This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Sanders family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Sanders Family History

Sanders Surname Meaning

English (Devon) Dutch and North German: variant of Sander with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Sanders family from?

You can see how Sanders families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sanders family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sanders families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 176 Sanders families living in New York. This was about 10% of all the recorded Sanders's in USA. New York had the highest population of Sanders families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sanders surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Sanders ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Sanders. 19% of Sanders men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Sanders women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sanders were Farm Laborer and Laborer.

View Census Data for Sanders | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    19%
  • Farmer
    18%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Farm Laborer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Cook
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Laborer
    5%

What Sanders family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 980,000 census records available for the last name Sanders. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sanders census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Sanders

Passenger Lists

There are 67,000 immigration records available for the last name Sanders. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Sanders immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 176,000 military records available for the last name Sanders. For the veterans among your Sanders ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sanders military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sanders family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Sanders family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial