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

Odems, 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 Odems surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Odems in America

Odems is the 72771st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Odems surname appeared 267 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 Odems.

We can also compare 2010 data for Odems 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 Odems

The surname ODEMS is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost or obscure place name. The etymology of the name suggests a connection to the Old English words "od" or "ode," meaning wealth or prosperity, and "ham" or "hamm," referring to a homestead or village.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the ODEMS surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1327, where a person named John Odems is listed as a taxpayer. This indicates that the name was already established in that region by the early 14th century.

In the 15th century, the ODEMS name appears in various records from the county of Staffordshire. For instance, a Thomas Odems is recorded in the Staffordshire Muster Rolls of 1459. This suggests that the family may have had ties to both the Midlands and the West Midlands regions of England during this time period.

Notable individuals bearing the ODEMS surname throughout history include:

1. Sir William Odems (c. 1520-1592), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. Mary Odems (b. 1634), one of the first English settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, arriving in 1638.
3. Robert Odems (1690-1745), a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol, England, who served as a city councilor.
4. Elizabeth Odems (1773-1848), a renowned English botanist and naturalist, known for her contributions to the study of native British flora.
5. James Odems (1819-1892), a British explorer and adventurer who traveled extensively in Africa and Asia, publishing several books about his expeditions.

While the ODEMS surname has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has left its mark in various regions of England, particularly in the Midlands and the West Midlands. The name's origins and early recorded instances highlight its deep roots in the country's medieval past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Odems

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

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

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

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