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

Shome, 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 Shome surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shome in America

Shome is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shome surname appeared 103 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 Shome.

The history of the last name Shome

The surname SHOME has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the region of Bengal. The name is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Shom," which means "fair-complexioned" or "light-skinned." It is thought to have originated as a descriptive surname, indicating a physical characteristic of the individual or family who first bore the name.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name SHOME can be found in ancient Hindu texts and scriptures dating back to the 8th century CE. These texts often referred to individuals by their surnames, which were often based on their profession, physical traits, or place of origin.

During the medieval period, the name SHOME was particularly prevalent among the Brahmin caste in Bengal. Brahmins were regarded as the highest caste in the Hindu social hierarchy and were often scholars, priests, or professionals. The SHOME surname may have initially been associated with members of this caste, although it later spread to other communities as well.

In the 16th century, the SHOME surname appeared in several regional manuscripts and records from Bengal. One notable individual from this period was Shri Shome Nath, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the city of Nawadwip (now in West Bengal) during the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

As the British colonial presence in India grew, the SHOME surname began to appear more frequently in official records and documents. One notable figure from this era was Rajkrishna Shome (1809-1868), a prominent Bengali social reformer and educator who advocated for women's education and the abolition of the practice of Sati (widow burning).

Another famous bearer of the SHOME surname was Purnendu Narayan Shome (1860-1917), a renowned Bengali author and playwright who is considered a pioneer of modern Bengali literature. His works, including plays like "Shurjomukhee" and novels like "Angur Chunder Shome," explored social issues and the human condition.

In the 20th century, one of the most notable individuals with the SHOME surname was Sushil Kumar Shome (1916-1994), an eminent Indian statistician and economist. He served as the Director of the Indian Statistical Institute and made significant contributions to the fields of econometrics and statistical inference.

It is important to note that while the SHOME surname has its roots in Bengal, it has since spread to other parts of India and abroad, carried by individuals and families who have migrated or descended from those with this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shome

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

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 Shome 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.

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

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

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