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

Seawright, 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 Seawright surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Seawright in America

Seawright is the 13509th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Seawright surname appeared 2,245 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Seawright.

We can also compare 2010 data for Seawright 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 Seawright

The surname Seawright has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is an occupational name, derived from the Old English words 'sæ' meaning 'sea' and 'wryhta' meaning 'worker' or 'maker'. This suggests that the original bearers of this name were involved in maritime activities or worked as shipwrights.

The earliest known reference to the name Seawright can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, a census-like record from 1273. It mentions a "Willelmus Seawriht" residing in the county. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, the Seawright surname appeared in various records across England, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, which listed a "Johannes Seawryght". The name was also present in the Corpus Christi Guild records of York from 1399, mentioning a "Thomas Seawryght".

During the 16th century, the Seawright name was associated with several notable individuals. One such person was John Seawright, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, who was involved in the thriving maritime trade of the era. Another was William Seawright, a shipwright from Portsmouth, who is credited with contributing to the construction of several vessels for the Royal Navy in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the Seawright family had established roots in various parts of England, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. One prominent figure from this period was Robert Seawright, a captain in the English Navy who served under Admiral Robert Blake during the Anglo-Dutch Wars (1652-1654).

The 18th century saw the Seawright name spread further across the British Isles, with records indicating their presence in Scotland and Ireland. Notable individuals from this time include James Seawright (1710-1789), a Scottish shipbuilder who established a successful shipyard in Greenock, and Patrick Seawright (1752-1821), an Irish sailor who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War.

As the centuries progressed, the Seawright surname continued to be associated with maritime professions, reflecting the enduring connection to its occupational origins. While the name has since diversified across various occupations and regions, its historical ties to shipbuilding and seafaring remain a significant part of its legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Seawright

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

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

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

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