Salles
An archaic French surname originating from small geographical locations called "salles".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 686 Americans carry the last name Salles. That puts it at #37,125 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 499,642 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Salles surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
686
1 in 499,642
Census rank
#37,125
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
601
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 601 bearers of the surname Salles in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 37125th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Salles, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (20.5%) and Black (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Salles
The surname SALLES originated in France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "salle," meaning "hall" or "dwelling place." The name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a prominent hall or manor house.
In the early days, the name was often spelled as "Salle" or "Sallas." It was particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy, Brittany, and Poitou, where many families bearing this surname can be traced back to the 11th and 12th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SALLES can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions a landowner named Rainaldus de Salla in Somerset, England.
During the Middle Ages, the name SALLES appeared in various records and documents across France. For instance, Jehan de Salles was a prominent French nobleman who served as a royal ambassador in the 14th century.
In the 16th century, the explorer Juan de Salles y Valdés, born in Spain around 1500, led several expeditions to the Americas and helped establish Spanish settlements in modern-day Mexico and Florida.
Another notable figure with the surname SALLES was François de Salles, a French Catholic bishop and writer who lived from 1567 to 1622. He is best known for his work "Introduction to the Devout Life," which became a spiritual classic.
In the 18th century, Jean-Baptiste Salles was a renowned French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Church of Saint-Sulpice.
The name SALLES has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout history. For example, the village of Salles-la-Source in southwestern France derives its name from the Old French word "salle," reflecting the surname's origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Salles
Among Census respondents with the surname Salles, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (20.5%) and Black (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Salles bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Salles surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.4%
- Hispanic or Latino20.5%
- Black or African American2.5%
- Two or more races1.8%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Salles surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #37,125 | #37,125 | 0.0% |
| Count | 601 | 601 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Salles bearers went from 601 to 601 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #37,125 to #37,125.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Salles
FAQ
Salles surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Salles?
The surname Salles holds position #37,125 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 686 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Salles surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Salles, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (20.5%) and Black (2.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.