The Sanderson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 24,384 people carried this name — #1,462 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 12,100 people counted. That is up 4% from 23,469 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sanderson surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From Sander + -son. From the Middle English Sander, a shortened form of Alexander + suffix -son.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Sanderson» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Alexander’.

His entry covers Sander, Sanders and Sanderson.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 666 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 32 people named Sanderson.

Most of them — 17 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 7 départements, most often Dordogne.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 17
Dordogne 5
Paris 4
Pyrénées-Atlantiques 2
Finistère 1
Lot 1
Yvelines 1
Hauts-de-Seine 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

24 people named Sanderson live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Valais.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Valais 7
Vaud 5
Aargau 4
Basel-Stadt 4
Fribourg 4

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

86 people named Sanderson are counted in Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 63
Finland (2026) 23

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Sanderson was found among the farmers of 5 counties.

It was most frequent in Durham: 56 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 179. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Durham 56
Northumberland 33
Lancashire 21
Yorkshire, West Riding 20
Lincolnshire 10

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Sanderson was recorded 32 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 769th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 54. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

104 families named Sanderson, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 647 people lived in those households, 6.2 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 44
North Carolina 16
Pennsylvania 15
Vermont 12
New Hampshire 6
Virginia 5
Maryland 3
Maine 2
Connecticut 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 260 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Sanderson in American newspapers,
1886–1903.

Newspaper page from The Southern Herald carrying the name Sanderson
The Southern Herald 1886-03-27
Newspaper page from Cheyenne Transporter carrying the name Sanderson
Cheyenne Transporter 1886-05-12
Newspaper page from Las Vegas Daily Optic carrying the name Sanderson
Las Vegas Daily Optic 1903-12-07

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 6,381 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Sanderson in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

69,548 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sanderson. The most, 14,476, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 16,056
Victoria 13,674
South Australia 13,584
Queensland 11,941
Western Australia 11,662
Tasmania 2,294
ACT (Canberra) 157
Northern Territory 52

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sanderson.

Who carried it

People named Sanderson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Susanna Sanderson
    Susanna Sanderson d. 1725
  • Elma Sanderson d. 1951 · university teacher
  • John Sanderson d. 1602 · Catholic priest
  • Alfred Sanderson d. 1802 · Anglican priest
  • Evelyn Sanderson d. 1953
  • Violet May Sanderson d. 1974

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Sanderson,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,622 records

2,622 records of the Sanderson name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 799
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 478
  • Other U.S. records 1,345
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Daniel A. Sanderson

    Born 1920 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1941 at Camp Shelby; farm hand. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Roseland Park Cemetery, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Marshall J. Sanderson

    Born 1918 in Texas. Enlisted 1941 at Los Angeles, California; farm hand. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Emma Sanderson

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 17; servant. From Glasgow, Scotland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,622 records for Sanderson in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,783 records

1,783 records of the Sanderson name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 957
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 321
  • Other Australian records 505
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record James Sanderson

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Barossa, sailing from Sheerness in 1841. Native of Inglewhite, Lancashire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record George Sanderson

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lady Raffles, sailing from Portsmouth in 1840. Native of Shipton, Yorkshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Ann Sanderson

    Died 1863 in Oatlands, Tasmania, aged 39. Will registered in Tasmania in 1863.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,783 records for Sanderson in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands636 records

636 records of the Sanderson name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 286
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 185
  • Dutch population registers 165
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Pieter Gerardus Sanderson

    Married in 1813 in Hilversum; painter. Died 1814 in Loenen, aged 23.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Elisabeth Henrica Sanderson

    Married in 1903 in Rotterdam. Died 1953 in Hilversum, aged 72.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sophia Adriana Sanderson

    Born 1907 in Ubach over Worms. Died 1965 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 58.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 636 records for Sanderson in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada408 records

408 records of the Sanderson name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 204
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 63
  • Other Canadian records 141
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Emma Sanderson

    Came to Ontario in 1870 aboard the Scandinavian, landing at Quebec, bound for London, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mary Rose Sanderson

    Died 1999, aged 46; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Lillian Sanderson

    Died 1964 in Bible Hill, Colchester, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 408 records for Sanderson in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom122 records

122 records of the Sanderson name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 80
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 17
  • Other British records 25
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Nicoll Sanderson

    Buried in 1963 at Killearn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 87.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Anthony Sanderson

    Buried in 1846 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 79.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Elizabeth Sanderson

    Will proved in 1939; of Blk, Blk.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 122 records for Sanderson in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand36 records

36 records of the Sanderson name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 25
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 9
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Christina Emily Sanderson

    Died 1937, aged 76; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sarah Jane Sanderson

    Buried in 1918 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 66.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record R. W. Sanderson

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 36 records for Sanderson in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

France7 records

7 records of the Sanderson name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Yvonne Maria Sanderson

    Born 1894 in Brest (Finistère); died 1981 in Le Mesnil-le-Roi (Yvelines).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Francois Joseph Sanderson

    Born 1911 in Puy-l'Évêque (Lot); died 1980 in Creysse (Dordogne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Sanderson in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sanderson.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sanderson is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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