Manns
A surname usually understood as a patronymic or possessive form of Mann, meaning “Mann’s (son/family).”
The #5,511 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 48,914 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Manns is most naturally explained as a form of Mann with a possessive or family-marking -s, so the name originally meant “belonging to Mann” or “Mann’s family.” In English records, Mann itself can be a byname or short form of a personal name, and the plural-looking -s often became a fixed surname ending. In German surname tradition, -s can also mark a genitive or patronymic form, so the same spelling may arise independently in more than one language.
History
The historical excerpts point to Manns as a name in English usage, with Mann treated as the earlier form. Nineteenth-century surname writers also list Manns alongside related forms such as Mann, Mannsen, and Mannstedt, showing that the spelling fits wider Germanic naming patterns too. In modern usage it is relatively uncommon, with bearers concentrated in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One source notes that Manns had been established for centuries in East Anglia, especially Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire.
From the historical record
“Msyne, Main, l£ai]ie,Mann, Manns, Manson.— (i) Bapt' the son of Mayne ' (Yonge, iL 415). Radnlphos 61. Main, Pipe Roll, 5 Hen. II.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)