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

Needam, 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 Needam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Needam in America

Needam is the 121590th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Needam surname appeared 142 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 Needam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Needam 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 Needam

The surname Needam is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "neod" meaning necessity or need, and "ham" meaning a homestead or village. This suggests that the name originally referred to a settlement or village where people went to fulfill their needs or necessities.

The name can be traced back to various locations in England, particularly in the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. Some of the earliest recorded variations of the spelling include Needham, Nedeham, and Nedham.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Needam can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire, which date back to 1176. These records mention a person named William de Nedeham, who was likely from the village of Needham in Derbyshire.

In the 13th century, the Needam surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273 and the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. These records mention individuals like Robert de Nedeham and John de Nedham, who were landowners or taxpayers in their respective regions.

During the medieval period, the Needam family rose to prominence in several parts of England. One notable figure was Sir Robert Needham (1363-1448), who was a prominent soldier and courtier during the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. He served as a knight and held various important positions, including the Treasurer of Normandy.

Another historically significant individual with the Needam surname was Marchaunt Needham (1620-1678), who was a prominent English merchant and landowner. He was involved in the Virginia Company and played a role in the early colonization efforts in North America.

In the literary world, Robert Nedeham (c. 1335-1388) was an English philosopher and theologian who wrote several influential works, including a commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard.

The Needam surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Needham Market in Suffolk, Needham in Norfolk, and Needham in Derbyshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, indicating the presence of the Needam family in those areas.

Over the centuries, the Needam surname has continued to be prevalent in various parts of England, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in various fields, including politics, academia, and business.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Needam

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

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

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

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