Saunders

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A surname of English origin, often associated with notable individuals or families
2. A reference to various places, such as towns or geographical locations named after the family
3. A name that may often be found in literature, history, or popular culture representing heritage or lineage

Etymology: Before it was a surname, this form named a timber. Middle English "saundres" referred to sandalwood, the fragrant, reddish wood, and the same name appears in the older sense of red sandal. The sandalwood sense came into English from the medieval trade in Eastern wood, so the word's earliest meaning was a commodity, not a person. The surname is a different line. It descends from the personal name Alexander through the short form "Sander," which in medieval England became "Saunder." Families who took it as a surname were, in effect, carrying a form of the name Alexander. That explains why the name looks like a family name in so many records, and why it is easy to mistake for a surname that comes from a place or trade.