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

Sams, 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 Sams surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sams in America

Sams is the 2275th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sams surname appeared 16,014 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Sams.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sams 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 Sams

The surname SAMS originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the personal name Samuel, itself stemming from the Hebrew name Shmuel meaning "name of God". The earliest recorded instances of the SAMS surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various counties across southern England.

In historical documents from the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname appeared with various spelling variations such as Samms, Sammes, and Sames, reflecting the inconsistencies in written English at the time. One notable early bearer of the SAMS name was John Sams, a merchant from Bristol recorded in tax rolls from 1379.

The SAMS surname is thought to have originated as an occupational name, initially referring to someone employed as a servant or attendant, potentially derived from the Old English word "sam" meaning "half" or "servant". This occupational connection may also explain the presence of SAMS families in areas like Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, where large manors and estates were prevalent.

In the 16th century, parish records from Devonshire mention a Richard Sams born in 1587, while in Sussex, the SAMS name was associated with the village of Sams Place near Mayfield, suggesting a possible toponymic origin related to a specific location.

Notable individuals bearing the SAMS surname throughout history include:

1. William Sams (1576-1628), an English clergyman and translator of the Geneva Bible.
2. John Sams (1662-1732), a successful merchant and landowner from Wiltshire.
3. Elizabeth Sams (1692-1778), a pioneering Quaker minister and writer from Pennsylvania.
4. Joseph Sams (1786-1867), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
5. Henry Sams (1844-1909), an American businessman and politician who served as Mayor of New Orleans from 1896 to 1900.

While the SAMS surname may have originated from humble beginnings, its widespread presence across England and beyond over the centuries attests to its enduring legacy as a notable family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sams

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

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

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

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