SikumbangMinangkabau Allegedly from the phrase si kumbang meaning "black tiger", probably derived from Minangkabau kumbang which can mean "beetle" or "tiger, leopard". The name may have been used to refer to Tamil settlers from southern India who had darker skin and practised a tiger-like form of martial arts... [more]
SillanpääFinnish Means "bridgehead" in Finnish, an area around the end of a bridge. Frans Eemil Sillanpää (1888-1964) was a Finnish author and the first Finnish writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
SilvergrassEnglish From English "Silver" and "Grass". Probably given from the plant called "Silvergrass", a Miscanthus type growing in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Islands, or a field shining with the sun.
SilviaPortuguese (Americanized) SILVIA is an Americanized version of the Portuguese surname Silva, which is derived from the Latin silvae and Portuguese silva words meaning “forest,” “woodland,” or “jungle.” This variation of the surname SILVA was often adopted by Portuguese immigrants upon arrival to the United States.
SiqueiraPortuguese Habitational name from numerous places called Siqueira or Sequeira in Portugal or Galicia, derived from sequeira meaning "arid land" (ultimately from Latin siccus "dry").
SisavathLao From Lao ສີ (si) meaning "splendour, brilliance, glory" and ສະຫວາດ (savath) meaning "sincere, open, beautiful".
SisombathLao From Lao ສີ (si) meaning "splendour, brilliance, glory" and ສົມບັດ (sombath) meaning "wealth, riches, fortune".
SjölanderSwedish Combination of Swedish sjö "lake, sea" and the common surname suffix -ander (a combination of land and the habitational suffix -er). The second element is sometimes said to be derived from Greek aner "man".
SkarlatosGreek Occupational name for a dyer, or as a nickname for someone who habitually wore scarlet or who had bright red hair, cognate to the Italian surname Scarlato.
SolorioSpanish This indicates familial origin within the vicinity of the Sierra de Solorio mountain range that straddles Aragon, La Mancha, & Old Castile.
SolovyovRussian Derived from Russian соловей (solovey) meaning "nightingale".
SomaiJapanese A notable bearer is Shinji Somai (1948-2001). He was a film director.
SontakkeIndian Means 'golden percentage'. It is derived from the words son, meaning 'golden', and takke, meaning 'percentage'. It originated in the region around Pune city, India -forebears.io
SorimeJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 反り (sori), the continuative form of 反る (soru) meaning "to curve" and 目 (me) meaning "visual feature", referring to a curved landscape of a field.
SorokinRussian From Russian сорока (soroka) meaning "magpie", referring to the Eurasian magpie.
SosunovRussian Derived from Russian сосун (sosun) meaning "sucker". Alternatively this may be a patronymic surname derived from the Jewish name Sasson meaning "happiness".
SoteloSpanish From any of various places in Galicia named Soutelo, derived from Galician souto meaning "grove, plantation".
SpinelliItalian Variant of Spina, of uncertain etymology: could be related to several place names in Italy, to given names such as Crispino, or to the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus.
SpoonapplePopular Culture Edwina Spoonapple is a fictional character and the titular character from the Off-Broadway musical "Dear Edwina" (2008). She is a 13-year-old girl who wants proof of her accomplishments, just like her siblings... [more]
SpurrierEnglish Derived from the Old French word “esperonier,” meaning “to spur on”. It was likely given as a nickname to someone who was known for encouraging or motivating others. The name could have also referred to someone who was skilled at using spurs to control horses.
StefańskiPolish Name for someone from any of various places named Stefanów or Stefanowo, derived from the given name Stefan.
StegerhoekDutch Derived from Old Dutch stega "lane, alleyway; steep path, slope" and huok "corner, angle, hook".
SteinmeierGerman Distinguishing name for a tenant farmer (Meyer) whose farm was on stony ground or was distinguished by a conspicuous rock formation (Middle High German stein 'rock').
StrathairnScottish From Strathearn, the name of a large valley of the River Earn in Scotland, derived from Gaelic srath meaning "river valley, grassland" combined with the river's name. A famous bearer is American actor David Strathairn (1949-).
Strel'nikovmRussian Means "son of the shooter", from Russian стрельник (strel'nik).
StrojnowskiPolish This indicates familial origin within the Lesser Polish village of Strojnów.
StrzalińskiPolish This indicates familial origin within the Greater Polish village of Strzaliny.
StrzałkowskiPolish Denoted a person from various places in Poland named Strzałki, Strzałkowo, Strzałków, all derived from Polish strzalka meaning "arrow".
SturdivantEnglish Perhaps a nickname for messenger, a pursuivant or a hasty person, derived from Middle English stirten, sterten meaning "to start, leap" (ultimately from Old English styrtan) and avaunt meaning "forward" (itself from Old French).
SuenoJapanese This surname is used as either 末延 or 末野 with 末 (batsu, matsu, sue) meaning "close, end, posterity, powder, tip", 延 (en, no.basu, no.biru, no.be, no.beru) meaning "prolong, stretching" and 野 (sho, ya, no, no-) meaning "civilian life, field, plains, rustic."... [more]
SugaiJapanese From Japanese 菅 (suga) meaning "sedge" and 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".
SuganoJapanese From the Japanese 菅 (suga or kan) "sedge" and 野 (no) "field," "area." This name can also be read as Kanno.
SvobodovRussian Patronymic surname derived from Russian свобода (svoboda) meaning "freedom, liberty".
SwedenborgSwedish Derived from the surname Svedberg (sometimes spelled Swedberg). A notable bearer was Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), a Swedish theologian and scientist.
ŚwitałaPolish Derived from Polish świt "dawn" "sun" "daylight" or świtać "to dawn". It is a nickname for an early-riser.
SyracuseItalian (Anglicized) Americanized spelling of Siracusa. This is also the name of a city in the U.S. state of New York, though the etymology is unrelated.
SytkowskiPolish This indicates familial origin within Sytkowo, a neighborhood in Poznań (the Greater Polish capital).
SzeligaPolish Habitational name from places called Szeliga or Szeligi. It is not clear whether there is any connection with the Polish vocabulary word szeliga ‘coat-of-arms’.
SzpakowskiPolish This indicates familial origin within the Podlachian village Szpakowo.
SzurkowskiPolish This indicates familial origin within either of 2 Greater Polish villages named Szurkowo.
TabataJapanese From Japanese 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy" and 端 (hata) meaning "edge, end, tip".
TabataJapanese From Japanese 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy" and 畑 or 畠 (hata) meaning "farm, cropfield".
TabetaJapanese In eastern Japan and the Ryūkyū Islands, its often written as 田 (ta) meaning "rice paddy, field" and 端 (beta) meaning "edge, end". However, tabe has also been spelled with 多 (ta) meaning "many" and 部 (be) meaning "part, section".
TabibiPersian From Persian طبیب (tabib) meaning "doctor, physician" (of Arabic origin).
TabuchiJapanese From Japanese 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy" and 渕 or 淵 (fuchi) meaning "abyss, edge, deep pool".
TamadaJapanese From 玉 (tama) meaning "jewel, ball" and 田 (da) meaning "field, rice paddy".
TamadaJapanese From Japanese 玉 (tama) meaning "jewel, ball" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".
TamaiJapanese From the Japanese 玉 (tama) "ball," "bundle" and 井 (i) "well."
TamakiJapanese From Japanese 玉 (tama) meaning "jewel, ball, sphere" combined with 城 (ki) meaning "castle", 置 (ki) meaning "put, place, set", or 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood".
TamanoJapanese From Japanese 玉 (tama) meaning "jewel, ball, sphere" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness" or 乃 (no), a possessive particle.
TamrakarNewar, Indian Means "copper maker; craftsman" in Sanskrit. This is used by the Tamrakar caste of Nepal and India, and mainly of Newar ethnicity in Nepal.
TanabeJapanese From Japanese 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy" and 辺 or 邊 (nabe) meaning "area, place".