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

Sellers, 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 Sellers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sellers in America

Sellers is the 814th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sellers surname appeared 42,577 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 14 people would have the surname Sellers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sellers 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 Sellers

The surname Sellers originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "sellan," meaning "to sell" or "to give." It was an occupational surname given to those who worked as merchants, traders, or salespeople.

The name Sellers can be traced back to the 12th century, with early recordings found in various historical documents. One notable mention is in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a certain William le Seller is listed.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there are records of individuals named Seller and Sellere living in counties such as Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire. This suggests that the name was well-established and widespread throughout England by the 13th century.

During the 14th century, variations of the surname emerged, including Sellars, Sellors, and Selers. These spellings were likely influenced by regional dialects and the scribes who recorded the names.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Sellers surname was John Sellers, born around 1340 in Yorkshire. He is mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379 as a resident of Kilnwick.

Another notable individual was Richard Sellers, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived in the early 15th century. He is recorded in the Letter Books of the City of London, which contain records of civic affairs and transactions.

In the 16th century, the Sellers surname appeared in various parish records and court rolls. One example is Thomas Sellers, born in 1545 in Gloucestershire, whose name is listed in the parish registers of Winchcombe.

The Sellers surname also has connections to places like Sellers Green in Bedfordshire and Sellers Pond in Derbyshire, which may have derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the Sellers surname.

Some notable individuals with the Sellers surname throughout history include:

1. Nathanael Sellers (1680-1736), a renowned English mathematician and surveyor.
2. John Sellers (1728-1804), an English engineer and instrument maker, known for his works on navigation and mathematics.
3. Charles Sellers (1923-1980), an American historian and author who wrote extensively on the American Revolution and early American history.
4. Peter Sellers (1925-1980), the iconic British comedian and actor, known for his performances in films like "The Pink Panther" and "Dr. Strangelove."
5. Heather Sellers (born 1964), an American writer and poet, known for her memoirs and poetry collections.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sellers

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

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

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

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