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

Keum, 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 Keum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Keum in America

Keum is the 81458th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Keum surname appeared 232 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Keum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Keum 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 Keum

The surname KEUM is believed to have originated in the Korean peninsula, with records dating back to the 15th century. It is thought to derive from the Korean word "keum," meaning "gold" or "metal," suggesting that the name may have been given to those who worked as goldsmiths or metal workers.

In the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, there are references to individuals with the surname KEUM who held positions in the royal court or were scholars and officials. One notable example is KEUM Nang-won (1463-1524), a renowned Confucian scholar and writer during the reign of King Jungjong.

The earliest recorded instance of the name KEUM can be found in a 1489 census record from the Gyeonggi province, where a family with the surname is listed as residing in the village of Gapyeong. This village name is derived from the Korean words "gap" and "yeong," meaning "river" and "valley," respectively.

During the 18th century, a prominent figure named KEUM Sang-hun (1701-1771) gained recognition for his contributions to the study of classical Chinese literature and his work as a government official under King Yeongjo's reign.

In more recent history, KEUM Jong-seo (1905-1988) was a renowned Korean painter and calligrapher who played a significant role in preserving and promoting traditional Korean art forms.

Another notable individual with the surname KEUM is KEUM Hyung-mo (1928-2022), a celebrated South Korean poet and literary critic who was recognized with numerous accolades, including the prestigious Daesan Literary Award.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname KEUM who have left their mark on Korean history and culture over the centuries, reflecting the rich heritage and significance of this family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Keum

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

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

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

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