Surname Hamm - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'H'
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read moreHamm: What does the surname Hamm mean?
The surname Hamm is of German origin and derived from two possible sources. One possibility is that it comes from the Middle High German term "ham" meaning home, meaning it may have originally been used to denote someone who lived by a home, house or homestead. Another possibility is it could be derived from the Middle High German word "hemme", referring to a plot of pasture land or meadow, hence denoting a person who lived near or worked on such a piece of land. Like many surnames, Hamm is likely to be geographical in origin, even though its use has broadened over the centuries and it’s now found widely across Europe and North America. Specific variations of the surname can be traced to particular regions in Germany, and there are also towns and cities in Germany and Belgium with the name Hamm. Thus, the surname could also denote someone who hailed from one of these locations. As with all surnames, the exact meaning can vary based on family history and local tradition.
Order DNA origin analysisHamm: Where does the name Hamm come from?
The surname Hamm has German origins, deriving from the Old High German term "ham" which means "corner" or "angle". It could have been a topographic name given to those who lived in such a location. Alternatively, it may have originated as a nickname or occupational name relating to a person who prepares or sold ham, a type of cured meat.
Today, the last name Hamm is found quite frequently in Germany, maintaining its greatest popularity there. It is also common within German communities across the world. Moreover, due to large-scale emigration through history, Hamm is spread out more globally, with a significant number of people bearing this surname in the United States and Canada. Famous individuals with this last name include American actor Jon Hamm and Canadian soccer player Paul Hamm.
Variations of the surname Hamm
The surname Hamm is of Anglo-Saxon origin and has various forms and spellings deriving from different regions and times in history. Some variations of the surname include Ham, Hamme, Hammes, and Hams. It may also be found as von Hamm in some German-speaking regions, where 'von' is a preposition that means 'from' and is often used in names to denote a place of origin.
In some cases, the surname can become a compound surname such as Hamm-Smith or Hamm-Taylor, typically through marriage or to preserve a family name. The surname may also be hyphenated, such as Hamm-Smith.
Several related surnames such as Hammon, Hammond, Hammons, Hammen could be derived from Hamm, where extra suffixes like '-on,' '-ond,' '-ons,' '-en' are added, usually to create patronymic surnames.
Himm, Hemm and Homm are sometimes used interchangeably with Hamm, especially in regions that have different uses for vowels. In Dutch regions, Haam or Haem may be variants of Hamm.
The French name Hameau and the Spanish name Jamón could be considered variants due to phonetic similarity, but their roots are different from the Anglo-Saxon Hamm. The name Hamm is also found in Arabic, but it is distinct from the Western surname and pronounced with a guttural 'h.'
Famous people with the name Hamm
- Jon Hamm: An American actor best known for his role as Don Draper in the television series "Mad Men."
- Mia Hamm: A retired professional soccer player and two-time Olympic gold medalist, she is regarded as one of the greatest female soccer players in history.
- Aasif Mandviwala, known professionally as Aasif Mandvi: He is an American actor and comedian who used "Hamm" as his last name for his character on the satirical television news program "The Daily Show."
- Sarah Hamm-Alvarez: An American scientist and professor of ophthalmology and biomedical engineering.
- Skip Hamm: A retired basketball coach at the University of Arkansas.
- Adam Hamm: A North Dakota politician who served as the state's Insurance Commissioner from 2009 to 2016.
- Darrell Hamm: A professor of sociology and author.
- Gregg Hamm: A prominent figure in the music industry, particularly known for his work in the rock and pop genres.
- Idries Shah, pseudonym Arkon Daraul: British writer and thinker on spiritual and philosophical topics, who published the book "Secret Societies Yesterday and Today" under the pseudonym.
- Tom Hamm: A former American football player who played for the Baltimore Colts in the NFL. Please note that not all individuals may be widely recognized as 'famous', but they are notable within their respective fields.