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

Sem, 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 Sem surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sem in America

Sem is the 26534th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sem surname appeared 919 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Sem.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sem 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 Sem

The surname "SEM" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "seam," which referred to a measure of grain or other goods. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname, referring to a person who measured or traded in grains or other commodities.

The earliest known record of the surname "SEM" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Seam" in various entries. This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property across England, and its inclusion of the name "Seam" indicates that the surname was already well-established by the late 11th century.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as "Sem," "Semme," and "Seemme" appearing in various historical records throughout the medieval and early modern periods. One notable individual bearing this surname was Sir John Sem (1350-1419), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset, England.

In the 16th century, the name "SEM" began to appear more frequently in parish records and other documents across various regions of England, suggesting that the surname had spread beyond its original geographical area. One prominent figure from this time was Thomas Sem (1508-1572), a Church of England clergyman who served as the Bishop of Carlisle.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several notable individuals with the surname "SEM" made their mark in various fields. Among them were William Sem (1620-1688), a successful merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and almshouses in London, and Elizabeth Sem (1675-1745), a renowned botanist and naturalist who contributed significantly to the study of plant life in Britain.

Another notable figure from this period was Sir Robert Sem (1698-1768), a British military officer who served with distinction during the War of the Austrian Succession and later became the Governor of Gibraltar. His son, also named Robert Sem (1730-1801), followed in his footsteps and had a distinguished military career, rising to the rank of Lieutenant-General in the British Army.

As the surname "SEM" continued to spread across Britain and beyond, it also gained prominence in other parts of the world. One example is John Sem (1810-1885), a Scottish-born explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in Australia, where he spent much of his life.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sem

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

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

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

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