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120 Common Last Names That Start With S, With Meanings





Do you know that each last name in the world has a meaning and a story behind it? These names tell a story of a family– ancestors, origin, occupation in the olden times, and a lot more! While some names are habitational, others are geographical or occupational.

Here are some last names that start with ‘S’ from across the world.

Common Last Names Starting With S, In Different Origins

Italian Last Names that start with S

1. Sabina

This surname is originated from the Old French masculine name ‘Sabin’ or feminine ‘Sabine’. These words are derived from the Latin words ‘Sabinus’ or ‘Sabina’, meaning a member of the Sabine tribe.

2. Saccone

The surname ‘Saccone’ is derived from an old Tuscan name ‘Saccus’ or ‘Sacco,meaning ‘a sac’. This surname was given to those who made sacks and bags as their occupation. The surname ‘Saccone’ seems to have evolved from the word ‘Sacco’ in the Salerno province of Italy.

3. Saggio

Saggio is an Italian surname that means ‘wise’ and ‘learned’.It was derived from the Latin word ‘Sagax’ meaning ‘sharp’.

4. Sala

Sala or Salas are both different variations of the same last name. These last names are derived from the word ‘Sal’, which means ‘building’.

5. Saladino

The last name Saladino has unusual Muslim origins and has different forms and meanings in French and Italian. The meaning of this surname is ‘to open conjecture’. Famous personalities with this surname include Gaspar Saladino and Irving Saladino, among others.

6. Sanna

This common Italian surname means ‘Lily’.

7. Santoro

Italy has had its own share of saints, also depicted in the many prized artworks by known artists like Leonardo da Vinci and others. The last name ‘Santoro’ is named after feasts and saints and means ‘feast of all the saints’.

8. Sartori

Sartori is derived from the word ‘Sartos’, which means ‘tailor’. This is another occupational surname that is popular in Italy.

9. Scotti

This is an Italian last name beginning with ‘S’. ‘Scotti’ was the last name given to people coming to Italy from Scotland. ‘Scotto’ is a variation of this last name.

10. Segreto

Translating to ‘confidant’ in Italian, the last name ‘Segreto’ has its origins in the Latin word ‘secretum’, which means ‘a hidden place’. This surname was given to secret couriers and spies.

11. Serra

Also used as a first name, this common Italian last name means ‘ridge or a chain of hills’.

12. Sica

This last name means ‘victory’ and originates from the word ‘Sigi’.

Check out other popular Italian surnames here!

Greek Last Names Starting With S

13. Sacca

A surname similar to the Italian surname ‘Saccone’, Sacca is the occupational name given to the ‘maker and seller of sacks’.

14. Salamon

Also called ‘Solomon’,it is a popular first name and last name. This surname is derived from the ‘Son of Solomon’, an ancestor of the Greeks.

15. Samaras

This is an occupation-based surname that means ‘saddle maker’.

16. Sarris

This Greek surname has a Turkish origin and means ‘blonde’ or ‘light or fair-haired’.

17. Savas

This Greek last name originates from the word ‘Sabbath’ or Saturday and is taken from the Greek version of the holy ‘Sabbath’.

18. Scala

A surname that has its roots in Italy, Scala is a common Greek surname that means ‘ladder’, ‘steps’, or stairway.

19. Selinofoto

This is a Greek last name thatmeans ‘moonlight’.

20. Servopoulos

‘Opoulos’ is common in Greek last names and means ‘descendant of’. The last name ‘Servopoulos’ means a ‘descendent of a Serb’.

21 Sideris

This Greek surname has a rather interesting connection to the metal iron. ‘Sideris’ originates from the Greek word ‘iron’ and is infact, a wishful phrase used in Greek that translates to ‘may a child grow as strong as iron’.

22. Sotiropoulos

This surname is originated from the Greek first name Soterios and is derived from the Latin word for ‘nestling’ or ‘chick’.

23. Stefanopoulos

This Greek surname means a ‘son or descendent of Stefano’.

Check out more traditional and popular Greek last names in this article!

Irish Last Names Starting With S

24. Saar

Though this surname has multiple meanings from different origins, this surname translates to ‘The son of Sayer’ in Ireland.

25. Sack

The last name ‘Sack’ is now commonly found in both Britain and Ireland. But did you know the name has an Irish descent? It is derived from the French word ‘Sage’ and was used to denote the ‘wise’.

26. Saddler

Saddler is an occupational surname among the Irish. It was given to anyone who made saddles back in ancient times.

27. Salt

Irish with ‘Salt’ as their last name have their family roots in Medieval England. The surname came about due to the geographical location called ‘Of Salt’, a township in the parish of St. Mary and St. Chad.

28. Samson

Translating to ‘the Son of Samson,’ this last name is also found in many medieval manuscripts in Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales.

29. Samuel

The last name ‘Samuel’ in Ireland is originated from Medieval English and Hebrew texts introduced by Crusaders in the 12th century. The name means ‘the name of God’.

30. Scully

Scully is a common Irish surname and is the anglicized and shortened form of ‘O Scolaidhe’, which means a ‘descendent of a scholar’.

31. Sheehy

It is an anglicized version of ‘Sitheach’ which means ‘peaceful’ in Gaelic. Sheehy is a common Irish last name that also means ‘mysterious’.

32. Sheeran

Do you know that the famous singer Ed Sheeran has Irish roots? Well, the last name Sheeran is derived from ‘O Sheeran’, or the anglicized ‘O Sirin’ meaning ‘descendant of Sirin or Sioran’. The word ‘Sioran’ also means ‘long-lasting’.

33. Sloan

Are you a fan of Grey’s Anatomy? Then you must have surely heard of the surname ‘Sloan’. This last name is an anglicized form of ‘Sluaghadhan’, an old Irish word for ‘raid’.

34. Sullivan

Do you know that Sullivan from the Frost & Sullivan group has Irish origins? Well, the last name ‘Sullivan’ is an anglicized form of ‘O Suileabhain’, which means ‘descendant of Suileabhan’.

Find these Irish last names amusing? Check out our list of popular last names here!

Polish Last Names Beginning With S

35. Sadowski

This surname from denotes a person who belongs to the Sadowice or Sadowo province in the country. The word ‘Sadowski’ means ‘sad’ or ‘garden’ in Polish.

36. Serafin

This Polish last name is derived from ‘serafim’, which means ‘fiery ones’ in Hebrew. Thus, the name has a Biblical origin.

37. Sikora

Sikora is a Polish last name which is a nickname for a small, dark person. It translates to ‘titmouse’, a small bird.

38. Sitko

The Polish last name ‘Sitko’ is derived from the word ‘sito’, which translates to ‘a fine sieve’.

39. Skala

This surname is originated in Poland and was earlier used to refer to someone who lived around a prominent rock. Interestingly, the word ‘Skala’ means ‘rock’.

40. Slusarki

Poland has plenty of occupational last names. One among them is Slusarski, which is used to refer to locksmiths. This name is derived from the word ‘Slusarz’, meaning ‘locksmith’.

41. Smolak

Another occupational Polish last name, ‘Smolak’ means ‘pitch’ and is derived from ‘Smola’. It is a name given to a person who is a ‘distiller of a pitch’.

42. Sneigowski

Derived from the word ‘Sneig’ meaning ‘snow’, Sneigowski is a surname given to those who live around snow.

43. Sobol

Sobol is a Polish last name that was given to a fur trader. It is derived from the word ‘sobol’, a type of Marten (a wild animal).

44. Sokolowski

The last name Sokolowski is derived from the word ‘Sokol’,and means ‘falcon’. This name was given to those who belonged to any of the different places in the Sokolow province in Poland.

45. Sowka

This last name is unique and is derived from the Polish word for owl ‘sowa’.

46. Starek

The name Starek was earlier a nickname and has developed into a surname over the years. It is derived from the word ‘stary’, which means ‘old’.

47. Starowsta

This surname is derived from the Polish word meaning ‘leader’.

Explore more Polish last names in this article.

Spanish Last Names That Start With S

48. Salas

Salas is a Spanish last name for someone who works at a manor house. It is a plural of the word ‘sala’.

49. Salazar

A common Spanish last name, Salazar is derived from the combination of ‘Sala’ meaning ‘hall’ and ‘Zahar’ meaning ‘old’. Therefore, the word ‘Salazar’ means an ‘old hall’. It is also used to refer to people who were originally from the town of Salazar in Spain.

50. Salvador

This last name is derived from the Latin word ‘Salvator’, meaning ‘savior’.

51. Sanchez

A very common Spanish last name found across the world. ‘Sanchez’ means the ‘Son of Sancho’. The word ‘Sancho’ is derived from the Latin word ‘Sanctius’, meaning ‘holy’ or ‘saintly’.

52. Santana

Santana is a combined form of the name ‘Saint Anna’. It is the last name for people who live near the church of St. Anna.

53. Santiago

This last name is derived from the name ‘Saint James’. The surname is said to have been given to people who lived near and around the church of St. James.

54. Serrano

‘Serrano’ means a ‘series of mountains’, and this last name was given to people who lived close to a mountain ridge or a chain of hills.

55. Sevilla

This last name was given to people who lived in the city of Seville in Spain.

56. Solano

This last name is given to people who belonged to Solano in Spain. It is derived from the word ‘Sol’ meaning ‘Sun’ in Spanish.

57. Sosa

This Spanish last name is derived from the Latin word ‘salsus’, meaning ‘salty’. The surname was given to people who lived near the river Sousa.

58. Sotomayor

This Spanish surname is originated among people who lived in villages surrounded by forests or groves.

Found these Spanish names interesting? Here are a few more popular Spanish last names!

German Last Names Starting With S

59. Schafer

This popular German surname is derived from the word ‘Schafer’, which means shepherd in German.

60. Schmidt

This German last name is derived from the German word for ‘smith’, and was given to a blacksmith.

61. Schroder

Schroder is an occupational German last name for a tailor. The word ‘Shroder’ translates to ‘to cut’.

62. Schneider

Another occupational last name found among people of German origin, Schneider is used for a tailor or a woodcutter.

63. Stauder

This is a toponymic German last name given to someone who belongs to a thicketed area.

64. Schoff

This last name is derived from the German word ‘Schoup’ meaning ‘sheaf of grains’, and was given to an individual who was a brewer by occupation. Some people believe that the origin of this last name is from the word ‘Scheffe’, which means ‘juror’.

65. Schwing

Derived from the word ‘Swingen’ meaning ‘swing’ or ‘swingle’ in German, this last name was given to someone who removes the fiber from the flax plant using a wooden instrument called a swingle.

66. Schwein

An occupational name in German, ‘Schwein’ is the last name given to someone who rears and tends to swine and hogs.

67. Steuber

This common German last name is derived from ‘Stuba’, which means ‘room’ in German. You will be surprised to know that this is an occupational surname given to someone who owns a tavern, inn, or accommodation for travelers.

Check out a few more popular German last names here!

Jewish Last Names Starting With S

68. Sachs

This is a common Toponymic Jewish surname given to people who belonged to Saxony in Germany. The word ‘Sachs’ is derived from ‘sahs’, which means ‘knife’ or ‘small sword’ in Old German.

69. Sackman

A popular surname among Jews, ‘Sackman’ is derived from the word ‘Sack’, meaning ‘seed of the holy’.

70. Sandler

Did you know Adam Sandler was Jewish? The last name ‘Sandler’ is derived from the word ‘sandler’, which means ‘shoemaker’. People with this last name had ancestors who were cobblers.

71. Sas

This is a Jewish surname adopted by people who wrote the religious texts of the Jews.

72.Sasson

Sasson is a Jewish surname derived from ‘Sason’ meaning ‘joy’ or ‘happiness’ in Hebrew.

73. Schatzman

The word ‘Schatz’ in German means ‘treasure’. This last name translates to ‘Treasure man’.

74. Schapiro

A variant of another Jewish last name ‘Shapiro’, ‘Schapiro’ is a toponymic name for the Jews who lived in Speyer, a city in Germany.

75. Shulman

This last name is derived from the word ‘shul’ meaning ‘synagogue’. This Jewish last name was adopted by people from the Shamash family line, who were caretakers of a synagogue.

76. Spiegelberg

This last name is not toponymic or occupational but an ornamental one. ‘Spiegelberg’ literally translates to ‘mirror mountain’.

77. Sternbach

This Jewish surname is derived from the German words ‘Stern’ meaning ‘star’ and ‘bach’, meaning ‘stream’.

78. Stillman

Though it was a nickname, this Jewish surname also has a German origin. It is derived from ‘still’, meaning ‘quiet’ and ‘mann’, meaning ‘man’.

Also check out these traditional Jewish last names.

Japanese Last Names Starting With S

79. Sato

One of the most common surnames found in Northeastern Japan, ‘Sato’ is derived from the words ‘Sa’, a bureaucratic title, and ‘To’ a Japanese character for Fuji. The word ‘To’ connects people with this surname to the Fujiwara Clan. There are many variations of this surname, including ‘Saitou’, ‘Saitoh’ and ‘Saito’.

80. Sakai

In Japanese, the language is predominantly character-based. The Japanese character ‘Sake’ is ‘rice wine’ and also means ‘well’. There are quite a few popular personalities with this surname, including Kiyoshi Sakai and Maki Sakai.

81. Sakaguchi

This Japanese surname is found in Western Japan and means ‘the one who lives on the slope’.

82. Sakamaki

This ancient Japanese last name is a combination of the words ‘Saka’ meaning ‘slope’, ‘incline’ or ‘hill’ and ‘Maki’ meaning ‘shepherd’, ‘feed’ or ‘pasture.

83. Sakurai

Sakurai translates to ‘cherry blossomed well’ and is commonly found in the eastern part of Japan.

84. Sano

‘Sano’ in Japanese means ‘small field’, many of which are found across Japan.

85. Sasaki

The letter ‘Sa’ means ‘help’ and ‘ki’ means ’tree’. This surname is also popular in the Northeastern parts of Japan.

86. Shibata

This last name has two meanings as per Japanese pronunciation. While one name means ‘rice paddy’ and belongs to the Tachibana family, the other name means ‘brushwood’ found on the island of Kyushu.

87. Shima

This Japanese last name means ‘island’ and is mostly found in the Kyoto-Osaka area of Japan.

88. Sone

This surname is common in the Eastern parts of Japan and on the Ryuku Islands. ‘Sone’ means ‘former’ or ‘ancestor’ in Japanese.

89. Sugimoto

This surname is found among the descendants of Miura and Ishii families. Sugimoto means ‘the one who lives beneath the cedars’ and refers to a village near Kamakura.

90. Suzuki

This famous Japanese surname means ‘bell tree’ and is derived from the pampas grass called ‘Susuki’ found in Japan. Interestingly, this is the second-most common surname in Japan.

Here are a few more popular Japanese last names you might have heard of!

French Last Names Starting With S

91. Sale

Sale in French means ‘salty’. This surname is believed to have given to those who lived near or worked in a salty marsh.

92. Sartre

This French surname has an occupational origin. It was given to people who sewed clothes as it is said to have been derived from the Latin word ‘Sartor’ meaning ‘tailor’.

93. Sauveterre

This surname has two parts– ‘sauve’, which means ‘safe’ and ‘terre’, which means ‘land’.

94. Schaeffer

Though a common French surname, Schaeffer has its roots in Germany. It is derived from ‘schafaerre’, meaning ‘manager’ or the ‘head of the household’.

95. Segal

Segal is a French occupational surname that means ‘a grower or a seller of rye’. The surname has Latin origins from the word ‘secale’, meaning ‘rye’.

96. Sergeant

This French surname is derived from the word ‘sergent’ meaning ‘servant. This word is derived from the Latin word ‘servire’, which means ‘to serve’.

97. Serres

This is a toponymic French surname that has been derived from the word ‘serre’, meaning a ‘ridge’ or ‘chain of hills’.

98. Serrurier

This French surname was given to people who were locksmiths by profession.

99. Simon

This is a common last name found in Europe, which also has French historical origins. The literal translation of ‘Simon’ is ‘to listen’.

100. Soulier

This is another French occupational surname derived from an old French word ‘soulier’, meaning shoemaker. It may also have been derived from the word ‘soule’ meaning ‘platform’.

Want to learn more about traditional and classy French last names? Check this article.

American Last Names That Start With S

101. Sampson

The last name ‘Sampson’ is modified from ‘Samson’, which means the ‘son of Samson’. There are many other variations of this name, like Sansum, Samson, and Samsen.

102. Sanders

This American last name is derived from Alexander the Great. Bernie Sanders is a famous person with this surname, introduced in Britain by crusaders and later found its way to America.

103. Sawyer

Did this American last name remind you of Mark Twain’s famous Tom Sawyer? This surname is an occupational one that finds its origin in Medieval England. The surname means ‘sawer of wood’.

104. Scott

This last name has Scottish origins and was associated with a Scotsman who conquered Scotland’s west coast in the 5th century AD. Walter Scott is a famous writer with this last name.

105. Shaw

This is a Geographical American surname that has an English origin. It was a surname given to people who resided beside a small wood or shaw.

106. Shelton

This name is derived from the word ‘Scylf’ in Old English, which means ‘shelf’, ‘enclosure’, or ‘settlement’.

107. Shepherd

A British last name that is also common in the US. This last name is an occupational one and was given to someone who tends to sheep and cattle.

108. Sidney

Sidney is a popular first and last name in the USA and comes in different spellings. In Old English, ‘Sidney’ means‘ wide island’.

109. Simmons

The last name ‘Simmons’ is believed to have an English lineage and became popular among the Cornish People.

110. Simpson

Simpson is a popular last name in the US. Simpson means ‘the son of Sim or Simon’. The surname became famous because of the cartoon in the same name.

111. Smith

A common surname in the US, Smith refers to a metalworker or a blacksmith. There are many famous personalities with this last name.

112. Spencer

The last name ‘Spencer’ will take you straight to British nobility. But, ‘Spencer’ is also a common American surname and has its roots in England. It is derived from the word ‘spense’, which means ‘pantry’.

113. Stanley

Though a popular American last name, ‘Stanley’ is derived from Old English and means ‘stone clearing’. Many notable individuals carry this surname.

114. Stevens

‘Stevens’ is a well-known American surname with roots in the European continent. It means the ‘son of Stephen’.

115. Stone

An American last name with British origins, this toponymic name was given to anyone who lived near a rock, a stone-boundary marker, or a stone monument.

116. Stewart

Stewart has Scottish origins and was a title given to the officer, who looked after estates of a royal or noble household. Martha Stewart, the American businesswoman, is a popular individual with this last name.

117. Sullivan

This American surname has Irish origins and is derived from the word ‘suil’ meaning ‘eye. ‘Sullian’ is the 92nd most common surname in the US and the third most common in Ireland.

118. Summer

‘Summer’ is a first name and last name of both English and German origin. American jazz cellist Mark Summer is a popular personality with this last name.

119. Summerfield

This American surname finds its roots in Britain from Summerfield in Wiltshire. It is a habitational last name.

120. Swanson

This is a relatively common American last name derived from the word ‘swein’, which means ‘servant’.

A few American last names are also used as first names. Check out this interesting article to know more!

Surnames or last names have deep-rooted origins and fascinating histories. Despite the heritage or geography, each name has a story to tell. While some last names have a peculiar meaning, others might simply be the occupation of the ancestors. A few last names can be seen in more than one country due to migrations and colonization. So now you know little background next time you come across a celebrity with any of these last names!

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