Explore the Family Name Anselm

The meaning of Anselm

English and German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Anshelm, composed of the elements ans- ‘god’ + helm ‘protection, helmet’. The personal name was taken to France and England by St. Anselm (c.1033–1109), known as the Father of Scholasticism. He was born in Aosta, Italy, joined the Benedictine order at Bec in Normandy, France, and in 1093 became archbishop of Canterbury, England. Some characteristic forenames: German Klaus, Heinz.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Anselm in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname 'Anselm' saw a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the Anselm surname dropped from 44,654 to 45,105 marking a decrease of 1.01%. However, the count or number of people with this surname increased by 4.86% during this period, rising from 453 individuals in 2000 to 475 in 2010. Despite this increase in individuals, the proportion per 100k people slightly decreased by 5.88%, moving from 0.17 in 2000 to 0.16 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#44,654#45,105-1.01%
Count4534754.86%
Proportion per 100k0.170.16-5.88%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Anselm

When looking at the ethnic identity associated with the Anselm surname, some shifts are evident according to the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, a majority of those carrying the Anselm surname identified as White, at 83%. By 2010, this percentage had fallen to 76%, a decrease of 8.43%. There was a significant increase in those identifying as Black, with the percentage rising from 8.17% in 2000 to 17.47% in 2010, marking an impressive 113.83% increase. The percentage of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native fell to zero in 2010, while those identifying as Hispanic appeared for the first time in 2010, accounting for 2.32%. Those identifying with two or more races decreased by 22.22%, falling from 2.43% in 2000 to 1.89% in 2010. No individuals were recorded as Asian/Pacific Islander in either year.

20002010Change
White83%76%-8.43%
Black8.17%17.47%113.83%
Hispanic0%2.32%0%
Two or More Races2.43%1.89%-22.22%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native3.53%0%0%