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

Nehme, 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 Nehme surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nehme in America

Nehme is the 34878th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nehme surname appeared 647 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 Nehme.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nehme 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 Nehme

The surname "NEHME" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region that is now modern-day Lebanon. Its roots can be traced back to the Arabic language, where it is thought to have derived from the word "naham," which means "to crave or desire."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 15th century, when it appeared in various manuscripts and historical records from the region. One notable example is its mention in a 1492 document from the city of Tripoli, which referred to a merchant named Ahmed Nehme.

In the centuries that followed, the surname spread across the Middle East and parts of Europe, particularly in areas with significant Lebanese diaspora communities. It is believed that the name first arrived in Europe during the 18th century, when Lebanese traders and merchants began establishing businesses and settling in various European cities.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname in Europe was Joseph Nehme, a Lebanese merchant who settled in Marseille, France, in the late 1700s. He is believed to have been among the first to introduce the name to the region.

Another notable figure was Youssef Nehme, a 19th-century Lebanese poet and writer who was born in Beirut in 1823. His works, which explored themes of love, nature, and patriotism, were influential in shaping the literary landscape of the time.

In the early 20th century, Khalil Nehme, a Lebanese-American author and journalist, made his mark in the United States. Born in 1887 in Lebanon, he emigrated to the United States in 1905 and went on to publish several books and articles about Lebanese culture and history.

The name has also been associated with various place names in Lebanon, such as the village of Nehme in the Keserwan District, which is believed to have derived its name from the surname itself.

Throughout history, the surname "NEHME" has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, writers, poets, and intellectuals, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Middle East and the Lebanese diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nehme

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

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

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

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