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

Sage, 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 Sage surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sage in America

Sage is the 3222nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sage surname appeared 11,207 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Sage.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sage 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 Sage

The surname "Sage" is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "sage," meaning "wise" or "learned." This name likely originated in the 12th or 13th century during the Norman conquest of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Sage" can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert le Sage from Norfolk. The name may have been initially bestowed upon a person known for their wisdom, knowledge, or scholarly pursuits.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various medieval records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which mentions a John Sage. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as "Sayge" or "Seige."

The surname "Sage" has connections to several place names in England, such as Sage Cross and Sage Hill in Hertfordshire, which may have influenced the adoption of the name by individuals residing in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname "Sage" throughout history include:

1. John Sage (1652-1711), an English theologian and clergyman who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
2. Alain René Lesage (1668-1747), a French novelist and playwright best known for his picaresque novel "Gil Blas."
3. Russell Sage (1816-1906), an American financier and railroad executive who amassed a significant fortune during the Gilded Age.
4. Lorne Sage (1925-2005), a Canadian actor and playwright known for his roles in various television series and films.
5. Angie Sage (born 1952), a British author best known for her fantasy book series "Septimus Heap."

While the surname "Sage" may have evolved from different roots in various regions, its English origins and association with wisdom and learning have endured throughout history, making it a distinctive and recognizable name across generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sage

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

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

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

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