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

Vennum, 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 Vennum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vennum in America

Vennum is the 146201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vennum surname appeared 113 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Vennum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vennum 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 Vennum

The surname Vennum is believed to have originated from a small village in the northern region of England, near the Scottish border, sometime in the 11th century. It is thought to derive from the Old English words "venn" meaning a marsh or wetland, and "ham" meaning a homestead or settlement, suggesting that the name's bearers likely lived in a dwelling situated near a marshy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Vennum surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property rights commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The entry refers to a landowner named Radulfus de Vennum, indicating that the name was already established by that time.

During the 13th century, the spelling of the name evolved to its more modern form, with records showing variations such as Vennam, Vennum, and Vennam. A notable bearer of the name from this period was Sir William Vennum, a knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th century.

In the 15th century, the Vennum family expanded their presence throughout the northern counties of England, with branches of the family establishing themselves in Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Cumberland. One of the most prominent members of the family during this time was Robert Vennum, a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as the Mayor of York in 1472.

As the centuries passed, the Vennum surname spread across England and eventually to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. In the 17th century, a branch of the family emigrated to the American colonies, with William Vennum being among the earliest recorded bearers of the name in the New World, arriving in Virginia in 1635.

Other noteworthy individuals with the Vennum surname include:

1. John Vennum (1730-1809), an English poet and writer known for his works on rural life in Northumberland.
2. Elizabeth Vennum (1792-1868), a British philanthropist and social reformer who founded several schools and orphanages in London.
3. Henry Vennum (1820-1892), an American Civil War veteran who fought for the Union Army and later became a successful businessman in Chicago.
4. William Vennum (1865-1941), a Scottish-born engineer and inventor who held several patents for improvements in steam engine design.
5. Alice Vennum (1901-1985), a British artist and sculptor whose works were exhibited in galleries across Europe and the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vennum

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

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

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

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