Sanders (surname)

Sanders is a patronymic name, meaning son of Alexander. The name derives from the abbreviation xander, with Alexander deriving from the Greek "Ἀλέξανδρος" (Aléxandros), meaning "Defender of the people".^[1]

Other known spelling variations: Sander, Saunder, Saunders, Zander, Sender, Zender and more,^[2][3] although different variants may have other origins (such as places like Zandt or Senden). The surname originates from Germany, The Netherlands, England, Scotland and Ireland in most cases.^{[citation needed]}

Notable persons with that surname include:

A[]

• Ace Sanders (b. 1991), American football player
• Addison Hiatt Sanders (1823–1912), American Civil War brevet brigadier general and Secretary of the Montana Territory
• Adrian Sanders (b. 1959), British politician
• Ajai Sanders (b. 1974), American actress and stand-up comedian
• Al Sanders (1941–1995), American news broadcaster
• Albert Sanders (1889–1957), Canadian politician in Alberta
• Alex Sanders (1926–1988), Wiccan priest
• Alex Sanders, American judge and politician
• Alex Sanders (b. 1966), American pornographic actor
• Alvin Sanders (b. 1952), American actor
• Amy Sanders (b. 1983), American basketball player
• Andries Sanders (b. 1933), Dutch psychologist
• Angelia Bibbs-Sanders (b. 1961), American executive in the entertainment business
• Ann Sanders (b. 1960), Australian television journalist and news presenter
• Anne Sanders (b. 1931), English cricketer
• Annemarie Sanders (b. 1958), Dutch equestrian
• Anthony Sanders (b. 1974), American baseball player
• Antoon Sanders (1586–1664), Flemish cleric and historian
• Antwoine Sanders (b. 1977), American football player
• Anucha Browne Sanders, former women's basketball player
• April Sanders, Canadian politician
• Archie D. Sanders (1857–1941), American politician
• Art Sanders, American news anchor
• Arthur Sanders (1898–1974), Royal Air Force air marshal
• Arthur Sanders (1900–1920), English cricketer
• Arthur Sanders (1901–1983), English footballer

B[]

• Barefoot Sanders (1925–2008), American judge
• Barry Sanders (b. 1938), American sociolinguist
• Barry Sanders (b. 1968), American running back for the Detroit Lions
• Barry J. Sanders (b. 1994), American football running back
• Ben Sanders (1865–1930), American baseball player
• Benita Sanders (b. 1935), Canadian printmaker
• Bernie Sanders (b. 1941), American politician, Democratic presidential candidate in 2016 and 2020
• Bev Sanders (b. 1953), American snowboarder
• Beverly Sanders (b. 1940), American actress, comedian and voice artist
• Bill Sanders (b. 1930), American political cartoonist
• Billy Sanders (1955–1985), Australian international speedway rider
• Billy C. Sanders (b. 1936), U.S. Navy sailor and master chief petty officer of the navy
• Bob Sanders (b. 1953), American football coach
• Bob Sanders (b. 1981), American football safety
• Brandon Sanders (b. 1973), American football player
• Bryan Sanders (b. 1970), American ski jumper

C[]

• C. J. Sanders (born 1996), American actor, son of the wide receiver Chris Sanders
• Cameron Sanders (b. 1958), American journalist
• Candice Sanders (b. 1977), American beauty pageant contestant
• Carl Sanders (1925–2014), American politician
• Carl Julian Sanders (1912–2007), American Methodist bishop
• Carol Sanders (1932–2012), American bridge player
• Charlie Sanders (1946–2015), American football player
• Charlie Sanders (b. 1979), American actor, comedian, and writer
• Chris Sanders (b. 1962), American film animator and voice actor
• Chris Sanders (b. 1972), American football wide receiver
• Chris Sanders (b. 1973), American football running back
• Chris Sanders (b. 1977), American football quarterback
• Christoph Sanders (b. 1968), American actor
• Colonel Sanders (1890–1980), pseudonym of Harland David Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken
• Corey Sanders (b. 1975), American boxer
• Corrie Sanders (1966–2012), South African boxer

D[]

• Dale Sanders (b. 1953), British biochemist and plant biologist
• Dale Sanders (b. 1957), American railroad photographer
• Daniel Sanders (1819–1897), German lexicographer
• Daniel Sanders (b. 1986), American football player
• Daniel P. Sanders, American graph theorist
• Danny Sanders (b. 1955), American football player
• Darius Sanders (b. 1983), American football player
• Darnell Sanders (b. 1979), American football player
• Daryl Sanders (b. 1941), American football player
• David Sanders, American biologist and politician
• David Sanders (b. 1979), American baseball pitcher
• David J. Sanders (born 1975), American politician
• Deac Sanders (b. 1950), American football player
• Dee Sanders (1921–2007), American baseball pitcher
• Deion Sanders (b. 1967), American baseball and football player
• Denis Sanders (1929–1987), American film director, screenwriter and producer
• Dirk Sanders (1934–2002), French dancer, actor and choreographer
• Donald Sanders (1930–1999), American lawyer, key figure in the Watergate investigation
• Dori Sanders (b. 1939), African-American novelist
• Doug Sanders (1933–2020), American professional golfer

E[]

• E. P. Sanders (b. 1937), American New Testament scholar
• Ecstasia Sanders (b. 1985), Canadian film actress
• Ed Sanders (1930–1954), American boxer
• Ed Sanders (b. 1939), American poet, singer, social activist
• Ed Sanders (b. 1968), English carpenter, actor and television host
• Ed Sanders (b. 1993), British actor and singer
• Edmundo Sanders (1924–1991), Argentine broadcaster and actor
• Edward Sanders (1888–1943), Australian politician
• Eleanor Butler Sanders (1849 – 1905) was an American suffragist, and socialite.
• Emmanuel Sanders (b. 1987), American football player
• Eric Sanders (disambiguation), multiple people
• Erin Sanders (b. 1991), American actress
• Evan Sanders (b. 1981), Indonesian actor
• Everett Sanders (1882–1950), American politician
• Ewoud Sanders (born 1958), Dutch historian of the Dutch language and journalist

F[]

• Felicia Sanders (1922–1975), American pop singer
• Francesca Sanders, American playwright
• Frank Sanders (1949–2012), American ice hockey player
• Frank Sanders (b. 1973), American football player
• Frank P. Sanders (1919–1997), American under secretary of the navy
• Fyodor Ivanovich Sanders (1755–1836), Russian general

G[]

• Gene Sanders (b. 1956), American football player
• George Sanders (1894–1950), English recipient of the Victoria Cross in World War I
• George Sanders (1906–1972), British actor
• George Harry Sanders, English-born American musician, father of the writer Ronald Sanders
• George Nicholas Sanders (1812–1873), American official suspected in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
• Gillian Sanders (b. 1981), South African triathlete

H[]

• Harland Sanders (better known as Colonel Sanders) (1890–1980), founder of KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
• Harold Wendell Sanders (Grammy awards winning musician)
• Helena Sanders (1911–1997), Cornish humanitarian, cultural activist, politician and, poet
• Helma Sanders-Brahms (1940-2014), German film director
• Henry Sanders (b. 1944), Alabama politician
• Henry G. Sanders (b. 1942), African-American actor
• Henry Russell Sanders (1905–1958), American football player and coach
• Herbert Sanders (1878–1938), English-born Canadian organist and composer
• Horace T. Sanders (1820–1865), American politician and military leader
• Hugh Sanders (1911–1966), American actor

I[]

• Ian Sanders (b. 1961), British cricketer

J[]

• Jackie Wolcott Sanders, American diplomat
• James Sanders (b. ca. 1952), American basketball player for the Harlem Globetrotters
• James Sanders (b. 1955), American architect and designer
• James Sanders, Jr. (b. 1957), New York State politician
• James Sanders (b. 1983), American football player
• James A. Sanders (b. 1927), American biblical scholar
• Jamie Sanders, American horse racing jockey and trainer
• Jan Sanders (1919–2000), Dutch painter
• Jan Sanders van Hemessen (c. 1500–c. 1566), Flemish painter
• Jared Y. Sanders, Sr. (1869–1944), American politician
• (1892–1960), American politician
• Jasmine Sanders, German-American model
• Jason Sanders (born 1995), American football player
• Jay O. Sanders (b. 1953), American character actor
• Jeff Sanders (b. 1966), American basketball player
• Jeremy Sanders, British chemist
• Jerry Sanders III (born 1936), American businessman, co-founder of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)
• Jerry Sanders (born 1950), American politician, chief of police and Mayor of San Diego
• Jesse Sanders (b. 1989), American basketball player
• Jim Sanders (1900–1981), New Zealand rugby player
• Jimmy Sanders (1902–1975), American minor league baseball player and manager
• Jimmy Sanders (1920–2003), English footballer
• Jock Sanders (b. 1988), Canadian gridiron football player
• Joe Sanders (1896–1965), American jazz pianist, singer, and bandleader
• John Sanders (1768–1826), British architect
• John Sanders (1933–2003), English musician associated with the tradition of Anglican church music
• John Sanders (born 1945), American baseball player and coach
• John Sanders, American sports broadcaster
• John C. C. Sanders (1840–1864), brigadier-general in the Confederate States Army
• John E. Sanders (b. 1956), American evangelical Christian theologian
• John Oswald Sanders (1917–1992), New Zealand lawyer and author
• Jon Sanders (born 1939), Australian yachtsman
• Joop Sanders (b. 1921), Dutch-born American abstract painter
• Joseph Sanders (1877–1960), German-American who helped invent the record player and helicopter
• Joseph G. Sanders (1828–1866), military officer in the American Civil War who fought for both the Union and the Confederacy
• Julia Sanders, motorcyclist

K[]

• Karl Sanders (b. 1964), American musician and founding member of the band Nile
• Kelsey Sanders (b. 1990), American actress
• Ken Sanders (b. 1941), American baseball pitchers
• Ken Sanders (b. 1950), American football player
• Ken Sanders (b. 1951), American book dealer
• Kenny Sanders (b. ca. 1967), former college basketball player for George Mason University
• Kerry Sanders, American news correspondent
• Kevin Sanders (b. 1964), British motorcyclist, world record holder for circumnavigation
• Kevin Sanders (b. 1982), American musician of the Georgia band Cartel
• Keylee Sue Sanders, Miss Kansas Teen USA and Miss Teen USA 1995
• Kim Sanders (b. 1968), American singer and songwriter

L[]

• Larry Sanders (b. 1934), British politician
• Larry Sanders (b. 1954), American R&B singer better known as L.V.
• Larry Sanders (b. 1988), American basketball player
• Lawrence Sanders (1920–1998), American novelist
• Lee Sanders, American composer
• Lewis Sanders (b. 1978), American football player
• Lewis A. Sanders, American businessman
• Leyland Sanders (1927–2005), Australian sportsman
• Lisa Sanders (b. 1956), American physician and journalist
• Lloyd Charles Sanders (1857–1927), English writer and biographer
• Loni Sanders (b. 1958), American porn star and adult model
• Lonnie Sanders (b. 1941), American football player
• Lou Sanders, British comedian, writer and actress
• Louk Sanders (b. 1950), Dutch tennis player
• Luc Sanders (b. 1945), Belgian footballer
• Lucy Sanders (b. 1954), CEO and co-founder of the NCWIT

M[]

• Marieke Sanders-Ten Holte (b.1941), Dutch politician
• Marion K. Sanders (1905–1977), American journalist, editor, and author
• Mark Sanders (born 1979), South African cricketer
• Mark D. Sanders, American country music songwriter
• Marlene Sanders (1931–2015), American news broadcaster
• Marvin Sanders (b. 1967), American football secondary coach
• Mary Sanders (b. 1985), Canadian rhythmic gymnast
• Mary Jo Sanders (b. 1974), American boxer
• Matthew Charles Sanders a.k.a. "M. Shadows" (b. 1981), American heavy metal singer
• Maxine Sanders (b. 1946), prominent member of the Wiccan faith and a co-founder of Alexandrian Wicca
• Melvin Sanders (b. 1981), American basketball player
• Michael Sinclair Sanders (b. 1939), American parapsychologist and amateur archeologist
• Mike Sanders (basketball) (b. 1960), American professional basketball player
• Mike Sanders (Missouri politician) (b. 1967), Missouri politician
• Mike Sanders (wrestler) (b. 1969), American stand-up comedian and former professional wrestler
• Miles Sanders (b. 1997), American football player
• Mo Sanders (b. 1971), American roller skater
• Morgan Sanders (b. 1934), American painter, photographer, and children's book author
• Morgan G. Sanders (1878–1956), American politician
• Moses Sanders (1873–1941), English footballer

N[]

• Neill Sanders (1923–1992), British French horn player
• Newell Sanders (1850–1938), Chattanooga businessman and former senator from Tennessee
• Nicholas Sanders (c. 1530–1581), English Roman Catholic priest and historian
• Nick Sanders, the current Guinness World Record holder for fastest motorcycle circumnavigation
• Nick Sanders (musician), American jazz pianist and composer
• Nicola Sanders (b. 1982), British sprinter and hurdler
• Noel Devine Sanders (b. 1988), American college football running back
• Norm Sanders (b. 1932), American-Australian politician, activist

O[]

• Otto Liman von Sanders (1855–1929), German general

P[]

• Pat Sanders, Canadian curler
• Patrick Sanders (b. 1985), American basketball player
• Paul Sanders (b. 1967), Anglo-German historian and management scholar
• Peters Sanders (1911–2003), Indian Army officer
• Peter Sanders (b. 1942), Welsh football and rugby player
• Pharoah Sanders (born 1940), American jazz saxophonist
• Prentice E. Sanders (1937-2021), San Francisco chief of police

R[]

• Rakim Sanders (b. 1989), American basketball player
• Randy Sanders (b. 1965), American football coach
• Ray Sanders (1916–1983), American baseball player
• Ray Sanders (b. 1935), American country music artist
• Rebecca Sanders (b. 1982), Australian field hockey player
• Reggie Sanders (b. 1949), American baseball first baseman
• Reggie Sanders (b. 1967), American baseball right fielder
• Ric Sanders (b. 1952), English violinist
• Richard Sanders (born 1940), American actor
• Richard Sanders (born 1949), American author and magazine editor
• Richard B. Sanders, Washington State Supreme Court justice
• Richard C. Sanders (1915–1976), American general officer of the United States Air Force
• Rick Sanders (1945–1972), Olympic silver gold medalist in amateur wrestling
• Ricky Sanders (b. 1962), American football player
• Ricky Sanders (b. 1966), American NASCAR racing driver
• Robert Sanders, 1st Baron Bayford (1867–1940), English politician
• Robert Levine Sanders (1906–1974), American composer and conductor
• Robin R. Sanders, American ambassador to several African nations
• Ronald Sanders (film editor), Canadian film editor and television producer
• Ronald Sanders (diplomat) (born 1948), Antiguan Barbudan academic, diplomat and journalist
• Ronald Sanders (writer) (1932–1991), American journalist and writer
• Roy Sanders (1892–1950), American National League baseball pitcher
• Roy Sanders (1894–1963), American League baseball pitcher
• Rupert Sanders (b. 1971), British film director
• Ruth Sanders (1886–1988), British poet and author
• Ruth Sanders Cordes (1890–1988), American tennis player

S[]

• Sam Sanders (b. 1938), American football coach and player
• Samuel Sanders (1937–1999), American classical pianist
• Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House press secretary
• Satch Sanders (born 1938), American basketball player and coach
• Scott Sanders (b. 1945), American novelist and essayist
• Scott Sanders (b. 1950s), American navy admiral
• Scott Sanders (b. 1957), American film, television, and theatrical producer
• Scott Sanders (b. 1968), American screenwriter and film director
• Scott Sanders (b. 1969), American baseball pitcher
• Seb Sanders (b. 1971), English race jockey
• Sol Sanders (b. 1920s), American journalist
• Steve Sanders (b. 1978), English footballer
• Steve Sanders (b. 1982), American football player
• Storm Sanders (b. 1994), Australian tennis player
• Sue Sanders (b. 1947), British LGBT rights activist
• Summer Sanders (b. 1972), American swimmer, sports broadcaster, and actress

T[]

• Teee Sanders (b. 1968), American volleyball player
• Terence Sanders (1901–1985), British rower
• Terry Sanders (b. 1931), American film producer and director
• Thomas Sanders (1836–1874), Quebec merchant and politician
• Thomas Sanders (b. 1962), American football player
• Thomas Sanders (entertainer), American actor and YouTuber
• Thomas E. Sanders, production designer
• Thomas Ernest "Satch" Sanders (born 1938), American basketball player and coach
• Thomas K. Sanders (d. 2011), American bridge player
• Tim Sanders (writer) (born 1961), American author, public speaker, and former Yahoo! executive
• Tim Sanders (footballer) (born 1986), Dutch footballer
• Tim Sanders (politician) (born 1982), American politician in the Minnesota House of Representatives
• Timothy Greenfield-Sanders (b. 1952), American portrait photographer
• Tom Sanders, British mathematician
• Tommy Sanders (b. 1954), American sportscaster
• Tony Sanders (b. 1957), American poet
• Troy Sanders (1901–1959), American composer and musician
• Troy Sanders (b. 1973), American heavy metal bassist and singer

V[]

• Vince Sanders (b. 1935), American broadcaster
• Viola B. Sanders (b. 1921), American deputy director of Women in the Navy
• Violet Sanders (1904-1983), British artist

W[]

• Wade Sanders, American attorney and sex offender
• War Sanders (1877–1962), American baseball pitcher
• Wayne Sanders (b. 1969), South African Christian songwriter
• Wilbur F. Sanders (1834–1905), American lawyer and Senator from Montana
• Wilfred Sanders (1910–1965), English cricketer
• Will Sanders (b. 1965), Dutch French horn player
• William Sanders (1871–1941), British Labour Party politician
• William Sanders (b. 1941), American businessman
• William Sanders (b. 1942), American science fiction writer
• William Sanders, American statistician
• William David Sanders (1951–1999), American teacher and victim of Columbine High School massacre
• William Edward Sanders (1883–1917), New Zealand Victoria Cross recipient in World War I
• William Joseph Sanders, American vertebrate paleontologist
• William P. Sanders (1833–1863), officer in the Union Army in the American Civil War

Z[]

• Zebrie Sanders (b. 1989), American football player

Fictional characters[]

• Charles, Elizabeth, Jamie, Judith & Kate Sanders, characters from the soap opera One Life to Live
• Greg Sanders, fictional character featured on the US crime drama television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, played by Eric Szmanda
• James Sanders, a.k.a. Speed Demon fictional character featured in the Marvel Universe.
• Larry Sanders, fictional character played by Garry Shandling on the American television series The Larry Sanders Show
• Micah Sanders, character portrayed by Noah Gray-Cabey on the NBC science fiction drama series Heroes
• Niki Sanders, character portrayed by Ali Larter in the television series Heroes
• Shiera Sanders, a.k.a. Hawkgirl fictional character featured in the DC Universe.
• Stephen Sanders, alias used by the Marvel Comics character Doctor Strange
• Steve Sanders, character in the American television drama Beverly Hills, 90210
• Terry Sanders Jr., character in the anime OVA Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
• Sanders, a character in the Canadian animated reality television series Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race. Her first name is yet to be revealed.

See also[]

• Sander (name)
• Sandars (disambiguation)
• Sanderson (disambiguation)

References[]