Meaning and origin
The last name Samuels is of patronymic origin, derived from the masculine given name Samuel. The name Samuel itself is of Hebrew origin and is derived from the Hebrew name Shemu'el, meaning "heard of God" or "name of God." With roots in the biblical language, the surname Samuels indicates descent from or association with an individual named Samuel, often denoting a familial or ancestral relationship.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,621
Samuels was the 1,621st most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 22,207 people, about 7.2 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Samuels
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Samuels is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.