Where Did the Name Sanders Originate

Whether your last name is Sanders, Sanderson, or some other variant, the meaning of the name is quite interesting. Depending on your ancestry, it may come from Greek—surprisingly related to Alexander—or German. Lets explore the Sanders surname, its history, and famous people named Sanders, and guide you to some helpful genealogy resources. Where Does Sanders Come From? Sanders is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Sander. Patronymic means  that at some point in history, men by the name of Sander gave their name to their son, creating the name Sanders and indicating possession. Its easier to see this in the patronymic variation Sanderson, which means son of Sander. Sander is a medieval form of Alexander. Alexander comes from the Greek name Alexandros, meaning defender of men. This, in turn, comes from the Greek alexein, meaning  to defend, help and aner, or man. Sander or Sanders in Germany may also be a topographic name for someone who lived on sandy soil, from sand and -er, a suffix denoting an inhabitant. Sanders is the 87th most popular surname in the United States. Its full origins are  English, Scottish, and  German. Alternative spellings are  Sanderson, Sandersen, and Sander. Famous People Named Sanders If we take a look at the Sanders name alone, we can find many famous people. Here are a few of the more notable names and youre sure to recognize a number of them. Barry Sanders - U.S. football playerBernie Sanders - U.S.  politicianColonel Harland Sanders - Founder of Kentucky Fried ChickenDeion Sanders - U.S.  football playerGeorge Sanders - British actorLarry Sanders - U.S.  comedianMarlene Sanders - TV news anchor Genealogy Resources for the Surname Sanders The Sanders name is spread throughout the world, with many families passing it from one generation to the next. If youre interested in researching Sanders ancestry, you can start with these resources. Is There a Sanders Family Crest?  The question of family crests and coats of arms is common, but there is no true Sanders family emblem. Crests are granted to individuals, not the overall family, then passed down the lineage of male descendants. For this reason, one Sanders family could have a different crest than another Sanders family.Sanders/Saunders/Sanderson/Saunderson Y-DNA Project—This project aims to connect individuals with the Sanders or Saunders surname interested in exploring their family history. It promotes the use of genetic testing to assist traditional genealogical research.FamilySearch: Sanders Genealogy—Explore over 7.2  million  results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Sanders  surname and variations. This free website is hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Sanders Surname Mailing List—This free mailing list is for researchers of the Sanders  surname and its var iations. The list offers subscription details and searchable archives of past messages.GeneaNet: Sanders  Records—GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Sanders  surname. Most of its records concentrate on families from France and other European countries.The Sanders  Genealogy and Family Tree Page—Browse genealogy and historical records for individuals with the Sanders surname from the website of Genealogy Today.