2000
#24,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 979
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.36
Rare Last name
Selmon
A surname derived from the Old Norse name "Sölmundr", meaning "protector of the house".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,284 Americans carry the last name Selmon. That puts it at #23,402 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 266,943 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Selmon 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
1.3K
1 in 266,943
Census rank
#23,402
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,120 bearers of the surname Selmon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 23402nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Selmon, the largest self-reported group is Black at 57.7%. The next largest groups are White (31.8%) and Two or More Races (5.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Selmon
The surname SELMON is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name that no longer exists or has changed significantly over time. Some historical records suggest that it may be related to the Old English words "sell" meaning a seat or dwelling, and "mon" meaning a hill or mound.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the SELMON surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1230, where a William Selmon is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the northern regions of England by the 13th century.
In the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, dated around 1273, there is a reference to a Robert de Selmone, indicating that variations of the name existed during this time period. The use of the prefix "de" implies a connection to a specific location or place.
During the 14th century, the SELMON surname appears in various records across different parts of England. For instance, in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, there is a mention of a John Selmone. This suggests that the name had spread to the southern regions of the country by this point.
One notable individual with the SELMON surname was Sir John Selmon, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the late 15th century. He was born around 1450 in Nottinghamshire and held significant estates in the area.
Another historical figure bearing the SELMON name was Robert Selmon, a scholar and theologian who lived in the early 16th century. He was born in Gloucestershire in 1495 and is known for his writings on religious subjects.
In the 17th century, the SELMON surname continued to be present in various parts of England. Records from this period show individuals with this name residing in counties such as Warwickshire, Leicestershire, and Lincolnshire.
One noteworthy individual from this era was William Selmon, born in 1620 in Derbyshire. He was a prominent merchant and trader who established business connections with various European countries.
During the 18th century, the SELMON surname appears in parish records and other documents from various regions of England, indicating its continued presence throughout the country.
One individual of note was Thomas Selmon, born in 1725 in Somerset. He was a renowned architect and designed several notable buildings in the region, including the iconic Selmon Manor.
Throughout its history, the SELMON surname has been associated with various occupations and social standings, from landowners and knights to scholars, merchants, and architects. While its origins remain somewhat uncertain, the name has left its mark on historical records across different parts of England over several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Selmon
Among Census respondents with the surname Selmon, the largest self-reported group is Black at 57.7%. The next largest groups are White (31.8%) and Two or More Races (5.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Selmon 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 Selmon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American57.7% · 646
- White31.8% · 356
- Two or more races5.4% · 61
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 53
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Selmon
Selmon appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#25,356
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 976
-3 bearers (-0.3%)
Per 100,000 0.33
Rank movement Down 1,319 places
2020
#23,402
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,120
+144 bearers (+14.8%)
Per 100,000 0.37
Rank movement Up 1,954 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #24,037 | 979 | 0.36 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #25,356 | 976 | 0.33 | -3 bearers (-0.3%) | Down 1,319 places |
| 2020 | #23,402 | 1,120 | 0.37 | +144 bearers (+14.8%) | Up 1,954 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 Selmon 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 | #25,356 | #23,402 | 7.7% |
| Count | 976 | 1,120 | 14.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.33 | 0.37 | 13.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Selmon bearers went from 976 to 1,120 (+14.8% change). The surname moved up 1,954 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,356 to #23,402.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Selmon
FAQ
Selmon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Selmon?
Name Census estimates that about 1,284 living Americans carry the surname Selmon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 266,943 residents.
How common is Selmon?
Selmon ranks #23,402 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.37 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 1,120 people with the surname Selmon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,284), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.37 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.37 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 Selmon.
Has Selmon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Selmon went from 976 recorded bearers to 1,120. That is an increase of 144 (+14.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #25,356 to #23,402.
What does the Census say about the background of Selmon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Selmon, the largest self-reported group is Black at 57.7%. The next largest groups are White (31.8%) and Two or More Races (5.4%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Selmon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 57.7% (646 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Selmon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (57.7%), White (31.8%), Two or More Races (5.4%). 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 Selmon (2000, 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 Selmon mean?
A surname derived from the Old Norse name "Sölmundr", meaning "protector of the house". 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 Selmon (0.37 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 many people share the surname Selmon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.