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

Sigourney, 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 Sigourney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sigourney in America

Sigourney is the 79846th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sigourney surname appeared 238 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Sigourney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sigourney 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 Sigourney

The surname Sigourney has its origins in the French language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "sigorne," which referred to a type of falcon or hawk used in falconry, a popular sport among the nobility during that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sigourney can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Sigurney" and "Sigorney," suggesting that it may have been brought to England by Norman settlers following the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name Sigourney was associated with several notable figures, including Sir Robert Sigourney, a prominent knight who fought in the Crusades. Another early record mentions a Richard Sigourney, a landowner in the county of Dorset, England, in the late 12th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Sigourney family established themselves as a prominent lineage in various parts of England. One notable figure was Sir John Sigourney (1550-1628), a member of the English gentry and a Member of Parliament for the borough of Worcestershire.

As the British Empire expanded, the Sigourney name spread to other parts of the world. In the late 18th century, Captain James Sigourney (1734-1799) was a distinguished officer in the British Royal Navy and played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War.

In the United States, the Sigourney name gained prominence with the writer and activist Lydia Howard Huntley Sigourney (1791-1865), one of the most popular and influential poets of her time, known as the "Sweet Singer of Hartford." Her works often celebrated domestic life and encouraged moral and educational values.

Another notable figure was Henry Adolphus Perkins Sigourney (1781-1844), a prominent lawyer and politician from Massachusetts. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Erie Canal.

Over the centuries, the Sigourney surname has evolved and been adapted to various languages and cultures, but its roots remain firmly grounded in the French tradition of falconry and the Norman influence on English society during the Middle Ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sigourney

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

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

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

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