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

Stagger, 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 Stagger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Stagger in America

Stagger is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Stagger surname appeared 104 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 Stagger.

The history of the last name Stagger

The surname STAGGER is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "stæger," which means "to stagger or reel." The name likely originated in the early medieval period, perhaps as a descriptive nickname for someone who walked with an unsteady gait or had a tendency to stumble.

The earliest known record of the STAGGER surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this document, the name is spelled "Stægere," reflecting its Old English roots.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the STAGGER name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire, where various branches of the family held land and property. Several variations in spelling emerged during this time, including Staggar, Staggere, and Stagere.

One notable early bearer of the STAGGER surname was Sir William Stagger, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. Another was John Stagger, a prominent merchant and landowner in Oxfordshire, who lived from around 1420 to 1498.

In the 16th century, the STAGGER name appeared in the parish records of several villages in Gloucestershire, such as Stow-on-the-Wold and Winchcombe. A notable figure from this era was Thomas Stagger, a wealthy wool merchant born in Winchcombe in 1535, who became a prominent benefactor to the town.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain Edward Stagger served in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He was mentioned in several contemporary accounts for his bravery in battle.

As the STAGGER family spread across England and into other parts of the British Isles, the surname also took on variations like Staggers and Stagers. One notable bearer was the Scottish poet and writer, James Stagger, born in Aberdeen in 1718, who published several collections of verse in the 18th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Stagger

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

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 Stagger 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.

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

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

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