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

Som, 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 Som surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Som in America

Som is the 15355th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Som surname appeared 1,910 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Som.

We can also compare 2010 data for Som 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 Som

The surname "SOM" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "som," which means "together" or "united." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to refer to a group or community of people who lived in close proximity to one another.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "SOM" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Godric Som residing in the county of Somerset.

During the 13th century, the name "SOM" appeared in various legal documents and official records, such as the Pipe Rolls and the Hundred Rolls. Some notable individuals bearing this surname from this era include Robert Som, a merchant from London who was documented in 1292, and William Som, a landowner in Gloucestershire mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

The name "SOM" has also been linked to various place names in England, particularly those derived from the Old English word "sum," meaning "marshy ground" or "swamp." For example, the village of Somerton in Somerset and the town of Somersham in Cambridgeshire are believed to have influenced the development of the surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "SOM." One of the earliest was John Som (c. 1370 - 1437), an English prelate who served as the Bishop of Worcester from 1435 until his death. Another prominent figure was Robert Som (c. 1495 - 1565), a English Protestant reformer and one of the original translators of the Bishops' Bible.

In the realm of literature, the surname "SOM" is associated with the English poet and playwright John Som (c. 1540 - 1610), best known for his work "The Tragedy of Philander." Additionally, Sir William Som (1589 - 1676) was a renowned English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire during the English Civil War.

During the 17th century, the name "SOM" gained recognition in the field of architecture through the works of John Som (1628 - 1700), a notable English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and surrounding areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Som

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

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

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

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