Explore the Family Name Sankey

The meaning of Sankey

1. English (Lancashire): habitational name from Sankey in Prescot (Lancashire), from the river Sankey, the etymological origin of which is uncertain. 2. Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Seanchaidhe ‘son of the chronicler’, a name found in Sligo and Leitrim. However, it is more commonly Anglicized as Fox, as the result of an erroneous association with sionnach ‘fox’.

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

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

According to the data based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Sankey has shown a slight increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked 9,209, but by 2010, its rank had slightly improved to 9,114 — an approximate 1.03% increase. The count of individuals bearing this surname also grew during these years, with a notable rise of approximately 10.01%. The proportion per 100,000 people remained nearly steady, with a slight increase of 0.83%.

20002010Change
Rank#9,209#9,1141.03%
Count3,2583,58410.01%
Proportion per 100k1.211.220.83%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sankey

The ethnicity related to the surname Sankey, as per the Decennial U.S. Census, shows some variation between 2000 and 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by about 30.88%, while individuals identifying with two or more races saw a rise of around 32.59%. The percentage of those identifying as White decreased by approximately 3.56%, but Black ethnicity marked a slight growth of around 3.11%. There was also a significant upturn among those identifying as Hispanic, which rose by about 108.75%. However, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native showed a minor decline of approximately 1.12%.

20002010Change
White67.07%64.68%-3.56%
Black28.33%29.21%3.11%
Two or More Races1.35%1.79%32.59%
American Indian and Alaskan Native1.78%1.76%-1.12%
Hispanic0.8%1.67%108.75%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.68%0.89%30.88%