ANDREW

The surname Andrew is a patronymic name derived from the medieval given name Andrew, itself imported into English from the Greek personal name Andreas.

Andreas is a Greek word meaning “manly” or “brave.” The name was borne by one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, Andrew, whose martyrdom and missionary work earned him a prominent place in early Christian tradition.

In the English language the surname Andrew indicates descent from an ancestor whose personal name was Andrew, thereby linking a family’s heritage to a saintly figure and to the virtues of courage and fortitude associated with the name.

During the medieval period, and in particular following the Crusades of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the name Andrew became increasingly common throughout Europe. Returning soldiers and settlers frequently chose the name for their children in honour of Christian saints, a practice that cemented Andrew as a popular surname in the British Isles.

The surname is documented in a surprisingly wide range of orthographic forms, including Andre, Aindrias, Anders, Jendrusch, Vondrak, Dandy, Andriol, Andretti, Ondracek, Vondraeck, Andress, Jedrzejewicz, and Andriuis, illustrating the fluid nature of medieval spelling and the broad geographical spread of the name.

The earliest record of Andrew as a surname in England appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a monk named Andreas is listed. The very first known instance of the surname spellings in a parish charter dates to 1237, when a William Andreu is recorded in the county of Buckinghamshire.

Outside the United Kingdom, the name Andrew was among the earliest surnames brought to the New World. An Anthony Andrew is listed in the earliest Virginia colonial records of 1623, indicating an early presence of the family in North America.

In Scotland, Andrew holds particular significance as the patron saint of the nation, and it is believed that his relics were brought to the area now known as St. Andrew’s in the year nine hundred. Consequently, the surname is well established and highly regarded in that part of the British Isles.

Typical given names associated with the Andrew surname

Male

• Christopher
• David
• James
• John
• Mark
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Robert
• William

Female

• Catherine
• Christine
• Elizabeth
• Julie
• Karen
• Margaret
• Mary
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Andrew in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Did you know?

According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Andrew are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Hobnob.

Surname type: From given name or forename

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Andrew

• Prince Andrew, Duke of York - Son of Elizabeth II
• Stuart Andrew - Politician
• Rob Andrew - Rugby union player, coach and administrator
• Christopher Andrew - Historian
• Calvin Andrew - Football player
• Danny Andrew - Football player
• Sky Andrew - Table tennis player
• Kerry Andrew - Composer, performer, writer and educator
• Keith Andrew - Cricketer (1929 to 2010)
• Karen Andrew - Female rugby union player
• Malcolm Andrew - Author/teacher/scholar
• Joe Andrew - University professor
• Frederick Andrew - Biathlete (1940 to 1)
• Andrew - Football player
• Ricky Andrew - Rugby player
• John Chapman Andrew - New Zealand politician (1822 to 1907)
• John Andrew - Rugby union player
• Jim Andrew - Cricketer (1937 to 1996)
• John Andrew - -American priest (1931 to 2014)
• Robert Lynal Andrew - Canadian politician

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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