Show ContentsSander History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Sander

What does the name Sander mean?

The distinguished German surname Sander is of two possible origins. Firstly, the name may be derived from the personal name "Sanders," which is a diminutive of the popular Greek personal name "Alexander," meaning "protector." In this case, the surname would mean "son of Sanders." Alternatively, the name may be derived from the place name "Sand," the name of several towns in Germany. In this instance, the name would have been originally borne by someone hailing from one of these towns.

Early Origins of the Sander family

The surname Sander was first found in the region of the Rhineland, where it is believed to have first emerged. The earliest recorded bearer of the name was Heinrich Genannt (called) Sanders, who was a resident of Esslingen in 1283. The Sander family was a major contributor during this early period, playing a major role in the development of the region's society.

Early History of the Sander family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sander research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1475 and 1848 are included under the topic Early Sander History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sander Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Sanders, Zanders, Centers, Senders, Sander, Zander, Sender, Center, Senters and many more.

Early Notables of the Sander family

More information is included under the topic Early Sander Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sander Ranking

In the United States, the name Sander is the 3,258th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1


Sander migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sander Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Sander, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
  • Johannes Sander, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1744 2
  • H Jacob Sander, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 2
  • Peter Sander, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 2
  • Conrad Henry Sander, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Sander Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry Sander, who arrived in Maryland in 1833 2
  • Hrch Sander, who arrived in America in 1833 2
  • Adam Sander, who settled in America in 1837
  • Anna Rosins Sander, who arrived in America in 1839 2
  • Cath Sander, who arrived in America in 1840 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sander migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sander Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Marguerite Gaillard Sander, who arrived in Quebec in 1664

Sander 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:

Sander Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Peder Sander, (b. 1854), aged 18, Scandinavian farm labourer travelling from Hamburg aboard the ship "Palmerston" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 12th December 1872 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Sander (post 1700) +

  • Ian Sander (1947-2016), American three-time Primetime Emmy nominated executive producer, co-founder of Sander/Moses Productions, perhaps best known for his work on Ghost Whisperer (2005-2010) and Profiler (1996-1999)
  • Deion Luwynn Sander (b. 1967), former American National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder
  • Otto Sander (1941-2013), German film, theater, and voice actor
  • Heidemarie Jiline "Jil" Sander (b. 1943), minimalist German fashion designer
  • August Sander (1876-1964), German photographer, eponym of the Sander lunar crater
  • Heinrich Friedrich Conrad Sander (1847-1920), German-born orchidologist and nurseryman who settled in Hertfordshire, England, best known for his monthly publication on orchids
  • Cliff Sander (1931-2022), Australian footballer who played 21 times for Australia, inducted into the Football Australia Hall of Fame
  • Sander van Doorn (b. 1979), Dutch musician, DJ, and producer
  • Sander van den Heuvel PhD, American Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Center for Cancer Research at Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Sander Lloyd "Sandy" Nelson (1938-2022), American drummer, one of the best-known rock drummers of the early 1960s, had several solo instrumental Top 40 hits and released over 30 albums

Bismarck
  • Walter Sander (b. 1921), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck (1941) during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he survived the sinking 4
  • Rudolf Sander (1919-1941), German Schreibersobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 4


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  4. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details


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