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

Sutcliffe, 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 Sutcliffe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sutcliffe in America

Sutcliffe is the 13790th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sutcliffe surname appeared 2,193 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 Sutcliffe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sutcliffe 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 Sutcliffe

The surname Sutcliffe originates from the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is an English locational surname derived from the Old English words 'suth' meaning 'south' and 'clif' meaning 'cliff' or 'slope'. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a southern cliff or slope.

Sutcliffe is an ancient surname with records dating back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known references is found in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines from 1273, where a John de Sutclyve is mentioned. Another early record is in the Wakefield Court Rolls of 1275, which includes a William de Sutclyve.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain the Sutcliffe surname itself, as it predates the formation of most hereditary surnames. However, it does include various place names that may have later evolved into the surname, such as Sutcliffe in Yorkshire.

In the 16th century, the surname was often spelled as Sutcliff, Sutclyffe, or Sutclyfffe. During this period, notable individuals with the name included Robert Sutcliffe, a 16th-century English clergyman, and Matthew Sutcliffe (1550-1629), an English theologian and academic.

In the 17th century, John Sutcliffe (1597-1672) was an English Puritan clergyman and religious writer. Another notable figure was Thomas Sutcliffe (1599-1668), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament.

One of the most famous Sutcliffes was Sir Thomas Sutcliffe (1770-1835), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was knighted for his service. In more recent times, David Sutcliffe (born 1940) was a British actor known for his roles in television and films.

Throughout history, the Sutcliffe surname has been associated with various locations across northern England, including Sutcliffe Woodhouses in Yorkshire, Sutcliffe Vale in Lancashire, and Sutcliffe Hill in West Yorkshire. The name has also been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, reflecting its enduring presence in British society over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sutcliffe

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

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

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

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