Explore the Family Name Sauvage
The meaning of Sauvage
French and Channel Islands: nickname for a wild or uncouth person, from Old French salvage, sauvage ‘untamed’ (from Late Latin salvaticus, a derivative of Latin silva ‘wood’, influenced by Latin salvus ‘whole’, i.e. natural). This surname is also found in England. History: Jean Sauvage from Plouëc-du-Trieux in Côtes-d’Armor, Brittany (France), married Marguerite Martin in Les Cèdres, QC, in 1782. Some characteristic forenames: French Michel, Armand, Jean-Jacques.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sauvage in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Sauvage has shown a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname moved from 55,481 in 2000 to 51,723 in 2010, an upward shift of 6.77%. Furthermore, the count of people with the surname Sauvage increased by 16.18% during this period, moving from 346 in 2000 to 402 in 2010. This increase also reflected in the proportion per 100,000 people, which saw a rise of 7.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #55,481 | #51,723 | 6.77% |
| Count | 346 | 402 | 16.18% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.14 | 7.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sauvage
In terms of ethnic identity associated with the surname Sauvage, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that it is predominantly linked with the White ethnicity. In 2000, 97.11% of bearers of this surname identified as White, although this figure slightly decreased by 2.15% to 95.02% in 2010. The Hispanic ethnicity also had a minor representation amongst those with the surname Sauvage; it increased from 2.02% in 2000 to 2.49% in 2010, showing a change of 23.27%. There was no recorded change in the number of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.11% | 95.02% | -2.15% |
| Hispanic | 2.02% | 2.49% | 23.27% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |