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

Karam, 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 Karam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Karam in America

Karam is the 9560th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Karam surname appeared 3,401 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 Karam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Karam 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 Karam

The surname KARAM has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabic-speaking regions. The name is believed to have emerged around the 7th century AD, during the rise of Islam and the subsequent spread of Arab culture and language across the region.

KARAM is derived from the Arabic word "karam," which means "generosity," "nobility," or "honor." It was likely initially used as a descriptive name, referring to someone who exhibited these qualities or as a way to express the aspirations parents had for their child.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname KARAM can be found in the historical chronicles of the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled a significant portion of the Middle East and North Africa from the 8th to the 13th century. The name appears in various administrative records and legal documents from that period.

During the Middle Ages, the KARAM surname was particularly prevalent in regions such as modern-day Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine. It was also found in parts of Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula. Over time, as trade and migration patterns evolved, the name spread to other parts of the Middle East and beyond.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname KARAM include:

1. Amin al-Karam (1846-1913), a Syrian poet and literary critic who played a significant role in the Nahda, the Arab literary renaissance of the 19th century.

2. Rashid al-Karam (1887-1963), a Lebanese politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1943 to 1944.

3. Mustafa al-Karam (1901-1986), a Palestinian writer and scholar known for his contributions to Arabic literature and his advocacy for Palestinian rights.

4. Zuhair al-Karam (1923-2001), a Syrian diplomat and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria from 1970 to 1971.

5. Layla al-Karam (born 1952), a prominent Syrian actress and television personality, renowned for her roles in various Arabic television series and films.

The KARAM surname has also been associated with various place names, particularly in the Levant region. For example, there are villages and towns with names like Karam al-Bayd and Karam al-Janoub in Lebanon, as well as Karam Alali and Karam Lozeh in Syria.

While the surname KARAM has its roots in the Arabic-speaking world, it has since spread to other parts of the globe due to migration and diaspora communities. However, its historical origins can be traced back to the Middle East, where it has been a prominent name for centuries, reflecting the cultural and linguistic heritage of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Karam

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

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

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

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