Hamam last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Hamam

An Arabic surname denoting a person who worked at public baths or steam rooms.

Hamam, 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 Hamam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hamam in America

Hamam is the 137327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hamam surname appeared 122 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 Hamam.

The history of the last name Hamam

The surname "HAMAM" is of Arabic origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle East region during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "hammam," which means "a public bath" or "a steam room." The name likely originated among Arab communities where hammams, or bathhouses, played a significant role in daily life and cultural traditions.

In the early Islamic era, hammams were not only places for personal hygiene but also served as social gathering spaces. They were often lavishly decorated and considered important communal centers. It is possible that the surname "HAMAM" was initially associated with individuals who owned, operated, or worked in these bathhouses, or those who lived in close proximity to them.

The earliest known historical references to the surname "HAMAM" can be found in various Arabic manuscripts and records from the 9th and 10th centuries. During this time, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Al-Hammami" or "Banu Hammam," indicating a connection to the bathhouse trade or location.

One of the earliest documented individuals bearing this surname was Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Hammami, a renowned Arabic scholar and philosopher who lived in the 9th century. He was born in Basra, modern-day Iraq, and is known for his contributions to the fields of logic and metaphysics.

Another notable figure was Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Ḥammāmī, a 10th-century mathematician from Baghdad. He made significant contributions to the field of algebra and is credited with developing advanced algebraic methods for solving quadratic equations.

In the 12th century, a prominent figure named Ibn al-Hammami, also known as Muhammad ibn Abi al-Qasim al-Hammami, was a renowned jurist and legal scholar from Damascus, Syria. He played a crucial role in the development of Islamic jurisprudence and left a lasting impact on legal thought in the region.

During the 13th century, the name "HAMAM" was also associated with the renowned poet and mystic Shams al-Din Muhammad al-Hammami, who hailed from Aleppo, Syria. His poetic works and spiritual teachings gained widespread recognition and influenced the Sufi tradition.

In the 15th century, the Ottoman Empire witnessed the rise of a prominent family bearing the surname "HAMAM." The Hammamizade family, originally from Istanbul, produced several notable figures, including scholars, statesmen, and military leaders, who played significant roles in the Empire's administration and cultural life.

It is important to note that while the surname "HAMAM" has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has since spread to various regions and countries, evolving and adapting to local linguistic and cultural influences over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hamam

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

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 Hamam was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 80.33% 98
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 4.10% 5
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 13.11% 16
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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.

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

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

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"Hamam last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 5, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/hamam-surname-popularity/.

"Hamam last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/hamam-surname-popularity/. Accessed 5 July, 2025

Hamam last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/hamam-surname-popularity/.

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