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

Varnum, 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 Varnum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Varnum in America

Varnum is the 15409th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Varnum surname appeared 1,901 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 Varnum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Varnum 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 Varnum

The surname Varnum has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "fearn" or "fearnham," which translates to "fern" or "fern home." This suggests that the name may have initially been a topographic surname, referring to a location or area where ferns grew abundantly.

The earliest recorded instances of the Varnum surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various historical documents, such as tax rolls and parish records. One notable reference is found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like record compiled in 1273, which mentions a William Farnum residing in the county of Somerset.

In the 14th century, the name appears to have evolved into various spellings, including Vernham, Vernun, and Varnham, reflecting the natural evolution of language and regional dialects. The Varnum spelling seems to have emerged in the 16th century, possibly influenced by the Norman-French pronunciation of the name.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the Varnum surname was John Varnum, born around 1480 in Somerset, England. He was a landowner and merchant who played a significant role in the local community.

During the 17th century, several members of the Varnum family made their mark in various fields. Notable among them was Samuel Varnum (1597-1667), a Puritan minister who immigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony and became a prominent figure in the early days of the colony.

Another notable Varnum was James Mitchell Varnum (1748-1789), an American Revolutionary War officer who served as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army. He played a crucial role in several major battles, including the Battle of Saratoga and the Battle of Rhode Island.

In the 19th century, Joseph Bradley Varnum (1818-1898), a lawyer and politician from Massachusetts, served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and as the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

The Varnum surname also gained recognition in the field of literature with Charles Varnum (1855-1912), an American poet and journalist who was a prominent figure in the New England literary scene of the late 19th century.

Throughout its history, the Varnum surname has been associated with various place names in England, such as Varnham in Hampshire, Fernham in Berkshire, and Farnham in Surrey, further highlighting its topographic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Varnum

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

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

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

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