Explore the Family Name Sawtell

The meaning of Sawtell

English (Somerset): 1. perhaps a nickname from an unrecorded adjective or noun related to the Middle English verb saughtelen ‘to make peace, be reconciled’. 2. alternatively, perhaps an altered form of French Sautel, from a diminutive of saut ‘leap’.

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

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

The surname Sawtell has seen a decrease in popularity according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, it was ranked at 47,838, but by 2010, it had dropped to 52,482, indicating a decline of approximately 9.71%. The count of people with this surname also fell from 416 in 2000 to 395 in 2010, marking a drop of 5.05%. Furthermore, the proportion of individuals named Sawtell per 100,000 people declined by 13.33% over the decade.

	2000	2010	Change
Rank	#47,838	#52,482	-9.71%
Count	416	395	-5.05%
Proportion per 100k	0.15	0.13	-13.33%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sawtell

In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some changes for those bearing the Sawtell surname. Between 2000 and 2010, there was an elimination of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black, dropping from 1.20% and 1.68% to zero, respectively. The percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased slightly, from 92.31% to 91.39%. However, there was a significant increase in those identifying with two or more races, which jumped from 1.92% to 4.56%, suggesting an increasing diversity among those carrying this surname. Meanwhile, the Hispanic population saw a decline of 20.83%, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained at zero for both years.

	2000	2010	Change
White	92.31%	91.39%	-1%
Two or More Races	1.92%	4.56%	137.5%
Hispanic	2.88%	2.28%	-20.83%
Asian/Pacific Islander	1.2%	0%	0%
Black	1.68%	0%	0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native	0%	0%	0%