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

Whalum, 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 Whalum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Whalum in America

Whalum is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Whalum surname appeared 136 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 Whalum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Whalum 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 Whalum

The surname Whalum is of English origin, with its earliest references believed to date back to the medieval period. The name is likely derived from a geographical location, such as a hamlet or village, but there are no records of a place specifically named Whalum in England, which suggests it may have originated from a less prominent area. It's possible that the name evolved from older spellings or phonetic variations of similar place names.

Whalum may be linked to ancient Anglo-Saxon words. The suffix -um might be connected to the Old English "hām," meaning "home" or "homestead." This etymological root indicates that the initial bearer of the name could have lived near or on a notable homestead or farm. There are also historical references to surnames such as Whaley and Whallam, potentially glimpses into the linguistic shifts that emerged over centuries.

Historical records, such as tax rolls and parish registers from the 16th and 17th centuries, feature rare instances of the surname. For example, the Whalum entry in the 1593 tax assessment in the county of Devon provides evidence of the name's existence and use in southern England. This documentation helps to trace the dispersal patterns of the family name through various regions over time.

One of the earliest individuals recorded with the surname Whalum is Thomas Whalum, born in 1632 in Yorkshire. His name surfaced in legal documents related to land transactions, showing the name's geographical spread. There is also mention of a Mary Whalum in a Cambridge parish register from 1687, suggesting that the name had reached the eastern parts of England by the late 17th century.

Another notable figure bearing the surname was Captain John Whalum, a mariner who lived during the mid-18th century and was involved in several transatlantic voyages. His ship's logs from the 1760s still reside in maritime archives, offering a glimpse into the trade and exploration endeavors of that era. Captain Whalum's prominence in naval history underscores the geographical and occupational diversity that the surname encountered.

The surname made its mark in literary history through Richard Whalum, an 18th-century poet and pamphleteer whose works were published in London around 1775. His poetry and political tracts provide insight into the social and cultural dialogues of that time, preserving the name in the annals of English literature.

Lastly, the American Civil War records mention Private Samuel Whalum, who served in the Union Army in the 1860s. His valor and service are chronicled in regimental histories, indicating the surname's presence in America through migration patterns.

Overall, the Whalum surname has traversed centuries with sporadic documentation, capturing snippets of history through personal, legal, and literary records. The name's endurance from England's medieval period to various geographical contexts demonstrates its subtle but persistent legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Whalum

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

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

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

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