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

Sailor, 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 Sailor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sailor in America

Sailor is the 12789th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sailor surname appeared 2,412 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 Sailor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sailor 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 Sailor

The surname Sailor has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "salor," which referred to a sailor or seaman. The name was likely given to individuals who worked as sailors or were associated with maritime activities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sailor can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, where a person named William le Salor is mentioned. The "le" prefix was commonly used in medieval times to denote a person's occupation or place of origin.

In the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, there is a reference to a person named Richard le Saylour, which is an alternative spelling of the name. These early records indicate that the name was in use across various regions of England during the medieval period.

The surname Sailor also appears in various historical documents, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a person named John le Salyer is listed. This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spellings were not yet established.

One notable historical figure with the surname Sailor was Sir Benjamin Sailor (1671-1742), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was known for his service in the War of the Spanish Succession and was knighted for his contributions.

Another individual of note was Captain John Sailor (1732-1806), a British naval captain who served during the American Revolutionary War. He gained fame for his role in the Battle of Yorktown, which played a significant part in the British surrender and the eventual American victory.

In the 19th century, there was a prominent English author and poet named Emily Sailor (1823-1890), who wrote under the pen name "Ellis Bell." Her works, including the novel "Wuthering Heights," were published alongside those of her sisters, Charlotte and Anne Brontë.

Another figure with the surname Sailor was Sir Edward Sailor (1856-1933), a British politician and member of the Conservative Party. He served as a Member of Parliament and held various government positions, including Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Thomas Sailor (1889-1962) was a British archaeologist who conducted extensive excavations in Egypt and made significant contributions to the understanding of ancient Egyptian civilization. His work shed light on the burial practices and artifacts of the pharaohs.

These examples illustrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have carried the surname Sailor over the centuries, reflecting its roots as an occupational name in medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sailor

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

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

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

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