Neighbors
A surname that began as a nickname for someone known as a neighbor or fellow resident.
The #6,969 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 64,135 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Neighbors is an English surname formed from the common word neighbor, ultimately from Old English and related Germanic forms meaning a nearby dweller or a close fellow inhabitant. As a surname, it likely began as a descriptive nickname for someone identified by proximity or by being a local companion in a village or neighborhood. The final -s can reflect a possessive or descriptive ending, as in many English surnames.
History
The historical excerpts provided do not give a direct headword entry for this surname, but the form is well explained by ordinary English surname patterns. It is the kind of name that could arise independently in several places, which helps explain why it remains relatively uncommon and not tied to one single family line. American bearers may descend from older English stocks, though some lines may also reflect later spelling stabilization of similar forms.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Unlike many surnames, Neighbors is plural-looking even though it likely began from a singular nickname or descriptor.
From the historical record
“One Volume, 12mo. Muslin. $1.00. THE NEIGHBORS. A story of every day lite. By FREDEIUKA BRKMER. Translated from the Swedish by Mary Howitt. Author's edition, wilb a new Preface 1 rol. Vlmo. 439 pp. Price $1.00. A NEW AND COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE PRONUNCIATION AND”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names