2010
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Sarrell
A variant of the surname meaning "born in Sardinia", from the Italian island.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Sarrell. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sarrell 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Sarrell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarrell, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sarrell
The surname "SARRELL" is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have originated in the county of Lancashire, particularly in the area around the town of Ormskirk.
The name "SARRELL" is thought to be derived from the Old English words "sār" meaning "wound" or "sore" and "hyll" meaning "hill." It was likely an occupational name given to someone who lived near a distinctive hill or lived on a hill where battles or skirmishes had taken place, leaving wounds or casualties.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name "SARRELL" can be found in the Lancashire Inquests, Extents, and Feudal Aids, dating back to the 13th century. These records document legal proceedings and land transactions in the county.
In the 14th century, records show a John Sarrell who was a landowner in the parish of Ormskirk. This suggests that the family had already established itself in the area by that time.
A notable figure bearing the name "SARRELL" was Sir William Sarrell, who lived in the late 15th century and served as a knight during the Wars of the Roses. He fought for the House of Lancaster and was renowned for his bravery in battle.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in various parish records across Lancashire, with variations in spelling such as "Sarell," "Sarall," and "Sarel." One entry from 1568 mentions a Thomas Sarrell, who was a yeoman farmer in the village of Lathom.
During the 17th century, the name "SARRELL" spread beyond Lancashire, with records indicating families bearing the surname in other parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Northamptonshire. One notable individual from this period was Richard Sarrell, born in 1612, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of York.
In the 18th century, the name "SARRELL" continued to be represented in various records, including wills, marriage registers, and birth records. One individual of note was John Sarrell, born in 1745, who served as a captain in the British Navy during the American Revolutionary War.
Throughout its history, the surname "SARRELL" has maintained its connection to its Lancashire roots, with many families still residing in the county and surrounding areas. While not a widely prevalent name, it has left its mark on the historical records of England, particularly in the northwest region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sarrell
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarrell, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Sarrell 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 Sarrell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.2% · 101
- Black or African American7.5% · 9
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sarrell
Sarrell appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+1 bearers (+0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,892 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.8%) | Down 1,892 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 Sarrell 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 | #140,157 | #142,049 | -1.3% |
| Count | 119 | 120 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sarrell bearers went from 119 to 120 (+0.8% change). The surname moved down 1,892 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #142,049.
FAQ
Sarrell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sarrell?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Sarrell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Sarrell?
Sarrell ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 120 people with the surname Sarrell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Sarrell.
Has Sarrell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sarrell went from 119 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 1 (+0.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Sarrell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sarrell, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Black (7.5%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Sarrell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.2% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sarrell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.2%), Black (7.5%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Sarrell (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 Sarrell mean?
A variant of the surname meaning "born in Sardinia", from the Italian island. 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 Sarrell (0.04 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 common is the surname Sarrell?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Sarrell on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.