The Sawyer surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 49,028 people carried this name — #707 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 6,020 people counted. That is up 2% from 47,979 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sawyer surname

A surname originating as an occupation for someone who made a living from sawing wood.

As an English occupational surname, from sawyer (“one who saws”). Senses loaned from various languages include Jewish/German Seger and Sager, Slovene Žagar.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Sawyer» (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 an occupational name: ‘the sawyer’.

An early record he cites: Ralph le Sawiere, Huntingdonshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Sawyer and Sawer.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 669 · public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

38 people named Sawyer live in Switzerland.

They live in 7 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

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

Where they live today

Zurich 9
Basel-Stadt 6
Vaud 6
Geneva 5
Bern 4
Basel-Landschaft 4
Ticino 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 France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 21 people named Sawyer.

Most of them — 21 — were born outside France.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 21

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

In the Nordic population registers

26 people named Sawyer is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 26

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).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Sawyer was found among the farmers of Suffolk: 16 in every 10,000.

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

Suffolk 16

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 the first U.S. census, 1790

395 families named Sawyer, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 2,275 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 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 107
Maine 74
North Carolina 71
New Hampshire 66
Vermont 27
Connecticut 16
Pennsylvania 11
South Carolina 8
Rhode Island 6
New York 6
Maryland 2
Virginia 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

Sawyer in American newspapers,
1894–1925.

Newspaper page from Bryan Daily Eagle And Pilot carrying the name Sawyer
Bryan Daily Eagle And Pilot 1912-08-10
Newspaper page from The Courier carrying the name Sawyer
The Courier 1894-10-06
Newspaper page from East St. Louis Daily Journal carrying the name Sawyer
East St. Louis Daily Journal 1925-04-26

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 17,640 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Sawyer in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

48,820 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sawyer. The most, 12,426, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 26,047
Queensland 7,426
Victoria 7,397
Western Australia 3,657
South Australia 2,621
Tasmania 1,288
ACT (Canberra) 174
Northern Territory 59

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

Who carried it

People named Sawyer,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Elizabeth Sawyer
    Elizabeth Sawyer d. 1621
  • Margaret Sawyer
    Margaret Sawyer d. 1706
  • John Sawyer d. 1845 · politician
  • Edmund Sawyer d. 1676 · politician
  • Edmund Sawyer d. 1759 · barrister
  • Richard Sawyer d. 1852

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 Sawyer,
in the records of 8 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 States3,985 records

3,985 records of the Sawyer name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,735
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 768
  • Other U.S. records 1,482
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Melvin R. Sawyer

    Born 1922 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1943 at Binghamton, New York; metal worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1994, buried at Woodlawn National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Frank W. Sawyer

    Born 1936; from Louisville, Kentucky. U.S. Army; killed in action 1967 in Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Knox Post Cemetery, Kentucky.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (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 Mary Sawyer

    Arrived at New York in 1851 aboard the Milla from Belfast, aged 20; laborer. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 3,985 records for Sawyer in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia875 records

875 records of the Sawyer name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 357
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 195
  • Other Australian records 323
  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 William Sawyer

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Commodore Hayes, sailing from England in 1823. Native of Surrey. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1839. Married 1840 in Avoca, Tasmania, aged 32.

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

    Died 1918 in Glenorchy, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1918.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Bertha Sawyer

    Arrived in Victoria in 1907 aboard the Essex, aged 13.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 875 records for Sawyer in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada154 records

154 records of the Sawyer name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 85
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 26
  • Other Canadian records 43
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Chloe Sawyer

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Ranger, bound for Port Mattoon, aged 11.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Maryanne Sawyer

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

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Mina Nellie Sawyer

    Buried in 1979 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 79.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 154 records for Sawyer in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · 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. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); 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).

United Kingdom74 records

74 records of the Sawyer name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 49
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 24
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ann Sawyer

    Buried in 1808 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 70.

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

    Will proved in 1934; of Liverpool, Lancashire.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Sawyer

    Hampshire Regiment. 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 74 records for Sawyer 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. · 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); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand17 records

17 records of the Sawyer name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 15
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Dora Sawyer

    Buried in 1985 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 83.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edwin Ronald Sawyer

    Died 2000, aged 66; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Robert James Sawyer

    Buried in 1898 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 43.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 17 records for Sawyer in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France6 records

6 records of the Sawyer 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 Ernest Sawyer

    Born 1917 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Reichstett (Bas-Rhin).

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

    Born 1906 in the United States; died 1991 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Sawyer 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).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Sawyer name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Violet Ellen Mai Sawyer

    Married in 1938 in Ulrum; "touwslaagster".

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Nora Gertrude Sawyer

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

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); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Ireland1 record

1 record of the Sawyer name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Manfred John Sawyer

    Died 1895, aged 50; buried at St Marys, Tuam, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sawyer.

When the index is not enough

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

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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