Samuels

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family name of English origin, derived from the given name Samuel and borne by many people across the English-speaking world
2. A surname that comes from the personal name Samuel, meaning those who share that family line or bear that last name
3. The plural form of the given name Samuel, or a common surname passed down from the first name Samuel in many families

Etymology: Samuels is the plural or possessive form of the surname Samuel, and its meaning comes entirely from that name. The name Samuel comes from the Hebrew name Shemu'el, a figure of the Hebrew Bible, the prophet who anointed Saul and David as kings of Israel. The English "-s" ending is an ancient marker of possession and plurality that has descended from Proto-Germanic "-as" through Old English "-es" and Middle English "-es" to its present form. So "Samuels" simply means "of Samuel" or "the family of Samuel," which is how the surname arose.