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

Saelee, 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 Saelee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Saelee in America

Saelee is the 14113th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Saelee surname appeared 2,129 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Saelee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Saelee 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 Saelee

The surname SAELEE originated in Thailand and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Thai words "sae" meaning "silk" and "lee" meaning "to weave". This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals or families involved in the silk weaving trade or industry.

SAELEE is a relatively uncommon surname, but it can be found in historical records from various regions of Thailand, particularly in the central and northeastern parts of the country. One of the earliest known references to the name SAELEE can be found in a 16th-century manuscript detailing the genealogy of a family of silk weavers in the city of Ayutthaya, which was the capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom at that time.

In the 17th century, there are records of a SAELEE family residing in the town of Khorat, located in the Nakhon Ratchasima province of northeastern Thailand. This family was known for their skilled craftsmanship in producing intricate silk textiles, which were highly valued by the local nobility and royal court.

The 18th century saw the rise of a prominent SAELEE figure named Phra Saelee Wongse (1731-1809), who was a skilled silk weaver and textile artist. His exceptional work gained him recognition and patronage from the royal court of King Rama I, the founder of the Chakri Dynasty. Phra Saelee Wongse's creations are still celebrated and displayed in various museums and cultural exhibitions in Thailand today.

Another notable SAELEE individual was Chao Saelee Srisawat (1842-1912), a respected scholar and educator who played a significant role in modernizing Thailand's education system during the reign of King Rama V. He was instrumental in establishing the country's first teacher training college and introducing new teaching methodologies.

In the early 20th century, Somchai SAELEE (1906-1989) was a renowned artist and silk painter. His intricate works, which often depicted traditional Thai scenes and cultural motifs, are highly regarded and can be found in many prestigious art collections around the world.

While the surname SAELEE may not be as prevalent as some other Thai surnames, its historical roots and associations with the silk weaving industry and cultural heritage make it a distinctive and significant name within Thai society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Saelee

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

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 Saelee 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 Saelee 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 Saelee was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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