Explore the Family Name Philemon
The meaning of Philemon
1. Variant of Philmon, itself an altered form of German Feldmann. 2. French and West Indian (mainly Haiti) (Philémon); African (mainly Tanzania): from the Greek personal name Philēmon ‘affectionate’ (French Philémon), which was borne by an early Christian leader in the Colossian church. This surname is very rare in France. It was brought to the US mostly from Haiti. Some characteristic forenames: French Gregoire, Jean-Claude, Serge.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Philemon in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Philemon has seen a notable increase in popularity over the past decade. In 2000, Philemon was the 43,798th most common surname in the United States, with 464 individuals bearing the name. By 2010, it had risen to 39,164th place, an increase of 10.58 percent, and the number of people with this surname had grown to 562, marking a surge of 21.12 percent. The proportion of the population with the surname Philemon per 100,000 people also rose by 11.76 percent, from 0.17 to 0.19.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #43,798 | #39,164 | 10.58% |
| Count | 464 | 562 | 21.12% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.17 | 0.19 | 11.76% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Philemon
When it comes to ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some interesting shifts within the Philemon surname community. While the highest percentage of Philemons identified as White in both 2000 (56.03 percent) and 2010 (46.09 percent), there was a significant decrease in this demographic, down by 17.74 percent. Meanwhile, the percentage of Philemons identifying as Black increased substantially, from 30.39 percent in 2000 to 44.48 percent in 2010 – a jump of 46.36 percent. The percentage of Philemons who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic were initially nonexistent in 2000 but appeared in 2010 at 1.60 percent and 1.78 percent respectively. The proportion of those identifying as American Indian and Alaska Native decreased slightly, while those identifying with two or more races saw a significant decline, from 5.17 percent to 0.89 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 56.03% | 46.09% | -17.74% |
| Black | 30.39% | 44.48% | 46.36% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 5.82% | 5.16% | -11.34% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.78% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.6% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 5.17% | 0.89% | -82.79% |