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

Sunny, 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 Sunny surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sunny in America

Sunny is the 38265th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sunny surname appeared 579 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 Sunny.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sunny 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 Sunny

The surname "SUNNY" is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, approximately around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "sunne," which means "sun," and was likely initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a particularly sunny or cheerful disposition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a certain "Richard Sunni" is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already been in use by that time, albeit with a slightly different spelling.

Another early reference to the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1362, which mentions a "John Sunnye." This record provides further evidence of the surname's existence and the variations in its spelling during the Middle Ages.

In the 15th century, the surname appears to have gained more widespread use, with records indicating individuals bearing the name in various parts of England. For example, the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 list a "Willelmus Sonny," while the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524 mention a "Thomas Sunny."

It is worth noting that the surname "SUNNY" may have also been derived from place names or locations that incorporated the word "sun" or a variation of it. For instance, there is a village called Sunny Hill in Berkshire, which could have contributed to the surname's origins.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "SUNNY." One example is John Sunny (c. 1470 - 1538), an English Protestant reformer and theologian who played a significant role in the early stages of the English Reformation.

Another prominent figure is Sir William Sunny (1585 - 1666), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Berkshire during the reign of King Charles I.

In the 19th century, James Sunny (1810 - 1892) was an English author and poet who gained recognition for his works on nature and rural life.

Additionally, Mary Sunny (1845 - 1921) was a British philanthropist and social reformer who dedicated her life to improving the lives of underprivileged children and advocating for women's rights.

Finally, Sir Arthur Sunny (1890 - 1978) was a distinguished British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to France and played a crucial role in diplomatic relations between the two countries during the mid-20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sunny

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

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

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

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