Schuyler

Schuyler is a Dutch and German surname with roots in the Latin and Greek languages. The ancient Greeks had a word (σχολή ) “skholi” which they used to describe a meeting place for leisurely discussion (and you know those Athenians were always philosophizing on something). The Latins borrowed the word as “schola” meaning more specifically a “place for instruction and learning” (a school). The Medieval Latin “scholaris” specifically described a “scholar” or a teacher (one who was “of a school”). The word was eventually adopted by all other languages throughout Europe, such as the German Schüler and the Dutch Schuyler. Both of these words ultimately developed into Dutch and German surnames derived from occupations (i.e., a student or a schoolteacher). Because the Dutch people were among the earliest American colonizers, the name Schuyler goes way back to the 17th century in the United States. As a personal given name, originally considered exclusively masculine, Schuyler was used in honor of Philip Schuyler (1733-1804), a U.S. senator from the state of New York who had distinguished himself as a Revolutionary War hero. Schuyler’s off-shoots (Skyler and Skylar) are now considered unisex, although the former is more popular for baby boys while the latter is used more regularly on baby girls.