Sawyer Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Sawyer Name Meaning: An occupational name for someone who is employed to 'saw' wood. Middle English 'saghier' a derivative of 'sagh(en)' meaning 'to saw'.

The process of preparing 'sawn timber' was an absolute necessity during medieval life,without it life would have been impossible.

Discover how your Sawyer ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Sawyer Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Sawyer family

Profession Census Frequency
Agricultural Labourer 237
Female Servant 129
Independent 79
Labourer 71
Male Servant 41
Farmer 32
Carpenter 24
Shoe Maker 21
Dress Maker 17
Servant 14
Ag Labourer 14
Butcher 13
Weaver 13
Apprentice 12
Tailor 12
Ag Lab 12
Nailor 12
Gardener 11
Independant 9
Baker 9
Blacksmith 9
Mason 8
Publican 7
Laundress 7
Pupil 6

Sawyer Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Sawyer 100% 41,332
2 Swyer 83% 1,575
3 Swayer 67% 184
4 Sawayer 86% 143

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The surname Sawyer is the most popular version of all its varients

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