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

Shoham, 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 Shoham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shoham in America

Shoham is the 96368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shoham surname appeared 189 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 Shoham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shoham 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 Shoham

The surname SHOHAM originates from the Hebrew language and is believed to have its roots in ancient Israel and the surrounding regions of the Middle East. The name is derived from the Hebrew word "shoham," which means "onyx" or "black gem." This gemstone was highly valued in ancient times and was often associated with wealth, prestige, and spiritual significance.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name SHOHAM can be found in the Bible's Book of Exodus, where it is referenced as one of the precious stones adorning the breastplate of the High Priest. This biblical connection suggests that individuals or families may have adopted the name SHOHAM as a way to honor their religious or cultural heritage.

During the Middle Ages, the SHOHAM name appeared in various Hebrew manuscripts and records, particularly in communities across the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. One notable example is the 12th-century Jewish philosopher and scholar, Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides), who had a son named Abraham SHOHAM.

As Jewish communities dispersed across Europe, the SHOHAM name traveled with them. In the 16th century, records show the presence of individuals bearing this surname in regions such as Spain and Portugal. One notable figure from this period was Rabbi Isaac SHOHAM, a prominent scholar and author who lived in Salonika (modern-day Thessaloniki, Greece) in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

The SHOHAM name also found its way to other parts of the world, including North Africa and the Americas. In the 19th century, Jacob SHOHAM (1808-1888) was a prominent Jewish merchant and philanthropist who settled in Curaçao, an island in the Dutch Caribbean.

Throughout history, the SHOHAM surname has been associated with various occupations, including scholars, rabbis, merchants, and artisans. One notable figure was Hayim SHOHAM (1902-1973), an Israeli painter and sculptor known for his abstract and cubist works, who was born in Białystok, Poland.

While the SHOHAM name has its origins in the Hebrew language and Jewish heritage, it has been adopted by individuals from various cultural and religious backgrounds over time, reflecting the diverse and multicultural nature of many societies around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shoham

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

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

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

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