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

Sails, 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 Sails surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sails in America

Sails is the 68547th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sails surname appeared 287 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Sails.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sails 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 Sails

The surname SAILS is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "segl," which referred to the sail of a ship or boat. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents and records, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Segelard" and "Segelere."

During the Middle Ages, the name was predominantly found in coastal regions of England, particularly in areas with a strong maritime tradition and connection to the sailing industry. It is likely that the name was initially used as an occupational surname, given to individuals who worked as sailmakers, sailors, or were involved in sailing-related professions.

One notable bearer of the SAILS surname was Sir John Sails, a renowned English navigator and explorer who lived in the 15th century. He is credited with leading several expeditions to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, contributing significantly to the expansion of maritime knowledge during the Age of Discovery.

Another prominent figure with the SAILS surname was Elizabeth Sails, born in 1603 in Plymouth, England. She was a notable merchant and ship owner, playing a crucial role in the thriving trade between England and the New World colonies during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the SAILS name was also associated with the fishing industry, particularly in the coastal towns of Cornwall and Devon. Records from this period mention individuals such as William Sails, a successful fisherman and boat builder from Penzance, born in 1712.

The SAILS surname has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Sailsbury and Sailsford, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name over time.

Across the centuries, the SAILS surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Sayles, Saile, Saile, and Sayls, reflecting the diverse regional dialects and linguistic changes that occurred throughout the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sails

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

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

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

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