English
The surname Sander is of English, Scottish and German origin. It is derived from the medieval given name Sander, an aphetic or pet form of Alexander. The name signifies Saunder's son. The given name Alexander is the Latin form of the Greek name 'Alexandros', which is composed of the elements 'alexein', to defend and 'aner', man, warrior. This was a byname of Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, in Homer's Iliad, but its popularity in the Middle Ages is largely due to the Macedonian conqueror, Alexander the Great ( 356-323 B.C ) - or rather to the hero of themythyical versions of his exploits which gained currency in the 'Alexander Romances'. It also became a popular Hebrew name under Alexander the Great's benign rule of Palestine. The name became extremely popular in the post- classical period, and was borne by several characters in the New Testament and some early Christian saints; including a patriarch of Alexandria ( A.D. 250-326 ), who was venerated for condemning the Arian heresy. The surname dates back to the twelfth century were a William Sandre is recorded in historical archives. The name has evovled through Saunder and Saundre, as well as Sauder and Sandre, until the modern form of the name was reached. The name was brought to America predominately by English immigrants. One of the first fore fathers to bring this na,me to America is that of a Daniel Saunders, who emigrated to America aboard the barque the Maryland Planter; he settled in Maryland. This name is the three-hundredth and forty-ninth most common surname in America.