Surname Seed - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'S'
Seed: What does the surname Seed mean?
The surname "Seed" is of Old Norse origin, initially derived from the word "sæđi" which means prosperity or success. It may have been used to denote a prosperous, fertile, or successful person. Sometimes, surnames were based on a person's occupation, it is also possible that the name could relate to someone who worked as a sower or farmer. It's also thought that it might have been used metaphorically to represent someone who was the seed (origin/or root) of their family. Like many surnames, "Seed" can have different interpretations depending on geographical location and cultural context. This surname is found in multiple countries including England, Scotland, Norway, and the Netherlands, among others.
Order DNA origin analysisSeed: Where does the name Seed come from?
The last name Seed is most common in the United Kingdom and other former British territories. This is due to the country’s long history of immigration and cultural influences. The name has Germanic and old English origins, meaning it would have become common among the Anglo-Saxon people who settled in Britain in the 5th century AD.
In the UK, the last name Seed is especially prominent in the counties of Essex, Hampshire, and Kent. The 2013 UK Census recorded 11.2 residents with the last name Seed in England and Wales, with 6.3 of them living in Essex. However, the Seed surname is still found in other countries with past British Imperial influences, such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Outside of the English–speaking world, the Seed last name is found in continental Europe, with Germany having the highest concentration. There is also a presence of the Seed name in other countries including South Africa, Italy, Argentina, and Mexico, where people may have historically immigrated from Britain or have English ancestry.
Overall, the Seed name is an extremely diverse surname that is found in many countries around the world. This indicates the long history and global influence of the old Anglo-Saxon people, who may have brought the Seed surname to new places and cultures to become an international last name.
Variations of the surname Seed
Seed is a surname with a variety of spellings and variants that all derive from the same origin.
The most common of these variants are Seeds (sometimes spelled Seede or Seedeis), Seider, Saeter, Setter, Seetter, Sader, Satter, Seiter, Cyter, Sieder, Cyder, Cuddeer, Cedor, Seyder, Saeyder, and Sedor.
The surname is of toponymic origin, derived from the Old English words "saed" meaning "willow" or "willow marsh". As a result, Seed likely originally referred to an individual who hailed from or lived near a willow marsh.
Another origin can be traced to the Scottish towns of Kingsbury and Sider near Edinburgh, which together form "Siderbury".
The various spellings are also likely to have also been influenced by Scandinavian and German dialects. In Old Norse and Dutch, "seid" and "saed" can be both mean "willow" and "place of willow".
The Seed surname is also found in geographical means, such as Seetown in England, Sedes in Bavaria, and Zeedijk in Netherlands. It is popularly found as a Jewish surname, derived from the Yiddish word "seder" meaning "salted".
The Seed surname is particularly prevalent in England and Wales, where it is the 99th most common surname in the country.
Famous people with the name Seed
- Diana Seed - an Australian public policy academic and social commentator.
- Robert Seed - an American film editor.
- John Seed - an English composer and singer.
- Julian Seed - a British scriptwriter and TV producer.
- Noble energy Seed - a UK industrial metals trader.
- William Seed - an American minister and a Senator in the Georgia House of Representatives.
- Fred Seed - an English businessman and entrepreneur.
- George Seed - an author, travel and nature photographer, and wildlife conservationist.
- Tom Seed - a British filmmaker.
- Mary Seed - an American lawyer and a member of the Massachusetts Senate.
- Diana Seed - a British barrister and writer from Shropshire.
- Jeffrey Seed - a British experimental art director.
- Maggie Seed - an American food writer.
- Anna Seed - a British artist.
- Laura Seed - an American stage, film, and TV actress.
- Larry Seed - an American architect and furniture designer.
- Vanessa Seed - an American entrepreneur and former television host.
- Ian Seed - an Australian travel writer.
- Philip Seed - an English poet and artist.
- Stephen Seed - an English barrister and royal court advocate.