Explore the Family Name Alma
The meaning of Alma
1. Italian (Sicily): from the female personal name Alma, from Latin almus ‘nourishing’. 2. Spanish and Portuguese: nickname from alma ‘soul’ (from Latin anima). 3. Catalan (Almà): from a variant of the personal name Almar or Armar, from ancient Germanic Adalamar. 4. West Frisian: patronymic, formed with the suffix -ma ‘(one of the) men of’, from the personal name Al(e), a short form of an ancient Germanic name containing the element adel ‘noble’. Compare Alkema. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Armando, Efrain, Faustino, Hipolito, Javier, Jorge, Jose, Lopez, Nilda. Dutch Willem. Italian Salvatore.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Alma in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Alma has seen a slight decrease in popularity over the decade between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Alma was ranked 40,465th in the United States in terms of frequency. This rank slipped to 41,359th in 2010, marking a decrease of 2.21%. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual count of people with the surname Alma increased from 509 in 2000 to 526 in 2010, an increase of approximately 3.34%. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a decrease of 5.26%, falling from 0.19 in 2000 to 0.18 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #40,465 | #41,359 | -2.21% |
| Count | 509 | 526 | 3.34% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.19 | 0.18 | -5.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Alma
In terms of ethnicity, the Alma surname has seen varied changes across different ethnic identities between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The Hispanic identity registered an increase of 7.06%, moving from 46.17% to 49.43%. There was also an increase in the proportion of Black individuals with the surname, rising from 2.95% to 3.61%, a change of 22.37%. The Asian/Pacific Islander category also saw growth, increasing by 31.94%. On the other hand, those who identified as White decreased by 6.67%, falling from 44.4% to 41.44%. There was a significant decrease of 40.39% in those identifying with two or more races, and those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native also decreased by 35.59%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 46.17% | 49.43% | 7.06% |
| White | 44.4% | 41.44% | -6.67% |
| Black | 2.95% | 3.61% | 22.37% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.16% | 2.85% | 31.94% |
| Two or More Races | 2.55% | 1.52% | -40.39% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.77% | 1.14% | -35.59% |