2000
#9,798
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,047
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.13
Rare Last name
Hallam
From a place name meaning "at the rocks" or "at the corner" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,456 Americans carry the last name Hallam. That puts it at #10,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 99,177 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hallam surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Hallam with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.5K
1 in 99,177
Census rank
#10,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,014 bearers of the surname Hallam in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hallam, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hallam
The surname Hallam is of English origin, deriving from the place name Hallam, which is an area in the county of Yorkshire. This place name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "halh" meaning a remote valley or nook, and "ham" meaning a homestead or village.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Hallam can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hallam." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.
In the 12th century, the Hallam family held lands in the village of Hallam, which later became a part of the city of Sheffield. One notable member of the family during this time was William de Hallam, who was a prominent landowner in the area.
During the 13th century, the Hallam family expanded their influence, with members holding positions of importance in the local government and church. One such individual was Roger de Hallam, who served as the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in 1263.
By the 14th century, the Hallam name had spread beyond Yorkshire, with branches of the family appearing in various parts of England. One notable figure from this period was John Hallam, a renowned scholar and clergyman who served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1292 to 1324.
In the 16th century, the Hallam name gained further prominence with the birth of Robert Hallam (1515-1559), a renowned English lawyer and member of the Parliament of England. He played a significant role in the legal and political affairs of his time.
Another notable figure was Sir Robert Hallam (1566-1632), an English merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Sheffield. He is remembered for his support of education and charitable endeavors.
Over the centuries, the Hallam surname has been associated with various notable individuals across various fields, including politics, academia, and the arts. These include the British writer and critic A.E. Hallam (1892-1975), and the American actress and singer Laura Hallam (1976-present).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hallam
Among Census respondents with the surname Hallam, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Hallam bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Hallam surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.2% · 2,719
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 122
- Two or more races4.0% · 121
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 26
- Black or African American0.5% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hallam
Hallam appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,340
+293 bearers (+9.6%)
Per 100,000 1.13
Rank movement Up 86 places
2020
#10,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,014
-326 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Down 470 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,798 | 3,047 | 1.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,712 | 3,340 | 1.13 | +293 bearers (+9.6%) | Up 86 places |
| 2020 | #10,182 | 3,014 | 1.01 | -326 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 470 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Hallam surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,712 | #10,182 | -4.8% |
| Count | 3,340 | 3,014 | -9.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.13 | 1.01 | -10.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hallam bearers went from 3,340 to 3,014 (-9.8% change). The surname moved down 470 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,712 to #10,182.
FAQ
Hallam surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hallam?
Name Census estimates that about 3,456 living Americans carry the surname Hallam. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 99,177 residents.
How common is Hallam?
Hallam ranks #10,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.01 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,014 people with the surname Hallam. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,456), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.01 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hallam.
Has Hallam become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hallam went from 3,340 recorded bearers to 3,014. That is a decrease of 326 (-9.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,712 to #10,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Hallam?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hallam, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hallam in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.2% (2,719 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hallam appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.2%), Hispanic (4.0%), Two or More Races (4.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Hallam (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Hallam mean?
From a place name meaning "at the rocks" or "at the corner" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Hallam (1.01 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Hallam?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Hallam on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.