Surname Suerland - Meaning and Origin
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Suerland: What does the surname Suerland mean?
The surname Suerland is a topographical name which originates from a place name in Germany. It is a derivative of the Old English words sūth, meaning south, and land, meaning land, so it literally means 'southern land'.
This surname is believed to have originated in the medieval period, when people would often take the name of the area in which they lived or their occupation. It was common practice to adjust the spelling of a place name to suit the family’s particular dialect. As a result, the spelling of this surname varied, with variations including Surland, Sourland, Sureland and Suerland being found.
The Suerland surname is quite uncommon, however there are records dating back to the 1600s of its presence in Germany. The earliest records of the surname are found on the Ernsthafte Christen Pflichtmässigkeit, a Lutheran congregation register dating from 1561-1771 in Wurttemberg, Germany.
As a topographical surname, it is likely that those who bear the Suerland surname were either originally from, or descended from someone from, the area of 'southern land', although the exact location of this place is yet to be determined. Through the distribution of records across different parts of Germany, it can be guessed at that those bearing the Suerland surname may have originated in the southern parts of Germany, including cities such as Munich and Berlin.
Overall, the surnamed Suerland is likely to tell the story of a family which originally lived in an area of southern land, which although the exact location remains unknown, is believed to have been somewhere in German-speaking parts of Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisSuerland: Where does the name Suerland come from?
The surname Suerland is most commonly found today in Scandinavia. Specifically, it is most heavily concentrated in Norway, where it ranks 53rd among the most common surnames. It is also found in Sweden, where it ranks 108th, and in Denmark, where it ranks 326th. The relative rarity of the surname in other countries suggests that its origin and prevalence lies in this region.
It is thought that the surname Suerland is of Scandinavian origin; derived from the medieval name “Sverland” or “Sværland”, which originally described a geographical area. It is likely that the settlement of this area by Vikings, who belonged to the same patronym, led to the adoption of the surname.
The name is found most commonly in northwestern Norway, especially in the county of Nordland, as well as in the southern part of Norway, especially in the county of Akershus. It is also found in scattered areas of southern Sweden, as well as in some parts of northern Denmark.
In recent years, the name Suerland has seen an increase in popularity in all Scandinavian countries. This reflects the considerable regional mobility across the region, as well as increased contact with the Americas and Australasia; resulting in a greater spread of the name.
Variations of the surname Suerland
The surname Suerland has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. Some of these are Suerlandt, Suerlan, Suerlant, Soerland, Soerlant, Suerlent, Suerlt, Soerlt, Suerlant, Surland, Surlant, Surlt and Soerlandt.
The original spelling of the surname is Suerlant, which is derived from the Germanic personal name Suligram or Sulgeram. In Dutch, this name was shortened to Sulant, and then to Suerlant in other countries. It is thought to be derived from the personal name Sul (or Suol) with the suffix “-gram” or “-geram”, meaning “household”.
Early records of the surname Suerland appear in the Middle Ages. An early record includes a Hugo Suerlan, born around 1279 in Rotterdam. The first ancestor of the Suerland family appears to have been a Gerhard Suerland, born in the early 14th century, who was the father of Roelof Suerland, born in 1345.
Over the years, the spelling of Suerland changed as people moved to new locations. In some areas, the name was simplified to Suerlan or Suerlant, while in other countries it was changed to Soerlan or Soerlant. The surname Suerlt appeared in some documents in Germany in the 15th century, and in the Netherlands the name Suerlandt began to be used. The variant Surland is thought to have originated in Scotland.
The variations of the surname Suerland are still common today. People with the surname Suerland or its variants can be found in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Scotland and the United States.
Famous people with the name Suerland
- Oscar Sundland: Norwegian singer and composer
- Johan Sundland: Swiss politician and environmental activist
- Matt Sundland: American actor and comedian
- Phil Sundland: British radio producer
- Maria Sundland: Norwegian TV presenter and actress
- Ryan Sundland: Swedish hockey player
- Renee Sundland: Australian actress
- Sven Sundland: Swedish musician and producer
- Jess Sundland: English singer-songwriter
- Ewan Sundland: Scottish jazz musician