Find out how popular the last name Sachs is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Sachs.

Sachs, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Sachs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sachs in America

Sachs is the 4866th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sachs surname appeared 7,248 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Sachs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sachs to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Sachs

The surname SACHS has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "sahhs," which referred to a type of knife or sword. The name was likely given to someone who was a maker or seller of these weapons.

In the 12th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts across German-speaking regions, particularly in areas like Saxony and Bavaria. Some of the earliest documented instances include Henricus Sachse in 1198 and Rudolfus Sachs in 1211.

The name SACHS was also associated with certain place names, such as Sachsenhausen, which means "houses of the Saxons." This suggests that some individuals bearing the name may have originated from or lived in these locations.

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname SACHS was Hans Sachs (1494-1576), a famous German Meistersinger (master singer) and shoemaker from Nuremberg. He wrote over 6,000 works, including plays, poems, and songs, and is regarded as one of the most important poets of the German Renaissance.

Another prominent individual was the philosopher and mathematician Julius Friedrich Philipp Sachs (1832-1897), who made significant contributions to the study of plant physiology and is considered a pioneer in the field of plant electrophysiology.

In the realm of music, the composer and conductor Walter Sachs (1892-1945) gained recognition for his compositions and his work as a music director in various German cities.

The surname SACHS also has a connection to the world of literature through the German-born American novelist and playwright Nelly Sachs (1891-1970), who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1966 for her "outstanding lyrical and dramatic writing, which interprets Israel's destiny with touching strength."

Another notable figure is the German-American chemist and inventor Walter Sachs (1858-1919), who is credited with developing the first synthetic rubber and numerous other chemical processes and inventions.

While these are just a few examples, the surname SACHS has a rich history and has been borne by many accomplished individuals across various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sachs

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Sachs.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Sachs was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Sachs has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Sachs was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sachs, please contact us.

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