.

We can also compare 2010 data for Filmore 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 Filmore

The surname FILMORE has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "ful" and "mere," which together translate to "foul or muddy lake." This suggests that the name may have originated as a place name or topographic descriptor, referring to a settlement near a body of water that was perceived as unclean or stagnant.

One of the earliest known references to the surname FILMORE can be found in the Warwickshire Feet of Fines from 1242, which mentions a person named William de Fylmere. The spelling variation "Fylmere" further supports the link to the Old English words and their meaning.

In the 13th century, the FILMORE surname was primarily concentrated in the Midlands region of England, particularly in the counties of Warwickshire and Leicestershire. This is likely due to the name's topographic origins, as these areas were known for their numerous lakes and marshes.

As time passed, the surname evolved and took on various spellings, including Filmore, Filmer, Fillmore, and Philmore. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Filmer (1588-1653), an English political theorist and author of the influential work "Patriarcha," which defended the divine right of kings and advocated for absolute monarchy.

Another historical figure with the FILMORE surname was Millard Fillmore (1800-1874), the 13th President of the United States. Born in Cayuga County, New York, he was of English descent and served as President from 1850 to 1853 after the death of Zachary Taylor.

In the 16th century, the FILMORE surname was also found in Gloucestershire, where records show a William Filmore residing in the parish of Westbury-on-Trym in 1562. Similarly, in the 17th century, a John Filmore was recorded in the parish of Leigh in Surrey.

Other notable bearers of the FILMORE surname include John Filmore (1759-1836), an American Revolutionary War soldier, and Jeremiah Filmore (1775-1863), an early settler and pioneer in Ohio.

While the surname FILMORE has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through British migration and colonization. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical references remain rooted in the English counties where the name first emerged, reflecting its origins as a topographic descriptor related to bodies of water.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Filmore

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

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

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

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