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

Sunkett, 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 Sunkett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sunkett in America

Sunkett is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sunkett surname appeared 100 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 Sunkett.

The history of the last name Sunkett

The surname SUNKETT is believed to have originated in England, likely in the 14th or 15th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English words "sun" and "cyt," which together mean "sun cottage" or "sun house." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a dwelling that faced the direction of the sun or was particularly sunny.

The earliest known recorded reference to the SUNKETT name can be found in the Court Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1379, where a Thomas Suncote is mentioned. This spelling variation provides further evidence of the name's connection to the concept of a "sun cottage."

In the 16th century, the SUNKETT name appeared in various parish records across England, with spellings such as Sunkitt, Sunkett, and Sunckett. One notable example is John Sunkett, who was born in Lincolnshire in 1542 and served as a member of the local parish council.

During the 17th century, the SUNKETT name seemed to have gained prominence in the county of Somerset. The Somerset Lay Subsidy Rolls from 1642 list several individuals with variations of the name, including William Sunkitt and Robert Sunckett.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure bearing the SUNKETT surname was Sir Thomas Sunkett (1712-1791), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for the borough of Taunton in Somerset. He was known for his contributions to local infrastructure and charitable works.

Another notable SUNKETT was Elizabeth Sunkett (1745-1823), a renowned botanical illustrator from Shropshire, whose intricate drawings of rare plant species were highly praised by naturalists of her time.

The 19th century saw the SUNKETT name spread beyond England, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in parts of North America and Australia, likely as a result of emigration from Britain.

One such individual was James Sunkett (1821-1897), a Scottish-born farmer who settled in Ontario, Canada, and played a role in the development of the local agricultural community.

Overall, while not an extremely common surname, SUNKETT has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside and has been associated with individuals who made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sunkett

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

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

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

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