Explore the Family Name Saffell

The meaning of Saffell

English (Essex): from the Middle English personal name Safugel (Old Norse sǽfogl ‘sea-bird, especially the cormorant’), not recorded as a personal name in Scandinavia, but common in England after the Norman Conquest. In some cases with voicing of intervocalic /f/ to /v/, there may have been confusion with Saville.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Saffell in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Saffell saw a slight increase in popularity between 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked the 18,811th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had moved up to the 19,581st spot, a decrease of 4.09%. The count of individuals with the Saffell surname also increased from 1,346 in 2000 to 1,378 in 2010, marking an increase of 2.38%. However, the proportion of Saffells per 100,000 people showed a minor decrease of 6% during this time frame.

20002010Change
Rank#18,811#19,581-4.09%
Count1,3461,3782.38%
Proportion per 100k0.50.47-6%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Saffell

Discussing the ethnic identity associated with the Saffell surname, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, there were notable shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of Saffells who identified as White fell slightly from 89.30% to 87.88%, while those identifying as Black rose from 5.50% to 6.39%. There was also a significant increase in the number of Saffells identifying as Hispanic, from 2.01% to 2.54%. The category "Two or more races" saw a minimal increase from 1.93% to 1.96%. Interestingly, 2010 marked the first year where some Saffells identified as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native, with percentages being 0.36% and 0.87% respectively.

20002010Change
White89.3%87.88%-1.59%
Black5.5%6.39%16.18%
Hispanic2.01%2.54%26.37%
Two or More Races1.93%1.96%1.55%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0.87%0%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0.36%0%