Jerome
A surname that usually comes from the given name Jerome, ultimately from the Greek name meaning “sacred name.”
The #3,885 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 33,813 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Jerome is generally a surname formed from the personal name Jerome, especially in English and French use. The name goes back to Greek Hierōnymos, meaning “sacred name,” from hieros “holy” and onyma/onyma “name.” In medieval Europe it spread through the popularity of Saint Jerome, and surnames developed from the given name in several regions.
History
The surname appears in English records as a family name derived from the forename, and related forms such as Jeram and Jerram are noted in older surname dictionaries. It is relatively uncommon as a surname, but the personal name Jerome was widely used because of the fame of Saint Jerome, the biblical scholar and translator. In some cases the surname may reflect local spelling variation rather than a separate origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same root behind Jerome also lies behind the name of Saint Jerome, one of the most important scholars of the early Christian church.
From the historical record
“ineU, CO. Flint : Reg. -— , -- Jerome Fiiiber and Eiii. innell : Maniage Lie. ILondao), L JI7. V. Bonnet.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instancesNotable people named Jerome
- Jerome K. Jerome (1859–1927)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.