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

Palme, 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 Palme surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Palme in America

Palme is the 76533rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Palme surname appeared 251 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 Palme.

We can also compare 2010 data for Palme 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 Palme

The surname Palme is of German origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to have originated from the medieval German word "palm," which referred to the palm tree or its branches. These branches were often used as symbols of victory and triumph, particularly in religious contexts.

In the early days, the name Palme was likely associated with individuals who lived near a location with palm trees or who may have been involved in the production or trade of palm-related products. Some historians suggest that the name could also be linked to individuals who participated in religious ceremonies involving palm branches, such as the celebration of Palm Sunday.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Palme can be found in the municipal records of the city of Nürnberg, Germany, dating back to the late 1300s. These records mention a certain Johannes Palme, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region.

During the Renaissance period, the name Palme gained further recognition with the emergence of notable figures bearing this surname. One such figure was Jacobus Palme, a renowned scholar and theologian who lived in the 15th century. His writings on religious philosophy and theology were widely influential during his time.

In the 17th century, the Palme family established itself as a prominent noble lineage in the German states. Johann von Palme (1588-1668) was a respected military leader who served in the Thirty Years' War, and his descendants continued to hold influential positions in the nobility and government.

Another prominent individual with the surname Palme was Johann Philipp Palme (1766-1826), a German composer and organist. His works contributed significantly to the development of church music during the Classical period.

As the name spread across Europe, it also found its way into other countries and cultures. In Sweden, for example, the Palme family gained prominence in the 19th century with the birth of Olof Palme (1927-1986), a renowned politician who served as the Prime Minister of Sweden from 1969 to 1976 and again from 1982 until his assassination in 1986.

While the surname Palme has its roots in Germany, it has since become a part of the cultural heritage of various nations, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Palme

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

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

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

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