Shenley
Part 2 of English surnames beginning with “s” of Old English, Old Norse and Old French origin.
- Seaber — from the Old English girl’s name Sæburg “sea-fortress”. Over variants include Sebry, Sibary, Siberry, Sibree and the rather dashing Saber.
- Seabert, Seabright, Sibert — from the Old English boy’s name Sæbeorht “sea-bright.”
- Seaborn — from the Old English boy’s name Sæbeorn “sea-bear”; beorn was also used to mean “warrior.”
- Seader — Old English sǣdere “sower.”
- Seagram — Old English sǣ “sea” + grom “servant”; i.e. a sailor
- Sealeaf — from the Old English girl’s name *Sæleofu “sea-love.”
- Sealer — Middle English seler “seal-maker.”
- Sealey, Seeley — Old English sǣlig “happy,” and “blessed.” Used as a nickname, and a girl’s name — medieval forms of this include Sela and Sely. This is also the source of English Seelie, used of “the Seelie Court,” i.e. benevolent fairies.
- Seamer — partly from the Old English boy’s name Sæmær “sea-famous,” partly from one of the places of the name (Old English sǣ “sea” and “lake” + mere “pool”) and partly Old English sēamere “tailor.”
- Searle — from the Norman name Serlo: Old German Sarilo, Old Norse Sǫrli, a short form of names begining with saro “armor,” “protection.”
- Seavers — from the Old English girl’s name *Sæfaru “sea-voyage.”
- Sedger — from Old English secg “sedge,” probably used of some-one who cut sedge, principally used for thatching.
- Sedley — from Sidley Green, Sussex. Probably Old English sīd “broad” + lēah “wood,” “woodland clearing,” “glade,” “pasture” and “meadow.”
- Sefton – from Sefton, Lancashire. Old Norse sef “rush” + tūn “enclosure,” “farmstead,” “estate,” “manor,” “village.”
- Selby — from Selby, Yorkshire. Old Norse selja “sallow-tree” + bý “farmstead,” “village” and “settlement.”
- Sellis — from Old English sealh “willow,” used of someone who dwelt by willows.
- Semmence — a variant of Simmonds, itself from the Old Norse Sigmundr “victory-protection” and its Old German cognate Sigmund.
- Semper — from one of the places called Saint-Pierre in France (in Latin, semper also means “always”)
- Sendell — from Middle English sendal, a type of silk fabric.
- Senneck — from Sevenoaks, Kent; “senneck” is the old pronunciation of the town. Old English seofon “seven” + ac “oak” — an ancient name which may hint at what was once a sacred grove of the Druids.
- Senter — Old French saintier “bell-maker.”
- Serrick — from the Old English boy’s name Særic “sea-ruler.”
- Sevier, Sevyer — Middle English siviere “sieve-maker.”
- Sewall — from the Old English boy’s name Sæweald “sea-power.”
- Seward — from the Old English boys’ names Sæweard “sea-protection” and Sigeweard “victory-protection.”
- Sewell — partly from the Old English boy’s name Sigeweald “victory-power,” or its Norse cognate Sigvaldr, and partly from Seawell, Northamptonshire or Sewall, Bedfordshire. Old English sǣ “sea” and “pool” + wella “spring” and “stream.”
- Seyler — a variant of Saylor.
- Seyner — Old French seignour “lord,” from Latin senior “older.”
- Shafto — from Shaftoe, Northumberland. Old English sceaft “pole” + hōh “hill-spur.”
- Shapler — Old French chapelier “hat-maker.”
- Sharparrow — Old English scearp “sharp” + arwe “arrow”; probably a nickname for a skilled archer.
- Sharrah, Sharrow — from Sharrow, Yorkshire. Old English scearu “boundary” + hōh “hill-spur.”
- Shayle — Middle English schayle “to stumble” and “to shamble.”
- Shayler — essentially a variant of SHAYLE.
- Shearer — Middle English scherer “reaper” or “(sheep)-shearer”
- Shenley — from one of the places of the name. Old English scēne “bright” and “beautiful” + lēah “wood,” “woodland clearing,” “glade,” “pasture” and “meadow.”
- Shenston — from Shenstone, Staffordshire. Old English scēne “bright” and “beautiful” + stān “stone.”
- Sheraton – from Sheraton, Durham. Old Norse byname Skurfa “scurfy” + Old English tūn “enclosure,” “farmstead,” “estate,” “manor,” “village.”
- Shercliffe — from Shirecliff, Yorkshire. Old English scīr “bright” + clif “cliff” or “slope.”
- Shillito — a curious Yorkshire surname of uncertain etymology. It probably comes from a lost Yorkshire village. The last element is probably hōh “hill-spur.”
- Shilton — from one of the places of the name. Old English scylf(e) “shelf” + tūn “enclosure,” “farmstead,” “estate,” “manor,” “village.”
- Shipley, Shiplee — from one of the places of the name. Old English scēap “sheep” + lēah “wood,” “woodland clearing,” “glade,” “pasture” and “meadow.”
- Shipton – from one of the places of the name. Old English scēap “sheep” + tūn “enclosure,” “farmstead,” “estate,” “manor,” “village.”
- Shirland — from Shirland, Derbyshire, or Sheerland, Kent. Old English scīr “bright” + land “land” or Old Norse lundr “grove.”
- Shooter — Middle English scotere “shooter” and “archer.”
- Shorey — Middle English schore “shore” + Old English ēg “island,” probably used of someone who lived on an island near the shore.
- Shotton — from one of the places of the name. Old English *scēot “slope” or Scot “Scot” + tūn “enclosure,” “farmstead,” “estate,” “manor,” “village.”
- Shute — from Old English *scīete “corner/angle of land.”
