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

Kellam, 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 Kellam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kellam in America

Kellam is the 7680th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kellam surname appeared 4,323 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 Kellam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kellam 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 Kellam

The surname KELLAM has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cyl" or "cele," meaning cold or chill, and the word "ham," meaning a homestead or village. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name describing a cold or chilly dwelling or area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KELLAM can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Robert de Kelham is mentioned. This name is likely derived from the village of Kelham in Nottinghamshire, which was originally spelled as "Keleham" in the Domesday Book of 1086.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms such as Kelham, Kellam, and Kelem in records from Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Norfolk. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Richard de Kelham, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1284.

By the 14th century, the KELLAM spelling had become more prevalent, with records showing instances of the name in Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, and Essex. One prominent figure from this era was John Kellam, a merchant and alderman of Norwich, who was born around 1350 and served as the city's mayor in 1388.

In the 16th century, the name KELLAM continued to be found in various parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. One notable bearer from this period was Thomas Kellam, a landowning gentleman from Cley-next-the-Sea in Norfolk, who was born around 1520 and served as a Justice of the Peace.

During the 17th century, the KELLAM name became more widespread across England, with records showing bearers in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. One significant figure from this era was Captain Thomas Kellam, a naval officer born in 1624 in Norfolk, who commanded several ships in the Royal Navy and played a role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars.

As the centuries progressed, the KELLAM surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with bearers contributing to various fields, including agriculture, trade, and military service. Notable individuals with this surname include John Kellam, a 19th-century English cricketer who played for Sussex County Cricket Club, and Sir Roger Kellam, a prominent architect and civil engineer from the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kellam

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

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

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

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