Published on 10/15/2020 12:33 By Georgia Stone
Edited by | Fact-checked by
From Smith to Sakamoto to Saad, there are thousands of last names that start with ‘S’ that can tell you so much about a person.
always have their own special meanings or spiritual associations, regardless of the beginning letter. While you might know a bit about your name, you might be wondering what exactly your last name starting with ‘S’ means.
Last names that start with ‘S’ are found across dozens of countries. Celebrities such singer Harry Styles, rapper and actor Will Smith and comedian Jason Segel have all popularized last names that start with ‘S’.
Although there’s no hard definition of a “good” last name, there are many lovely and ornamental last names found in multiple cultures. We’ve done the research on one hundred surnames beginning with the letter ‘S’ and what they mean.
For more naming fun take a look at these Icelandic last names and these Hungarian last names and meanings.
British Last Names Starting With S
These surnames starting with S originate from Great Britain.
1. Sage (English origin) meaning “learned”: Surname starting with ‘S’ derived from a nickname for wise men.
2. Salmon (English origin) meaning “Solomon”: Shortened version of the given name Solomon.
3. Salt (English origin) meaning “salts”: Occupational surname for salt sellers, miners or mine owners.
4. Sandler (English origin) meaning “St. Lauto”: Name referring to St. Hilary church.
5. Sawyer (English origin) meaning “to saw”: One of several occupational surnames, this one for wood sawyers.
6. Sayer (Welsh origin) meaning “carpenter”: Occupational name for woodworkers.
7. Saylor (English origin) meaning “dancer”: This is a cute surname reserved for professional dancers and acrobats.
8. Scarborough (English origin) meaning “fortified town”: One of many regional-based last names, this one for those from North Yorkshire.
9. Scarlet (English origin) meaning “red”: Name for a merchant or tailor who made scarlet goods.
10. Scott (English and Scottish origin) meaning “Scottish”: Last name to refer to people of Scottish origins.
11. Scriven (English origin) meaning “scribe”: Occupational name for writers, scribes and clerks.
12. Sealey (English and Welsh origin) meaning “Solomon”: Translated from the medieval Welsh name Selyf.
13. Seeley (English origin) meaning “happy”: Derived from a nickname of the same name and meaning.
14. Selman (English origin) meaning “fortunate”: Last name derived from the nickname “seely man” of the same meaning.
15. Shaw (English origin) meaning “thicket”: One of several geographical last names, referring to thicketed, grovelike areas.
16. Simmons (English origin) meaning “victory”: From the given name “Simon” or “Simund” of the same meaning.
17. Simpson (English origin) meaning “settlement”: Surname for those hailing from Devon.
18. Slade (English origin) meaning “small valley”: Name for those families who lived by or near small valleys.
19. Sleeman (English origin) meaning “sly”: Alternative spelling of the phrase “sly man”.
20. Smart (English, Welsh and Scottish origin) meaning “prompt”: From the nickname of the same meaning.
21. Smith (English origin) meaning “to hammer”: Common occupational name for metalworkers.
22. Snape (English origin) meaning “bog”: Geographical name for people from boggy areas.
23. Sole (English origin) meaning “mud-filled place”: Geographical name for people from muddy areas.
24. Solomon (Jewish and western European origin) meaning “peace”: Biblical name referring to King David’s successor.
25. Sommer (English and Irish origin) meaning “summer”: One of many geographical names, this one for families from sunny areas.
26. Speller (English and German origin) meaning “to tell”: Occupational surname for professional reciters.
27. Staines (English origin) meaning “stones”: Regional name for those from western London.
28. Stanley (English origin) meaning “stone clearing”: One of several topographical last names historically used throughout England.
29. Staple (English origin) meaning “post”: Geographical name for someone who lived by a boundary post.
30. Stark (English and Scottish origin) meaning “firm”: From the nickname “Stark” of the same meaning.
31. Starr (English origin) meaning “star”: From the nickname “Starr”, for someone with graying hair.
32. Start (English origin) meaning “tail”: Regional name, used throughout England.
33. Steele (English and Scottish origin) meaning “steel”: Occupational last name for those who worked in a foundry.
34. Stewart (Scottish origin) meaning “guardian of the household”: Occupational surname for estate managers.
35. Stiles (English origin) meaning “steep pathway”: Geographical last name for those from steep areas.
36. Stone (English origin) meaning “stony area”: Geographical name for families from rocky, stony areas.
Western European Last Names Starting With S
These last names starting with ‘S’ come from throughout western Europe.
37. Saari (Finnish origin) meaning “island”: Topographical surname for those on smaller landmasses.
38. Safstrom (Swedish origin) meaning “rushing river”: One of many ornamental last names for those of Swedish descent.
39. Sain (French origin) meaning “grease (dripping)”: Surname reserved for butchers, most notably pork butchers.
40. Salle (French origin) meaning “hall”: Occupational name for a manor employee.
41. Salo (Finnish origin) meaning “forest”: Topography-based last name.
42. Scally (Irish origin) meaning “scholar”: One of many Gaelic last names, this derived from Mac Scalaidhe.
43. School (Dutch origin) meaning “school”: One of multiple education-based surnames starting with ‘S’.
44. Schuyler (Dutch origin) meaning “scholar”: Dutch variant of the German name “Schuler”.
45. Smit (Dutch origin) meaning “smith”: Dutch variant of the surname for metalworkers.
46. Snare (Norwegian origin) meaning “thicket”: Geographical last name for families from thicketed areas.
47. Snyder (Dutch origin) meaning “to cut”: Surname for tailors and clothing makers.
48. St. Claire (French origin) meaning “Sainte Claire”: Surname for residents of a region related to St. Claire.
49. Sullivan (Irish origin) meaning “dark eyes”: Translated name of the surname “Suilebhain”.
50. Svensson (Swedish origin) meaning “son of Sven”: Surname to mark descendants.
51. Sweeney (Irish origin) meaning “pleasant”: From the Gaelic name “Mac Suibhne”.
German Last Names Starting With S
These surnames starting with S come from various regions of Germany.
52. Salm (German origin) meaning “salmon: Last name for fishermen.
53. Schafer (German origin) meaning “shepherd”: One of many occupational surnames starting with the letter ‘S’.
54. Schmidt (German and Ashkenazi Jewish origin) meaning “smith”: The German/Jewish cousin to the name “Smith”.
55. Schroder (German origin) meaning “to cut”: One of two occupational surnames starting with ‘S’ for tailors.
56. Schneider (German origin) meaning “cutter”: Occupational last name for a tailor or woodcutter.
57. Seidler (German and Jewish origin) meaning “silk”: Surname referring to silk weavers.
58. Semler (German and Jewish origin) meaning “white bread roll”: Last name for bakers who worked with high quality ingredients.
59. Simmer (German origin) meaning “carpenter”: Surname for woodworkers.
60. Stalder (German origin) meaning “steep slope”: Geographical name for families who lived by slopes.
61. Staller (German origin) meaning “seat”: Name beginning with ‘S’ for cattle herders.
62. Stauder (German origin) meaning “thicket”: Geographical last name for those from thicketed areas.
63. Stave (German origin) meaning “staff”: Occupational surname for office-holders.
64. Stier (German, Dutch and Jewish origin) meaning “bull”: Last name for bull herders.
65. Stiller (German origin) meaning “Still, Alsace”: Regional name referring to an area in Alsace, Germany.
66. Stober (German origin) meaning “fighter”: Surname for those who bred/handled hunting dogs.
67. Stover (German origin) meaning “bather”: Occupational last name for bathhouse employees.
68. Stuber (German origin) meaning “heatable room”: Last name for innkeepers or tavern owners.
Italian Last Names That Start With S
These names are Italian last names starting with ‘S’, from various regions across the country.
69. Saracco (Italian origin) meaning “grass”: Occupational surname for grassweavers and mat-makers.
70. Sarno (Italian origin) meaning “Sarno river”: One of multiple regional surnames, this one for those from Sarno.
71. Savona (Italian origin) meaning “of Savo”: Regional surname for those from Savo.
72. Scarpa (Italian origin) meaning “shoemaker”: Surname for those who made shoes.
Asian Last Names Starting With S
These last names that start with ‘S’ hail from Middle Eastern and western Asian regions.
73. Saad (Muslim origin) meaning “good fortune”: Often used as a prefix to form other Islamic names.
74. Sabah (Middle Eastern origin) meaning “morning”: Direct translation of the Arabic word for “morning”.
75. Saito (Japanese origin) meaning “wisteria flower”: This family name with ‘S’ is connected to the Fujiwara clan.
76. Sakamoto (Japanese origin) meaning “of the slope”: One of many geographical last names that start with ‘S’, for families living at slope bases.
77. Saladin (Muslim origin) meaning “righteousness of religion”: Historical name referring to Egyptian sultan Yusuf ibn-Ayyub.
78. Samad (Muslim origin) meaning “servant of Allah”: Surname version of the given name “Samad”.
79. Suzuki (Japanese origin) meaning “bell tree”: Geographical surname referring to susuki pampas grass.
80. Shirazi (Iranian origin) meaning “from Shiraz”: Location-based name referring to a native of Shiraz.
81. So (Korean origin) meaning “awake”: Korean version of the historical Chinese surname “Su”.
82. Song (Chinese origin) meaning “Song dynasty”: One of many historical surnames starting with ‘S’.
Latin And Central European Last Names Starting With S
Many of these last names that start with S have Latino roots.
83. Sagan (Polish origin) meaning “pot/pan maker”: A regional name, referring to Zagan in western Poland.
84. Salada (Catalan origin) meaning “to salt”: One of multiple regional last names, referring to Salada City.
85. Salazar (Spanish origin) meaning “old hall”: Name referring to a location in Burgos, Spain.
86. Salcedo (Spanish origin) meaning “willow”: Name for families close to willow trees.
87. Salvador (Spanish origin) meaning “Savior”: Derived from the Spanish given name of the same meaning.
88. Samaras (Greek origin) meaning “saddle maker”: One of many occupational surnames, this one for saddle makers.
89. Sanchez (Spanish origin) meaning “son of Sancho”: Surname to mark descendants, perhaps referring to St. Sancho of Cordoba.
90. Santiago (Spanish origin) meaning “St. James”: Location-based name referring to numerous cities in Latin America.
91. Sasek (Czeck and Slovakian origin) meaning “fool”: Surname beginning with the letter ‘S’ found in both the Czeck Republic and Slovakia.
92. Scheinberg (Jewish origin) meaning “beautiful mountain”: One of few Jewish ornamental surnames starting with the letter ‘S’.
93. Segal (Jewish origin) meaning “assistant Levite”: This is derived from the Hebrew title “SeGan Levia”.
94. Skala (Czech origin) meaning “rock”: For those from rocky areas.
95. Sol (Spanish and Portuguese origin) meaning “sun”: This cute last name is derived from the nickname of the same meaning.
96. Solis (Spanish origin) meaning “delight”: Location-based name referring to Spain’s Asturias region.
97. Soto (Spanish origin) meaning “small forest”: Geographical surname for someone who lives by a grove.
98. Stare (Slovenian origin) meaning “old”: Derived from the title “star”, given to show seniority.
99. Szabo (Hungarian origin) meaning “tailor”: Occupational name for professional tailors.
100. Szanto (Hungarian origin) meaning “to plow”: Surname for tillers and plow workers.
has lots of great name articles to inspire you. If you liked our suggestions for surnames beginning with S then take a look at these Ukrainian surnames, or for something different take a look at these Viking surnames.
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