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

Upham, 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 Upham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Upham in America

Upham is the 16060th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Upham surname appeared 1,804 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 Upham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Upham 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 Upham

The surname Upham originates from England and is believed to have derived from the Old English words "upp" and "ham," meaning "upper homestead" or "dwelling on higher ground." This name is associated with several places in Hampshire, such as Upper Upham and Nether Upham, indicating that the surname likely originated from these locations.

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname Upham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Opham" and "Oppam." This medieval record suggests that the name has been in use since at least the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Upham was William de Upham, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire in 1202. Another early record is that of Roger de Upham, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Hampshire in 1273.

In the 14th century, John Upham was mentioned in the Corpus Christi Guild Records of York in 1369. During the same period, the surname appeared in various forms, including "Uppham," "Opham," and "Uppeham," reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

Notable individuals with the surname Upham include:

1. Sir John Upham (c. 1420-1481), an English politician and lawyer who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1469 to 1481.

2. Edward Upham (1776-1834), an American author and educator who served as the president of the New Hampshire Senate in 1829.

3. Caroline Upham Carleton (1808-1888), an American author and philanthropist known for her works on social reform and women's rights.

4. Thomas Cogswell Upham (1799-1872), an American philosopher and author who served as the president of Wabash College and the University of Vermont.

5. William Upham (1792-1853), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Senator from Vermont from 1841 to 1843.

The surname Upham has a long and well-documented history, with its roots dating back to medieval England. Over the centuries, individuals with this surname have made significant contributions in various fields, including law, politics, education, and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Upham

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

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

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

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