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

Seale, 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 Seale surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Seale in America

Seale is the 5905th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Seale surname appeared 5,846 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 Seale.

We can also compare 2010 data for Seale 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 Seale

The surname Seale originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, deriving from the Old English word "sæl," meaning "seal," referring to the sea mammal. It likely arose as an occupational surname, indicating a person who hunted or worked with seals.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a person named Sele in Norfolk. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Sele, Seal, and Seale, reflecting the regional dialects of the time.

In the 13th century, records show the name Seale appearing in various locations across England, suggesting its widespread use. For instance, a Robert Sele was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219.

The name Seale is also associated with several place names in England, including Seale in Surrey, which may have influenced the surname's spelling and distribution. Additionally, the name Sele appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1176, indicating its early presence in the region.

Notable individuals with the surname Seale include:

1. William Seale (1606-1680), an English MP who sat in the House of Commons between 1646 and 1653.
2. John Seale (1719-1795), a British naval officer and explorer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
3. Sir John Seale (1566-1627), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament who served as the English ambassador to Turkey.
4. Richard Seale (1634-1701), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Gloucester from 1691 until his death.
5. Thomas Seale (1788-1834), an English engraver and book illustrator known for his work on literary classics.

While the surname Seale has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and exploration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Seale

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

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

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

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