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

Sandford, 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 Sandford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sandford in America

Sandford is the 13572nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sandford surname appeared 2,234 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Sandford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sandford 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 Sandford

The surname Sandford originates from England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "sand" and "ford," referring to a sandy ford or a shallow crossing over a river or stream. This suggests that the name may have originally been borne by individuals who lived near such a location.

The Sandford surname is closely associated with various place names in England, including Sandford in Berkshire, Sandford in Devon, Sandford in Shropshire, and Sandford in Westmoreland (now Cumbria). These place names likely influenced the development and spread of the surname.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1221, which mention a John de Sandford. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a William de Sandford in Oxfordshire.

Notable individuals with the Sandford surname throughout history include Sir Ralph Sandford (c. 1400-1459), a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament during the Wars of the Roses. Another notable figure was Sir Daniel Sandford (1598-1668), an English lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War.

In the literary world, Daniel Sandford (1766-1830) was an English clergyman and author known for his biographical works, including "The Life of John Colet" and "The Life of George Phillpott."

Moving forward in time, Sir Herbert Sandford (1826-1892) was a British army officer who served in the Crimean War and later became a Member of Parliament.

Lastly, Ralph Ayres Sandford (1855-1941) was an American lawyer and author who wrote extensively on legal topics and served as a judge in New York.

These examples illustrate the rich history and widespread presence of the Sandford surname across various fields and time periods, reflecting its enduring English origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sandford

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

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

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

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