The Sams surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 16,014 people carried this name — #2,275 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 18,400 people counted. That is up 4% from 15,446 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Sams surname

Variant of Sam with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Sams» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Sampson’.

An early record he cites: Alan Samme, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Samms and Sams.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 665 · public domain.

In print

Sams in American newspapers,
1842.

Newspaper page from Louisville Messenger carrying the name Sams
Louisville Messenger 1842-09-17
Newspaper page from Louisville Messenger carrying the name Sams
Louisville Messenger 1842-08-06
Newspaper page from Louisville Messenger carrying the name Sams
Louisville Messenger 1842-07-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Sams in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

9,613 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sams. The most, 1,546, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 2.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,398
Queensland 2,012
Tasmania 2,003
Victoria 507
South Australia 447
Western Australia 129
ACT (Canberra) 100
Northern Territory 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Sams.

Who carried it

People named Sams,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Susan Amelia Sams d. 1910
  • Joseph Sams 1784–1860 · orientalist
  • William Sams 1792–1871 · sheriff
  • Frank W. Sams 1846–1921 · politician
  • Sarah Beatrix Hulton 1850–1933
  • Conway Whittle Sams 1864–1935 · historian

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Sams,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States915 records

915 records of the Sams name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 553
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 203
  • Other U.S. records 159
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Meredith M. Sams

    Born 1921 in Montana. Enlisted 1944 at Presidio of Monterey, California; farm hand. U.S. Army veteran; died 1997, buried at Pajaro Valley Memorial Park, Watsonville, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Meta Sams

    Arrived at New York in 1864 aboard the America from Bremen, aged 28; farmer. From Hassendorf, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Wilbur Sams

    Born 1948; from Knoxville, Iowa. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1970 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 915 records for Sams in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia275 records

275 records of the Sams name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 127
  • Tasmanian Names Index 118
  • Other Australian records 30
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Sams

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Bangalore, sailing from Bermuda in 1848. Native of Buckinghamshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Sarah Rose Sams

    Died 1916 in Launceston, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1916.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Albert Sams

    Arrived in Victoria in 1894 aboard the Oruba, aged 36.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 275 records for Sams in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada18 records

18 records of the Sams name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 13
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 4
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 1
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Toby Sams

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Charming Nancy, bound for Port Roseway, aged 25.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Sarah Sams

    Buried in 1957 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Russell George Sams

    Died in service in 1919.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 18 records for Sams in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Germany13 records

13 records of the Sams name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 12
  • German emigration and citizenship files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Hermann Sams

    From Süchteln, Kempen. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 14 April 1919 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 28).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Philipp Sams

    Naturalised in 1910.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Nikolaus Sams

    From Saarbrücken. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 2 November 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 166).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 13 records for Sams in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand10 records

10 records of the Sams name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mabel Alice Sams

    Died 1972, aged 85; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie Maria Sams

    Died 1931, aged 78; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bertha Sams

    Died 1974, aged 95; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Sams in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Sams name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Sams

    Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Sams

    Durham Light Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record S. J. Sams

    Somerset Light Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Sams in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Sams name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Harm Sams

    Died 1817 in Marle (Hellendoorn), aged 25; labourer.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gertrud Christina Sams

    Died 1953 in Heerlen, aged 42.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Historisch Centrum Limburg (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Eltje Sams

    Married in 1935 in Hoogezand; "vleeschkoopman".

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Sams in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Sams name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Clementia Sams

    Born 1907 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Finland1 record

1 record of the Sams name in Finland Finland's war dead, 1914–1922
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Tuomas Heikinpoika Sams

    Born 1875 in Joutsa; general labourer. Died in 1918 in Hämeenlinna, one of the dead of Finland's wars of 1914–1922.

    Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Sams.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Sams is.
A volume says what happened to it.

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