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

Sally, 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 Sally surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sally in America

Sally is the 22481st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sally surname appeared 1,144 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 Sally.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sally 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 Sally

The surname Sally is of English origin and dates back to the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "saillir," meaning "to leap or spring forth." This name was likely given to someone who was known for their energetic or lively nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sally surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a series of records compiled for tax purposes during the reign of King Edward I. In these rolls, the name is spelled as "Saille" and "Sailli."

During the 14th century, the Sally surname began to appear in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, there are references to individuals with the surname "Saleye" and "Saley."

The Sally surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was John Sally, a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, who lived in the late 15th century. Another was William Sally, a prominent clergyman and author who lived in the 17th century and wrote several religious treatises.

In the 18th century, the Sally surname was linked to the village of Shalfleet on the Isle of Wight, where a family of landed gentry resided. One member of this family, Sir Thomas Sally, served as the High Sheriff of Hampshire in 1726.

Another notable figure was Sir John Sally, a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was knighted for his bravery in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

In the 19th century, the Sally surname gained further prominence with individuals such as Charles Frederic Sally, a renowned British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas during the Victorian era.

Throughout its history, the Sally surname has also been associated with various place names and localities across England, such as Sally Park in Gloucestershire, Sally Bush in Somerset, and Sally Hay in Wiltshire, reflecting the geographical spread of this family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sally

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

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

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

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