Surname Sullivant - Meaning and Origin

Sullivant: What does the surname Sullivant mean?

The surname Sullivant is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Súilleabháin, which means "descendant of Súilleabhán." The personal name Súilleabhán is a diminutive form of the word 'súil,' meaning 'eye', to which the affectionate diminutive 'án' has been added. Hence, the name is often understood to mean ‘little dark-eyed one’. Like many Irish surnames, it emerged during the Medieval period and initially served the purpose of identifying a particular lineage. It is assumed that the surname was initially patronymic, which meant the first person to bear this surname was likely the son of a man named Súilleabhán. Over the centuries, various anglicised versions of the name have come into existence, such as Sullivan, Sullavan, and Silliphant, among others. The surname is common today in Ireland as well as in countries of the Irish diaspora such as the United States, Britain, Australia, and Canada.

Sullivant: Where does the name Sullivant come from?

The last name Sullivant is an English surname of patronymic origin, derived from a diminutive of the given name Sullivan. It is thought to have originated in England in the early Middle Ages. The surname is still very common today, with considerable numbers of people in the United States having the surname.

According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2018 over 6,000 people in the United States bore the surname Sullivant. In the 1880 federal census taken in the United States, Sullivant was the 782nd most common name, suggesting its increasing presence in the US since then.

The major clusters of people with the last name Sullivant today are found in the Midwestern United States, particularly Ohio and Indiana. In Ohio, the highest concentration of the name can be found in Franklin and Summit Counties. In Indiana the highest concentration can be found in Boone, Hendricks and Montgomery Counties.

The surname can also be found throughout the United States, with smaller clusters being found in California, New York, Texas, and Washington among other states.

The name Sullivant is also found in other English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as other regions of the world.

Variations of the surname Sullivant

The surname Sullivant is an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname 'O'Sullivan', which dates back to 10th century Ireland.The Anglicization of the name occurred in the 19th century, and the variants of the name that emerged in response to this were Sulivan, Sullivan, O'Sullivan and Sullivant.

Spellings of the name include Sullavan, Sulavon, Sullivane, Sulliven, and Sullevan. All of these variants are variations of the same surname and all ultimately derived from the Celtic version, 'O'Sullivan'.

Surnames of similar origin which have connections to the Sullivan name, often mean 'son of Sullivan', and include Sullenger, Sullins, Silliman, Silliman, Sullivan-Brown, Silliny, Sodervant, and Soullant. Each of these surnames can trace its heritage back to some variation of the same 'O'Sullivan' root name.

In the United States, many early settlers with the surname O'Sullivan Anglicized it to Sullivan, but some chose to remain with the original form, Sullivant. This variant remains popular today, particularly in the Midwest region of the US, with several notable individuals bearing the Sullivant name, such as artist William Sullivant, Senator W.S. Sullivant, and politician Richard Sullivant.

The origin of the name Sullivant or Sullivan is ultimately derived from the historic Irish 'O'Sullivan' Clan, and the various forms the name has taken on over time illustrate its diverse reach. Although the original form is rarely used in modern times, the Sullivant or Sullivan surnames continue to spread across the United States and beyond, making it one of the most widely used Irish surnames.

Famous people with the name Sullivant

• Zach Sullivant: Pro soccer player
• Sean Sullivant: Professional golfer
• Graig Sullivant: Co–Founder of Blaze Pizza
• Kelly Sullivant: Professional triathlete
• Lauren Sullivant: Contemporary artist
• Chelsea Sullivant: Champion competitive shooter
• Stephanie Sullivant: Professional snowboarder
• JT Sullivant: Professional instagram entertainer and vlogger
• Trever Sullivant: Professional American football player
• Shannon Sullivant: Professional make-up artist
• Sarah Sullivant: Professional actress
• Tyler Sullivant: Professional stuntman
• Thomas Sullivant: Professional pilot
• Payton Sullivant: Professional Formula 1 driver
• Jack Sullivant: Professional music producer
• Bill Sullivant: Professional stock car racer
• Jesse Sullivant: Professional underwater photographer
• Darren Sullivant: Professional drifter
• Nathan Sullivant: Professional mixed martial arts fighter
• Nick Sullivant: Professional skateboarder

Other surnames

Sullivan