Senn

The story

1. Vulgar Latin · derived fromsaniō“herdsman, dairyman”
2. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*sannjō“herdsman, dairyman”
3. Old High German · derived fromsenno“shepherd”
4. German · borrowed fromSenn(e)“herdsman in the Alps”
5. English todaySenn

South German surname for a dairy farmer, from the common noun German Senn(e) (“herdsman in the Alps”) (15th century), from Old High German senno (“shepherd”) (11th century), from Proto-West Germanic *sannjō (“herdsman, dairyman”), from Vulgar Latin saniō (“herdsman, dairyman”) (compare Romansh Sursilvan sagn, Romansh Ladin signun (“herdsman”)), presumably from Celtic (compare Old Irish sine (“nipple, teat”), from Proto-Celtic *sɸenyos (“teat, nipple”)). A relationship with German Sahne (“cream”) (ultimately from Latin sagīna (“nourishment”)) is unlikely.