Explore the Family Name Tamm
The meaning of Tamm
1. German: from a short form of the personal name Tancmar, composed of the ancient Germanic thank ‘thought’ + māri, mēri ‘famous’. 2. German: habitational name from Tamm in southern Germany or Thamm, Damm(e) in northern Germany. The placenames may derive from the personal name (see 1 above) or from Middle High German tam ‘dam, dike’. 3. Estonian: ornamental name from tamm ‘oak’ or from a homonymous word meaning ‘dam’ (a loan from Middle Low German tam). 4. Estonian: from a pet form of the personal name Adam. Some characteristic forenames: German Arno, Ernst, Karlheinz, Manfred, Meinhard, Oskar, Otto.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Tamm in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Tamm experienced a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 31,704 in terms of commonality and dropped to rank 31,906 by 2010, representing a diminution of 0.64%. However, the count or number of individuals with this surname increased from 689 in 2000 to 723 in 2010, marking an increase of 4.93%. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a small reduction of 3.85%, moving from 0.26 in 2000 to 0.25 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,704 | #31,906 | -0.64% |
| Count | 689 | 723 | 4.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.25 | -3.85% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Tamm
When examining the ethnicity associated with the surname Tamm, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, there were some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, increasing slightly from 94.92% in 2000 to 95.57% in 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased substantially by 32.02%, going from 2.03% in 2000 to 1.38% in 2010. There was also a decrease among those identifying with two or more races, reducing by 16.38% over the decade. A new group emerged in 2010, with 1.52% identifying as Hispanic. The data for Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicities were either suppressed for privacy or remained at zero for both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.92% | 95.57% | 0.68% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.52% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.03% | 1.38% | -32.02% |
| Two or More Races | 1.16% | 0.97% | -16.38% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.16% | 0% | 0% |