Explore the Family Name Sum
The meaning of Sum
1. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 沈, based on its Cantonese pronunciation, see Shen 1. 2. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 岑, based on its Cantonese pronunciation, see Cen. 3. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 覃, see Tan 3 or Qin 3. 4. Cambodian: written ស៊ុំ, of Chinese origin, but unexplained etymology (possibly corresponding to one of the surnames above). 5. Amerindian (Guatemala): unexplained. 6. Slovenian and Czech (Šum): nickname for a noisy person, from šum ‘noise, rustle’, or, as a Slovenian surname, a topographic name from dialect šum ‘waterfall’. Compare Shum. 7. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): artificial name from Polish sum ‘wels, sheatfish’, a species of catfish. Some characteristic forenames: Southeast Asian Chak, Chi, Chun, Eng, Heng, Ho, Kin Wai, Kong, Kwok, Kwok Leung, Kwok Ying, Lun.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sum in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Sum" saw a decline in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked at 14,634 with a count of 1,864, equating to a proportion of 0.69 per 100,000 people. By 2010, however, the rank had dropped to 18,596, and the count decreased to 1,482, which is a proportion of 0.5 per 100,000 people. This represents a change of -27.07 in rank and -20.49 in count, showing a significant decrease in the use of the surname over this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,634 | #18,596 | -27.07% |
| Count | 1,864 | 1,482 | -20.49% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.69 | 0.5 | -27.54% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sum
When discussing the ethnicity associated with the surname "Sum", the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a pattern of diversification between 2000 and 2010. The largest ethnic group associated with the name was Asian/Pacific Islander, representing around 79.29% in 2000 and dropping slightly to 73.14% in 2010. The next largest group, Whites, increased their representation from 13.36% in 2000 to 16.06% in 2010. The Hispanic population also saw a significant increase, from 3.33% in 2000 to 7.42% in 2010. However, the percentage of those identifying as two or more races decreased from 2.74% to 1.96%, and the percentage of Blacks went from 1.29% in 2000 to being suppressed in 2010 for privacy reasons. American Indians and Alaskan Natives did not have a presence in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 79.29% | 73.14% | -7.76% |
| White | 13.36% | 16.06% | 20.21% |
| Hispanic | 3.33% | 7.42% | 122.82% |
| Two or More Races | 2.74% | 1.96% | -28.47% |
| Black | 1.29% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |