Origin/Meaning
There are a few surnames I've been looking for the origin and meaning of. I was hoping someone here could help me out.Ruan (I know it's Chinese, and I was told it means "musical instrument" but I'm not so sure about that.)Zvacek (Czech?)Weisz (I think it means "wheat"... I'm pretty sure it's different from Weiss and/or Weiß, which I already know mean "white.")Coupal (French?)Gautier (French. Something to do with lumber?)Therres Doherty (I was told it was Celtic/Gaelic for obstructive or hurtful, but that doesn't sound right....)Thanks in advance.
vote up1vote down

Replies

The meaning "hurtful" is accepted for the given name Dochartach, from which Doherty derives.
Weisz probably means "white". In the case of Erik Weisz, aka Harry Houdini, it was doubtless a Hungarian spelling of the German name.
Gautier is the French version of the male given name that is Walter in English. The first component looks like wood, i.e., woodland, but is said to mean something like rule or power.
vote up1vote down
Zvacek might mean survivor....
vote up1vote down