Contents [hide]

Samuels History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Samuels History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The origins of the name Samuels are with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Samuel. This ancient Hebrew font name meaning name of God was not common in the Middle Ages, but was not necessarily of Jewish origin. There were many records of the surname Samuels of English descent.

Early Origins of the Samuels family

The surname Samuels was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat from early times. The family name first appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Samuels family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Samuels research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1551, 1559, 1569, 1628, 1654, 1674, 1676, 1689, 1690, 1694, 1705 and 1748 are included under the topic Early Samuels History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Samuels Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Samuels has been spelled many different ways, including Samwell, Samuel, Samuell, Samway, Samuels and others.

Early Notables of the Samuels family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Samuel (fl. 1551-1569), English divine and poet, perhaps connected with the Samwells of Northampton; Sir William Samwell (1559-1628), Auditor of the Exchequer to Queen Elizabeth I of England; William Samwell (1628-1676) was an English architect; and Sir Thomas Samwell, 1st Baronet (c.1654-1694), Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire from 1689 to 1690 and Northampton from 1690 to 1694. Edward Samuel (1674-1748), Welsh...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Samuels Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Samuels Ranking

In the United States, the name Samuels is the 1,214^th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 1 However, in South Africa, the name Samuels is ranked the 508^th most popular surname with an estimated 14,223 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Samuels family to Ireland

Some of the Samuels family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Samuels migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Samuelss to arrive in North America:

Samuels Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

A Christiana Samuels, aged 56, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1849 3
Johan Samuels, aged 12, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1849 3
Nie F Samuels, aged 8, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1849 3
J A Samuels, who landed in Texas in 1850-1906 3
Levi Samuels, who arrived in Arkansas in 1851 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Samuels Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Julius Samuels, who landed in Mississippi in 1903 3

Samuels migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Samuels Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Samuels, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constance" in 1848 4
Esther Samuels, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Harpley" in 1848 5
James Samuels, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Ramillies" in 1849 6
Angela Samuels, aged 19, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hydaspes" in 1851 7
Angela Samuels, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Hydaspes" 7

Samuels migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Samuels Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Lewis Samuels, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Andrew Jackson" in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Samuels (post 1700) +

Jerrold Samuels (1938-2023), American singer, songwriter and record producer who under the pseudonym Napoleon XIV had the one-hit wonder "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" in 1966
Roger Howard Samuels (1961-2022), American Major League Baseball player from San Jose, California who pitched in from 1988 to 1989 for the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates
Dave Samuels (1948-2019), American vibraphone and marimba player, known for his work with the contemporary jazz group Spyro Gyra
Howard Joseph Samuels (1919-1984), American politician and businessman who, with his brother, founded the Kordite Company
Henry Floyd Samuels (1869-1948), American politician, Candidate for U.S. Senator from Idaho, 1926 8
Hartley L. Samuels, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from New York County 5th District, 1944 8
Harold D. Samuels, American politician, Mayor of Euless, Texas, 1975-93 8
Green Berry Samuels (1806-1859), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Virginia 18th District, 1839-41; Delegate to Virginia State Constitutional Convention, 1850-51 8
Emil L. Samuels, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly 17th District, 2000 8
David L. Samuels, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Senate 11th District, 1948; Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 10th District, 1950 8
... (Another 15 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Samuels family +

Winter Quarters coal mine

Mr. William Samuels (b. 1864), Scottish mine worker residing in Scofield, Utah who worked in the Winter Quarters coal mine on 1st May 1900, when 10 of the 25lb kegs of black powder exploded; he died in the explosion 9

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CONSTANCE - 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Constance.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The HARPLEY 1848 - PASSENGER LIST. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848HarpleyPassengerList.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RAMILIES 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Ramillies.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HYDASPES 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Hydaspes.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Miners killed in Winter Quarters (retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from http://www.carbon-utgenweb.com/miners.html