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

Sportsman, 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 Sportsman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sportsman in America

Sportsman is the 39555th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sportsman surname appeared 556 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 Sportsman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sportsman 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 Sportsman

The surname Sportsman is of English origin and dates back to the late 16th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "sport," which meant pastime or recreation. The name was initially given to people who were involved in various sporting activities or pursuits, such as hunters, falconers, or gamekeepers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sportsman can be found in the parish records of Gloucestershire, England, where a William Sportsman was mentioned in 1598. The name also appeared in the records of Oxfordshire, where a John Sportsman was documented in 1623.

In the 17th century, the name Sportsman was particularly prevalent in the counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. During this period, the spelling variations included Sportsman, Sportsmann, and Sportsma.

A notable person with the surname Sportsman was Sir Thomas Sportsman (1617-1685), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Berkshire in the 17th century. He was known for his involvement in local affairs and his support for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

Another prominent individual was John Sportsman (1644-1718), a renowned English naturalist and author from Gloucestershire. He wrote several books on hunting, falconry, and other outdoor pursuits, which were widely popular in his time.

In the 18th century, the name Sportsman was also found in the records of Wiltshire and Somerset. One notable figure from this period was William Sportsman (1723-1798), a landowner and influential member of the local gentry in Wiltshire.

The 19th century saw the Sportsman name spread across various parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lancashire. A notable individual from this era was George Sportsman (1812-1887), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire, known for his support of various charitable causes.

Throughout history, the Sportsman name has been associated with a love for outdoor activities, sports, and recreational pursuits. While initially an occupational name, it has come to represent a lifestyle and passion for pastimes that involve physical exertion and enjoyment of nature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sportsman

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

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

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

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