Surname Sands - Meaning and Origin
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Sands: What does the surname Sands mean?
The last name Sands is of English origin and is a topographic name given to someone who lived near a sandy area or a patch of sandy soil. It is derived from the Old English word “sand”, indicating a place that has sandy soil or a sandy beach. As a geographical surname, it could possibly also denote someone who migrated from a place known for its sandy terrain. Like many surnames originating from geographic or occupational descriptions, the bearers of the surname Sands were likely to be spread around their region, their identity tied to their surroundings. As such, there might also be multiple unrelated families with the surname Sands, each deriving their name independently from their specific geographic context.
Order DNA origin analysisSands: Where does the name Sands come from?
The last name Sands is most common throughout the United States. It is especially common on the east coast, where the largest concentrations are in New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. According to Ancestry.com, it is also the 97th most common surname in the United States.
Out of the top ten States in which the surname Sands is most common, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts have the highest numbers of individuals with the last name. In New York, the top two cities according to statistics from Ancestry.com are New York City and Buffalo, with large numbers of Sands also living in Syracuse, Yonkers, and Rochester. In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia has the most Sands, followed by Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Allentown. Massachuessets residents with the last name Sands are mainly concentrated in the southwestern area of the state, including Springfield, Worcester, and Lowell.
Outside the United States, the last name Sands is most widespread in the United Kingdom, with the highest numbers living in England. It is also moderately common in Australia, particularly in Western Australia. There are also a number of people with the last name Sands in Scotland and Canada.
Variations of the surname Sands
The surname Sands is an English habitation surname derived from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘sand’. This surname is commonly found in locations that have an abundance of sand such as coastal regions, sandbanks, and sandhills.
Variants of the surname Sands include Sandys, Sandes, Sonds, and Sande. Sandys is a variant form of the surname Sands that is found in the Scottish lowlands. The addition of ‘s’ to the surname is another common variant form of the surname Sands, such as Sandis, Sanders, and Saunders. The variant Sandes is an alternative spelling commonly found in Lancashire, and Sonds is mainly found in the Netherlands.
Several different spelling variations of the surname Sands exist, such as Sande, Sand, Saind, Sainds, Sands, Sandys, Sandis, Sandes, Sonds, Sanders, Saunders, and Saynds.
Surnames with the same origin as Sands are Sanderson, Sandison, Sanderson, Sandall, Sanden, St. Sand, Sandles, Sandell, and Sender. These surnames are all derived from the Anglo-Saxon root word meaning ‘sand’. Sanderson is a patronymic surname derived from a nickname for the son of Saunders or Sanders. Sandison is a patronymic surname derived from a son of Sandys. Sandall and St. Sand are toponymic surnames derived from the Old English root word sand meaning ‘sand’. Sanden is a toponymic surname which refers to a person from a place named with the element ‘sand’, such as Sanden in Gloucestershire or Staffordshire. Sandles is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Sandle, a diminutive form of the name Sanders. Sandells is a variant form of the surname Sandall, and Sender is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Sander.
Famous people with the name Sands
- The Doors singer/songwriter, keyboardist Ray Manzarek (born Raymond Daniel Manczarek, Jr.)
- British Actor Ken Sands (1909–2006)
- Production designer and architect Ted Blackman Sands (1908–2010)
- Actor Robert Adolph Sands III (born in 1967)
- Jazz musician Chris Sands
- Actor and director Frederick Sands (1916–1996)
- British actor David Sands (born 1948)
- Actress Virginia Sands (1932–2020)
- Attorney, promoter, and librettist William B.Sands (1815–1897)
- Television producer Joe Sands (born in 1930)
- Actor and director Devlin Sands (born in 1987)
- George Sands, English poet and minister
- Rock and blues singer Kevin Sands (born in 1981)