Samuel
A biblical surname meaning “heard of God,” often adopted directly from the Hebrew given name.
The #1,558 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 13,351 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Samuel comes from the Hebrew personal name Shmuel, traditionally explained as “heard of God” or “name of God,” with the first element linked to the verb “to hear” and the second to El, “God.” As a surname, it usually began as a patronymic or inherited use of the given name Samuel. In English sources it is also sometimes treated as a straightforward surname from the baptismal name rather than a nickname or occupational term.
History
The name is strongly biblical and has long been used by both Jews and Christians as a personal name, which helped it become a surname in several communities. 19th-century surname writers note that it is “pretty equally shared” by Jews and Christians, and they also record related forms such as Samuels, Sams, Samson, Sampson, and Samwell. In Britain and America it has remained relatively uncommon as a surname compared with the given name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Lower specifically grouped Samuel with a cluster of surname forms that seem to have grown out of the same given name, including Samuels, Sams, Sampson, and Samkin.
From the historical record
“SAMS, Sam's (Son) : v. Samuel. SAMUEL \ (Heb.) Heard of God, or Asked SAMUELL/ofGod [Heb. Sh'miUl, a der. of shdma, to hear + El, God] SAM U ELLS "lc,„„„r.c/Q„„\ 1 SAMUELS ] Samuels (Son) [, SAMUELSON, Samuel's Son SAMWELL for Samuel, q.v.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)