Shammah last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Shammah

A Hebrew surname meaning "desolate" or "ruined."

Shammah, 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 Shammah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shammah in America

Shammah is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shammah surname appeared 109 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 Shammah.

The history of the last name Shammah

The surname "SHAMMAH" is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in ancient Israel. It is derived from the Hebrew word "shammah," which means "desolation" or "ruin." This name has biblical connections and can be found in the Old Testament.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "SHAMMAH" is found in the Book of Samuel, where it refers to one of David's mighty warriors. Shammah the Hararite is mentioned as being part of David's elite group of soldiers known as the "Thirty." This reference dates back to around the 10th century BCE.

In later centuries, the name appears in various historical records and manuscripts. For instance, there are references to individuals named Shammah in the Cairo Geniza, a collection of Jewish manuscripts dating from the 9th to 19th centuries CE.

One notable individual with the surname "SHAMMAH" was Rabbi Shammah ben Avitol, a Jewish scholar who lived in the 8th century CE in modern-day Iran. He was a member of the Babylonian Jewish community and is known for his contributions to the study of the Talmud.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Shammah Rofe, a Jewish physician and writer who lived in the 16th century in Italy. He wrote several medical treatises and was a respected figure in the Jewish community of Venice.

In the 17th century, there was a Rabbi Shammah ben Joseph, who was a leading figure in the Jewish community of Safed, in present-day Israel. He was known for his expertise in Jewish law and was the author of several influential works.

Moving to the 19th century, Shammah Levy was a prominent Jewish writer and educator who lived in England. He was born in 1811 and played a significant role in the development of Jewish education in the country.

Throughout history, the surname "SHAMMAH" has also been associated with various place names and locations. For example, there is a village called Shammah in modern-day Lebanon, which may have derived its name from the Hebrew origin of the word.

Overall, the surname "SHAMMAH" has a rich history rooted in ancient Israel and has been carried by notable individuals in various fields, including religion, scholarship, and literature, over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shammah

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

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 Shammah was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 85.32% 93
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 11.01% 12

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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.