Sebern
An English surname of unknown origin, possibly a habitational name.
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Sebern. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Sebern today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sebern births was 1933 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sebern. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Sebern is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Seberns were born before 1957.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Sebern. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1933
7 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1933 SSA rank
#3,238
Tracked since 1931
Popularity
Sebern: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Sebern by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Sebern during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 13 | 0 | 13 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Sebern
The given name Sebern is believed to have originated from the Old English word "seoforn," which means "a dry, dusty place." Its roots can be traced back to the 7th century in the Anglo-Saxon regions of what is now England. This name was most commonly found in areas such as Mercia, Northumbria, and Wessex.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Sebern can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landholders in England, compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. One of the entries mentions a landowner named Sebern de Quincy, who held estates in Buckinghamshire.
In the 12th century, a Benedictine monk named Sebern of Ely became renowned for his scholarly work and contributions to the Ely Cathedral. He lived from approximately 1120 to 1190 and was known for his expertise in canon law and theology.
During the 13th century, a notable figure named Sebern de Broc was a prominent English soldier and landowner. He fought alongside King John during the First Barons' War and was granted lands in Gloucestershire as a reward for his loyalty.
Another historical figure with the name Sebern was Sebern of Arundel, a 14th-century English philosopher and logician. He studied at the University of Oxford and is credited with advancing the study of logic and metaphysics during his time.
In the 15th century, a Welsh nobleman named Sebern ap Rhys was known for his involvement in the Wars of the Roses. He supported the Lancastrian cause and was a prominent figure in the battles that took place in Wales during that conflict.
While the name Sebern has become relatively uncommon in modern times, it holds a rich historical significance, particularly in its connection to the Anglo-Saxon era and the early medieval period in England and Wales.
People
Sebern + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sebern as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Sebern: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sebern?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sebern going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Sebern a common name?
We classify Sebern as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sebern most popular?
The single biggest year for Sebern was 1933, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sebern is about 79 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Sebern in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Sebern a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sebern in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Sebern still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Sebern in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Sebern can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Sebern?
You can see how many Americans are named Sebern on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.