Surname Sammes - Meaning and Origin

Sammes: What does the surname Sammes mean?

The surname Sammes is of English origin and is believed to have originated in the county of Devon. It is an occupational surname, designating people who worked in the production of sammes, which were a type of coarse linen widely used in the 16th century. This linen was used for many purposes, such as sails for ships, linen for clothing, and also for shrouds (burial cloths).

Various spellings of the name Sammes are used, including Samm, Sammme, Sames, and Sam. It could be derived from the Old English term ‘sama’, meaning ‘even’. This could relate to the evenness of the grain of the coarse linen. It is also possible that the name Sammes is a variant of Samuel, or a variation on the French name ‘Samme’, meaning ‘the same’.

The surname first appears in records during the late 15th century in Devon. Some examples of people bearing the surname at that time include Richard Sam, Thomas Sammes, and William Cay Sammes.

People with the surname Sammes have since spread around the world, with the largest concentrations now probably being in Australia and America. Some notable people who have the surname Sammes include the World War One flying ace Major Cecil Howard Sammes, the Australian army officer and engineer Philip Sammes, and the American TV producer Chris Sammes.

Overall, the surname Sammes is an occupational surname originating in England, referring to those who worked in the production of sammes linen. Its spread around the world and various spellings of the name denote how people from all backgrounds have come to bear the name.

Sammes: Where does the name Sammes come from?

The last name Sammes is most commonly found in the area of the United Kingdom, particularly Surrey and Kent counties (as well as in some other parts of southeastern England). It is also present in parts of Australia, primarily in the state of Victoria.

The earliest record of a Sammes family is found in the records of Leicestershire in 1273, at which time they were known as de Same. The surname is thought to have eventually evolved into its current spelling, with de Same and de Sammes being used interchangeably in some places for several centuries.

The Sammes surname seemed to gain some prominence during the 16th century, as it was found written in court documents, on land titles, and appearing in the records of ecclesiastical organizations. At this time it was still mostly found in Leicestershire and its neighboring counties, but may have also been used by some families who had recently fled the religious persecution found in the rest of Europe.

Today, the last name Sammes is found primarily throughout the UK and Australia, but is also present in small numbers in the United States and Canada. Notable members of this family include the British planner and architect Pat Sammes, and the Australian tennis player Christian Sammes.

Variations of the surname Sammes

The surname Sammes is an ancient British name with several variants and spellings, as well as related names derived from the same origin.

Variants of Sammes could include Samase, Sames, Samis, Sames, Samas, Samaeus, Samasse, Samasius, Samass, and Saminus. Spellings of Sammes could include Sams, Sam, and Sames.

Related surnames may include Sarm, Sarmy, Salms, Sallis, Salms, Salmes, Salmis, and Salcey. These all share the same Old English root word “saelm”, which means “boundary” or “boundary marker”. In other words, the ancestors who bore this name lived in a region where boundaries were important.

The first recorded spelling of Sammes is found in the 11th century 'The Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire'. Early forms of the name were written in Latin and Anglo-Norman, with many spellings that dated back to the 11th Century.

Throughout history, the variant spellings of Sammes, as well as the related surnames, have been found in various regions of England, including Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Dorset, Warwickshire, Devon, and Somerset. Variations of the name have also been found in other regions of Britain, and over time, some of these adopted versions of the original surname. For example, in Scotland, surnames such as Sams, Samose, and Samm may be derived from the original Sammes.

Today, Sammes is still an common surname in Britain, though modern-day spellings may include Sams, Sam, and Sames. The related surnames Sarm, Sarmy, Salms, Sallis, Salms, Salmes, Salmis, and Salcey are found throughout Britain and its regions.

Famous people with the name Sammes

• Sienna Sammes-Smit: English Child actress
• Rory Sammes: English Actor
• Alexandra Sammes: British Liberty Bell singer
• Charles Sammes: British Army Officer and Historian
• Steven Sammes: British Footballer
• Mark Sammes: British Comedian
• John Sammes: American Tennis Player
• David Sammes: British Composer
• Christine Sammes: British Painter and Writer
• David Sammes Smith: British Actor
• Marc Sammes: British Actor
• Martin Sammes: British Actor
• Matthew Sammes: British Military Historian
• Edward Sammes: American Television Producer
• Annmarie Sammes: British Corporate Lawyer
• Joseph Sammes: Welsh Actor
• Kenneth Sammes: British Civil Engineer
• Henry Sammes: British Actor
• Peter Sammes: Australian Singer
• Michael Sammes: British Musician

Other surnames

SammerSammetSammethSammett