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

Steelman, 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 Steelman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Steelman in America

Steelman is the 6796th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Steelman surname appeared 4,964 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Steelman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Steelman 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 Steelman

The surname STEELMAN is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in England. It is an occupational surname, derived from the Old English words "stæl" and "man," meaning a man who worked with steel or iron.

During the Middle Ages, the STEELMAN name was often associated with blacksmiths, armorers, and other metalworkers who crafted tools, weapons, and other implements from steel and iron. The name first appeared in historical records in the late 13th century, with one of the earliest known examples being William le Steelman, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of Kent in 1292.

As the STEELMAN name spread across England, it underwent various spelling variations, including Steelman, Stelman, Steelmon, and Stelmon. These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that era.

In the 14th century, the STEELMAN name gained prominence with the rise of the steel industry in England. One notable figure was John Steelman, a renowned blacksmith who lived in the town of Guildford, Surrey, in the late 1300s. His skilled craftsmanship earned him a reputation that extended beyond his local area.

The STEELMAN name also appeared in several historical documents from the 15th and 16th centuries. For instance, the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1665 recorded a John Steelman living in the village of Weston, Hertfordshire. Additionally, the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Warwick listed the marriage of Thomas Steelman and Elizabeth Hawkins in 1587.

Another notable figure with the STEELMAN surname was Sir William Steelman, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Oxfordshire in the early 17th century. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and his support of local communities.

As the centuries passed, the STEELMAN name continued to be associated with metalworking and the steel industry. In the 18th century, a family of STEELMANs owned and operated a successful ironworks in the town of Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.

Over time, the STEELMAN name spread across various regions of England and eventually migrated to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as English settlers and immigrants established new communities abroad.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Steelman

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

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

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

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