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

Slim, 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 Slim surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Slim in America

Slim is the 27845th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Slim surname appeared 862 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 Slim.

We can also compare 2010 data for Slim 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 Slim

The surname SLIM is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "slimic," meaning thin or slender. It likely emerged as a descriptive nickname during the Middle Ages, referring to a person's physical appearance or build.

The earliest recorded instances of the SLIM surname can be found in various medieval records and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable mention is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1285, which lists a "Ricardus Slym."

During the 14th century, variations of the name began to appear, such as Slymme and Slymme. These spellings were often used interchangeably due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the SLIM surname was John Slym, a merchant from London who lived in the late 15th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the wool trade and held properties in the city.

In the 16th century, the SLIM surname was also found in various parts of England, including the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. One notable figure from this period was William Slymme, a landowner and farmer from Ipswich, Suffolk, born around 1530.

As the surname spread across England, it was sometimes associated with certain place names, such as Slimbridge in Gloucestershire and Slimfold in Sussex. However, it is unclear whether these locations directly influenced the surname or vice versa.

In the 17th century, several notable individuals bore the SLIM surname. One was Thomas Slim, a poet and playwright from London, who lived from 1620 to 1692. Another was Richard Slim, a merchant and landowner from Dorset, born in 1645.

Moving into the 18th century, the SLIM surname continued to be found throughout England. One prominent figure was John Slim, a banker and financier from Yorkshire, who lived from 1718 to 1789.

The 19th century saw the SLIM surname spread further afield, with bearers found in various parts of the British Empire. One example was Charles Slim, a British Army officer who served in India and was born in 1838.

Overall, the surname SLIM has a long and varied history, originating from an Old English word and evolving over centuries. Its bearers can be found in various regions of England, as well as in other parts of the world influenced by British migration and colonization.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Slim

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

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

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

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