I asked several from the Netherlands (in various phone conversations with them -- their name was Sandege and Sandidge) and they said it meant in their language Beautiful Land and in other parts of their country meant Sandy Bountiful Land (where things grow well). When they came to the USA they CHANGED THEIR NAME to these surnames (Sandege and Sandidge) because this was the name of their parents' property in the Netherlands, and they felt this was a good, new start (in USA) for them, and they wanted to have a wonderful, beautiful life and have lots of kids and wealth -- so they took this name thinking it was the closest thing to what they wanted of any of the names. Judy M. >Hello, > >Someone looked up the following names for me in the "New Dictionary of >American Family Names": > > " Sandridge - it is not listed. However, I did find this: > Sandidge (Eng) One who came from Sandridge (sandy ridge), in Devonshire. > So perhaps, the name could have been changed at sometime for a more > familiar sound. > > Higginbotham, Higginbotan, Higginbottom, Higginbothom, Higginbotham (Eng) > Dweller in or near the valley owned by Higgin; dweller in the valley of > oak trees: or in the low place enclosed by a hedge." > > >Rita > > >