2000
#11,553
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,496
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.93
Rare Last name
Sedgwick
An English habitational surname derived from places meaning "sedge creek" or "sedgy dwelling."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,057 Americans carry the last name Sedgwick. That puts it at #11,316 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.89 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 112,121 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Sedgwick surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Sedgwick with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.1K
1 in 112,121
Census rank
#11,316
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,666 bearers of the surname Sedgwick in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.89 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11316th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Sedgwick, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Black (7.4%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Sedgwick
The surname Sedgwick originates from England and dates back to the 11th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "secg" meaning sedge or rush, and "wic" meaning a dwelling or settlement. The name likely refers to someone who lived near a sedge-covered area or a settlement surrounded by rushes.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Seggeswic" and "Segeswick." This suggests that the name was already well-established in various parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest.
During the medieval period, the name was commonly spelled in various ways, including Segeswic, Seggeswick, and Sedgeswyke, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.
One notable figure bearing this surname was Thomas Sedgwick (1686-1756), an English mathematician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of mechanics. He is particularly known for his work on the theory of motion and the principles of mechanics.
Another prominent individual was Adam Sedgwick (1785-1873), an English geologist and one of the founding fathers of modern geology. He served as the Woodwardian Professor of Geology at the University of Cambridge and made important discoveries in the field of stratigraphy and paleontology.
In the literary world, Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867) was an American novelist and one of the first prominent female writers in the United States. Her works, such as "Hope Leslie" and "The Linwoods," explored themes of national identity and the role of women in society.
John Sedgwick (1813-1864) was a distinguished Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He fought in several major battles, including Antietam and Gettysburg, and was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
Another notable figure was Ellery Sedgwick (1872-1960), an American publisher and editor who played a significant role in the development of the Atlantic Monthly magazine. He served as the editor-in-chief of the magazine from 1908 to 1938 and helped establish its reputation as a leading literary publication.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Sedgwick, reflecting its long-standing presence in various parts of the English-speaking world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Sedgwick
Among Census respondents with the surname Sedgwick, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Black (7.4%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Sedgwick bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Sedgwick surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.1% · 2,270
- Black or African American7.4% · 198
- Two or more races3.2% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 83
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Sedgwick
Sedgwick appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#11,807
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,651
+155 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.90
Rank movement Down 254 places
2020
#11,316
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,666
+15 bearers (+0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.89
Rank movement Up 491 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,553 | 2,496 | 0.93 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,807 | 2,651 | 0.90 | +155 bearers (+6.2%) | Down 254 places |
| 2020 | #11,316 | 2,666 | 0.89 | +15 bearers (+0.6%) | Up 491 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Sedgwick surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,807 | #11,316 | 4.2% |
| Count | 2,651 | 2,666 | 0.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.90 | 0.89 | -0.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Sedgwick bearers went from 2,651 to 2,666 (+0.6% change). The surname moved up 491 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,807 to #11,316.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Sedgwick
FAQ
Sedgwick surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Sedgwick?
Name Census estimates that about 3,057 living Americans carry the surname Sedgwick. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 112,121 residents.
How common is Sedgwick?
Sedgwick ranks #11,316 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.89 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,666 people with the surname Sedgwick. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,057), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.89 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.89 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Sedgwick.
Has Sedgwick become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Sedgwick went from 2,651 recorded bearers to 2,666. That is an increase of 15 (+0.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #11,807 to #11,316.
What does the Census say about the background of Sedgwick?
Among Census respondents with the surname Sedgwick, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Black (7.4%) and Two or More Races (3.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Sedgwick in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.1% (2,270 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Sedgwick appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.1%), Black (7.4%), Two or More Races (3.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Sedgwick (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Sedgwick mean?
An English habitational surname derived from places meaning "sedge creek" or "sedgy dwelling." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Sedgwick (0.89 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Sedgwick?
See how many people are called Sedgwick on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.