Solomon
A biblical surname derived from the wise king Solomon, son of David, indicating wisdom or peace.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 54,087 Americans carry the last name Solomon. That puts it at #745 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 15.78 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 6,337 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Solomon surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
54K
1 in 6,337
Census rank
#745
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
15.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
47K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 46,534 bearers of the surname Solomon in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 15.78 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 745th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Solomon, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.8%. The next largest groups are Black (32.1%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Solomon
The surname Solomon has its origins in the Hebrew language and is derived from the Hebrew name Shlomo, which means "peaceful". It is believed to have originated in ancient Israel during biblical times, likely around the 10th century BCE.
The name Solomon is strongly associated with the biblical figure King Solomon, the third king of the united Kingdom of Israel and Judah, who ruled from around 970 to 931 BCE. He was renowned for his wisdom, wealth, and the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Solomon can be found in the Domesday Book, a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Salomon" and is listed among the landowners in various counties.
During the Middle Ages, the name Solomon was found among Jewish communities in Europe, particularly in England and France. It was also adopted by some Christian families, possibly as a result of conversion or admiration for the biblical figure.
In the 12th century, a notable individual named Solomon ben Isaac, also known as Rashi, was a highly influential French rabbi and scholar who wrote influential commentaries on the Torah and Talmud.
Another prominent figure with the surname Solomon was Haym Solomon, a Polish-born Jewish immigrant to the United States in the 18th century. He played a crucial role in financing the American Revolutionary War and is considered a patriotic hero.
In the 19th century, Sir Richard Solomon, a British lawyer and judge born in 1838, served as the Attorney General of Cape Colony (now part of South Africa) and later became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Cape of Good Hope.
Simcha Solomon, born in 1840 in Poland, was a renowned Talmudic scholar and rabbi who served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Empire from 1892 to 1919.
The surname Solomon has also been associated with various place names, such as Solomon Islands, an archipelago in the South Pacific, and the city of Solomon in Kansas, United States, which was named after a railway worker named Solomon Bundy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Solomon
Among Census respondents with the surname Solomon, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.8%. The next largest groups are Black (32.1%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Solomon bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Solomon surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White57.8%
- Black or African American32.1%
- Hispanic or Latino3.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.1%
- Two or more races2.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.4%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Solomon surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #745 | #745 | 0.0% |
| Count | 46,534 | 46,534 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 15.78 | 15.78 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Solomon bearers went from 46,534 to 46,534 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #745 to #745.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Solomon
FAQ
Solomon surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Solomon?
The surname Solomon holds position #745 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 54,087 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 15.78 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Solomon surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Solomon, the largest self-reported group is White at 57.8%. The next largest groups are Black (32.1%) and Hispanic (3.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.