Explore the Family Name Absalom
The meaning of Absalom
English and Welsh (mainly southern): from the Old Testament Hebrew personal name Abshalom ‘father of peace’. In the Middle Ages this was occasionally used as a personal name in France, from where it was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest. During the 17th century, through the influence of the King James Bible and due to the popularity of the Biblical story of Absalom, the adored but rebellious son of King David in the King James Bible (II Samuel 13–19), Absalom became the standard vernacular English form of the personal name and hence the source of this surname.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Absalom in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Absalom has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Absalom ranked 87,729 with a count of 197, translating into a proportion of 0.07 per 100k population. By 2010, the rank of Absalom had fallen to 96,799 and the count dropped to 188, reflecting a proportion of 0.06 per 100K population. This represents a decline in popularity of 10.34% and a decrease in count by 4.57%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #87,729 | #96,799 | -10.34% |
| Count | 197 | 188 | -4.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.07 | 0.06 | -14.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Absalom
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Absalom also underwent changes from 2000 to 2010, as recorded in the Decennial U.S. Census. While there were no reported instances of the surname among Asian/Pacific Islanders and individuals of two or more races in 2000, these groups accounted for 2.66% each of the total Absaloms by 2010. The percentage of Absaloms identifying as White fell from 71.57% to 66.49%, and those identifying as Hispanic decreased from 8.63% to 6.38%. However, the Black community saw an increase from 16.24% to 21.81%. There was no change in American Indian and Alaskan Native representation among Absaloms during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 71.57% | 66.49% | -7.1% |
| Black | 16.24% | 21.81% | 34.3% |
| Hispanic | 8.63% | 6.38% | -26.07% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 2.66% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.66% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |