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

Sal, 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 Sal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sal in America

Sal is the 58042nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sal surname appeared 350 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 Sal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sal 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 Sal

The surname "Sal" is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval period, specifically in the regions of Catalonia and Valencia. It is derived from the Latin word "sal," meaning "salt," which suggests that the name may have been initially attributed to individuals involved in the salt trade or production.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name "Sal" can be found in the Catalan census records from the 13th century, where it appears as "Çal" or "Sal." This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spelling conventions were not yet established.

In the 14th century, a prominent figure bearing the surname "Sal" was Jaume Sal, a prominent merchant and landowner from Barcelona. He is mentioned in several historical documents from that era, including records of land transactions and trade agreements.

During the 15th century, the name "Sal" gained prominence in the city of Valencia, where it was associated with several influential families involved in the salt trade and maritime commerce. One notable individual was Pere Sal, a successful ship captain and trader who lived between 1440 and 1512.

As the centuries progressed, the surname "Sal" spread across different regions of Spain and eventually to other parts of the world through Spanish exploration and colonization. In the 16th century, Juan Sal de Herrera (1510-1585) was a renowned Spanish navigator and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the Americas.

In the 17th century, the name "Sal" appears in records from the Spanish colonies in the Americas, particularly in Mexico and the Caribbean. One notable figure was Diego de Sal y Sánchez (1620-1692), a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Cuba.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, individuals with the surname "Sal" continued to make their mark in various fields, including literature, arts, and politics. For instance, Francesc Sal (1745-1821) was a Catalan writer and poet known for his contributions to the Renaixença, the cultural renaissance movement in Catalonia.

Another significant figure was José Sal y Rosas (1805-1878), a Spanish lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Spain in the mid-19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sal

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

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

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

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