Sauls
Usually an English surname from the given name Saul, with an added -s that often marks “son of” or simply a family form.
The #5,364 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 47,573 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Sauls is generally treated as a patronymic surname built from the personal name Saul. Saul is the English form of the biblical Hebrew name Sha'ul, usually understood as meaning “asked for” or “prayed for.” The final -s commonly appears in English surnames as a possessive or patronymic ending, giving the sense of “Saul’s (family)” or “descendant of Saul.”
History
19th-century surname writers list Sauls under surnames formed from Christian names, alongside Saul, which supports this explanation. The name is relatively uncommon and appears mainly in English-speaking countries, especially the United States today. It likely arose independently in more than one place wherever the forename Saul was in use.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The biblical Saul became a popular source for surnames because short given names often generated many family-name forms, especially with endings like -s, -son, or -man.
From the historical record
“Cp. Southernby, Cumb. 2 the Sheep-Farm [O.N. saulS-r (genit. pi. sau'Sa), a sheep -|- Jji-r] SOTHER(A)N (Eng. and Scand.) Southerner [O.E. siiSeme' = O.N. su'Srcenn, southern]”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)