2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Schalmo
A surname of German origin, possibly derived from the word "Schalk" meaning trickster or joker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Schalmo. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Schalmo 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Schalmo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Schalmo, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Schalmo
The surname Schalmo has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, specifically in the city of Augsburg. The name is derived from the German word "schalm," which refers to a type of shawm or reed instrument similar to an oboe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Schalmo appears in the Augsburg City Archives, dated 1487. This document mentions a "Hans Schalmo," who was listed as a musician in the city's guild of instrumentalists. It is possible that this individual or his ancestors were involved in the production or playing of the schalm instrument, leading to the adoption of the name.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Schalmo surname appears in various church records and municipal documents across southern Germany. Notable individuals from this period include Johann Schalmo (1532-1604), a renowned luthier and maker of stringed instruments in Nuremberg, and Katharina Schalmo (1572-1638), a prominent figure in the Lutheran church in Augsburg.
In the 18th century, the Schalmo family expanded its presence beyond Bavaria, with members recorded in regions such as Saxony and Hesse. One notable figure from this time was Friedrich Schalmo (1712-1782), a scholar and author from Leipzig, who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Germany.
As the surname spread, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Schalm, Schalme, and Schalmen. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and individual preferences. The name also found its way into certain place names, such as the village of Schalmbach in Bavaria, which may have derived its name from the surname or the instrument itself.
In the 19th century, the Schalmo surname continued to be present in various parts of Germany, with individuals such as Wilhelm Schalmo (1828-1901), a businessman and philanthropist from Frankfurt, and Marie Schalmo (1862-1938), a renowned opera singer who performed in many of the major theaters of Europe.
Throughout its history, the surname Schalmo has been associated with a diverse range of professions and achievements, from musicians and instrument makers to scholars, businesspeople, and artists. While not a particularly common surname, it has left its mark on the cultural and historical landscape of Germany and neighboring regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Schalmo
Among Census respondents with the surname Schalmo, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Schalmo 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 Schalmo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2% · 114
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 6
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Schalmo
Schalmo appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+17 bearers (+16.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,735 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +17 bearers (+16.3%) | Up 14,735 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 Schalmo 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 | #156,044 | #141,309 | 9.4% |
| Count | 104 | 121 | 16.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Schalmo bearers went from 104 to 121 (+16.3% change). The surname moved up 14,735 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #141,309.
FAQ
Schalmo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Schalmo?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Schalmo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Schalmo?
Schalmo ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 121 people with the surname Schalmo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Schalmo.
Has Schalmo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Schalmo went from 104 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 17 (+16.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Schalmo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Schalmo, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Black (0.8%). 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 Schalmo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.2% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Schalmo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.2%), Hispanic (5.0%), Black (0.8%). 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 Schalmo (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 Schalmo mean?
A surname of German origin, possibly derived from the word "Schalk" meaning trickster or joker. 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 Schalmo (0.04 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 common is the surname Schalmo?
See how many people have the surname Schalmo on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.