Explore the Family Name Wollam

The meaning of Wollam

1. English (Shropshire and Lancashire): variant of the Devon surname Woolland, perhaps a habitational name from Woolland in Dorset, named from Old English wynne ‘pasture, meadow’ + land ‘land’. Alternatively, but less likely, a topographic name from Middle English wough ‘bent, crooked’ + land(e), lond(e) ‘land’ (Old English wōh + land), perhaps denoting a person who lived at or near a bend in a stream or river, or for someone from any place so named, such as Wollensbrook in Great Amwell (Hertfordshire). This surname is rare in Britain. 2. Americanized form of German Ulm.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Wollam in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Wollam has seen a slight drop from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the name ranked 27,526 in popularity and dropped to 29,198 by 2010. This represents a decrease of 6.07% over the decade. The count of people with this surname also decreased slightly from 824 in 2000 to 811 in 2010, a change of -1.58%. Consequently, the proportion of people named Wollam per 100,000 population fell by 12.9% during the same period.

20002010Change
Rank#27,526#29,198-6.07%
Count824811-1.58%
Proportion per 100k0.310.27-12.9%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wollam

When it comes to ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some shifts within the Wollam surname holders. The biggest change occurred in those identifying as two or more races, which saw a significant increase from just 0.61% in 2000 to 1.60% in 2010, marking a 162.30% increase. Those of white ethnic identity decreased by 3.31%, making up 92.23% of individuals with the Wollam surname in 2010 compared to 95.39% in 2000. There was a rise in the Hispanic group from 3.03% to 3.82%, a 26.07% increase. Interestingly, in 2010, black individuals started appearing among the Wollam surname bearers, accounting for 1.48%, while previously there were none recorded in 2000. No changes were observed for the Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups over the decade.

20002010Change
White95.39%92.23%-3.31%
Hispanic3.03%3.82%26.07%
Two or More Races0.61%1.6%162.3%
Black0%1.48%0%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%