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

Isham, 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 Isham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Isham in America

Isham is the 7988th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Isham surname appeared 4,139 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 Isham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Isham 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 Isham

The surname Isham has its origins in England, tracing back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "isern" meaning iron, and "ham" meaning a homestead or village. This suggests the name may have referred to an ironsmith's settlement or a place where iron was produced or worked.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Isham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Iseham" in Northamptonshire. This historical record suggests the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various spellings such as Isseham, Iseham, and Ysseham, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. These variations were often associated with specific locations or landholdings.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Isham (1486-1551), who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was also involved in the dissolution of monasteries in the 1530s.

Another prominent figure was Sir Justinian Isham (1610-1675), an English baronet and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and supported King Charles I against the Parliamentarians.

In the 17th century, the name was associated with Lamport Hall, a stately home in Northamptonshire that was the seat of the Isham family for several generations. This connection further solidified the family's prominence in the region.

During the 18th century, Sir Charles Edmund Isham (1718-1803) was a notable member of the Isham family. He was a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire and served as a Colonel in the Northamptonshire Militia.

Another remarkable individual was Reverend John Isham (1811-1893), an Anglican priest and antiquarian who served as the Rector of Lamport and wrote extensively on local history and genealogy.

Throughout its history, the surname Isham has maintained a strong connection to Northamptonshire and the surrounding areas, reflecting its origins as a place name and the family's longstanding presence in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Isham

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

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

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

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