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

Sam, 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 Sam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sam in America

Sam is the 2974th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sam surname appeared 12,053 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Sam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sam 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 Sam

The surname "Sam" has its origins in the Middle East, specifically in the region known as the Levant, which includes modern-day countries such as Syria, Lebanon, and parts of Turkey. It is believed to have derived from the Arabic word "sam," which means "dark" or "brown."

The earliest recorded instances of the name "Sam" can be traced back to the 12th century, where it appeared in various historical documents and manuscripts from the region. One notable example is the "Kitab al-Ansab" (Book of Genealogies), written by the renowned Muslim scholar and historian, al-Sam'ani, in the late 11th century.

During the medieval era, the name "Sam" was particularly prevalent among the Druze community, an ethnoreligious group that originated in the mountainous regions of Syria and Lebanon. It was also found in various place names, such as the town of Samarra in modern-day Iraq, which was founded in the 9th century during the Abbasid Caliphate.

As trade and migration patterns evolved, the name "Sam" spread to other parts of the world, including Europe and the Americas. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in Europe can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named "Samson" in the county of Gloucestershire, England, which may have been an anglicized form of the name "Sam."

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname "Sam," including:

1. Sam Ervin (1896-1985), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina and gained national prominence during the Watergate scandal.
2. Sam Cooke (1931-1964), an influential American singer and songwriter widely regarded as one of the pioneers of soul music.
3. Sam Gilliam (born 1933), an American artist known for his innovative approach to abstract expressionism and his use of draped and stained canvases.
4. Sam Maloof (1916-2009), an American woodworker and furniture designer renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship and contributions to the American Studio Furniture Movement.
5. Sam Esmail (born 1977), an American writer, producer, and director best known for creating the critically acclaimed television series "Mr. Robot."

While the surname "Sam" has its roots in the Middle East, it has since become a part of various cultures and communities around the world, with each region potentially adding its unique historical and cultural significance to the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sam

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

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

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

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