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

Sor, 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 Sor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sor in America

Sor is the 40554th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sor surname appeared 539 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 Sor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sor 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 Sor

The surname SOR has its origins in France, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "sor," meaning light brown or reddish-brown. This was likely a descriptive nickname initially given to someone with reddish-brown hair or a tanned complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SOR can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, including Sore and Sore, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the surname SOR was Pierre de Sor, a French nobleman who served as a knight in the court of King Louis IX. He was born around 1220 and is mentioned in several historical records of the time for his military exploits during the Crusades.

During the Renaissance period, the SOR surname gained prominence in Italy with the rise of the Sori family, a wealthy merchant dynasty based in Genoa. One of the most famous members was Andrea Sori (1486-1548), a renowned banker and diplomat who served as the Doge of Genoa from 1537 to 1539.

In the 17th century, the SOR surname appeared in the Netherlands, with Jan Sor (1623-1677) being a notable Dutch Golden Age painter known for his landscapes and seascapes. His works can be found in numerous museums and private collections across Europe.

Another prominent figure with the surname SOR was Ferdinand Sor (1778-1839), a Spanish classical guitarist, composer, and music teacher. Born in Barcelona, he is considered one of the most influential figures in the development of the modern classical guitar repertoire and technique.

As the surname SOR spread across Europe, it also found its way to England, where one of the earliest recorded instances was William Sor, a landowner in Oxfordshire mentioned in the Feet of Fines records of 1196. The name was also associated with various place names, such as Sorby in Lincolnshire and Sorberelowe in Shropshire, reflecting the influence of the surname on local geography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sor

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

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

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

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