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

Lum, 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 Lum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lum in America

Lum is the 4406th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lum surname appeared 8,060 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 Lum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lum 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 Lum

The surname Lum is believed to have originated in northern England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Northumberland, during the late medieval period around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "lum," meaning a deep pool or a chimney.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lum can be found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, dating back to the late 14th century. These rolls mention individuals with the name Lum residing in the area at that time.

Some historians suggest that the name Lum may also be connected to certain place names in northern England, such as Lumb Bank in West Yorkshire or Lum Rigg in Northumberland. These place names could have influenced the development of the surname in those regions.

In the 16th century, the Lum family was well-established in Yorkshire, and records show several members of the family holding positions of prominence. One notable individual was Sir John Lum, a wealthy landowner and merchant who lived in the late 16th century and was involved in the wool trade.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Lum surname spread to other parts of England and Scotland, with individuals bearing this name appearing in various records and historical documents. For example, the Hearth Tax Rolls of the late 17th century include entries for Lum families in counties such as Lancashire and Cheshire.

Another notable figure with the surname Lum was Robert Lum, a Scottish writer and philosopher who lived from 1707 to 1785. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Enlightenment and wrote extensively on moral philosophy and aesthetics.

In the 19th century, the Lum surname gained wider recognition through the work of the English artist and illustrator George Lum (1815-1888), who was known for his intricate wood engravings and illustrations for books and magazines.

Other individuals of note with the surname Lum include William Lum (1857-1934), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Lum School of Agriculture in New Jersey, and Dyer Lum (1839-1893), an American anarchist and labor activist who advocated for workers' rights and social reforms.

While the surname Lum may have originated in northern England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and other English-speaking countries, carried by descendants of the original Lum families.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lum

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

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

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

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