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

Sargent, 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 Sargent surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sargent in America

Sargent is the 1265th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sargent surname appeared 27,786 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Sargent.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sargent 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 Sargent

The surname Sargent has its roots in the French language, originating from the Old French word "sergent," which itself derived from the Latin "serviens," meaning "servant." The name initially denoted a person who held a position of authority or service, often in a military or legal context.

In medieval England, the term "sergeant" was used to refer to various officials and officers, such as a sergeant-at-arms or a sergeant-at-law. It is believed that the surname Sargent emerged during this period, initially borne by individuals who held these positions or were employed in similar roles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Sargent can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Sargant." This historical record, commissioned by William the Conqueror, documented landowners and their holdings across England.

The Sargent surname gained prominence in various parts of England, including Staffordshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. Notable individuals bearing this name include Sir John Sargent (1568-1633), an English military officer who served in the English Civil War, and Henry Sargent (1770-1845), a British artist known for his landscape paintings.

In the United States, the Sargent surname can be traced back to the early colonial era. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was William Sargent (1610-1675), an English settler who arrived in Massachusetts in 1638 and later became a prominent figure in the colony.

Another notable American with the Sargent surname was John Singer Sargent (1856-1925), a renowned portrait painter acclaimed for his virtuoso technique and elegant depictions of high society. His works, such as "Madame X" and "The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit," are considered masterpieces of American portraiture.

Other distinguished individuals with the Sargent surname include Sir John Sargent (1610-1691), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament, and Sir Henry Sargent (1770-1845), a British military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars.

The Sargent surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Sargentville in Maine and Sargent County in North Dakota, both in the United States, reflecting the geographical spread and influence of individuals bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sargent

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

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

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

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