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

Sisay, 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 Sisay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sisay in America

Sisay is the 60790th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sisay surname appeared 331 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 Sisay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sisay 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 Sisay

The surname SISAY has its origins in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.

The name SISAY likely derives from the Semitic root "SYS," which means "horse" or "horseman." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who were skilled horsemen or involved in equestrian activities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name SISAY can be found in the Kebra Nagast, a 14th-century literary work that chronicles the history of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia. The text mentions a figure named Sisay, who was a prominent warrior and nobleman during that time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Sisay Digna played a crucial role in the military campaigns of Emperor Gelawdewos against the Ottoman Empire's attempts to conquer the Ethiopian highlands. His bravery and leadership were celebrated in various historical accounts.

During the 17th century, a renowned Ethiopian scholar and religious leader, Sisay Zar'a Ya'iqob, made significant contributions to the study and preservation of the Ge'ez language and literature. His writings and teachings had a lasting impact on the intellectual landscape of the region.

In the 19th century, Sisay Welde Aregay was a prominent figure in the Tigrayan nobility and served as a trusted advisor to several Ethiopian emperors, including Yohannes IV and Menelik II.

Another notable individual bearing the surname SISAY was Sisay Habte, an influential politician and diplomat who played a pivotal role in the negotiations that led to Eritrea's independence from Ethiopia in the early 1990s.

Throughout history, the surname SISAY has been associated with various regions and place names within Ethiopia and Eritrea, such as Tigray, Amhara, and Gondar, reflecting the diverse geographical distribution of individuals bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sisay

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

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

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

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