Andrews Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Andrews last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Andrews last name
Meaning of the Andrews last name: son of Andrew ("manly"). Andrews is a patronymic, "son of Andrew", from Greek Andreas, from andreios, "manly". Andrew was popular in England after the Norman Conquest and above all in Scotland, where St Andrew became patron saint and his relics drew pilgrims to St Andrews in Fife. The surname is widespread in England, Scotland and Ulster. The Greek name was borne by the apostle Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, and his cult spread across Christian Europe. Medieval English records show the patronymic as Andreu and Andrews from the 13th century, especially in Devon, Cornwall, Kent and Norfolk. In Scotland the surname was rarer than the personal name, and the form Anderson, "son of Andrew", was more common there. In Ulster, Andrews was carried by Scottish and English settlers in the 17th century. Andrews families went early to New England and Virginia, and the name is now common throughout the United States, Canada and Australia.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Andrews name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Andrews name in England & Scotland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Australia and Canada; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Andrews name FAQ
What does the Andrews name mean?
Son of Andrew ("manly"). Common variants include Andrew, Anderson, Andrewes.
Where does the Andrews surname come from?
It originates in England & Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Andrews coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Andrews crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Andrews coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).