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

Sorrel, 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 Sorrel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sorrel in America

Sorrel is the 74608th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sorrel surname appeared 259 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 Sorrel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sorrel 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 Sorrel

The surname Sorrel is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from places called Sorrel or Sorrell, which are found in various counties across England, including Hertfordshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire.

The name Sorrel is likely derived from the Old English word "sor," meaning bitter or sour, and may have referred to a place where sorrel plants grew abundantly. Sorrel is a herbaceous plant with a distinctive tart flavor, commonly used in cooking and as a medicinal herb.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sorrel can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Sorel." This ancient record documents landholders in England following the Norman Conquest, suggesting that the name was already in use by that time.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named William Sorrel was mentioned in historical records as a wealthy landowner in Warwickshire. Another early bearer of the name was John Sorrel, a merchant from London who was recorded in the city's archives in the late 14th century.

During the 16th century, the Sorrel family gained prominence in the county of Hertfordshire. One notable individual was Sir Ralph Sorrel (1500-1567), a member of the English gentry and a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in 1547.

Another historical figure with the surname Sorrel was Guillaume Sorrel (1595-1668), a French painter and engraver who was born in Normandy and later became a court painter to King Louis XIII of France.

In the 18th century, John Sorrel (1701-1770) was a renowned English landscape gardener and architect, known for his work on various estates and gardens throughout England.

One of the most famous bearers of the Sorrel name was Marquis de la Marmora-Sorrel (1804-1887), an Italian general and statesman who played a pivotal role in the Risorgimento, the movement that led to the unification of Italy in the 19th century.

These examples illustrate the long history and widespread presence of the surname Sorrel across various regions and time periods, with notable individuals making significant contributions in various fields, from politics and military to art and horticulture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sorrel

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

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

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

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