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

Seaforth, 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 Seaforth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Seaforth in America

Seaforth is the 130610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Seaforth surname appeared 130 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Seaforth.

The history of the last name Seaforth

The surname Seaforth originates from Scotland, specifically the coastal region of Easter Ross, in the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "sè" meaning six and "fhord" meaning a small peninsula or ford, referring to the location of the lands from which the name is derived.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Seaforth is in the 16th century, when it was spelled as "Seyford" or "Seafort." The lands of Seaforth were originally owned by the Mackenzie clan, a powerful Highland Scottish clan. The chief of the Mackenzie clan held the territorial designation of "Lord Seaforth" from the late 16th century onwards.

In the 17th century, the name Seaforth became more widely known due to the notable actions of Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth (1635-1701). He played a significant role in the Jacobite risings, initially supporting the cause of King James VII and later switching allegiance to King William of Orange during the Glorious Revolution.

Another prominent figure with the surname Seaforth was Francis Mackenzie, 1st Baron Seaforth (1754-1815). He was a British peer and military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became the Governor of Barbados.

In the 19th century, Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Bride of Lammermoor" (1819) featured a character named Lord Seaforth, further popularizing the name. Additionally, the Seaforth Highlanders regiment of the British Army, formed in 1778, carried the Seaforth name and contributed to its recognition.

Other notable individuals with the surname Seaforth include:

1. William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth (1694-1740), a Scottish peer and Jacobite supporter.
2. Francis Humberston Mackenzie, 1st Baron Seaforth (1835-1914), a British diplomat and politician.
3. Kenneth Mackenzie, 6th Earl of Seaforth (1685-1701), a Scottish peer who died at a young age.
4. Hector Mackenzie, 7th Earl of Seaforth (1687-1740), a Scottish peer and Jacobite supporter.
5. Thomas Mackenzie, 9th Earl of Seaforth (1773-1815), a Scottish peer and military officer.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Seaforth

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

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 Seaforth 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!