1. German and Jewish (western Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of various places called Saar, in particular one in western Germany on the French border, which takes its name from the river on which it stands. This is found in Latin sources as Saravus, and ultimately goes back to an Indo-European root, ser-, sar- ‘flow’.

2. Dutch: from the Biblical female personal name Sara.

3. Jewish: from Hebrew saar ‘storm’, a translation of German Sturm, perhaps a nickname or ornamental name.

See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.