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

Sander, 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 Sander surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sander in America

Sander is the 3906th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sander surname appeared 9,090 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Sander.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sander 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 Sander

The surname Sander is of Germanic origin, derived from the ancient Germanic word "sand" meaning "sand" or "sandy." It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname for someone who lived or worked near sandy areas or as a nickname for someone with sandy or reddish-colored hair.

The name Sander can be traced back to the 12th century in various regions of Germany, particularly in the northern and central areas. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Sancti Galli, a medieval cartulary from the Abbey of St. Gallen in Switzerland, which mentions a "Sander" in the year 1150.

In England, the name Sander is believed to have been introduced by German immigrants during the 16th and 17th centuries. The earliest recorded instance of the name in England is found in the parish records of St. Giles Cripplegate, London, where a William Sander was mentioned in 1567.

Several notable historical figures have borne the surname Sander, including Nicholas Sander (1530-1581), an English Roman Catholic priest and polemical writer during the Elizabethan era. Another prominent figure was Hans Sander (1544-1635), a German theologian and Lutheran pastor who played a significant role in the Reformation.

In the arts, one of the most renowned individuals with the surname Sander was the German painter and photographer August Sander (1876-1964), best known for his monumental documentary work "People of the 20th Century." Another notable figure was the German novelist and playwright August Sander (1828-1915), whose works explored the social and political issues of his time.

Another prominent Sander was Friedrich Sander (1847-1920), a German botanist and horticulturist who specialized in orchids and introduced numerous new species to Europe. His work contributed significantly to the understanding and cultivation of orchids.

It is worth noting that the surname Sander has undergone various spelling variations over time, including Sanders, Saunders, and Sanderson, reflecting regional linguistic influences and adaptations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sander

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

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

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

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