Recorded as Sad and Sadd, this is an early medieval English surname. It is or was a nickname for a person who according to manuscript records of the 13th century was sober, discreet, and serious! Well there you are. However our knowledge of these nicknames which became surnames suggests that for many people the absolute opposite applied. A good written example was that of Little John. He was otherwise known as John Little, and the largest and strongest man in the band of outlaws lead by Robin Hood, another nickname! He of course was supposedly Robin of Locksley, a renegade baron. The problem with all nickname surnames is that unless a scribe was present to write down at the time when the name was given, what the actual meaning was, seven centuries or more later its all guesswork. Be that as it may, this is a very early surname, with Margaret Sad and possibly her husband one Seman Sad, being recorded as landowners of the county of Suffolk in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, whilst John Sadd was the prebendary of the city of Norwich, in 1429.

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