2000
#14,871
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,827
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.68
Rare Last name
Sennett
A variant spelling of the surname "Sinnott" from an Irish given name meaning "fox-like" or "wise."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,076 Americans carry the last name Sennett. That puts it at #15,549 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 165,103 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sennett surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Sennett with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 165,103
Census rank
#15,549
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,810 bearers of the surname Sennett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15549th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sennett, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.1%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sennett
The surname Sennett has its origins in the Old English language and is derived from the word "seneht," which means "to age" or "to grow old." This name likely emerged as a descriptive surname, bestowed upon an individual whose physical appearance suggested advanced age or maturity.
In medieval England, the name was initially found in various regions, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Seneht."
During the 13th century, the Sennett family established roots in the county of Nottinghamshire, specifically in the village of Sennett, which was likely named after an early bearer of the surname. This connection between the surname and the place name is a common occurrence in the evolution of English surnames.
Notable individuals bearing the Sennett surname include Richard Sennett, a renowned American sociologist and author born in 1943, who has written extensively on cities, social life, and the impact of capitalism on society. Another prominent figure is Sir Walter Sennett (1551-1611), an English soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the realm of literature, the name is associated with Robert Sennett (1592-1668), an English clergyman and author who published several religious works, including "A Treatise on Conscience" in 1636. Additionally, John Sennett (1674-1737) was a British architect known for his work on several country houses and estates in the early 18th century.
The Sennett family also has a connection to the American West, as evidenced by the life of Thomas Sennett (1824-1902), a prominent cattle rancher and landowner in Texas during the late 19th century.
These examples illustrate the diverse historical figures who have borne the surname Sennett, reflecting its enduring presence across various professions and regions over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sennett
Among Census respondents with the surname Sennett, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.1%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Sennett bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sennett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 1,594
- Black or African American4.1% · 75
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 58
- Two or more races3.0% · 54
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sennett
Sennett appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#18,467
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,498
-329 bearers (-18.0%)
Per 100,000 0.51
Rank movement Down 3,596 places
2020
#15,549
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,810
+312 bearers (+20.8%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Up 2,918 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,871 | 1,827 | 0.68 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #18,467 | 1,498 | 0.51 | -329 bearers (-18.0%) | Down 3,596 places |
| 2020 | #15,549 | 1,810 | 0.61 | +312 bearers (+20.8%) | Up 2,918 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sennett surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,467 | #15,549 | 15.8% |
| Count | 1,498 | 1,810 | 20.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.51 | 0.61 | 18.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sennett bearers went from 1,498 to 1,810 (+20.8% change). The surname moved up 2,918 positions in the national ranking, going from #18,467 to #15,549.
FAQ
Sennett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sennett?
Name Census estimates that about 2,076 living Americans carry the surname Sennett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 165,103 residents.
How common is Sennett?
Sennett ranks #15,549 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,810 people with the surname Sennett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,076), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Sennett.
Has Sennett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sennett went from 1,498 recorded bearers to 1,810. That is an increase of 312 (+20.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #18,467 to #15,549.
What does the Census say about the background of Sennett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sennett, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.1%) and Hispanic (3.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sennett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (1,594 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sennett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Black (4.1%), Hispanic (3.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sennett (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sennett mean?
A variant spelling of the surname "Sinnott" from an Irish given name meaning "fox-like" or "wise." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sennett (0.61 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Sennett?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Sennett on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.