Alexander
A wide-spread surname taken from the very common given name Alexander, meaning “defender of men.”
The #118 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 1,509 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname comes from the medieval personal name Alexander, itself from Greek Alexandros, usually explained as alexein “to defend” plus aner/andros “man.” In surname use, it began as a patronymic or identifier meaning “son of Alexander” or “belonging to Alexander.” Because the given name was extremely popular across Europe, the surname developed independently in several languages and regions.
History
Medieval records show the name in Latinized forms such as Alexandre and Alexandri, and it became established in England and Scotland through the popularity of the baptismal name. In later English usage it also generated shortened forms and related surnames such as Sanders, Sanderson, and Saunders. The name remains common in Britain, North America, and other English-speaking regions.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname dictionaries note that Alexander was so common as a given name that it spawned a whole family of shortened surnames from its last syllables, especially Sanders and Saunders.
From the historical record
“perhaps Allic or Alick, a Domesd. name. ALEXANDER The personal name. In the H.R. it is variously written, as Alexandre, fil' Alex, Alexandri. &c. A com- mon name itself, it has Ijecorac, hy the ab- breviating process, the parent of otliers still more so. From its last two syllables •\ve have Sander, Sanders…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Alexander
- Jason Alexander (b. 1959)
- Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis (1891–1969)
- Sasha Alexander (b. 1973)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.