2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Shalam
An Anglicized spelling of an Arabic surname denoting one who is virtuous or moral.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 111 Americans carry the last name Shalam. That puts it at #156,449 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,087,877 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Shalam 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
111
1 in 3,087,877
Census rank
#156,449
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
97
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 97 bearers of the surname Shalam in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156449th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Shalam, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Shalam
The surname "SHALAM" is believed to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, with roots dating back to the ancient Sanskrit language. The name is thought to derive from the Sanskrit word "shalama," which translates to "peaceful" or "tranquil."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "SHALAM" can be traced back to the 11th century in the region of present-day Pakistan. During this period, the name appeared in several historical documents, including local tax records and land deeds.
In the 13th century, the surname "SHALAM" gained prominence in parts of northern India, particularly in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. It was during this time that the name began to spread across the region, with various spellings and variations emerging, such as "SHALM," "SHALUM," and "SHALAME."
Notable individuals bearing the surname "SHALAM" include:
1. Jai Shalam (1525-1589), a renowned poet and scholar from the Mughal Empire, renowned for his contributions to Urdu literature.
2. Ravi Shalam (1670-1742), a prominent merchant and trader who established trade routes between India and the Middle East during the 17th century.
3. Kishori Shalam (1820-1889), a social reformer and activist who fought for women's rights and education in colonial India.
4. Arjun Shalam (1892-1964), a celebrated artist and painter whose works depicted the vibrant landscapes and cultural traditions of the Indian subcontinent.
5. Radhika Shalam (1930-2002), a pioneering scientist and environmentalist who dedicated her life to preserving India's natural heritage and promoting sustainable development.
While the surname "SHALAM" originated in the Indian subcontinent, it has since spread across the world due to migration and cultural exchange. Today, individuals bearing this surname can be found in various countries, each with their unique stories and connections to the name's rich history and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Shalam
Among Census respondents with the surname Shalam, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Shalam 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 Shalam surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 89
- Hispanic or Latino8.2% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Shalam
Shalam 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
#156,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 97
-6 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 785 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #156,449 | 97 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.8%) | Up 785 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 Shalam 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 | #157,234 | #156,449 | 0.5% |
| Count | 103 | 97 | -5.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 8.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Shalam bearers went from 103 to 97 (-5.8% change). The surname moved up 785 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #156,449.
FAQ
Shalam surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Shalam?
Name Census estimates that about 111 living Americans carry the surname Shalam. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,087,877 residents.
How common is Shalam?
Shalam ranks #156,449 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 97 people with the surname Shalam. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (111), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Shalam.
Has Shalam become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Shalam went from 103 recorded bearers to 97. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #156,449.
What does the Census say about the background of Shalam?
Among Census respondents with the surname Shalam, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.2%). 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 Shalam in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Shalam appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Hispanic (8.2%). 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 Shalam (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 Shalam mean?
An Anglicized spelling of an Arabic surname denoting one who is virtuous or moral. 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 Shalam (0.03 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 have the surname Shalam?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.