2000
#113,519
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 143
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Sandera
A Spanish surname derived from the word "senda" meaning a path or trail.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Sandera. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sandera 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Sandera in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sandera, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.0%. The next largest groups are Black (10.9%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sandera
The surname Sandera has its origins in the Italian region of Tuscany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "sandaro," which means "sandalmaker" or "shoemaker." This suggests that the original bearers of this name were likely involved in the craft of making sandals or shoes.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sandera surname can be found in the census records of Florence, Italy, from the year 1586. Here, a family by the name of Sandera is listed as residing in the city's Santa Croce district, which was known for its thriving artisan community.
Historical records also indicate that the Sandera family had a presence in other parts of Tuscany, such as the towns of Siena and Arezzo. In the 17th century, a notable figure named Girolamo Sandera (1602-1672) was a renowned painter from Siena, renowned for his religious works and frescoes adorning local churches.
As the Sandera family spread across Italy and beyond, variations in spelling emerged. Some of these include Sanderra, Sanderri, and Sandrini. One notable individual bearing a similar surname was the Italian architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), whose mother's maiden name was Sandrina.
In the 19th century, the Sandera name found its way across the Atlantic, with several individuals emigrating to the United States. One such person was Antonio Sandera (1830-1912), who settled in New York City and became a successful businessman, establishing a thriving import-export company.
Another prominent figure was Marcella Sandera (1856-1938), a Italian-American educator and activist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement. She founded several schools in the New York area, aimed at providing education to immigrant children.
While the Sandera surname may not be as widespread as some others, it has left an indelible mark on history, particularly in the realms of art, architecture, and social activism. Its origins can be traced back to the skilled artisans of Renaissance Italy, a testament to the rich cultural heritage that has shaped many surnames over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sandera
Among Census respondents with the surname Sandera, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.0%. The next largest groups are Black (10.9%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Sandera 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 Sandera surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.0% · 100
- Black or African American10.9% · 13
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sandera
Sandera 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-27 bearers (-18.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 29,630 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 361 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #113,519 | 143 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -27 bearers (-18.9%) | Down 29,630 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 361 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 Sandera 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 | #143,149 | #142,788 | 0.3% |
| Count | 116 | 119 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sandera bearers went from 116 to 119 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 361 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #142,788.
FAQ
Sandera surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sandera?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Sandera. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Sandera?
Sandera ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Sandera. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Sandera.
Has Sandera become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sandera went from 116 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 3 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #143,149 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Sandera?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sandera, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.0%. The next largest groups are Black (10.9%) and Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Sandera in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.0% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sandera appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.0%), Black (10.9%), Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Sandera (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 Sandera mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the word "senda" meaning a path or trail. 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 Sandera (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 Americans have the surname Sandera?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.