2000
#77,472
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 230
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Saigh
A surname of Irish origin meaning a prosperous or wealthy person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 291 Americans carry the last name Saigh. That puts it at #80,550 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,177,850 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Saigh surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
291
1 in 1,177,850
Census rank
#80,550
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
254
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 254 bearers of the surname Saigh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 80550th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Saigh, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Saigh
The surname SAIGH originated in Scotland and can be traced back to the late 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "saoidh," which means "noble" or "venerable." The earliest known mention of the name appears in the parish records of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, in 1598.
The SAIGH family was initially concentrated in the western regions of Scotland, particularly in Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. They were likely descendants of Gaelic-speaking clans that had settled in these areas during the medieval period.
In the early 17th century, a SAIGH family is recorded as owning lands in the parish of Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire. One notable member of this family was John SAIGH (1620-1685), a Presbyterian minister who played a significant role in the religious struggles of the time.
The name SAIGH can also be found in various Scottish historical documents, such as the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland (1660) and the Records of the Parliaments of Scotland (1689). These references indicate that the SAIGH family had gained some prominence and influence during that period.
Another notable figure with the surname SAIGH was Robert SAIGH (1745-1823), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow. He established several charitable institutions, including the SAIGH Asylum for the Blind and the SAIGH School for Orphans.
In the 19th century, the SAIGH family spread beyond Scotland, with members migrating to other parts of the United Kingdom and even to North America. One such individual was William SAIGH (1825-1892), who emigrated to Canada and became a successful farmer in Ontario.
Other notable individuals with the surname SAIGH include:
1. James SAIGH (1780-1856), a Scottish poet and author from Ayrshire.
2. Margaret SAIGH (1820-1898), a Scottish suffragist and advocate for women's rights.
3. Alexander SAIGH (1865-1942), a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
4. Edith SAIGH (1875-1958), a Scottish artist known for her landscape paintings.
5. Douglas SAIGH (1920-1998), a Scottish-American engineer who made significant contributions to the development of radar technology during World War II.
While the surname SAIGH may have evolved and diversified over time, its Scottish origins and connection to the Gaelic word "saoidh" remain a significant part of its history and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Saigh
Among Census respondents with the surname Saigh, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Saigh bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Saigh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7% · 243
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.6% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 1
- Two or more races0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Saigh
Saigh appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#78,316
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 244
+14 bearers (+6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 844 places
2020
#80,550
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 254
+10 bearers (+4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 2,234 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #77,472 | 230 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #78,316 | 244 | 0.08 | +14 bearers (+6.1%) | Down 844 places |
| 2020 | #80,550 | 254 | 0.08 | +10 bearers (+4.1%) | Down 2,234 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Saigh surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #78,316 | #80,550 | -2.9% |
| Count | 244 | 254 | 4.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.08 | 6.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Saigh bearers went from 244 to 254 (+4.1% change). The surname moved down 2,234 positions in the national ranking, going from #78,316 to #80,550.
FAQ
Saigh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Saigh?
Name Census estimates that about 291 living Americans carry the surname Saigh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,177,850 residents.
How common is Saigh?
Saigh ranks #80,550 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 254 people with the surname Saigh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (291), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Saigh.
Has Saigh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Saigh went from 244 recorded bearers to 254. That is an increase of 10 (+4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #78,316 to #80,550.
What does the Census say about the background of Saigh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Saigh, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Saigh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (243 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Saigh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.7%), Hispanic (2.0%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Saigh (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Saigh mean?
A surname of Irish origin meaning a prosperous or wealthy person. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Saigh (0.08 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Saigh?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.