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

Kellum, 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 Kellum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kellum in America

Kellum is the 5658th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kellum surname appeared 6,136 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Kellum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kellum 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 Kellum

The surname KELLUM is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost place name that evolved from the Old English words "cyll" meaning a deep pit or spring, and "hamm" meaning a meadow or enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1176, where it appears as "de Killum." This suggests that the name may have originated in Yorkshire or a nearby area. Over time, various spellings emerged, including Killum, Kyllum, and Kellam, before settling on the modern form of KELLUM.

The name KELLUM is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This reference solidifies the name's ancient origins and its connection to early English history.

Notable individuals bearing the KELLUM surname throughout history include:

1. John KELLUM (c. 1616-1691), an early settler in Rhode Island and one of the founders of Warwick, Rhode Island.
2. Edward KELLUM (1788-1835), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New York.
3. Robert KELLUM (1808-1876), an American Methodist Episcopal minister and author from Virginia.
4. William KELLUM (1828-1908), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War, who fought in several major battles.
5. Richard KELLUM (1901-1982), an American artist known for his landscape paintings and involvement in the New Deal arts projects.

While the KELLUM name is relatively uncommon today, its rich history and evolution from an Old English place name reflect the deep roots and heritage of this English surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kellum

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

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

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

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