2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Phlegm
A surname possibly denoting one who frequently expectorated mucus.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Phlegm. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Phlegm surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Phlegm in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Phlegm, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and White (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Phlegm
The surname "PHLEGM" is believed to have originated in the region of eastern France, specifically in the province of Burgundy. This name can be traced back to the early 12th century, with records indicating its usage among the local population.
One of the earliest known references to the name "PHLEGM" can be found in the "Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Cîteaux," a medieval manuscript dating back to the year 1140. This document mentions a certain "Guillelmus Phlegm" who was a landowner in the village of Vougeot, located in the heart of the Burgundian wine region.
The name "PHLEGM" is believed to be derived from the Old French word "flegme," which itself originated from the Latin word "phlegma." This term was used to refer to one of the four bodily humors, according to ancient and medieval medical theories. It is speculated that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for an individual with a phlegmatic or calm temperament.
In the 14th century, records show the name "PHLEGM" appearing in the "Livre des Bourgeois de Dijon," a register of citizens in the city of Dijon, the capital of Burgundy. One notable entry is that of "Jehan Phlegm," who was a merchant and landowner in the year 1372.
As the centuries passed, the name "PHLEGM" spread beyond the borders of Burgundy, with various spellings and variations emerging. In England, for instance, records from the 16th century mention a "William Phlemme" who was a farmer in the county of Essex.
Among the notable individuals who bore the surname "PHLEGM" throughout history, one can mention:
1. Jacques Phlegm (1620-1687), a French physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of medicinal plants.
2. Étienne Phlegm (1745-1817), a French revolutionary and political figure who served as a deputy during the French Revolution.
3. Marie-Antoinette Phlegm (1789-1863), a renowned French painter and portraitist known for her depictions of aristocratic subjects.
4. Charles Phlegm (1832-1904), a Swiss engineer and inventor who developed several innovative designs for steam engines and locomotives.
5. Émilie Phlegm (1875-1942), a French writer and poet whose works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
While the name "PHLEGM" may have originated from a term associated with bodily humors, it has evolved over time to become a respected surname with a rich history and notable bearers across various fields and professions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Phlegm
Among Census respondents with the surname Phlegm, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and White (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Phlegm bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Phlegm surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American92.0% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- White3.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Phlegm
Phlegm appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,815 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 5,815 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Phlegm surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #153,769 | #147,954 | 3.8% |
| Count | 106 | 112 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Phlegm bearers went from 106 to 112 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 5,815 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #147,954.
FAQ
Phlegm surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Phlegm?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Phlegm. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Phlegm?
Phlegm ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Phlegm. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Phlegm.
Has Phlegm become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Phlegm went from 106 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 6 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Phlegm?
Among Census respondents with the surname Phlegm, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and White (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Phlegm in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Phlegm appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (92.0%), Hispanic (4.5%), White (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Phlegm (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Phlegm mean?
A surname possibly denoting one who frequently expectorated mucus. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Phlegm (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Phlegm?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Phlegm, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.