Sams
A surname usually meaning “son of Samuel,” though some bearers may come from the name Sam itself.
The #2,275 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 19,280 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Sams is generally treated as a short patronymic form built from the personal name Samuel. In this view, it means “Samuel’s son” or simply “descendant of Samuel,” with the final -s functioning as a possessive or family-name ending. Some older writers also mention it among surnames derived from Samuel alongside Samuels, Samson, Sampson, Samkin, and Sammes.
History
Historical sources show the name in England by the early 14th century, including a 1327 Subsidy Roll reference. Later surname dictionaries class it as a form related to Samuel and note that it appears among both Jewish and Christian families. The name is established in Britain and later appears in English-speaking countries, especially the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Nineteenth-century surname writers grouped Sams with a whole family of Samuel-based surnames, showing how many different endings could grow from one biblical given name.
From the historical record
“2 Sam's Son : v. Samuel. 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”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)