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

Sappington, 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 Sappington surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sappington in America

Sappington is the 11694th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sappington surname appeared 2,680 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 Sappington.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sappington 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 Sappington

The surname Sappington has its roots in the English language and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "sæpian," which means "to soap" or "to make soap." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to a soap maker or someone involved in the soap-making trade.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Sappinton." This document was a census-like survey conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I. The name is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, further indicating its presence in medieval England.

In the 16th century, the name was spelled in various ways, such as "Sappington," "Sapington," and "Sapinton." This variation in spelling was common during that time, as standardized spelling conventions were not yet established.

One notable individual with the surname Sappington was Thomas Sappington (1590-1662), an English landowner and member of the gentry from Leicestershire. Records show that he owned substantial properties in the area and was a prominent figure in local affairs.

Another significant figure was William Sappington (1726-1809), who was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He served as a captain in the Virginia militia during the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Kentucky, where he became a prominent farmer and landowner.

In the 19th century, the name gained recognition through individuals like John Sappington (1776-1856), a physician and botanist from Virginia. He was known for his contributions to the study of medicinal plants and his advocacy for herbal remedies. Additionally, Meredith Sappington (1845-1912), a Union Army veteran from Missouri, gained prominence for his involvement in the American Civil War.

The name Sappington is also associated with several place names in the United States, such as Sappington, Missouri, and Sappington Station, Maryland. These locations likely derived their names from early settlers with the Sappington surname.

While the surname Sappington is predominantly found in the United States, it has also been documented in other parts of the English-speaking world, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, likely due to migration patterns.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sappington

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

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

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

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