Explore the Family Name Sales

The meaning of Sales

1. English: variant of Sale with plural or post-medieval excrescent -s. The Middle English plural form was probably often in variation with the singular form. The surname is uncommon in southwestern England but may derive there from Zeals (Wiltshire), and also from the plural form of Old English sealh ‘willow’; see Seal. 2. Catalan, Spanish, and French (Occitan): habitational name from any of the places called Sales, like Sales de Llierca (Catalonia), from the plural of Sala 1. Compare De Sales. 3. Portuguese: from a Christian religious byname adopted since in honor of Saint Francis of Sales (1567–1622), who was born at the Château de Sales in Savoy. 4. French (Salès): habitational name from Le Salès in Cantal. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Efren, Alberto, Francisco, Manuel, Camilo, Carlos, Fernando, Juan, Juanita, Mario, Ofelia.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname 'Sales' has seen a significant increase in popularity over a decade. Ranked 3,733 in the year 2000, it jumped to 3,418 by 2010, marking an impressive 8.44% change. The number of people carrying the 'Sales' surname also grew from 8,725 to 10,439 during this period, showing a rise of 19.64%. Additionally, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100,000 people increased by 9.6%.

20002010Change
Rank#3,733#3,4188.44%
Count8,72510,43919.64%
Proportion per 100k3.233.549.6%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sales

The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the 'Sales' surname. For instance, between 2000 and 2010, there was an increased representation of Asian/Pacific Islanders with this surname, rising from 13.31% to 14.90%, a change of 11.95%. Hispanic representation also saw a considerable rise of 65.13%, increasing from 12.33% to 20.36%. However, there was a decrease in the percentage of people identifying as White, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native having the 'Sales' surname. The percentage of Whites dropped by 12.58% from 44.85% to 39.21%, Blacks decreased by 12.91% from 25.41% to 22.13%, and American Indian and Alaskan Natives declined by 20.48% from 0.83% to 0.66%. Meanwhile, those identifying with two or more races fell slightly from 3.28% to 2.75%, marking a 16.16% change.

20002010Change
White44.85%39.21%-12.58%
Black25.41%22.13%-12.91%
Hispanic12.33%20.36%65.13%
Asian/Pacific Islander13.31%14.9%11.95%
Two or More Races3.28%2.75%-16.16%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.83%0.66%-20.48%

Sales ancestry composition

23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Sales is British & Irish, which comprises 32.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (14.4%) and Spanish & Portuguese (13.7%). Additional ancestries include Filipino & Austronesian, Nigerian, Indigenous American, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Italian.

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ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
British & Irish32.7%
French & German14.4%
Spanish & Portuguese13.7%
Other39.2%
Sales

Possible origins of the surname Sales

Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.

Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Sales have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom54.70%
West Midlands, United Kingdom54.20%
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom54.20%
Merseyside, United Kingdom54.20%
Greater Manchester, United Kingdom54.20%

What Sales haplogroups can tell you

Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.

The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Sales is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L48 and I-L460, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Wynn, Byrd, Hawkins, Wade, Noble, Boston, Grimm, Crosby, Powell, Chappell.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sales surname are: A2, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.

salesPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette

Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Sales have in common?

Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.

Preferences

Sales

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Sales" Surname 46.4%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Sales

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Sales" Surname 32.8%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Sales

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Sales" Surname 22.0%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Sales

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Sales" Surname 17.8%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Sales?

The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.

Disease variant frequency by ancestry

Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Sales are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

British & Irish 62.1%

23andMe Users 57.2%