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

Salem, 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 Salem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Salem in America

Salem is the 4215th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Salem surname appeared 8,404 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Salem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Salem 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 Salem

The surname Salem has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the region that is now known as Palestine and Israel. It is derived from the ancient city of Jerusalem, which was known as Salem in biblical times. The name is thought to have originated sometime around the 10th century BC, when the city was first mentioned in the Old Testament.

Salem was an important city in the ancient world, and it is likely that the name was initially used to identify people who lived in or came from the city. Over time, as people migrated and settled in other parts of the region, the name spread and became a common surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Salem can be found in the Domesday Book, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Saleme" and is listed as a landowner in the county of Gloucestershire.

In the 12th century, a man named William Salem was a prominent landowner and nobleman in the county of Norfolk, England. He is mentioned in several historical records from the time, including the Pipe Rolls of 1166-1167.

During the crusades, several notable figures with the surname Salem were involved in the conflicts between Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land. One of the most famous was Reynald of Salem, who was a knight and military leader in the 12th century.

In the 15th century, a man named John Salem was a prominent merchant and politician in the city of Bristol, England. He served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1450 and played an important role in the city's economic and political affairs.

Another notable figure with the surname Salem was Sir John Salem, who was a member of the English Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century. He was a wealthy landowner and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Gatton from 1572 to 1583.

Over the centuries, the surname Salem has spread to various parts of the world, including Europe, North America, and other regions. While its origins can be traced back to the ancient city of Jerusalem, the name has taken on a rich history and cultural significance in many different communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Salem

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

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

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

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