Show ContentsSaban History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The earliest origins of the name Saban date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The name is derived from Sabinus and Sabine; these are the masculine and feminine forms of the name, respectively. The personal name is derived from the Sabines, a people who lived in the Appenines northwest of Rome. By the third century BC the Sabines had become fully Romanized. There were three saints named Sabinus and one named Sabine. "In England, the woman's name was much the more common." 1

Another source confirms that the name was "originally Sabinus, a Roman personal name, implying a descent from the Sabine nation. Sabina, its feminine, is still used as a baptismal name." 2

And another source has a slightly different version, "A statue of 'Sabinus, planter of the vines' (the supposed eponymous of the Sabines), was among those remarked by Æneas when he entered the palace of Latinus." 3

Early Origins of the Saban family

The surname Saban was first found in Norfolk where the first record of the name was in the Latin form Sabina (1186-1210) and then later in the Curia Regis Rolls for Kent and Surrey in 1220. Later in Huntingdonshire, Rogerus filius Sabini was registered there in 1252. Richard Sabin was found in the Assize Rolls for Warwickshire in 1221 and John Sabine was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls for Cheshire in 1279. 1

The same rolls also included Alexander Sabine in Essex. 4

In Somerset, ancient English rolls listed Sabyna Vesy and William Sabin, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign). 5

Laurence William Savona (fl. 1485), was a Franciscan of London who graduated D.D. at Cambridge, where in 1478 he wrote his 'Margarita Eloquentiae' in three books. 6

Early History of the Saban family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Saban research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1662, 1689, 1691, 1695, 1704, 1730, 1739, 1758 and 1791 are included under the topic Early Saban History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Saban Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Saban include Sabine, Sabbe, Sabin, Sabyn, Sabben, Saban and many more.

Early Notables of the Saban family

Notables of the family at this time include General Joseph Sabine (c. 1662-1739), British Army officer who came of a family settled at Patricksbourne in Kent; his grandfather, Avery Sabine, was an alderman of Canterbury. Joseph was appointed captain lieutenant to Sir Henry Ingoldsby's regiment of foot on 8 March 1689, captain of the grenadier company before 18 Oct. 1689, major of...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Saban Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Saban migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Saban or a variant listed above:

Saban Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Francisco Saban, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1810 7
  • Julian Saban, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1816 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Saban (post 1700) +

  • Louis Henry "Lou" Saban (1921-2009), American football player and coach
  • Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban Jr. (b. 1951), American college football coach, head football coach of the University of Alabama (2007-)


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  6. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  7. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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