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

Sauls, 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 Sauls surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sauls in America

Sauls is the 5364th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sauls surname appeared 6,490 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Sauls.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sauls 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 Sauls

The surname "SAULS" is believed to have originated in England, where it first appeared in historical records during the late 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "sealt," which means "salt" or "salty," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a salt marsh or worked in the salt trade.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, which mention a person named Richard Saulz. The spelling variations during this early period included "Saulz," "Saulse," and "Saulce," reflecting the common practice of phonetic spelling in those times.

The Sauls surname is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it is recorded as "Salse." This document lists individuals by their place of residence, suggesting that the name may have been associated with a specific location, possibly a salt-producing area or a place name derived from the word "salt."

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Pleas of the Crown for the County of Norfolk, where a certain John Saulse is mentioned in connection with a legal case from 1346. This record provides evidence of the surname's continued use and its geographical spread across different regions of England.

Notable individuals bearing the Sauls surname throughout history include:

1. John Sauls (c. 1545-1615), an English composer and organist during the Renaissance period, known for his contributions to sacred music.
2. Edward Sauls (1665-1738), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession and achieved the rank of Admiral.
3. Mary Sauls (1734-1803), an English writer and poet, best known for her collection of poems titled "The Enchanted Grove."
4. Sir William Sauls (1791-1867), a British politician and Member of Parliament for the borough of Wigan from 1835 to 1847.
5. Robert Sauls (1855-1924), an American businessman and philanthropist, who founded the Sauls Textile Company and was a prominent figure in the industrial development of North Carolina.

While the exact origins of the Sauls surname may be subject to debate, these historical references and examples demonstrate its long-standing presence in various parts of England, as well as its eventual spread to other regions through migration and the establishment of new branches of the family over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sauls

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

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

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

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