Recorded in many forms including Seid, Seide, Seidner, Seidenman, Seidler, the Polish Zajdler, and numerous 18th century compounds including Seidenband (silk ribbon), Seidenbaum (silk tree), and Seidenschnir (silk rope), this is a surname of pre 7th century Germanic origins. It is occupational, and a form of nickname for a manufacturer of silk. It derives from the early German word 'seide' and the even earlier Roman (Latin) 'seta', which literally means animal hair, but is used in a transferred sense for silk. Occupational surnames were amongst the first to be created usually in or about the 13th century. However they did not become hereditary unless a son followed his father into the same line of business. Sometimes when this happened a son might have two surnames, that of his fathers occupations and also his own! Early examples of the surname recording include Herman Sida of Bronnbach in the year 1214, Theobald Seidener of Stadtschule in Ulm in 1462, and Andreas Seidenbusch, given as being the organist of Munchen in (1641 - 1729).

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