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

Seamster, 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 Seamster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Seamster in America

Seamster is the 19425th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Seamster surname appeared 1,391 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 Seamster.

We can also compare 2010 data for Seamster 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 Seamster

The surname SEAMSTER originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "seamestre," which referred to a person who sewed clothes or textiles for a living.

The name is thought to have first emerged in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, particularly in the rural areas where textile production and garment-making were common occupations. Some historical records indicate that the name may have been associated with specific villages or towns, such as Seaming or Seamere, which could have influenced its spelling variations.

One of the earliest known references to the name SEAMSTER can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, a medieval census-like record from 1273. The document lists a John le Semystere, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the name.

In the 14th century, the SEAMSTER name appeared in various legal and financial records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a William Semster was mentioned in 1348. This reinforces the occupational origin of the name, as seamsters were often involved in legal disputes or transactions related to their trade.

A notable historical figure bearing the SEAMSTER surname was Robert Seamster (c. 1580 - 1648), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, from 1636 until his death. He played a significant role in overseeing the college's affairs during the tumultuous period of the English Civil War.

Another prominent individual with the SEAMSTER name was John Seamster (1643 - 1708), a British colonial official who served as the Governor of Maryland from 1704 to 1708. Despite his relatively short tenure, he left a lasting impact on the colony's governance and administration.

In the 18th century, the SEAMSTER name appeared in various parish records and census-like documents in England. One notable entry is that of Thomas Seamster (1726 - 1792), a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who was recorded as a wealthy individual in the local tax records.

During the 19th century, the SEAMSTER name spread across the British Isles and beyond, as individuals bearing this surname emigrated to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand. One notable individual from this period was William Seamster (1818 - 1893), a Scottish-born engineer who played a pivotal role in the construction of several major railway lines in Canada.

While the SEAMSTER surname has evolved over time and spread to various parts of the world, its historical roots can be traced back to the textile and garment-making trades of medieval England, where it originated as an occupational surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Seamster

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

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

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

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