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

Savage, 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 Savage surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Savage in America

Savage is the 690th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Savage surname appeared 49,914 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 17 people would have the surname Savage.

We can also compare 2010 data for Savage 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 Savage

The surname Savage is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the northern regions of Normandy and Brittany. It is derived from the Old French word "salvage," which means "wild" or "untamed." This surname likely emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Savage can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Salvage," "Sauvage," and "Salvagius."

The Savage surname subsequently spread across England, particularly in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, and Kent. It is believed that many individuals bearing this surname were descendants of Norman settlers who arrived in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One notable historical figure with the surname Savage was Sir John Savage (c. 1350-1398), a famous English knight and military commander who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He was known for his bravery and military exploits, particularly in the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Savage (c. 1425-1505), who served as the Archbishop of York from 1501 until his death. He was a prominent figure in the English church and played a crucial role in the events surrounding the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, Sir Thomas Savage (1551-1615) was a renowned English soldier and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Ulster in Ireland. He was instrumental in establishing English control over parts of Ulster during the Plantation of Ulster.

During the 17th century, Richard Savage (1697-1743) was an English poet and playwright. Despite being born into poverty, he gained recognition for his literary works, including the tragedy "Sir Thomas Overbury" and the satirical work "The Wanderer."

Another notable figure was Michael Savage (1754-1817), an Irish-born American revolutionary and soldier who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He played a significant role in several battles, including the Battle of Germantown and the Battle of Monmouth.

The Savage surname was also present in various place names across England, such as Savage's Court in Kent, Savage's Green in Hertfordshire, and Savage's Park in Shropshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Savage surname who owned or resided in those locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Savage

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

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

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

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