the etymology and history of surnames
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| Nacar |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| Possibly from naccaro ("player of the tambourine") which derives from the Arabic naqqara. |
| Næss |
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Usage: Norwegian
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Naess. |
| Naess |
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Usage: Norwegian
Extra: Statistics |
| From the Norwegian word næs "a promontory". |
| Nagarkar |
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Usage: Indian
|
| In Indian State of Maharashtra, surnames are derived from the name of town by adding the the suffix kar. Threrefore someone called Nagarkar originally hails from the town of Nagar. |
| Nagel |
|
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "nail" in German, and is probably related to the occupation of carpenter. Could also refer to a smith who specifically made nails. |
| Naggi |
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Usage: Italian
|
| From the town of Naggio in Italy. |
| Naggia |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| Variant of Naggi. |
| Nagi |
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Usage: Muslim
|
| Variant of the Arabic Naji, from an Arabic word meaning "close friend". |
| Nagy |
|
Usage: Hungarian
Extra: Statistics |
| From a nickname meaning "big" or "great" in Hungarian, referring to one's characteristics. This is a very common Hungarian surname. |
| Nakahara |
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Usage: Japanese
Extra: Statistics |
| From naka meaning "middle" and hara meaning "plain" or "field". |
| Nakamura |
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Usage: Japanese
Extra: Statistics |
| From naka meaning "middle" and mura meaning "village". |
| Nakano |
|
Usage: Japanese
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "central field" in Japanese. |
| Naldi |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| From given names like Arnaldo and Rinaldo. |
| Nana |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| From a pet form of Giovanni. |
| Nani |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Nana. |
| Nanni |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Nana. |
| Nannini |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| From a diminutive of Giovanni, Nanni. |
| Naoumov |
|
Usage: Bulgarian
|
| A variant transcription of Naumov. |
| Napoleoni |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| This surname comes from the old medieval name Napoleone (see Napoleon). This name became popular because of Napoleone Buonaparte, also known as Napoléon I, emperor of France. |
| Napoletani |
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Usage: Italian
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| Like Napoleoni it indicated a person from Napoli (Naples). |
| Napoliello |
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Usage: Italian
|
| Like Napoleoni it indicated a person from Napoli (Naples). |
| Narang |
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Usage: Indian
|
| From the name of a province in Pakistan which was in undivided India. The people took the surname of the place as their own. |
| Nardi |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| It comes from the first name Nardo which originally was an aphaeresis of names like Bernardo or Leonardo. |
| Nardo |
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Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Nardi. |
| Nardovino |
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Usage: Italian
|
| Either from Nardi or from the name Ardovino which was derived from the Germanic name Hardwin (hard- "strong" and -win "friend"). |
| Narváez |
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Usage: Spanish
|
| From the name of the town Narváez in Spain. |
| Nasato |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| Nickname for someone with a prominent nose, from Italian naso "nose". |
| Nascimbene |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| Variant of Nascimbeni. |
| Nascimbeni |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| From the medieval given name Nascimbene meaning "born well". Typical of the Venetian region. |
| Nass |
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Usage: Norwegian
Extra: Statistics |
| From the Norwegian word næs meaning "a promontory". |
| Natale |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| From a nickname referring to Christmas. It was originally given to a person who had some connection to the holiday. |
| Nathans |
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Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Derived from the given name Nathan. |
| Nathanson |
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Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of Nathan". |
| Naumov |
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Usage: Bulgarian
|
| Means "son of Naum". |
| Nave |
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Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| From Italian places called Nave or likewise. |
| Navrátil |
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Usage: Czech
Extra: Statistics |
| Derived from the past participle of the verb navrátit "to return". The name was perhaps used to denote a person who came back to his home following a long absence. |
| Nazaretian |
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Usage: Armenian
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| Means "son of Nazareth". The -tian on the end of an Armenian surname means "son of", and Nazareth was part of ancient Armenia. |
| Nazarian |
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Usage: Armenian
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| Means "son of Nazar". |
| Nazario |
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Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| From the given name Nazario. |
| Necchi |
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Usage: Italian
|
| Either from the given name Nechus (from the Latin word nequus meaning "unjust, unfair") or from a nickname from the archaic Milanese word gnecch meaning "tired". |
| Nedbalek |
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Usage: Czech
Extra: Statistics |
| Refers to one who is careless. It is of Czech and Polish origin. |
| Nedved |
|
Usage: Czech, Slovak
Extra: Statistics |
| A variant of Medved, derived from the dialect word nedved "bear". |
| Negrescu |
|
Usage: Romanian
|
| A patronymic derived from Romanian negru "black". It means "son of the black-haired person". |
| Negri |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| A nickname meaning "black" for someone with dark hair or dark skin or such. |
| Negrini |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| Variant of Negri. |
| Nejem |
|
Usage: Muslim, Arabic
|
| Means "star" in Arabic. |
| Nelissen |
|
Usage: Dutch
|
| Means "son of Cornelius". |
| Nelli |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| Derived from the given name Nello, a short form of names like Brunello and Lionello. |
| Nelson |
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Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of Neil". |
| Nemec |
|
Usage: Czech
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "German" in Czech. |
| Nemeček |
|
Usage: Czech
|
| Diminutive of Nemec. |
| Nemes |
|
Usage: Hungarian
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "noble, gentle" in Hungarian. |
| Német |
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Usage: Hungarian
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "German" in Hungarian. |
| Németh |
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Usage: Hungarian
Extra: Statistics |
| Spelling variant of Német. |
| Nenci |
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Usage: Italian
|
| Means "son of Nencio". Nencio is a Tuscan diminutive of the name Lorenzo. |
| Nepi |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| From the town Nepi, which is believed to be founded by Jewish Italians. |
| Neri |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| Comes from the Italian word nero "black". It indicates a person with a dark complexion or dark hair. |
| Neroni |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| Variant of Negrini. |
| Nervetti |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| Possibly a nickname for an innkeeper, from the archaic Milanese word nervètt, which is a local dish. |
| Nervi |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| From the name of the town Nervi, in Genova. |
| Nespola |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| From towns like Nespoli and Nespoledo, from the Italian word nespola meaning "medlar (tree)". |
| Ness |
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Usage: Scottish, English, Norwegian
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "headland" in Middle English, originally referring to a person who lived there. |
| Neuman |
|
Usage: Jewish, German
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Neumann. |
| Neumann |
|
Usage: German
Extra: Statistics |
| From Middle High German niuwe and man "new man". |
| Neville |
|
Usage: English, Irish
Extra: Statistics |
| From a Norman French place name meaning "new town". |
| Nevin (1) |
|
Usage: Scottish, Irish
Extra: Statistics |
| Anglicized form of Mac Naoimhín. |
| Nevin (2) |
|
Usage: Irish
Extra: Statistics |
| Anglicized form of Mac Cnáimhín or Ó Cnáimhín. |
| Newell |
|
Usage: English, Irish
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Neville. |
| Newman |
|
Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "new man, newcomer" from the Old English neowe, niwe, nige and mann. |
| Newport |
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Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Given to one who came from the town of Newport (which means simply "new port"), which was the name of several English towns. |
| Newton |
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Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| From the name of one of many English towns meaning "new town". A famous bearer is of course Sir Issac Newton. |
| Ng |
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Usage: Chinese
Extra: Statistics |
| Cantonese form of Wu. |
| Ngo |
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Usage: Vietnamese
Extra: Statistics |
| Vietnamese form of Wu. |
| Nguyen |
|
Usage: Vietnamese
Extra: Statistics |
| Vietnamese surname, of unknown Chinese origin. |
| Nibhanupudi |
|
Usage: Indian
|
| From the name of a village in Andhra Pradesh, India. |
| Nicastro |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| From the name of the town Nicastro, near Catanzaro. |
| Nicchi |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| From the Italian word nicchio meaning "shell", possibly a nickname for people related to the sea. |
| Nichols |
|
Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Derived from the given name Nicholas. |
| Nicholson |
|
Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of Nicholas". A famous bearer of this surname is the American actor Jack Nicholson. |
| Nicodemo |
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Usage: Italian
|
| Means "son of Nicodemo". |
| Nicolai |
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Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of Nicola". |
| Nicolescu |
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Usage: Romanian
|
| Means "son of Nicolae" in Romanian. |
| Nicolosi |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| From the name of the town Nicolosi on Sicily. |
| Nicolson |
|
Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Nicholson. |
| Nicosia |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| From the name of the town Nicosia on Sicily. |
| Nicotera |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| From town names like Marina di Nicotera and Nicotera in Calabria. |
| Nieddu |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| A nickname meaning "black" from the Sardinian adjective nieddu. |
| Nielsen |
|
Usage: Danish, Norwegian
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Nelson. |
| Nielson |
|
Usage: English, Swedish, Icelandic
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Nelson. |
| Niemczyk |
|
Usage: Polish
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of the German" from Polish niemec "German" and the patronymic part czyk. |
| Niemec |
|
Usage: Polish
|
| Means "German" in Polish. |
| Niequist |
|
Usage: Swedish
|
| Comes from the Swedish words nie which means "new", and quist which means "branch, twig". |
| Nieri |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| Either a variant of Neri, or from the Italian name Raniero. |
| Nieves |
|
Usage: Spanish
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "snows" in Spanish. From the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows". |
| Nifterick |
|
Usage: Dutch
|
| Variant of Van Niftrik. |
| Nifterik |
|
Usage: Dutch
|
| Variant of Van Niftrik. |
| Niftrik |
|
Usage: Dutch
|
| Variant of Van Niftrik. |
| Nigel |
|
Usage: English
|
| From the given name Nigel. |
| Nigro |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Neri. |
| Niklasson |
|
Usage: Swedish
|
| Means "son of Niklas". |
| Nikolaev |
|
Usage: Bulgarian
|
| Means "son of Nikolai". |
| Nikolajsen |
|
Usage: Danish
|
| Means "son of Nikolaj". |
| Nikolic |
|
Usage: Serbian, Croatian
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of Nikola". |
| Nikolov |
|
Usage: Bulgarian
|
| Means "son of Nikola". |
| Nikula |
|
Usage: Finnish
Extra: Statistics |
| From the personal name Niku, Finnish form of Nicholas + the local suffix -la. Common nowadays in western Finland. |
| Nilsen |
|
Usage: Norwegian
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of Nils". |
| Nilsson |
|
Usage: Swedish
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of Nils". |
| Nishimura |
|
Usage: Japanese
Extra: Statistics |
| Probably means "western village", from nishi "west" and mura "village". |
| Nisi |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| Means "son of Niso", where Niso is from the Greek name Nisus. |
| Niven |
|
Usage: Scottish, Irish
Extra: Statistics |
| Variant of Nevin (1). |
| Nixon |
|
Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of Nicholas". A famous bearer of this name was the American president Richard Nixon. |
| Nizzola |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| From the name of the Italian town Nizzola. |
| Noguerra |
|
Usage: Spanish, Catalan
|
| Means "dweller by the walnut tree" from the Late Latin nucarius. |
| Nolan |
|
Usage: Irish
Extra: Statistics |
| Anglicized form of Ó Nualláin. |
| Nordskov |
|
Usage: Danish
|
| Means "north woods". |
| Norling |
|
Usage: Swedish
Extra: Statistics |
| Originally denoted a person who came from the north. |
| Normansen |
|
Usage: Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
|
| Variant of Normanson. |
| Normanson |
|
Usage: English, Norwegian, Swedish
|
| Means "son of Norman". |
| Normanssen |
|
Usage: Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
|
| Variant of Normanson. |
| Normansson |
|
Usage: Norwegian, Swedish
|
| Variant of Normanson. |
| Norris (1) |
|
Usage: English, Scottish
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "from the north", either denoting someone who had moved from the north, further south or someone who lived in the northern part of a settlement. |
| Norris (2) |
|
Usage: English, Scottish
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "wet nurse, foster mother" from the Old French nurise, norrice. |
| North |
|
Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| A name for a person who lived to the north. The first record of the name North was first found in on the old census, based in Sussex. |
| Northrop |
|
Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Northrop is a name of a town in England. It means "north farm". |
| Nørup |
|
Usage: Danish
|
| Derived from the name of at least two different Danish villages. |
| Norup |
|
Usage: Danish
|
| Variant of Nørup. |
| Norwood |
|
Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Originally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English. |
| Noschese |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| From the name of the town Nusco, near Naples. |
| Nosek |
|
Usage: Czech, Polish
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "a small nose" in Czech and Polish. |
| Notaro |
|
Usage: Italian
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "scribe, clerk" from the Latin notarius. |
| Notoriano |
|
Usage: Italian
|
| Occupational name meaning "scribe". |
| Novaček |
|
Usage: Czech
|
| A diminutive of Novak. |
| Novák |
|
Usage: Hungarian
|
| Hungarian variant of Novak. |
| Novak |
|
Usage: Czech, Polish, Slovak, Slovene, Jewish
Extra: Statistics |
| Derived from Slavic novy "new", originally a name for someone who was new to a village. |
| Novosad |
|
Usage: Czech
|
| Means "new settler", "new land" or" new orchard". It is Moravian in origin. |
| Novotny |
|
Usage: Czech
Extra: Statistics |
| Derived from Slavic novy "new", originally a name for someone who was new to a village. |
| Nowak |
|
Usage: Polish
Extra: Statistics |
| Derived from Polish nowy "new", originally a name for someone who was new to a village. |
| Nunes |
|
Usage: Portuguese
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "son of Nuno". |
| Núñez |
|
Usage: Spanish
Extra: Statistics |
| Spanish form of Nunes. |
| Nuremberg |
|
Usage: German
|
| Derived from the name of a city in Germany. It was first spelled Nurnberger and then Nuremberger. |
| Nurmi |
|
Usage: Finnish
Extra: Statistics |
| Comes from a Finnish word that means "meadow". It was the surname of the athlete Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973). |
| Nussbaum |
|
Usage: German, Jewish
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "nut tree" from the Germanic words nuß meaning "nut" and baum meaning "tree". |
| Nussenbaum |
|
Usage: German, Jewish
|
| Variant of Nussbaum. |
| Nye |
|
Usage: English
Extra: Statistics |
| Means "dweller at the river" from the Middle English atten eye, meaning "at the river". |
| Nyilas |
|
Usage: Hungarian
|
| Means "archer, bowman" in Hungarian. |
| Nyitrai |
|
Usage: Hungarian
|
| Means "someone from Nyitra". Nyitra is a historic administrative county of Hungary (now situated in Slovakia). |
| Nylund |
|
Usage: Finnish, Swedish
Extra: Statistics |
| Origins from the Swedish speaking south of Finland, directly from the Swedish ny "new" and lund "grove". |
| Nyström |
|
Usage: Swedish
Extra: Statistics |
| From Swedish ny meaning "new" and ström meaning "stream". |
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