Sample
A surname usually linked to St. Paul in France, though some sources also connect it with the word for salmon.
The #3,150 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 26,915 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The strongest historical explanation in the sources treats Sample as a locational surname, from Anglo-French forms meaning 'of St. Paul' or 'from St. Paul' in France. The place-name itself goes back through French to Latin Paulus, 'Paul.' One 19th-century source also mentions a possible nickname or occupational link to the fish name 'salmon,' but that looks secondary and less certain than the place-name derivation.
History
Bardsley notes that the usual form is Semple, with Sample appearing as a related or variant spelling in records. The surname is recorded in English marriage registers by the 18th century, suggesting it was established in Britain before spreading to North America. In later usage, Sample and Semple have often been treated as connected surname forms.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A Harrison note explicitly points to St. Paul in France as the source, showing how a saint’s place-name could become a surname form in English records.
From the historical record
“cent. SAMPLE (A.-Fr.-Lat.) Bel. to St. Paul (France) . ^ [v. Paul] John de St. Paul.— i>aW. Rdls. Si. Paul is a common French place- name. Cp. Sinclair. Samples”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)