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

Sapir, 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 Sapir surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sapir in America

Sapir is the 55386th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sapir surname appeared 371 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Sapir.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sapir 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 Sapir

The surname SAPIR is of Hebrew origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient Israelites. The name is derived from the Hebrew word "tzafir," which means "watchman" or "guard." It is believed that the name was initially given to individuals who served as watchmen or guards in their communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SAPIR surname can be found in medieval Jewish manuscripts from the 12th century. These documents mention individuals bearing this name living in various parts of Europe, particularly in Germany and France. It is likely that the SAPIR name was carried by Jewish families as they migrated across the continent during that period.

In the 16th century, the SAPIR surname appeared in the records of the Portuguese Inquisition, indicating the presence of Jewish families with this name in the Iberian Peninsula. Some SAPIR families may have escaped persecution by converting to Christianity or fleeing to other parts of Europe or the Ottoman Empire.

Notable individuals with the SAPIR surname include Edward Sapir (1884-1939), a renowned American anthropologist and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of Native American languages. Another prominent figure is the Russian-born Israeli writer and journalist Abraham Sapir (1909-1981), known for his works on Zionism and Jewish history.

In the 20th century, the SAPIR name gained recognition through the achievements of individuals like Ralph Sapir (1908-1994), an American lawyer and civil rights activist who fought against discrimination in housing and education. Additionally, Selma Sapir (1915-2005), an American author and educator, wrote several books on parenting and child development.

One of the earliest recorded instances of a place name related to the SAPIR surname is the village of Sapir in modern-day Israel. This settlement, established in the late 19th century, was likely named after the Hebrew word "tzafir," reflecting the watchful nature of its inhabitants.

While the SAPIR surname has roots in ancient Hebrew, it has been carried by families across various regions and cultures over the centuries. From medieval Europe to modern-day Israel and the United States, the name has left its mark on history through the accomplishments of individuals in fields ranging from linguistics and literature to law and civil rights.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sapir

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

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

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

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