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

Sedgwick, 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 Sedgwick surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sedgwick in America

Sedgwick is the 11807th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sedgwick surname appeared 2,651 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 Sedgwick.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sedgwick 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 Sedgwick

The surname Sedgwick originates from England and dates back to the 11th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "secg" meaning sedge or rush, and "wic" meaning a dwelling or settlement. The name likely refers to someone who lived near a sedge-covered area or a settlement surrounded by rushes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Seggeswic" and "Segeswick." This suggests that the name was already well-established in various parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the medieval period, the name was commonly spelled in various ways, including Segeswic, Seggeswick, and Sedgeswyke, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

One notable figure bearing this surname was Thomas Sedgwick (1686-1756), an English mathematician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of mechanics. He is particularly known for his work on the theory of motion and the principles of mechanics.

Another prominent individual was Adam Sedgwick (1785-1873), an English geologist and one of the founding fathers of modern geology. He served as the Woodwardian Professor of Geology at the University of Cambridge and made important discoveries in the field of stratigraphy and paleontology.

In the literary world, Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867) was an American novelist and one of the first prominent female writers in the United States. Her works, such as "Hope Leslie" and "The Linwoods," explored themes of national identity and the role of women in society.

John Sedgwick (1813-1864) was a distinguished Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He fought in several major battles, including Antietam and Gettysburg, and was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

Another notable figure was Ellery Sedgwick (1872-1960), an American publisher and editor who played a significant role in the development of the Atlantic Monthly magazine. He served as the editor-in-chief of the magazine from 1908 to 1938 and helped establish its reputation as a leading literary publication.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Sedgwick, reflecting its long-standing presence in various parts of the English-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sedgwick

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

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

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

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