Sakkal last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Sakkal

An occupational surname derived from the Arabic word for "pruner" or "vine dresser".

Sakkal, 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 Sakkal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sakkal in America

Sakkal is the 122314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sakkal surname appeared 141 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 Sakkal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sakkal 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 122314 139757 -13.31%
Count 141 110 24.70%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.04 22.22%

The history of the last name Sakkal

The surname SAKKAL is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabian Peninsula. It is derived from the Arabic word "saqqal," which means "water carrier" or "water seller." The name likely originated during the medieval period, when water carriers played a crucial role in supplying water to communities in arid regions.

The earliest recorded instances of the name SAKKAL can be traced back to historical documents from the 13th century. Some of the earliest references to the name are found in ancient Arabic manuscripts and records from cities such as Baghdad, Damascus, and Cairo. These documents often mentioned individuals with the surname SAKKAL engaged in the trade of transporting and selling water.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname SAKKAL was Ibn al-Sakkal, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in Baghdad during the 13th century. He was known for his contributions to Arabic literature and his expertise in the Arabic language.

In the 14th century, the SAKKAL name appeared in records from the Mamluk Sultanate, which ruled over parts of the Middle East and North Africa. These records suggest that some members of the SAKKAL family held important positions within the Mamluk administrative and military ranks.

As the SAKKAL surname spread across the Middle East and North Africa, it also found its way to other regions through trade routes and migration patterns. In the 16th century, historical records from the Ottoman Empire mention individuals with the SAKKAL surname residing in cities such as Istanbul and Aleppo.

One notable figure from this period was Mustafa Sakkal, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in Istanbul during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. He was known for his extensive trade networks and his role in facilitating the exchange of goods between the Ottoman Empire and other regions.

Over the centuries, the SAKKAL surname has been associated with various professions, not just water carriers. In the 19th century, there were several notable figures with the SAKKAL surname who made significant contributions in fields such as medicine, literature, and politics.

One such individual was Dr. Ahmed Sakkal, a prominent physician who practiced in Cairo during the late 19th century. He was renowned for his medical expertise and his contributions to improving public health in Egypt.

Another notable figure was Khalil Sakkal, a renowned poet and writer from Lebanon who lived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was celebrated for his works that explored themes of national identity and cultural heritage.

Overall, the surname SAKKAL has a rich history that can be traced back to the medieval period in the Middle East. Its origins are connected to the occupation of water carriers, but over time, it has become associated with various professions and backgrounds across the region and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sakkal

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

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 Sakkal was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 90.07% 127
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.55% 5
Hispanic Origin 5.67% 8

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 Sakkal has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 90.07% 84.55% 6.32%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 5.45% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 3.55% 5.45% -42.22%
Hispanic 5.67% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Sakkal last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 19, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/sakkal-surname-popularity/.

"Sakkal last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/sakkal-surname-popularity/. Accessed 19 May, 2025

Sakkal last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/sakkal-surname-popularity/.

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