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

Seaman, 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 Seaman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Seaman in America

Seaman is the 2719th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Seaman surname appeared 13,237 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Seaman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Seaman 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 Seaman

The surname SEAMAN originated in England and is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "sæ" meaning sea and "mann" meaning man. It referred to someone who worked as a sailor or mariner on ships.

The earliest recorded instances of the SEAMAN surname date back to the late 12th century in various county records across England. In the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, a Richard le Seman is mentioned. The surname also appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273 as Seman.

Throughout the medieval period, the SEAMAN name was prevalent in coastal regions of England, particularly in counties such as Devon, Dorset, and Somerset. This aligns with the occupation's connection to maritime activities and proximity to the sea.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the SEAMAN surname was Sir John Seaman (c. 1350-1418), a Member of Parliament for Somerset in 1390 and 1395. He was also a prominent landowner and held the manor of Wrington in Somerset.

Another early record of the name can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 for Gloucestershire, which lists a William le Seman. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that era.

In the 16th century, the SEAMAN surname is documented in various records, including the baptismal register of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, which mentions a John Seaman in 1558.

A notable figure from the 17th century was Richard Seaman (1600-1654), an English Puritan clergyman and member of the Westminster Assembly. He was a prominent religious leader during the English Civil War era.

During the 18th century, the SEAMAN name appeared in various parish records across England, such as the baptism of Joseph Seaman in 1726 at St. Botolph's Church in Aldgate, London.

One of the most famous individuals with the SEAMAN surname was the British explorer and writer Owen Seaman (1861-1936). He was a renowned traveler and author who wrote extensively about his adventures in Africa and Asia.

These examples illustrate the long-standing presence of the SEAMAN surname in England, with its origins rooted in the maritime occupations of early English society. The name has persisted throughout the centuries, reflecting its enduring connection to the seafaring heritage of the British Isles.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Seaman

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

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

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

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