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

Sell, 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 Sell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sell in America

Sell is the 3280th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sell surname appeared 11,014 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 Sell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sell 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 Sell

The surname Sell is of Anglo-Saxon origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period in England. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "sellan," which means "to sell" or "to give." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked as a seller or merchant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sell can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Selle." This comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that time.

In the 13th century, the name Sell was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Historical records from this period show variations in spelling, such as "Selle," "Selle," and "Selle," reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings before they became standardized.

One notable individual bearing the surname Sell was John Sell, a merchant and landowner who lived in the city of York in the late 14th century. Records indicate that he was a prominent figure in the local community and held significant property and business interests.

Another historical figure of note was Sir Thomas Sell, a knight who lived during the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century. He is mentioned in chronicles of the time for his military service and his involvement in various campaigns and battles.

In the 17th century, the surname Sell was found in various parts of England, including the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Richard Sell, a scholar and clergyman who served as the Rector of Stourton in Wiltshire from 1623 until his death in 1658.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several individuals with the surname Sell who achieved some level of prominence. For example, William Sell (1698-1736) was a renowned architect and builder who was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings in London, including the Radcliffe Camera at the University of Oxford.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Sell continued to be present in various regions of England, with some families moving to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to other parts of the world through emigration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sell

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

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

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

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