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

Isom, 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 Isom surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Isom in America

Isom is the 3535th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Isom surname appeared 10,099 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Isom.

We can also compare 2010 data for Isom 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 Isom

The surname Isom is of Anglo-Saxon origin and can be traced back to the 11th century England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "isarn" or "isum", meaning "iron" or "iron worker". This suggests that the name may have been initially given to a blacksmith or someone who worked with iron.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as Iseran and Isernbarn.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as Isan, Isen, and Ison, indicating the evolution of its spelling over time. One notable early bearer of the name was John Ison, a merchant from Bristol, England, who is mentioned in records from the late 14th century.

The Isom surname can also be linked to several place names in England, such as Isum and Isombridge, both located in Somerset. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "isern" or "isum", further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the iron trade.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Isom surname, including:

1. John Isom (c. 1585-1655), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in the 17th century.
2. Mary Isom (1768-1840), an American pioneer and settler in Kentucky, known for her role in the early settlement of the state.
3. Thomas Isom (1819-1892), an American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Tennessee State Senate in the late 19th century.
4. Alfred Isom (1873-1950), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the early 20th century.
5. Zora Isom (1898-1964), an American blues singer and songwriter, active in the 1920s and 1930s, known for her contributions to the Chicago blues scene.

While the Isom surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through migration and settlement in the Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Isom

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

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

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

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