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

Odom, 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 Odom surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Odom in America

Odom is the 996th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Odom surname appeared 35,020 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Odom.

We can also compare 2010 data for Odom 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 Odom

The surname Odom has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ode" meaning wealth or prosperity, and "ham" meaning homestead or village. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a prosperous village or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, where a person named Odo de Hamme is mentioned. This spelling variation, "de Hamme," suggests that the name may have initially been a place name before evolving into a surname.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various forms, such as Odam, Odham, and Odeham, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. Some of these variations may have been influenced by place names like Odham in Bedfordshire or Odiham in Hampshire.

In the 13th century, the surname Odom was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire, a significant collection of records from that period. This indicates that the name was well-established in parts of England by that time.

One notable individual with the surname Odom was Sir John Odam, a member of the English parliament who lived in the late 14th century. He was a wealthy landowner and influential figure in his local community.

Another person of historical significance was Thomas Odom, born in 1650, who was a prominent merchant and trader in the city of Bristol. He played a role in the city's maritime commerce during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various records, including the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Islington, London, where the baptism of a child named Elizabeth Odom was recorded in 1745.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname in the American colonies was that of William Odom, who arrived in Virginia from England in the late 17th century. He settled in the Tidewater region and established a family line that continued in the following generations.

The name Odom has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history, such as the English writer and poet Samuel Odom (1679-1720), who was known for his satirical works, and the American civil rights activist and educator Mary Odom (1898-1976), who played a significant role in desegregating schools in the southern United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Odom

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

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

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

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