2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sarow
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupational term.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Sarow. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sarow surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Sarow in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarow, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sarow
The surname SAROW is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have evolved from the Old German word "saro," which means "garment" or "armor." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in the production or trade of clothing or military equipment.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the SAROW name can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Silesiae," a collection of historical documents from the region of Silesia, now part of Poland and Germany. In this manuscript, dating back to the 13th century, there is a reference to a certain "Johannes Sarow," indicating the presence of the surname in that area during that time period.
In the 15th century, the SAROW name was documented in the records of the city of Nuremberg, a prominent center of trade and commerce in southern Germany. Several families bearing this surname were listed as residents, suggesting that they may have been involved in the textile or metalworking industries, which were thriving in Nuremberg during that era.
One notable individual with the SAROW surname was Hans Sarow, a German painter and engraver who lived in the 16th century. Born around 1525 in Nuremberg, he is known for his intricate woodcut illustrations, some of which can be found in various historical texts and manuscripts from that period.
Another figure of note was Johann Sarow, a Lutheran theologian and writer who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1604 in Saxony, he authored several religious works and served as a pastor in various churches throughout Germany.
In the 18th century, the SAROW name appears to have spread to other regions of Europe, including the Netherlands and Scandinavia. One example is the Dutch painter Pieter Sarow, who was active in the late 1700s and is known for his landscapes and seascapes.
Moving into the 19th century, the SAROW surname can be found in various records and documents from different parts of Germany, as well as in areas with significant German immigration, such as parts of the United States and Canada. One notable individual from this era was Carl Sarow, a German-American composer and conductor who was born in 1833 and played a role in the development of classical music in the United States.
Throughout its history, the SAROW surname has been associated with various professions and industries, from artisans and tradespeople to academics and artists. While its origins may have been humble, the name has left its mark across different regions and centuries, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who have borne it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sarow
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarow, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Sarow bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sarow surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.4% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino5.8% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.9% · 3
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sarow
Sarow appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,579 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-7 bearers (-6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 4,787 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 11,579 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -7 bearers (-6.4%) | Down 4,787 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sarow surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #149,395 | #154,182 | -3.2% |
| Count | 110 | 103 | -6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sarow bearers went from 110 to 103 (-6.4% change). The surname moved down 4,787 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #154,182.
FAQ
Sarow surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sarow?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Sarow. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Sarow?
Sarow ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 103 people with the surname Sarow. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Sarow.
Has Sarow become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sarow went from 110 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Sarow?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarow, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sarow in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.4% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sarow appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.4%), Hispanic (5.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sarow (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sarow mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupational term. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sarow (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Sarow?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.