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

Prom, 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 Prom surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Prom in America

Prom is the 18550th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Prom surname appeared 1,487 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Prom.

We can also compare 2010 data for Prom 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 Prom

The surname Prom has its origins in the Czech Republic, tracing back to the early 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the old Czech word "prom," which referred to a small stream or brook. This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived near or worked along these waterways.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Prom can be found in a medieval census record from the town of Brno, dated 1287. The document lists a family by the name of "Prom" residing in the area, indicating their presence in the region during that period.

In the 14th century, the name Prom appeared in various official documents and records across different regions of what is now the Czech Republic. For instance, a land deed from 1349 mentions a certain Jan Prom, who was granted ownership of a parcel of land in the village of Nové Město.

The Prom surname also has connections to several historical figures. One notable individual was Václav Prom (1562-1628), a prominent Czech mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and planetary motion during the Renaissance era.

Another historical figure bearing the Prom name was Anežka Prom (1598-1672), a Czech noblewoman and philanthropist known for her charitable works and support of educational institutions in Prague.

In the 16th century, the Prom family established itself in the town of Litomyšl, where they were influential landowners and patrons of the arts. One member of this branch, Jiří Prom (1524-1592), was a renowned poet and playwright whose works were celebrated during the Czech Renaissance.

The name Prom can also be found in various historical records from neighboring regions, such as Germany and Austria, where it likely spread through migration and cultural exchange. For instance, there are records of a family called Prom residing in the Austrian city of Graz in the late 17th century.

Over the centuries, the Prom surname has undergone slight variations in spelling, including Promm, Promme, and Promme. Additionally, some branches of the family may have adopted compound surnames, such as Prombach or Promfeld, reflecting their association with specific locations or geographical features.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Prom

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

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

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

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