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

Sunday, 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 Sunday surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sunday in America

Sunday is the 9147th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sunday surname appeared 3,567 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Sunday.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sunday 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 Sunday

The surname SUNDAY is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "sunnandæg," which translates to "sun's day," referring to the day of the week dedicated to the sun in ancient times.

SUNDAY is thought to have originally been an occupational surname, given to individuals who worked or performed duties specifically on Sundays. It may have been bestowed upon clergymen, church officials, or even tradesmen who conducted their business on Sundays.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SUNDAY can be found in historical documents such as the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the late 12th century, where the name appears as "Sundai" and "Sondai." The Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273 also mention a "William Sundaye."

In the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, a "John Sondaye" is listed, indicating the surname's evolution in spelling over time. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524 record a "Robert Sundaye."

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname SUNDAY was John Sunday, a prominent English merchant and alderman who lived in the 14th century. He was a respected figure in the city of Bristol and served as Mayor of Bristol in 1360.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Sir William Sunday, a renowned English soldier and knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War during the 15th century. He was knighted for his bravery and military service by King Henry VI in 1445.

In the 16th century, Thomas Sunday, a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry from Gloucestershire, left a significant legacy through his extensive estates and properties. His descendants continued to carry the SUNDAY name for generations.

During the 17th century, a prominent figure named Robert Sunday gained recognition as a successful merchant and ship owner in the city of London. He was involved in the lucrative transatlantic trade and amassed a considerable fortune.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname SUNDAY was the American evangelist and Christian reformer, William Ashley Sunday, who lived from 1862 to 1935. He was a prominent figure during the Protestant Christian revival movement and traveled extensively, preaching to large crowds across the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sunday

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!