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

Sorrow, 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 Sorrow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sorrow in America

Sorrow is the 22618th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sorrow surname appeared 1,135 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 Sorrow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sorrow 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 Sorrow

The surname Sorrow is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "soru," which means grief or sorrow. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who exhibited a melancholic or sorrowful demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Sorrow surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1197, where it appears as "Sorowe." This suggests that the name was already established in the northern regions of England during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the surname is documented in various forms, such as "Sorwe" and "Sorou," reflecting the different spellings and pronunciations used at the time. These variations are often linked to specific localities or regions within England.

The Sorrow surname has a notable connection to the village of Sorrow in Derbyshire, England. It is believed that some individuals may have adopted the surname based on their association with this place name, which itself is derived from the Old English words "sor" and "hoh," meaning "muddy ridge."

Among the notable historical figures bearing the Sorrow surname is William Sorrow, a 14th-century clergyman who served as the Canon of Ripon Cathedral in Yorkshire. Another prominent individual was John Sorrow, a merchant from Bristol who was recorded in the city's Guild Rolls in the early 15th century.

In the 16th century, the Sorrow surname gained recognition through the exploits of Sir Thomas Sorrow (1517-1598), a renowned English explorer and navigator who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his famous circumnavigation of the globe in 1577-1580.

During the English Civil War (1642-1651), Captain Richard Sorrow (1619-1683) fought on the Parliamentarian side and played a significant role in the Battle of Naseby in 1645, where he was commended for his bravery.

In the realm of literature, the Sorrow surname is immortalized by the 18th-century English poet and essayist, Mary Sorrow (1738-1809), whose works explored themes of loss and melancholy, reflecting the meaning of her surname.

Throughout history, the Sorrow surname has been documented in various spellings, such as Sorowe, Sorow, Sorrough, and Sorrowe, reflecting the evolving nature of language and regional variations in pronunciation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sorrow

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

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

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

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