Hierarchical　sulfur-doped　nitrogenous　carbon　(S/NC)　and　nitrogenous　carbon　(NC)　nanosheets　are　successfully　fabricated　by　carbonization　of　their　corresponding　precursor　polymers　which　are　synthesized　through　the　polymerization　reaction　of　dianhydride　and　multi-amine　compounds.　Hierarchical　S/NC　nanosheets　deliver　greatly　enhanced　reversible　capacity,　compared　with　hierarchical　NC　nanosheets,　of　280　mAh　g-1　at　a　current　density　of　100　mA　g-1　after　300　cycles.　It　is　found　that　the　introduction　of　sulfur　species　in　carbon　skeleton　results　in　increasing　the　turbostratic　structures,　rather　than　enlarging　the　interlayer　distances,　for　boosting　the　specific　capacity　of　sodium-ion　storage.　The　turbostratic　structures　and　sulfur　dopant　existed　in　the　carbon　can　offer　more　active　sites　for　the　sodium-ion　storage.　Carbon-based　materials　doped　with　sulfur　are　capable　of　improving　the　sodium-ion　storage　property,　which　can　broaden　the　horizon　of　designing　a　string　of　outstanding　carbon　materials　for　the　future　energy　storage　technologies.　©　2017　IOP　Publishing　Ltd.