Explore the Family Name Sem
The meaning of Sem
1. Indian (Punjab): Saraswat Brahmin name of unexplained etymology. 2. Cambodian: written សែម or ស៊ែម, the latter corresponding to the Khmer word meaning ‘(to be) multi-colored’. 3. Norwegian: habitational name from any of about fifteen farms so named, a variant of Seim. 4. Slovenian: from an old shortened and altered form of the personal name Simon. Some characteristic forenames: Cambodian Chamroeun, Sophal, Kim Seng, Kosal, Lam, Phan, Phat, Soeum, Tan. Indian Arup, Chander, Harish, Suman.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sem in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Sem" saw a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Initially ranked as the 29,390th most common surname in 2000, it moved up to the 26,534th position in 2010, marking an increase of 9.72%. Concurrently, the count of people with this surname grew from 758 in 2000 to 919 in 2010, a remarkable 21.24% jump. The proportion per 100k also rose by 10.71%, shifting from 0.28 to 0.31 over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #29,390 | #26,534 | 9.72% |
| Count | 758 | 919 | 21.24% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.28 | 0.31 | 10.71% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sem
With regard to ethnicity, the Sem surname exhibited some notable shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The Asian/Pacific Islander group recorded the highest percentage of individuals with the Sem surname, increasing from 61.08% in 2000 to 65.94% in 2010. However, the percentage of individuals identifying with two or more ethnicities dropped significantly from 7.26% to 2.72%. Meanwhile, the percentage of White individuals with the Sem surname fell slightly from 26.91% to 23.94%. Interestingly, there was a noticeable rise in Hispanic representation from 3.03% to 4.90%. The Black community also began to appear in the 2010 census, accounting for 2.50% of those with the Sem surname, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native group remained static at 0% for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 61.08% | 65.94% | 7.96% |
| White | 26.91% | 23.94% | -11.04% |
| Hispanic | 3.03% | 4.9% | 61.72% |
| Two or More Races | 7.26% | 2.72% | -62.53% |
| Black | 0% | 2.5% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |