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

Skylar, 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 Skylar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skylar in America

Skylar is the 105079th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skylar surname appeared 170 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 Skylar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skylar 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 Skylar

The surname Skylar has its origins rooted in the Scandinavian cultures of Northern Europe. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "skyggja," which translates to "shadow" or "shade." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in a shaded or forested area.

In the early medieval period, the name Skylar appeared in various forms, such as Skyggelar, Skuggeler, and Skyggeler, across regions like Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. These variations likely arose due to local dialects and spelling variations common at the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Skylar can be found in the Icelandic Landnámabók (Book of Settlements), which dates back to the 12th century. This manuscript mentions a figure named Skyggja Þorvaldr, who was a prominent landowner in the Reykjavík area during the settlement period.

As the name spread across Scandinavia and into other parts of Europe, it took on various forms, such as Schuyler in the Netherlands and Schuler in Germany. These variations hint at the name's evolution as it traveled and adapted to different linguistic environments.

One notable individual bearing the surname Skylar was Pieter Schuyler (1657-1724), a Dutch-American military officer and politician who served as the first mayor of Albany, New York. He played a crucial role in the colonial administration of New York and the defense against French and Native American attacks.

Another significant figure was Philip Schuyler (1733-1804), an American general during the Revolutionary War and a member of the Continental Congress. He was instrumental in the pivotal Battle of Saratoga, which marked a turning point in the American Revolution.

In the realm of literature, the name Skylar gained prominence through the works of Eugene O'Neill, the renowned American playwright. His play "Mourning Becomes Electra" (1931) featured a character named Ezra Mannon, whose surname was a variation of the Dutch "Schuyler."

Moving across the Atlantic, the name also found its way to England, where it appeared as Skyler or Schyler in historical records. One notable bearer of this variation was Sir William Schyler (1550-1628), an English courtier and member of Parliament during the reign of Elizabeth I.

Finally, it is worth mentioning Jens Skylar (1837-1911), a Norwegian painter and etcher who gained recognition for his landscape and genre works depicting rural life in Norway. His artworks provided a glimpse into the cultural heritage and traditions of his homeland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skylar

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

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

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

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