2000
#3,733
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,725
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.23
Uncommon Last name
Sales
An occupational surname referring to a person who sold goods, often a traveling merchant or trader.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,354 Americans carry the last name Sales. That puts it at #3,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,744 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sales surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Sales with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 27,744
Census rank
#3,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,773 bearers of the surname Sales in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sales, the largest self-reported group is White at 36.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (23.4%) and Black (20.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sales
The surname SALES is believed to have originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "sal," which means salt, suggesting a connection to the salt trade or salt production industry. The name may have been given to those who worked in salt mining or transportation.
One of the earliest known records of the SALES surname can be found in the Census of Aragon from the 14th century, where individuals with this surname were listed as residents of various towns and villages in the region. The name also appears in other historical documents from Spain, such as the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a record of land distribution in Seville after its conquest in 1248.
In the 15th century, the SALES surname spread to other parts of Europe, particularly Italy and France, where variations like "Salis" and "Salez" emerged. During this time, the name was associated with merchants and traders involved in the lucrative salt trade across the Mediterranean.
One notable figure with the SALES surname was Pedro de Sales (1512-1592), a Spanish theologian and writer who served as the Bishop of Geneva. He played a significant role in the Counter-Reformation and was known for his efforts to promote religious education.
Another prominent individual was St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622), a French priest and Bishop of Geneva. He is recognized as a Doctor of the Church and is renowned for his writings on spiritual guidance and devotion, including the widely read book "Introduction to the Devout Life."
In the 17th century, the SALES surname appeared in England, likely brought by Spanish or French immigrants. One early record is that of John Sales (1616-1679), an English writer and philosopher who published works on mathematics and natural philosophy.
During the 18th century, the SALES name was found in various parts of Europe and the Americas, as migration and exploration expanded. Notable figures include Juan José de Sales (1713-1776), a Spanish naval officer and explorer who led expeditions to the Pacific Northwest coast of North America.
In the 19th century, the SALES surname continued to spread globally, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in various fields. For example, Francisco Acuña de Figueroa y Sales (1791-1862) was a Uruguayan military leader and politician who played a crucial role in the formation of the nation.
Throughout history, the SALES surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, reflecting the global reach and influence of this name rooted in the salt trade of medieval Spain.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sales
Among Census respondents with the surname Sales, the largest self-reported group is White at 36.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (23.4%) and Black (20.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Sales bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sales surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White36.2% · 3,899
- Hispanic or Latino23.4% · 2,526
- Black or African American20.0% · 2,156
- Asian and Pacific Islander15.5% · 1,666
- Two or more races4.2% · 449
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 77
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sales
Sales appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,418
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,439
+1,714 bearers (+19.6%)
Per 100,000 3.54
Rank movement Up 315 places
2020
#3,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,773
+334 bearers (+3.2%)
Per 100,000 3.60
Rank movement Up 148 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,733 | 8,725 | 3.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,418 | 10,439 | 3.54 | +1,714 bearers (+19.6%) | Up 315 places |
| 2020 | #3,270 | 10,773 | 3.60 | +334 bearers (+3.2%) | Up 148 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sales surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,418 | #3,270 | 4.3% |
| Count | 10,439 | 10,773 | 3.2% |
| Per 100K | 3.54 | 3.60 | 1.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sales bearers went from 10,439 to 10,773 (+3.2% change). The surname moved up 148 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,418 to #3,270.
FAQ
Sales surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sales?
Name Census estimates that about 12,354 living Americans carry the surname Sales. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,744 residents.
How common is Sales?
Sales ranks #3,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.60 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,773 people with the surname Sales. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,354), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.60 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Sales.
Has Sales become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sales went from 10,439 recorded bearers to 10,773. That is an increase of 334 (+3.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,418 to #3,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Sales?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sales, the largest self-reported group is White at 36.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (23.4%) and Black (20.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sales in the 2020 Census, accounting for 36.2% (3,899 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sales appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (36.2%), Hispanic (23.4%), Black (20.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sales (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sales mean?
An occupational surname referring to a person who sold goods, often a traveling merchant or trader. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sales (3.60 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Sales?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.