Explore the Family Name Lem
The meaning of Lem
1. Dutch and Scandinavian: from a short form of the personal name Lambrecht or Lempert (see Lambert). 2. English: probably a variant of Lemm. 3. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 林, based on its pronunciation of the Siyi Cantonese subdialect (also known as Sze Yup or Four Districts dialect including Taishanese) spoken in southern Guangdong; see Lin 1. 4. Cambodian: written លឹម, of Chinese origin (possibly corresponding to 3 above). Compare Lim 7. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Wing, Wah, Hing, Hong, Lok, Yee, Chheng, Chiu, Chu, Hang, Jee, Jung.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lem in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Lem has shown a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Lem was ranked 22,706 and by 2010, it had moved up to rank 22,216, indicating a growth of 2.16%. The number of people with the surname also rose from 1,056 in 2000 to 1,161 in 2010, marking an increase of nearly 10%. However, the proportion per 100k remained constant at 0.39 in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,706 | #22,216 | 2.16% |
| Count | 1,056 | 1,161 | 9.94% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.39 | 0.39 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lem
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that there has been a shift in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Lem. In 2000, most people with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander (61.93%), followed by White (19.13%), Hispanic (9.85%), those identifying with two or more races (8.05%), and Black (1.04%). By 2010, while the largest group still identified as Asian/Pacific Islander (62.02%), there were notable increases among those identifying as Hispanic, up 15.43% to 11.37%, and Black, up 32.69% to 1.38%. Meanwhile, those identifying with two or more races saw a significant decrease of 36.89%. For the first time in 2010, a small percentage (0.52%) identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 61.93% | 62.02% | 0.15% |
| White | 19.13% | 19.64% | 2.67% |
| Hispanic | 9.85% | 11.37% | 15.43% |
| Two or More Races | 8.05% | 5.08% | -36.89% |
| Black | 1.04% | 1.38% | 32.69% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.52% | 0% |