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

Sandifer, 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 Sandifer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sandifer in America

Sandifer is the 5949th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sandifer surname appeared 5,786 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Sandifer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sandifer 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 Sandifer

The surname Sandifer is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the early 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "sand" and "fær," meaning "sandy traveler" or "one who journeys through sandy regions."

The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset, where the terrain is characterized by sandy soils and coastal regions. Some historians suggest that the name may have been borne by individuals who lived or worked in these sandy areas, perhaps as traders or travelers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1230, where a person named William Sandifer is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the name's existence in medieval England.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Feet of Fines for Cornwall, a legal record of land transactions, further cementing its presence in the region. The entry mentions a John Sandifer who was involved in a property dispute.

By the 16th century, the name had spread to other parts of England, with records showing variations such as Sandyford and Sandyforth. This suggests that the name may have evolved from a place name or a descriptive reference to a person's occupation or location.

Notable individuals with the surname Sandifer include:

1. John Sandifer (c. 1580-1644), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Ipswich.
2. William Sandifer (1692-1768), a prominent merchant and landowner in colonial Virginia.
3. Mary Sandifer (1734-1810), an American Revolutionary War heroine who helped defend a fort against British forces in South Carolina.
4. James Sandifer (1798-1879), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.
5. Elizabeth Sandifer (1842-1918), an American educator and activist who championed women's rights and founded a school in Tennessee.

While the name Sandifer has evolved over the centuries and spread to various parts of the world, its origins can be traced back to the sandy regions of southwestern England, where it likely originated as a descriptive name for individuals associated with those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sandifer

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

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

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

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