Surname Sides - Meaning and Origin

A Deep Dive into My Ancestry: How iGENEA DNA Test Transformed My View on My Surname 'Sides' and Family Identity

Having undergone the enlightening experience of an iGENEA DNA test, my perspective on my family identity and surname 'Sides' has drastically changed. The discovery of an ancient lineage stretching back to Northern European tribes has not only given me a greater appreciation for my familial history but also instilled in me a sense of responsibility towards carrying forward this legacy.

H. Sides

Sides: What does the surname Sides mean?

The surname "Sides" originated from the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain and is of locational origin. It was originally given to people living by a hillside or a sloping piece of land, deriving from the Old English word "sidus," meaning "hillside." Names of this nature were used to describe a person's dwelling, estate, or geographic feature in their vicinity, particularly when a family moved from one place to another. Thus, Sides would essentially denote "dweller by the hillside" or someone living near or on a slope. It is primarily found in England, specifically the northern and central regions. Please note, the meaning of a surname can vary and may not always represent its original or intended meaning.

Sides: Where does the name Sides come from?

The last name Sides is most common today in the United States. According to a 2020 census, Sides is the 2,505th most common surname in the United States, with approximately 28,000 people sharing the last name. This is a historically English name, with the first known record of use coming from county Durham in 1296. In recent years, Sides has spread to other countries, particularly those in the North Atlantic, with some variant spellings like Side and Sieß (the German spelling).

Sides is most densely populated in the southern United States, particularly in the states of Arkansas and Mississippi, where it is the 150th and 155th most common surname respectively. Geographically, 15% of all Sides in the United States can be found in Arkansas, with the majority living in the counties of Washington (53%), Benton (15%), Scott (6%), and Baxter (4%).

Sides is also relatively common in other parts of the world, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany. However, the largest concentrations of Sides are in the United States, making it the country with the highest concentration of the name today.

Variations of the surname Sides

The surname Sides is derived from the Old English word "side", meaning a ridge or border, and was initially attributed to a family in County Durham when the area was first recorded as "Syden" in 1276.

The spelling of the surname has changed over the centuries, with some variations arising naturally from phonetic evolution. One common derivative is Sidesman, which may be a corruption of Sydesman or has an alternate derivation from the Old English side and gesæme, meaning “together”.

Variants of the Sides surname (and associated spellings) include Syders, Sydes, Side, Syddes, Sieds, Siads, Saydes, and Seyds. Sides is also an anglicised spelling of the German name Siede, which is derived from the personal name Siefrid or elsewhere the Old High German sida, meaning “cleared area”.

Surnames of a similar origin to Sides include Sidebottom, Sidebotham, Sindell, Sintoft, Saydle, and Sydell. Finally, Sides could also be derived from Middle English and Old French words for ‘to cut’, which could have been an occupational name for a barber or diagonal mason. Variants of this meaning include Sise, Syse, Syss, Syce, and Seys.

Famous people with the name Sides

• Adam Sides, professional soccer player
• Al Sides, television actor
• Allen Sides, audio engineer and music producer
• Aline Sides, actress
• Ben Sides, country music singer
• Billy Sides, stuntman
• Chris Sides, Café music artist
• David Sides, contemporary pianist
• Dawn Sides, psychologist
• Emily Sides, professional basketball player
• Geoff Sides, expert cooking chef
• Jeff Sides, chief meteorologist
• Jerry Sides, Christian musician
• Johnny Sides, Bluegrass musician
• Laura Sides, novelist
• Rebecca Sides, stand-up comedian
• Thomas Sides, internet entrepreneur
• Tod Sides, Olympic hurdler
• Tony Sides, performance artist
• Tyler Sides, professional snowboarder

Other surnames

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