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

Sean, 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 Sean surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sean in America

Sean is the 42163rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sean surname appeared 515 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 Sean.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sean 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 Sean

The surname SEAN originates from Ireland and has its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Séaghdha, which means "descendant of Séaghdha." Séaghdha was a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "séaghdha," meaning "hawk-like" or "hawk-eyed."

The surname SEAN was initially concentrated in County Sligo and parts of Connacht, where the Ó Séaghdha clan held significant power and influence. The name is closely associated with the Gaelic aristocracy and was prominently featured in various ancient Irish manuscripts and genealogical records.

One of the earliest recorded references to the SEAN surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several members of the Ó Séaghdha clan, including Tadhg Ó Séaghdha, who was described as a learned poet and historian in the 14th century.

The SEAN surname also has strong connections to several prominent historical figures. One notable individual was Aodh Ó Séaghdha (c. 1571-1635), a renowned Irish poet and scholar who played a significant role in preserving and promoting Irish language and literature during the Gaelic Revival.

Another notable bearer of the SEAN surname was Éamonn Ó Séaghdha (1872-1932), an Irish revolutionary and politician who served as a member of the First Dáil Éireann, the revolutionary parliament established during the Irish War of Independence.

In the literary world, John Millington Synge (1871-1909), the acclaimed Irish playwright and poet, was born with the surname SYNGEFIELD, which is believed to be an Anglicized version of the original Irish name Ó Séaghdha.

The name SEAN has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Ballysheahan (Baile Uí Shéaghdha) in County Mayo, which means "the town of the Ó Séaghdha clan."

Throughout history, the SEAN surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Shaughnessy, Shaughnessy, Shaughnessy, and Shaughnessy, reflecting the challenges of transliterating Irish names into English.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sean

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

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

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

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