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

Sleigher, 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 Sleigher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sleigher in America

Sleigher is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sleigher surname appeared 120 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 Sleigher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sleigher 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 Sleigher

The surname Sleigher is believed to have originated in Germany during the medieval period, with its earliest recorded instances found in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. The name is derived from the Old High German word "sleigar," which referred to a person who manufactured or operated sleighs.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various municipal records and tax rolls, often spelled as "Sleiger" or "Sleigher." One notable early reference is in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxon territories, where a certain "Johannes Sleiger" is mentioned in a land transaction dated 1274.

The earliest known bearer of the Sleigher name was Hans Sleigher, a sleigh maker from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, who lived in the late 15th century. His craft was highly regarded, and his sleighs were used by local noblemen and merchants.

During the 16th century, the name spread to other parts of Germany and neighboring regions as families migrated. In 1582, a record in the town archives of Augsburg mentions a "Wilhelm Sleigher," who was a member of the local guild of carpenters and woodworkers.

One of the most prominent figures with the Sleigher surname was Johann Sleigher (1584-1647), a Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Wittenberg. He authored several influential works on Protestant theology and was a respected scholar in his time.

Another notable Sleigher was Friedrich Sleigher (1712-1788), a renowned architect and master builder from Dresden. He was responsible for the design and construction of several churches and palaces in Saxony, including the Frauenkirche in Dresden, which was later destroyed during World War II and subsequently rebuilt.

In the 19th century, the Sleigher name found its way to North America as German immigrants settled in various regions. One such immigrant was Peter Sleigher (1825-1902), who arrived in Pennsylvania in the 1840s and became a successful farmer and landowner.

Throughout history, the Sleigher surname has been associated with skilled craftsmen, particularly those involved in the production and use of sleighs, a mode of transportation that was essential in many parts of Europe during the winter months.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sleigher

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

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

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

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