2000
#9,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,023
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.12
Rare Last name
Primm
Derived from the Old English word "prim," meaning neat, trim, or delicate, likely referring to a meticulous person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,448 Americans carry the last name Primm. That puts it at #10,197 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.01 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 99,407 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Primm 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
3.4K
1 in 99,407
Census rank
#10,197
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,007 bearers of the surname Primm in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.01 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10197th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Primm, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.7%. The next largest groups are Black (26.0%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Primm
The surname Primm has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "prim," meaning "delicate" or "refined," which was initially used as a nickname for someone with a prim or proper demeanor.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Primm name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1198, where a person named Walter Prim is listed as a landowner. This suggests that the name had already established itself in the region by the late 12th century.
During the 13th century, the surname started appearing in various manorial records and tax rolls across different parts of England. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 mention a William Prim, while the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275 list a Robert Prym.
The Primm surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Primrose Hill in London, which was originally recorded as "Primerose Hill" in the 16th century. This suggests that some Primm families may have taken their name from the locations they resided in or owned land.
One notable figure bearing the Primm surname was John Primm (c. 1580-1659), an English clergyman and writer who served as the rector of St. Martin's Church in Leicester. He published several religious works, including "The Christian's Anchor-hold" and "The Sinner's Humble Confession."
Another prominent individual with this name was Thomas Primm (1642-1718), a successful merchant and landowner from Warwickshire. He was involved in the woolen trade and acquired substantial wealth, which allowed him to purchase several properties in the region.
In the 18th century, the Primm surname gained further recognition with the birth of William Primm (1725-1799), a renowned clockmaker from Oxfordshire. His clocks were highly sought after and can still be found in various museums and private collections.
The 19th century saw the emergence of James Primm (1819-1891), a British artist known for his landscape paintings. He exhibited his works at the Royal Academy and gained recognition for his depictions of rural scenery in England and Wales.
Lastly, one cannot overlook the contributions of Ethel Primm (1876-1962), a pioneering British educator and suffragette. She fought for women's right to vote and played a crucial role in establishing several educational institutions for women in London.
These examples demonstrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals bearing the Primm surname throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence in various spheres of British society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Primm
Among Census respondents with the surname Primm, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.7%. The next largest groups are Black (26.0%) and Two or More Races (5.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Primm 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 Primm surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.7% · 1,976
- Black or African American26.0% · 782
- Two or more races5.7% · 170
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 53
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Primm
Primm appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,224
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,153
+130 bearers (+4.3%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Down 361 places
2020
#10,197
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,007
-146 bearers (-4.6%)
Per 100,000 1.01
Rank movement Up 27 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,863 | 3,023 | 1.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,224 | 3,153 | 1.07 | +130 bearers (+4.3%) | Down 361 places |
| 2020 | #10,197 | 3,007 | 1.01 | -146 bearers (-4.6%) | Up 27 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 Primm 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 | #10,224 | #10,197 | 0.3% |
| Count | 3,153 | 3,007 | -4.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.07 | 1.01 | -6.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Primm bearers went from 3,153 to 3,007 (-4.6% change). The surname moved up 27 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,224 to #10,197.
FAQ
Primm surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Primm?
Name Census estimates that about 3,448 living Americans carry the surname Primm. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 99,407 residents.
How common is Primm?
Primm ranks #10,197 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.01 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,007 people with the surname Primm. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,448), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.01 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.01 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Primm.
Has Primm become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Primm went from 3,153 recorded bearers to 3,007. That is a decrease of 146 (-4.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,224 to #10,197.
What does the Census say about the background of Primm?
Among Census respondents with the surname Primm, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.7%. The next largest groups are Black (26.0%) and Two or More Races (5.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Primm in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.7% (1,976 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Primm appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (65.7%), Black (26.0%), Two or More Races (5.7%). 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 Primm (2000, 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 Primm mean?
Derived from the Old English word "prim," meaning neat, trim, or delicate, likely referring to a meticulous person. 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 Primm (1.01 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 many people have the last name Primm?
See how many people have the surname Primm on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.