Explore the Family Name Rom
The meaning of Rom
1. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): acronymic surname from the first letters of the Hebrew phrase Reb Menachem, from Yiddish reb ‘Mister’ + the Biblical personal name Menachem, after Menachem Man (died in 1841), the owner of the famous publishing house in Vilna founded by his father Baruch. 2. German: habitational name from the city of Rome (named Rom in German), or a nickname for someone who had a connection with Rome, perhaps having been there on a pilgrimage. 3. German: habitational name from a place so named in Pomerania. 4. German: nickname from dialect ram ‘raven’, or perhaps from the homonym ram ‘frame (of the loom)’ (compare 5 below). This is a Gottscheerish (i.e. Gottschee German) surname, originating from the Kočevsko region in Lower Carniola, Slovenia (see Kocevar). 5. Slovenian: probably a metonymic occupational name for a weaver or for a maker of frames, from rom ‘frame (of the loom)’, which is from Middle High German ram (compare Rahm). It may also be of the same origin as the Czech name below (compare Rome) and, at least in part, of Gottscheerish (i.e. Gottschee German) origin; see 4 above. 6. Czech: from a short form of any of personal names beginning with Rom-, e.g. Roman. 7. Croatian: probably a nickname from the adjective hrom ‘lame, paralysed’ (compare Romich). Alternatively, it may be of the same origin as the Czech name above. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Carmit, Eran, Yonatan, Aviv, Dorit, Dror, Eitan, Hillel, Yakov, Zvia. German Erhard, Bernhard, Ernst, Mathias.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Rom in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Rom has experienced a slight increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Rom ranked at 23,986 and by 2010 it had moved up to rank 23,714, showing a 1.13% change in ranking. The count of individuals with this surname also increased from 982 in 2000 to 1,068 in 2010, an 8.76% rise. However, the proportion per 100k people remained constant at 0.36.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,986 | #23,714 | 1.13% |
| Count | 982 | 1,068 | 8.76% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Rom
When analyzing the ethnic identity associated with the Rom surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased dramatically by 23.55%, moving from 16.90% to 20.88%. Meanwhile, those identifying as multi-racial decreased by 34.27%, from 3.56% to 2.34%. The largest ethnic group, White, saw a small decrease of 5.35%, from 72.71% to 68.82%. The proportion of those with Hispanic ethnicity rose slightly by 11.96%, from 5.60% to 6.27%. There was no data available for individuals identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 72.71% | 68.82% | -5.35% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 16.9% | 20.88% | 23.55% |
| Hispanic | 5.6% | 6.27% | 11.96% |
| Two or More Races | 3.56% | 2.34% | -34.27% |
| Black | 1.22% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |