Sanders
An English occupational surname referring to a sander or polisher of wood.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 267,691 Americans carry the last name Sanders. That puts it at #94 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 78.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,280 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sanders 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
268K
1 in 1,280
Census rank
#94
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
78.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
230K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 230,374 bearers of the surname Sanders in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 78.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 94th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sanders, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.8%. The next largest groups are Black (33.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sanders
The surname Sanders is of English origin, derived from the old English word "sander" which referred to a messenger or courier. It first appeared in records during the 13th century in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1221, where a William le Saundresman is mentioned. The variant spelling "Saundres" also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, referring to a Ralph Saundres.
The name is believed to have originated as an occupational surname, given to individuals who worked as messengers or delivered important documents and letters. Some historians also suggest a connection to the old French word "saunier", meaning a salt worker or dealer.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are no direct references to the surname Sanders, but there are entries for places like Sandridge in Hertfordshire and Sanderson in Yorkshire, which may have influenced the development of the surname in those areas.
Notable individuals with the surname Sanders throughout history include:
1. Richard Sanders (c. 1510-1585), an English Protestant reformer and theologian.
2. Robert Sanders (c. 1573-1618), an English mathematician and surveyor who worked on the first modern atlas.
3. William Sanders (1774-1839), an American politician who served as Governor of Kentucky from 1840 to 1844.
4. Wilbur Fisk Sanders (1834-1905), an American Baptist minister and educator, founder of the University of Rochester.
5. George Nicolas Sanders (1912-1972), a renowned British actor known for his roles in films such as "All About Eve" and "Village of the Damned".
In terms of place names, there are several locations in England that may have contributed to the surname, such as Sandridge in Hertfordshire, Sanderson in Yorkshire, and Sanderstead in Surrey. These places likely had connections to early bearers of the Sanders name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sanders
Among Census respondents with the surname Sanders, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.8%. The next largest groups are Black (33.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Sanders 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 Sanders surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White60.8%
- Black or African American33.0%
- Hispanic or Latino2.6%
- Two or more races2.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Sanders 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 | #94 | #94 | 0.0% |
| Count | 230,374 | 230,374 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 78.10 | 78.10 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Sanders bearers went from 230,374 to 230,374 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #94 to #94.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Sanders
FAQ
Sanders surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Sanders?
The surname Sanders holds position #94 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 267,691 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 78.10 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Sanders surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sanders, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.8%. The next largest groups are Black (33.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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.