Home | Summary | Summary chart | Notes | Family charts | Surname index | Contact us
Sanderson Patronymic from the personal name Sander - (a variation from Alexander)- see below:
Alexander From the personal name Alexander, classical Greek Alexandros, which probably originally meant 'repulser of men (i.e. of the enemy)', from alexein 'to repel' + andros, genitive of aner 'man'. Its popularity in the Middle Ages was due mainly to the Macedonian conqueror, Alexander the Great (356-323 bc)- or rather to the hero of the mythical versions of his exploits that gained currency in the so-called Alexander Romances. The name was also borne by various early Christian saints, including a patriarch of Alexandria (adc.250-326), whose main achievement was condemning the Arian heresy.
Savill
This surname is English but of Norman-French origin.
Introduced into this country at or shortly after, the Norman Conquest,
it is a locational surname from a village called Sainville in the department of Eure-et-Loire, Normandy,
and derived from "Saisne" meaning a Saxon, and the suffix "ville" meaning a large house or settlement.
Simpson
Recorded in the spellings of Symson, Simson and Simpson, this is an Anglo-Scottish surname with two distinct possible origins.
The first and most generally accepted is a patronymic form of the medieval male name 'Simme', claimed to be a variant of the Greek 'Simon'. This is probably correct, and as such would have been introduced into Britain by the 12th century Crusaders. However it is also possible that 'Simme' was a short form of the pre 7th century Olde English 'Sigmund'.
It is also claimed that Simpson may be of locational origin from two hamlets of the same name in Buckinghamshire and Devonshire. These places appeared as "Swinestone" in the Domesday Book of 1086, and have as their first element the Olde English pre 7th Century personal name "Sigewine", plus "tun", - a settlement.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Symmeson, which was dated 1353.
Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2011
Sloan
This surname, widespread in Scotland and Northern Ireland, is an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic personal name "Sluaghadhan", leader of a military expedition. In the process of Anglicization "Sluaghadh(an)" has acquired many variant forms including: Sloan, Sloane, Slo(y)ne, Slowan, Sloyan, Slowey and Slo(e)y; the latter two examples are more specifically from "O'Sluaghaidh", descendant of Sluaghadh. Many references to these names appear in ancient annals of Ireland prior to the year 1200, but are very infrequent until the 17th Century.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is dated 1015.
Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2011
Stanes
This surname has two possible derivations. Firstly it may be of Anglo-Saxon origin, and a locational name from "Staines", a market town and parish in Middlesex, which was recorded as "Stane" in 1009, in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, and as "Stanes" in the Domesday Book of 1086. The placename itself is composed of the Olde English pre 7th century "stan", stone, hence the reference may be to a milestone on the Roman road that ran through the town, while the vocalic development seems to be the result of Norman influence.
Secondly the name may have been a survival of an Old Scandinavian topographical name for "a dweller at the stone" or from an Old Norse personal name "Steinis", both from the Old Scandinavian "steinn", stone.
In the modern idiom the surname can be found as Staynes, Staines, Stains and Stanes.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard de Stanes, which was dated 1275.
Copyright: Name Origin Research www.surnamedb.com 1980 - 2011
Spencer
This is an English surname but one of French origins. It is occupational and originally described a despencier or despendour, a man who was in charge of purchasing and distribution of all food and provisions within a royal or noble household or a monastery.This was a position of great importance, and usually only lesser in status to the Steward.
The derivation is from the Old French pre 8th century word despense, meaning to weigh.
Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Spencer#ixzz2Ok0mFvUy
Strongman
This surname belongs to the sizeable group of early European surnames created from the habitual use of nicknames.
It was used to denote a physically powerful man, or perhaps one steadfast and resolute in will or purpose.
Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Strongman#ixzz2Ok06ovC2
Sullens (Essex): variant of Sullen - see below.
Sullen Probably a nickname for someone with a gloomy disposition, from the vocabulary word sullen.
Tolley (Chiefly West Midlands): from a pet form of the Middle English personal name Toll (see Towle - below). Probably an altered spelling of German Tolle.
Towle (Nottinghamshire): variant of Toll - see below.
Toll From the Middle English personal name Toll, Old English Toll; alternatively from a topographic name from toll 'clump of trees', a dialect term of Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire.
Usher
Derived from the Olde French word 'ussier' and probably introduced into England before the Conquest.
The name is occupational and descriptive for an Usher, one of the most important positions in a royal or noble household. In the status listing, the Usher was above the Marshall, and second only to the Steward of the household, being responsible for deciding who was to be admitted to the royal or noble presence.
Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Usher#ixzz2Ok15VuLe
Wray Habitational name from any of various minor places in northern England named Wray, Wrea, or Wreay, from Old Norse 'nook', 'corner', 'recess'.
Wroe
Recorded as Roe, Row, Rowe, and the rare dialectal spelling of Wroe, this is an English surname.
It has several possible origins.
Perhaps the most likely is as a medieval nichkname from the
Old French word "roi", meaning king, and hence denoting someone who behaved in a regal fashion,
or who had earned the title in some contest of skill or by being elected "King for the day"
in a local festivitial.
Secondly and also a nickname, it could derive from the Olde English
pre 7th century word "roege", meaning "roe deer", and hence describe a fast mover.
Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Wroe#ixzz3XkZGSnwU