Enders
A surname that likely began as a German pet form of Andreas, meaning “Andrew’s son” or “descendant of Andrew.”
The #9,114 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 86,146 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Enders is generally treated as a German reduced or dialectal form of Andreas, the Greek name for Andrew. In older German speech, Andreas could develop into Enders through local sound changes and nickname-like shortening. The name therefore originally points to a person identified with Andrew, rather than to a place or occupation.
History
19th- and early-20th-century surname scholars note Enders as a German form derived from Andreas, especially in High and Middle German areas. It appears in German-speaking regions and was later carried into English-speaking countries through migration. Related forms include Endres and other regional variants.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some older German surname studies group Enders with a whole family of regional forms that ultimately go back to Andreas, including forms like Endres and, in some dialect areas, very different-looking local variants.
From the historical record
“Formen, die keine Ähnlichkeit mehr miteinander haben. So wird aus Ambrosius einerseits Amhrosch, anderseits Brose,^ „ Andreas „ Enders, „ Drewes^ „ Nicolaus „ Nickel, „ Claus, Klaas. Mitunter haben diese verschiedenen Sproßformen keinen Buchstaben des Stammes gemein, z. B. Barthel und Mewes aus Bartholomäus.”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen