2000
#9,859
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,024
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.12
Rare Last name
Sartain
Derived from a Middle English occupational name for a tailor, from the Old French "sartein" meaning "tailor."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,385 Americans carry the last name Sartain. That puts it at #10,380 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 101,257 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sartain 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Sartain with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 101,257
Census rank
#10,380
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,952 bearers of the surname Sartain in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10380th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sartain, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sartain
The surname Sartain is believed to have originated in England in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "serteyn," which means "certain" or "sure." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was considered reliable or trustworthy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sartain name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Robert Sartein is mentioned. This document was a survey of landowners in England, suggesting that the Sartain family may have held some property or status at that time.
In the 14th century, the Sartain name appeared in various records from the county of Lancashire. This included references to places like Sartain Clough and Sartain Meadows, which may have been named after the family or vice versa.
A notable figure with the Sartain surname was John Sartain (1808-1897), an English-born engraver and artist who became a prominent figure in the art world of Philadelphia, USA. He established a successful engraving business and was known for his portraits and landscapes.
Another notable Sartain was Thomas Sartain (1805-1882), the brother of John Sartain. He was also an engraver and artist, and collaborated with his brother on several projects.
In the 19th century, the Sartain name continued to appear in various records and documents, such as parish registers and census records, particularly in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire.
One fascinating historical figure with the Sartain surname was William Sartain (1793-1858), a British soldier who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a celebrated artist, known for his paintings of military scenes and landscapes.
Another noteworthy individual was Mary Sartain (1836-1920), an English-born author and philanthropist who wrote several books on social issues and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the poor and underprivileged.
While the Sartain name may have originated in England, it eventually spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as families emigrated from their homeland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sartain
Among Census respondents with the surname Sartain, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Sartain 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 Sartain surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.2% · 2,632
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 131
- Two or more races4.1% · 122
- Black or African American1.1% · 31
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 29
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sartain
Sartain 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
#10,577
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,031
+7 bearers (+0.2%)
Per 100,000 1.03
Rank movement Down 718 places
2020
#10,380
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,952
-79 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Up 197 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,859 | 3,024 | 1.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,577 | 3,031 | 1.03 | +7 bearers (+0.2%) | Down 718 places |
| 2020 | #10,380 | 2,952 | 0.99 | -79 bearers (-2.6%) | Up 197 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 Sartain 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 | #10,577 | #10,380 | 1.9% |
| Count | 3,031 | 2,952 | -2.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.03 | 0.99 | -4.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sartain bearers went from 3,031 to 2,952 (-2.6% change). The surname moved up 197 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,577 to #10,380.
FAQ
Sartain surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sartain?
Name Census estimates that about 3,385 living Americans carry the surname Sartain. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 101,257 residents.
How common is Sartain?
Sartain ranks #10,380 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,952 people with the surname Sartain. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,385), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.99 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.99 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Sartain.
Has Sartain become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sartain went from 3,031 recorded bearers to 2,952. That is a decrease of 79 (-2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,577 to #10,380.
What does the Census say about the background of Sartain?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sartain, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Sartain in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.2% (2,632 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sartain appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.2%), Hispanic (4.4%), Two or More Races (4.1%). 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 Sartain (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 Sartain mean?
Derived from a Middle English occupational name for a tailor, from the Old French "sartein" meaning "tailor." 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 Sartain (0.99 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 share the surname Sartain?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.