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

Sainz, 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 Sainz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sainz in America

Sainz is the 8511th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sainz surname appeared 3,869 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 Sainz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sainz 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 Sainz

The surname Sainz originated in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France, an area known for its unique language and culture distinct from the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. The name is derived from the Basque word "zain," meaning "to guard" or "to watch over," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have been sentries or watchmen.

Sainz is believed to have emerged as a surname sometime in the 11th or 12th century, during the period of the Reconquista, when Christian kingdoms in northern Spain were gradually reclaiming territory from the Moors. As towns and villages were established or resettled, families adopted hereditary surnames to distinguish themselves from others in the community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sainz can be found in the Becerro Galicano, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 13th century, which lists landowners and their properties in the Basque region. Several variations of the spelling, such as Saintz and Saynz, are also documented in historical records from this time.

The surname Sainz has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history, including Juan Sainz de Zenica (1542-1610), a Spanish soldier and diplomat who served as the ambassador to the Holy Roman Empire during the reign of Philip III. Another prominent figure was Pedro Sainz Rodríguez (1897-1986), a Spanish philosopher, essayist, and literary critic who served as the Minister of Education from 1938 to 1939 during the Spanish Civil War.

In the realm of sports, the name Sainz has gained recognition through the achievements of Carlos Sainz (born 1962), a Spanish rally driver who won the World Rally Championship in 1990 and 1992, and his son Carlos Sainz Jr. (born 1994), a Formula One racing driver who currently competes for Scuderia Ferrari.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Blanca Sainz de la Maza (1889-1979), a Spanish educator and feminist activist who played a crucial role in advocating for women's rights and educational opportunities in Spain during the early 20th century.

These examples illustrate the deep roots and historical significance of the surname Sainz, which has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from diplomats and intellectuals to athletes and activists, all contributing to the rich tapestry of Basque and Spanish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sainz

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

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

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

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