Surname Sauls - Meaning and Origin
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Sauls: What does the surname Sauls mean?
The last name Sauls is of potentially multiple origins. One variation could be from the Jewish male personal name Saul, which means "asked for" or "prayed for" in Hebrew. This name was borne by the first king of Israel, as narrated in the Old Testament.
However, it is more commonly believed to be of English origin, deriving from an Old Norse personal name, 'Saul', which means "solemn" or a shortened version of the name 'Solomon'. This name gained popularity during the Middle Ages in honor of a Biblical king renowned for his wisdom.
Lastly, this surname can possibly be of German origin too, deriving from the Germanic personal name 'Saulo' or 'Saolo', which generally means "hall",
As with many surnames, Sauls may also have developed from a geographical location or occupation but these origins are less likely.
The multiple possible origins mean that different families with the Sauls surname might have acquired it in different ways, and thus not all Sauls families are related.
Order DNA origin analysisSauls: Where does the name Sauls come from?
Today, the surname Sauls is most likely to be found in the United States and England. In the US, the 2020 US Census found that the name Sauls was most commonly associated with the state of Georgia, where it ranked in the top 3,325 most common surnames. Although Sauls did not make the top 1,000 most common surnames in England in 2018, it did rank in the top 30,000 most common surnames.
Sauls is both a patronymic surname, indicating a family descended from the father (or other ancestor) of the same given name, as well as an occupational surname, signifying that the original bearer derived their name from the occupation of a salt seller or salter. In some cases, it may also be derived from a place name, in instances where the name may have variously been written as Sauel, Saulx, Saul, Sauly, or Sawl.
Genealogical records indicate that the first American bearer of the surname may have been William Sawson, who landed in Virginia in 1654. Records consistently show the name appearing in the US from the mid-17th-century onward; primarily in the Northern US states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and Michigan.
Today, Sauls remains a common name across many parts of the US and England. Despite its small size, the Sauls community is a diverse one, stretching across races, religions, and cultures.
Variations of the surname Sauls
The surname Sauls (also spelled as Sawls, Salls, Saus, Sols, Sawles, Sowles, and Sauss) is of Germanic origin. It is derived from the Germanic personal name "Saul", which is a Biblical name derived from the Hebrew word "sha'ul" meaning "asked for".
The various variants of the surname Sauls are found in several countries in Europe, including Germany, France, and the Netherlands. The spelling variations can be attributed to the influence of the French and Dutch languages as well as the mutually intelligible dialects that developed in the various parts of Germany.
In Germany, variants of the surname Sauls include Salz, Saels, Sauss, and Saut. In France, variations include Saulez and Saussez. In the Netherlands, the surname is spelled as Sawls and Salls. Other variants include Sols, Sawles, Sowles, and Sauss.
In the United States, many immigrants with the surname Sauls changed the spelling of their family name to the more familiar and easier to pronounce "Saul". Over time, some spelling variations are bound to arise due to incorrect spelling or misinterpretation of the original surname. The most common surnames that have derived from the Sauls surname include Solis, Salls, Salsberg, Solla, and Sallmer.
The variants of the surname Sauls reflect the international migration of people with the surname, as well as the cultural and linguistic influences of the countries where they chose to settle.
Famous people with the name Sauls
- James Robert Sauls, American mathematician.
- Michael Sauls, American professional baseball player.
- J. B Sauls, American restaurateur and culinary expert.
- Ed Sauls, American football player.
- James Sauls, American lawyer and judge.
- Robert L. Sauls, American politician.
- Matthew Sauls, American actor.
- Ray Russel Sauls, American mayor.
- S. Newton Sauls, American climatologist and author.
- Richard S. Sauls, American actor and film producer.
- William R. Sauls, Jr., American politician.
- Ann Sauls, American fencer.
- Rick Sauls, American politician.
- Richard Sauls, American musician.
- Ann S. Sauls, American accountant.
- Ronald L. Sauls, American politician.
- Joe Sauls, American television producer and writer.
- Airato Sauls, American actor and voice actor.
- Arlise Sauls, American actress.
- Martin Sauls, American professional football player.