The Samuels surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 22,207 people carried this name — #1,621 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 13,300 people counted. That is up 9% from 20,422 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Samuels surname

As an English and Welsh surname

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

An early record he cites: Geoffrey Samuel, Essex, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Samuel, Samuels and Samuelson.

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

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 27 people named Samuels.

Most of them — 18 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 5 départements, most often Paris.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 18
Paris 3
Marne 2
French Guiana 2
Nord 1
Hauts-de-Seine 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

25 people named Samuels live in Switzerland.

They live in 3 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 17
Geneva 5
Basel-Landschaft 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

23 people named Samuels is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 23

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In print

Samuels in American newspapers,
1884–1922.

Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Samuels
Daily Kennebec Journal 1922-04-12
Newspaper page from The Southern Herald carrying the name Samuels
The Southern Herald 1912-04-12
Newspaper page from Independent Statesman carrying the name Samuels
Independent Statesman 1884-10-30

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

In print

Samuels in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

29,679 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Samuels. The most, 4,628, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 16,261
Victoria 5,923
Queensland 3,048
South Australia 2,147
Western Australia 1,335
Tasmania 502
ACT (Canberra) 345
Northern Territory 22

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

Who carried it

People named Samuels,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Joseph Samuels
    Joseph Samuels d. 1953 · conductor
  • Green Berry Samuels
    Green Berry Samuels 1806–1859 · judge
  • Samuel Samuels
    Samuel Samuels 1823–1908
  • Susanna Samuels d. 1830
  • Rebecca Samuels 1818–1889
  • Benjamin Mayberry Samuels 1823– · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Samuels,
in the records of 8 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 States3,134 records

3,134 records of the Samuels name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,535
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 633
  • Other U.S. records 966
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Edward L. Samuels

    Born 1926 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1944 at Erie; warehouseman from Crawford County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Morristown, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Loys W. Samuels

    Born 1911 in Texas. Enlisted 1942 at Abilene; farmer. U.S. Army veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War; died 1993, buried at Fort Bliss National Cemetery, Texas.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1886 aboard the Lydian Monarch from London, aged 32; domestic. From Germany; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 3,134 records for Samuels in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Netherlands1,536 records

1,536 records of the Samuels name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 568
  • Dutch population registers 514
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 454
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Cornelisje Samuels

    Married in 1828 in Doornspijk; maidservant. Died 1883 in Oldebroek, aged 83.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Christoffel Leonardus Samuels

    Married in 1939 in 's-Gravenhage. Died 1954 in Haarlem, aged 55.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jacobus Marinus Samuels

    Born 1915 in Tilburg. Died 1969 in Tilburg, aged 53.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,536 records for Samuels in the Netherlands.

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

Australia454 records

454 records of the Samuels name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 310
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 49
  • Other Australian records 95
  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 Henry Samuels

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Prince of Orange, arriving 1820; ticket of leave 1825. Native of Berks.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Helen Samuels

    Arrived in Victoria in 1860 aboard the Result, aged 10; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record John Samuels

    Crew member aboard the Sultana, arriving in Queensland in 1862.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 454 records for Samuels in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada68 records

68 records of the Samuels name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 57
  • Halifax municipal cemeteries 5
  • Other Canadian records 6
  1. 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 Wilford Martin Samuels

    Served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion in the First World War, private; of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    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 F. Samuels

    Buried in 1909 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 35.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Michael Samuels

    Buried in 1985 at Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls.

Showing 3 of 68 records for Samuels in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand32 records

32 records of the Samuels name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 24
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 5
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Leonard Vickers Samuels

    Died 1938, aged 52; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, 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 Robert Clarence Samuels

    Died 1977, aged 75; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Tui Samuels

    Buried in 1974 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 48.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 32 records for Samuels in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District 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 Kingdom18 records

18 records of the Samuels name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 13
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 3
  • Other British records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Samuels

    Buried in 1899 at Mar Place Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 66.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Mary Ann Samuels

    Will proved in 1929; of Llandudno, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Samuels

    Buried in 1829 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 46.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 18 records for Samuels in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Germany5 records

5 records of the Samuels name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Friedrich Samuels

    From Haxtum, Aurich. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 10 October 1917.

    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 German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Gerhard Samuels

    From Hosetum, Aurich. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 13 January 1917.

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

Showing 2 of 5 records for Samuels in Germany.

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

France4 records

4 records of the Samuels name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marcel Samuels

    Born 1979 in Brokopondo (Surinam); died 1997 in Kourou (Guyane).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marie-France Marcelle Samuels

    Born 1955 in Lille; died 1989 in Cambrai (Nord).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Samuels in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Samuels.

When the index is not enough

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

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Samuels volume
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