2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sampere
One thought on the French surname "SAMPERE": an occupational name for someone who worked with sampeters or mats of broom.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Sampere. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sampere 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.
Bearers in the US
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Sampere in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sampere, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (20.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sampere
The surname Sampere is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Spanish word "sampedro," which means "Saint Peter." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with people who lived near a church or village dedicated to Saint Peter.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sampere surname can be found in the Catalan region of Spain, dating back to the 13th century. A document from 1267 mentions a person named "Arnau de Sampedro," suggesting that the name was already in use at that time.
As the name spread throughout Spain, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Sampere, Sampedro, and Sampedri. These variations were common as scribes and record-keepers often spelled names phonetically based on their local dialects.
In the 14th century, the Sampere surname appeared in several historical records, including the "Libro de Repartimiento" (Book of Distribution) of the Kingdom of Valencia. This document, which dates back to 1314, listed individuals who received land grants after the Christian conquest of the region.
One notable bearer of the Sampere surname was Juan Sampere, a Spanish philosopher and writer who lived from 1781 to 1843. He was known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy, and his writings influenced the development of liberal thought in Spain during the 19th century.
Another prominent figure with the Sampere surname was Rafael Sampere y Guarinos (1832-1933), a Spanish lawyer, historian, and politician. He served as a deputy in the Spanish parliament and was instrumental in promoting education and cultural initiatives in Valencia.
In the 20th century, José Sampere Guariños (1873-1939) was a Spanish politician and lawyer who played a significant role in the development of labor laws and social reforms in Spain. He served as the Minister of Labor and Social Security during the Second Spanish Republic.
The Sampere surname can also be found in other Spanish-speaking regions, such as Latin America, where it was likely introduced by Spanish settlers and immigrants. For example, José María Sampere Iglesias (1828-1888) was a Cuban politician and lawyer who played a prominent role in the struggle for Cuban independence from Spain.
While the Sampere surname has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the global migration patterns of Spanish-speaking populations. The name continues to be associated with its rich historical and cultural heritage, carrying the echoes of its medieval origins and the stories of those who bore it throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sampere
Among Census respondents with the surname Sampere, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (20.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Sampere 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 Sampere surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.4% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino20.6% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sampere
Sampere 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,696 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,187 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,696 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 1,187 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 Sampere 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 | #150,452 | #151,639 | -0.8% |
| Count | 109 | 107 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sampere bearers went from 109 to 107 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 1,187 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #151,639.
FAQ
Sampere surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sampere?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Sampere. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Sampere?
Sampere ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Sampere. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Sampere.
Has Sampere become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sampere went from 109 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Sampere?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sampere, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (20.6%). 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 Sampere in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.4% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sampere appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (79.4%), Hispanic (20.6%). 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 Sampere (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 Sampere mean?
One thought on the French surname "SAMPERE": an occupational name for someone who worked with sampeters or mats of broom. 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 Sampere (0.04 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 people are called Sampere?
You can see how many people are called Sampere on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.