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

Pam, 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 Pam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pam in America

Pam is the 29334th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pam surname appeared 806 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 Pam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pam 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 Pam

The surname "PAM" is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "paume," which means "palm of the hand." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked with their hands, such as a craftsman or manual laborer.

The earliest known records of the surname "PAM" date back to the 13th century in the Normandy region of northern France. One of the earliest documented individuals bearing this name was Jean Pam, a carpenter who lived in the village of Rouen in the late 1200s.

By the 14th century, variations of the name, such as "Paumes" and "Paume," had started to appear in historical records across other parts of France, including Paris and Bordeaux. This indicates that the name had spread to different regions, perhaps due to migration or the movement of skilled workers.

In the 15th century, the surname "PAM" was found in the English county of Sussex, suggesting that some bearers of the name had migrated from France to England during this time period. One notable individual from this era was William Pam, a merchant who lived in the town of Hastings in the late 1400s.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the spelling of the name became more standardized as "PAM," and it continued to be found in various parts of England, particularly in the southern counties. One prominent individual from this era was Sir John Pam (1570-1646), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament who represented the borough of Arundel.

In the 18th century, the surname "PAM" began to appear in records from other parts of Europe, including Germany and the Netherlands. This may have been due to the migration of individuals or families with French roots seeking new opportunities in these regions.

Some notable figures throughout history who bore the surname "PAM" include:

1. Jacques Pam (c. 1620-1685), a French painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraiture.
2. Frederica Pam (1741-1809), a German novelist and playwright whose works explored social issues and gender roles.
3. Robert Pam (1792-1867), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became an Admiral in the Royal Navy.
4. Louis Pam (1839-1912), a Dutch astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of comets and celestial mechanics.
5. Emily Pam (1875-1957), an American suffragist and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social reforms in the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pam

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!