Browse Surnames

Aarle Dutch
Denoted a person who hailed from a place of this name in the Netherlands, or from Arlon in Belgium (which is Aarlen in Dutch).

Abarca Spanish
From the name of a type of leather-soled shoe or sandal made on the Balearic Islands. It originally indicated a person who made or sold this item.

Abate Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest", derived via Latin and Greek from an Aramaic word meaning "father". This was used either as a nickname or an occupational name for a worker in a priest's house.

Abbey English
Indicated a person who lived near an abbey or worked in an abbey, from Middle English abbeye.

Abélard History
Adopted by the 12th-century French philosopher Pierre le Pallet, thereafter known as Pierre Abélard (or Peter Abelard in English). It is not certain how he contrived it. Possibly he was inspired by the given name Abel.

Abelen Dutch
Patronymic surname derived from Abel or a diminutive of Albert.

Acconcio Italian
From the medieval Italian given names Accuntius or Acconcius, of uncertain meaning.

Acker German, English
Denoted a person who lived near a field, derived from Middle English aker or Middle High German acker meaning "field".

Acqua Italian
Means "water" in Italian, indicating one who dwelt by or transported water.

Acquarone Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from a place name or an occupation derived from Italian acqua "water".

Adesso Italian
Perhaps a nickname for a punctual or fast person, from Italian adesso meaning "now, at this moment".

Agli Italian
From place names like Agliè, Aglietti, Agliana and Agliate, all originating from the Latin name Allius or Alleius.

Agnelli Italian
From Italian agnello meaning "lamb" (ultimately from Latin agnus), denoting a pious or timid person.

Agnusdei Italian
From Latin Agnus Dei meaning "lamb of God". This was a nickname for someone who was particularly religious or someone who wore this symbol.

Agua Spanish
Means "water" in Spanish, indicating a person who lived near water or worked with water.

Aguado Spanish
Derived from Spanish agua "water", indicating a person who lived near water or worked with water.

Aikawa Japanese
From Japanese 相 (ai) meaning "mutually, together", 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" or 哀 (ai) meaning "grief, sorrow" combined with 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river, stream".

Ainsley Scottish
From a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire. The place names themselves derive from Old English anne "alone, solitary" or ansetl "hermitage" and leah "woodland, clearing".

Albero Italian
From Italian albero meaning "tree", ultimately from Latin arbor, referring to someone who lived in the woods or worked as a woodcutter.

Alderliesten Dutch
From Dutch allerliefste meaning "most dearest". This name could have referred to the nature of the person or perhaps a phrase the person commonly used.

Aliev m Tajik, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Avar, Chechen
Alternate transcription of Tajik/Kyrgyz/Chechen Алиев, Kazakh Әлиев or Avar ГӀалиев (see Aliyev).

Alieva f Tajik, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Avar, Chechen
Alternate transcription of Tajik/Kyrgyz/Chechen Алиева, Kazakh Әлиева or Avar ГӀалиева (see Aliyeva).

Allard French, English
Derived from the given name Adalhard (or the Old English cognate Æðelræd).

Allison English
Means "son of Alan" or "son of Alexander" (as well as other given names beginning with Al).

Althaus German
Name for a person dwelled in or by an old house, from German alt "old" and haus "house".

Anaya Spanish
From the names of a few Spanish towns, possibly of Arabic origin meaning "stagnant water" or "path".

Andrzejewski m Polish
Habitational name for a person from towns called Andrzejewo or similar, derived from the given name Andrzej.

Angenent Dutch
Referred to person who lived at the end of the road or the village, derived from Dutch an gen ent meaning "at the end".

Antić Serbian, Croatian
Means "son of Anto" or "son of Ante 1".

Antonis mu Greek, Dutch
Derived from the given name Antonis or Antonius.

Appelhof Dutch
Indicated a person who lived by or at an apple garden, from Dutch appel "apple" and hof "yard, court".

Aritza Spanish, Basque
From Basque aritz meaning "oak tree". This was a nickname of Iñigo, the first king of Pamplona, Spain (9th century).

Asselman Dutch
Denoted a person from Assel, Asselt or Hasselt, the name of communities in the Netherlands and Belgium. They derive from Old Dutch ask "ash tree" and loh "woods on sandy soil", or hasal "hazel tree".

Avery English
Derived from a Norman French form of the given names Alberich or Alfred.

Ávila Spanish
From the name of the city of Ávila in Spain. It is of uncertain meaning, possibly of Punic or Celtic origin.

Ayala Spanish
From the name of the town of Ayala (called Aiara in Basque) in Álava, Spain. It might be derived from Basque aiher "slope" or alha "pasture".

Ayton English
From the name of towns in Berwickshire and North Yorkshire. They are derived from Old English ea "river" or ieg "island" combined with tun "enclosure, yard, town".

Baaiman Dutch
Means "son of Baaij", the given name Baaij being a diminutive of names like Baugulf, Boudewijn or Bernard.

Babcock English
Derived from the medieval name Bab, possibly a diminutive of Bartholomew or Barbara.

Bähr German
From Middle High German bër "bear" or ber "boar". This was originally a nickname for a strong or brave person.

Ball English
From Middle English bal, Old English beall meaning "ball". This was either a nickname for a rotund or bald person, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a ball-shaped feature.

Ballerini Italian
From Italian ballerino meaning "dancer", an occupational name or nickname for someone who liked to dance.

Banks English
Originally indicated someone who lived near a hillside or a bank of land.

Barlow English
Derived from a number of English place names that variously mean "barley hill", "barn hill", "boar clearing" or "barley clearing".

Barnes English
Denoted a person who worked or lived in a barn. The word barn is derived from Old English bere "barley" and ærn "dwelling".

Baron English, French
From the title of nobility, derived from Latin baro (genitive baronis) meaning "man, freeman", possibly from Frankish barō meaning "servant, man, warrior". It was used as a nickname for someone who worked for a baron or acted like a baron.

Barros Portuguese, Spanish
From the Portuguese and Spanish word barro meaning "clay, mud". This could either be an occupational name for a person who worked with clay or mud such as a builder or artisan, or a topographic name for someone living near clay or mud.

Bartoš m Czech, Slovak
Derived from Bartoš, a diminutive of Bartoloměj or Bartolomej.

Basile Italian, French
From the given name Basilio or Basile.

Báthory Hungarian
Originally indicated a person from Bátor, a village in Hungary, which might be of Turkic origin meaning "hero". This was the surname of a Hungarian noble family who historically controlled the town. One of the family members, Stephen Báthory, became the king of Poland in the 16th century.

Baumgartner German
Occupational name for a person who worked or lived at an orchard, from German Baumgarten "orchard" (derived from Baum "tree" and Garten "garden").

Beck 1 English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian
From Middle English bekke (from Old Norse), Low German beke or Old Norse bekkr all meaning "stream".

Becke German
Variant of Beck 1 or Beck 2.

Beckett English
Originally a diminutive of Beck 1 or Beck 3.

Begam Indian (Muslim), Bengali (Muslim), Urdu, Punjabi
Alternate transcription of Urdu بیگم, Bengali বেগম or Gurmukhi ਬੇਗਮ (see Begum).

Bell 1 English
From Middle English belle meaning "bell". It originated as a nickname for a person who lived near the town bell, or who had a job as a bell-ringer.

Benini Italian
Means "son of Benino" from a diminutive of Bene or Beno, short forms of Benedetto.

Bennington English
From the English town name Benington, which can mean either "settlement belonging to Beonna's people" or "settlement by the River Beane".

Best 1 English
Derived from Middle English beste meaning "beast", an occupational name for a keeper of animals or a nickname for someone who acted like a beast. A famous bearer of this surname was soccer legend George Best (1946-2005).

Beumer Dutch
Possibly a Dutch form of Baumer or Böhmer.

Beumers Dutch
Possibly a Dutch form of Baumer or Böhmer.

Beutel German
From Middle High German biutel meaning "bag", originally belonging to a person who made or sold bags.

Bianchi Italian
From Italian bianco meaning "white", originally given to a person who was white-haired or extremely pale.

Bicchieri Italian
Means "drinking glasses" in Italian, referring originally to a person who made or sold them.

Biermann German
Derived from German bier "beer" and mann "man". The name may have referred to a brewer or a tavern owner.

Bird English
Occupational name for a person who raised or hunted birds.

Black English
Means either "black" (from Old English blæc) or "pale" (from Old English blac). It could refer to a person with a pale or a dark complexion, or a person who worked with black dye.

Blanc French
Means "white" in French. The name referred to a person who was pale, or whose hair was blond.

Blanchett French (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Blanchet or Blanchette.

Blanco Spanish
Means "white" in Spanish. The name most likely referred to a person who was pale or had blond hair.

Blecher German
Occupational name for someone who worked with tin or sheet metal, from German blech "tin".

Blue English
From a nickname for a person with blue eyes or blue clothing.

Boesch German, Low German
Variant of Bösch 1 or Bösch 2.

Böhler German
Derived from the name of several German towns called Boll or Böhl, meaning "hill".

Bonheur French
From Old French bonne heure meaning "good time" or "lucky".

Boone English
Variant of Boon 1 or Boon 2.

Boros Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian bor "wine". Originally it could have indicated someone who made or sold wine.

Bourreau 2 French
Occupational name for an executioner or torturer, derived from bourrer "to hit, to stuff with cloth" (derived from French boure "stuffing").

Boyce English
From Old French bois meaning "wood", originally given to someone who lived by or in a wood.

Braband German
Derived from the name of the region of Brabant in the Netherlands and Belgium. It possibly means "ploughed region" or "marshy region" in Old High German.

Brand 1 German, Dutch, English
Derived from the Old German given name Brando or its Old Norse cognate Brandr.

Brand 2 German, Dutch
From Old High German brant or Old Dutch brand meaning "fire", originally a name for a person who lived near an area that had been cleared by fire.

Brandt German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch
Variant of Brand 1 or Brand 2.

Brent English
Originally derived from the name of a hill (or the village nearby) in Somerset, perhaps derived from a Celtic word meaning "hill".

Brett English
Originally a name given to someone who was a Breton or a person from Brittany.

Brewer English
Occupational name for a maker of ale or beer.

Bridges English
Originally denoted a person who lived near a bridge, or who worked as a bridgekeeper, derived from Middle English brigge, Old English brycg.

Britton English
Originally given to a person who was a Briton (a Celt of England) or a Breton (an inhabitant of Brittany).

Brouwer Dutch
Occupational name for a brewer of beer or ale, Middle Dutch brouwer.

Brown English
Originally a nickname for a person who had brown hair or skin. A notable bearer is Charlie Brown from the Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz.

Bruce Scottish
Possibly from the name of the town of Brix in Normandy, which is of unknown meaning. It was brought to Scotland in the 12th century by the Anglo-Norman baron Robert de Brus. It was later borne by his descendant Robert the Bruce, a hero of the 14th century who achieved independence from England and became the king of Scotland.

Brun French, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Means "brown" in French, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. It was originally a nickname for a person who had brown hair or skin.

Bruno Italian, Portuguese
Means "brown" in Italian and Portuguese, a nickname for a person with brown hair or brown clothes. A famous bearer was the cosmologist Giordano Bruno (1548-1600).

Bukowski m Polish
Originally denoted someone who came from a place called Bukowo or Bukowiec, which derive from Polish buk meaning "beech".

Bureau French
From Old French burel, a diminutive of bure, a type of woollen cloth. It may have originated as a nickname for a person who dressed in the material or as an occupational name for someone who worked with it.

Burgstaller German
From German Burg "fortress, castle" and Stelle "place, position". This was a name given to a person dwelling at or near such a site.

Burrows English
Topographic name derived from Old English beorg meaning "hill, mountain" or burg meaning "fort". Alternatively, it could come from a compound of bur "room, cottage, dwelling" and hus "house".

Bush English
Originally a name for a person who lived near a prominent bush or thicket.

Butkienė f Lithuanian
Feminine form of Butkus. This form (or Butkuvienė) is used by married women.

Butkuvienė f Lithuanian
Feminine form of Butkus. This form (or Butkienė) is used by married women.

Calderón Spanish
Occupational name for a person who made, repaired or sold cauldrons or kettles, from Spanish calderón "cauldron", from Late Latin caldaria.

Campbell Scottish
From a Gaelic nickname cam beul meaning "wry or crooked mouth". The surname was later represented in Latin documents as de bello campo meaning "of the fair field".

Cannon English
From the ecclesiastical usage of canon, referring to a church official or servant who worked in a clergy house.

Capello 1 Italian
From Late Latin cappa meaning "cloak, cape, hood". This was a name for one who made or wore cloaks.

Carrillo Spanish
Means "cheek, jaw" in Spanish, originally a nickname for a person with a distinctive cheek or jaw.

Cervantes Spanish
Possibly from Old Spanish servanto meaning "servant" or ciervo meaning "stag". A famous bearer was the Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616).

Chance English
From a nickname for a lucky person or a gambler.

Chandler English
Occupational name meaning "candle seller" or "candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately derived from Latin candela via Old French.

Chaplin English, French
Occupational name for a chaplain, or perhaps for the servant of one, from Middle English, Old French chapelain. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977).

Chaput French
From a diminutive of the Old French word chape meaning "cloak, hood". The name referred to a person who made, sold or often wore cloaks.

Charbonneau French
Derived from a diminutive form of French charbon "charcoal", a nickname for a person with black hair or a dark complexion.

Charron French
Means "cart" in Old French, used to denote a carter or a cartwright.

Chastain French
From Old French castan "chestnut tree" (Latin castanea), a name for someone who lived near a particular chestnut tree, or possibly a nickname for someone with chestnut-coloured hair.

Chaudhari Marathi, Gujarati
Alternate transcription of Marathi चौधरी or Gujarati ચૌધરી (see Chaudhary).

Clark English
Means "cleric" or "scribe", from Old English clerec meaning "priest", ultimately from Latin clericus. A famous bearer was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America.

Clay English
Means simply "clay", originally referring to a person who lived near or worked with of clay.

Clinton English
Derived from the English place name Glinton, of uncertain meaning, or Glympton, meaning "settlement on the River Glyme". This surname is borne by former American president Bill Clinton (1946-).

Close English
From Middle English clos meaning "enclosure", a topographic name for someone who lived near a courtyard or farmyard.

Cloutier French
Derived from French clou meaning "nail", referring to someone who made or sold nails.

Cock English
Derived from the medieval nickname cok meaning "rooster, cock". The nickname was commonly added to given names to create diminutives such as Hancock or Alcock.

Cody Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Cuidighthigh or Mac Óda. A famous bearer was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).

Coelho Portuguese
From the Portuguese word for "rabbit", either a nickname or an occupational name referring to a hunter or seller of rabbits.

Coiro Italian
From Italian cuoio meaning "leather", ultimately from Latin corium. This was an occupational surname for a leather worker or tanner.

Cole English
From a medieval short form of Nicholas or from the byname Cola.

Colombo Italian
Either from Italian colomba "dove" indicating a dove keeper, or from the given name Colombo, which is derived from the same word. This was the Italian surname of the 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus.

Colquhoun Scottish
From a place name meaning "narrow corner" or "narrow wood" in Gaelic.

Comstock English
Possibly from the name of the River Culm in Devon, England. This name is seen in the Domesday book as Culmstoke or Colmstoke.

Conti Italian
From the Italian noble title conte meaning "count", derived from Latin comes (genitive comitis) meaning "companion, attendant". It denoted a person who worked for a count or behaved like one.

Conway Welsh, English
From the name of the River Conwy in Wales, or the town situated at the mouth of the river. It is possibly derived from Welsh cyn "foremost" and the common river name suffix wy.

Cook English
Derived from Old English coc meaning "cook", ultimately from Latin coquus. It was an occupational name for a cook, a man who sold cooked meats, or a keeper of an eating house.

Coppola Italian
From the name of a type of hat characteristic of Sicily and southern Italy. This surname indicated a person who wore or made these hats. A famous bearer is the filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola (1939-), as well as other members of his extended family also in show business.

Coupe English
From Middle English coupe meaning "barrel", a name for a barrel maker or cooper.

Courtney English
Variant of Courtenay 1 or Courtenay 2.

Cowden English
From various English place names, which meaning either "coal valley", "coal hill" or "cow pasture" in Old English.

Cropper English
Occupational name derived from Middle English croppe "crop", referring to a fruit picker or a crop reaper.

Cross English
Locative name meaning "cross", ultimately from Latin crux. It denoted one who lived near a cross symbol or near a crossroads.

Cullen 2 Irish
Anglicized form of Ó Coileáin or Ó Cuilinn.

Curry Irish
Anglicized form of Ó Comhraidhe or Ó Corra.

Cuyler Dutch
Variant of Kuijlaars or Koole.

Dąbrowski m Polish
Habitational name for someone from any of the various locations named Dąbrowa or Dobrów, derived from Polish dąb meaning "oak".

Dane 1 English
Variant of Dean 1 or Dean 2.

Darling English
From a nickname or byname derived from Middle English dereling, Old English deorling, meaning "darling, beloved one".

Dean 2 English
Occupational surname meaning "dean", referring to a person who either was a dean or worked for one. It is from Middle English deen (ultimately from Latin decanus meaning "chief of ten").

De Koning Dutch
Dutch cognate of King.

Delacroix French
Means "of the cross" in French. It denoted one who lived near a cross symbol or near a crossroads. A notable bearer was the French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863).

Deng Chinese
From Chinese 邓 (dèng) referring to the ancient state of Deng, which existed during the Shang and Zhou dynasties in what is now either Henan or Hubei province. A famous bearer was the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997).

Desrosiers French
Means "from the rose bushes", from French rosier "rose bush". It probably referred to a person who lived close to, or cared for a rose garden.

Devin 1 Irish
Anglicized form of the Irish surnames Ó Damháin or Ó Dubháin.

Devin 2 French, English
Nickname for a person who acted divinely or prophetically, from Old French devin meaning "divine" or "seer, fortune teller", ultimately from Latin divinus.

Di Caprio Italian
From the name of the island of Capri near Naples, itself possibly derived from Latin capra meaning "goat" or Greek κάπρος (kapros) meaning "wild boar".

Dickman English
From Old English dic "ditch" combined with man "person, man". It was originally a name for a ditch digger or someone who lived near a ditch.

Dobos Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian dob meaning "drum". Originally the name was given to someone who played drums or made them.

Downer English
Name for someone who lived on or near a down, which is an English word meaning "hill".

Drake English
Derived from the Old Norse byname Draki or the Old English byname Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek δράκων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent".

Draper English
Occupational name for a maker or seller of woollen cloth, from Anglo-Norman French draper (Old French drapier, an agent derivative of drap "cloth").

Dreher German
Means "turner" from Middle High German drehen "to turn". A turner was a person who used a lathe to create small objects from wood or bone.

Dressler German
Means "turner" from Middle High German dreseler, an agent derivative of drehen "to turn". A turner was a person who used a lathe to create small objects from wood or bone.

Du Chinese
From Chinese 杜 (dù) meaning "stop, prevent" or "birchleaf pear tree".

Duff Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Dhuibh or Ó Duibh.

Duke English
From the noble title, which was originally from Latin dux "leader". It was a nickname for a person who behaved like a duke, or who worked in a duke's household.

Dunn English, Scottish, Irish
Derived from Old English dunn "dark" or Gaelic donn "brown", referring to hair colour or complexion.

Dwerryhouse English
Indicated a person who worked or lived at a dyehouse, which is a place where dyeing was done.

Dykstra Frisian
From Frisian dyk meaning "dike, ditch". The name was given to a person living near a dyke or embankment.

Eads English
Means "son of Eda 2" or "son of Adam".

Eady English
From a diminutive of the given name Eda 2 or Adam.

Earl English
From the aristocratic title, which derives from Old English eorl meaning "nobleman, warrior". It was either a nickname for one who acted like an earl, or an occupational name for a person employed by an earl.

Edison English
Means "son of Eda 2" or "son of Adam". The surname was borne by American inventor Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931).

Egger German
South German occupational name meaning "plowman" or "farmer", derived from German eggen "to harrow, to plow".

Ellington English
From the name of multiple towns in England. The town's name is derived from the masculine given name Ella (a short form of Old English names beginning with the elements ælf meaning "elf" or eald meaning "old") combined with tun meaning "enclosure, town".

Ellis English, Welsh
Derived from the given name Elijah, or sometimes Elisedd.

Ellsworth English
Habitational name for a person from the town of Elsworth in Cambridgeshire. The town's name is derived from the masculine given name Ella (a short form of Old English names beginning with the elements ælf meaning "elf" or eald meaning "old") combined with worþ meaning "enclosure".

Elwyn English
Derived from the given names Ælfwine, Æðelwine or Ealdwine.

English English
Denoted a person who was of English heritage. It was used to distinguish people who lived in border areas (for example, near Wales or Scotland). It was also used to distinguish an Anglo-Saxon from a Norman.

Falco Italian
Derived from Italian falco "falcon". The name was used to denote a falconer or a person who resembled a falcon in some way.

Falk Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German
From Old Norse falki or Old High German falco meaning "falcon".

Farnham English
Indicated a person from any of the various towns named Farnham in England, notably in Surrey. Their names are from Old English fearn "fern" and ham "home, settlement" or ham "water meadow, enclosure".

Fashingbauer German
From Fasching, a German carnival (Fastnacht meaning "eve of the beginning of the fast", or the time before Lent) celebrated in Austria and Bavaria, and bauer meaning "farmer".

Fay 1 French, English
Referred to a person who came from various places named Fay or Faye in northern France, derived from Old French fau "beech tree", from Latin fagus.

Fehér Hungarian
Means "white" in Hungarian, originally referring to a person with white hair or complexion.

Fekete Hungarian
Means "black" in Hungarian, originally a nickname for a person with dark hair or a dark complexion.

Ferrari Italian
Occupational name for a metalworker or smith, derived from Latin ferrarius, a derivative of ferrum meaning "iron".

Fiala m Czech
Means "violet" in Czech, referring to the flower. It may have originally referred to a person who lived near a sign bearing violets, or it may have been given to a person who lived in a place where violets grew.

Fields English
Name for a person who lived on or near a field or pasture, from Old English feld.

Filipowski m Polish
Either a patronymic from the given name Filip, or a habitational name denoting a person from the Polish town of Filipów (also derived from the given name).

Fitzroy English
Means "son of the king" in Anglo-Norman French, from French roi meaning "king". This name has been bestowed upon illegitimate children of kings.

Fodor Hungarian
From Hungarian fodor meaning "curly, wavy", referring to a person with curly or wavy hair.

Forest English, French
Originally belonged to a person who lived near or in a forest. It was probably originally derived, via Old French forest, from Latin forestam (silva) meaning "outer (wood)".

Forester English
Denoted a keeper or one in charge of a forest, or one who has charge of growing timber in a forest (see Forest).

Förstner German
Denoted a keeper or one in charge of a forest (see Forst).

Fortier French
Derived from Old French fort "stronghold", indicating a person who lived near or worked at such a place.

Foster 4 English
Nickname given to a person who was a foster child or foster parent.

Fowler English
Occupational name for a fowler or birdcatcher, ultimately derived from Old English fugol meaning "bird".

Fox English
From the name of the animal. It was originally a nickname for a person with red hair or a crafty person.

Frankenstein German, Literature
From any of the various minor places by this name in Germany, meaning "stone of the Franks" in German. It was used by the author Mary Shelley in her novel Frankenstein (1818) for the character of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates a monster and brings it to life. The monster, nameless in the novel, is sometimes informally or erroneously called Frankenstein in modern speech.

Freeman English
Referred to a person who was born free, or in other words was not a serf.

Frost English, German
From Old English and Old High German meaning "frost", a nickname for a person who had a cold personality or a white beard.

Fujisawa Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 沢 or 澤 (sawa) meaning "marsh".

Fukuzawa Japanese
From Japanese 福 (fuku) meaning "happiness, good fortune, blessing" and 沢 or 澤 (sawa) meaning "marsh".

Fürst German
From a nickname meaning "(sovereign) prince" in German. The word fürst itself is derived from Old High German furisto "first".

Furukawa Japanese
From Japanese 古 (furu) meaning "old" and 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river, stream".

Gabler German
Occupational name for someone who made or sold forks, from Old High German gabala "fork".

Gage French, English
Occupational name derived either from Old French jauge "measure" (a name for an assayer) or gage "pledge, payment" (a name for a moneylender). Both words were ultimately of Frankish origin.

Gagnon French
Derived from old French gagnon "guard dog". The name most likely originated as a nickname for an aggressive or cruel person.

Ganza Italian
Probably from the feminine medieval given name Allegranza or Alleganza, a derivative of Allegra. It comes from northern Lombardy.

Garner 1 English
From Old French gernier meaning "granary", a derivative of Latin granum meaning "grain". This name could refer to a person who worked at a granary or lived near one.

Garnet English
Variant of Garnett 1 or Garnett 2.

Garrett English
Derived from the given name Gerald or Gerard.

Geelen Dutch
Derived from the given name Geel, itself from Gillis or Gilbert.

Giese German, Danish
Derived from a short form of the given name Giselbert or other Old German names beginning with the element gisal meaning "pledge, hostage".

Giffard French, English
Possibly from Old French gifart meaning "chubby" or possibly from the Germanic name Gebhard. Walter Giffard was one of the Norman companions of William the Conqueror.

Gilmore Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic MacGilleMhoire or Irish Gaelic Mac Giolla Mhuire meaning "son of the servant of Moire".

Gilroy Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Giolla Ruaidh or Mac Giolla Rí.

Giunta Italian
From the old Italian given name Bonagiunta or Bonaggiunta (derived from bono "good" and aggiunto "assistant").

Glass English, German
From Old English glæs or Old High German glas meaning "glass". This was an occupational name for a glass blower or glazier.

Glöckner German
Derived from Middle High German glocke "bell". It may have referred to a person who worked at or lived close to a bell tower.

Glover English
Occupational name for a person who made or sold gloves, from Middle English glovere.

Glynn Welsh, Cornish
Topographic name for someone who lived in a valley, from Welsh glyn and Cornish glin, or a habitational name from a place named with this word.

Gniewek Polish
Derived from Gniewek, a diminutive of Zbigniew, Jarogniew, or other names containing gniew "anger".

Goffe English
Derived from Breton or Cornish goff meaning "smith", referring to a metalworker.

Gold English, German, Jewish
From Old English and Old High German gold meaning "gold", an occupational name for someone who worked with gold or a nickname for someone with yellow hair. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.

Grabowski m Polish
Habitational name for someone from any of the various places called Grabów, Grabowa or Grabowo, all derived from Polish grab meaning "hornbeam tree".

Grady Irish
From Irish Ó Gráda or Ó Grádaigh meaning "descendant of Gráda". The byname Gráda means "noble, illustrious".

Gray English
From a nickname for a person who had grey hair or grey clothes.

Green English
Descriptive name for someone who often wore the colour green or someone who lived near the village green.

Greenwood English
Topographic name for someone who lived in or near a lush forest, from Old English grene "green" and wudu "wood".

Grimaldi Italian
From the given name Grimaldo. It is the surname of the royal family of Monaco, which came from Genoa.

Gruber Upper German
From German Grube meaning "pit", indicating a person who lived or worked in a pit or depression. This is the most common surname in Austria.

Grünberg German, Jewish
From German grün meaning "green" and Berg meaning "mountain". This name indicated a person who lived on or near a forest-covered mountain.

Guerra Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From a nickname meaning "war", given to a belligerent person or one engaged in warfare.

Gwózdek Polish
Derived from either archaic Polish gwozd meaning "forest" or gwóźdź meaning "nail".

Haber German, Jewish
Occupational name for one who grew or sold oats, derived from Old High German habaro "oat". As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.

Hagen Norwegian, Dutch
From Old Norse hagi or Old Dutch hago meaning "enclosure, pasture".

Hahn German
From a nickname for a proud or pugnacious person, from Old High German hano meaning "rooster, cock".

Haig English, Scottish
From Old English haga or Old Norse hagi meaning "enclosure, pasture".

Hall English, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Means simply "hall", given to one who either lived in or worked in a hall (the house of a medieval noble).

Halmi Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian halom meaning "mound, small hill". Originally the name was given to someone who lived near or on a hill.

Hammond English
From the Norman given name Hamo or the Old Norse given name Hámundr.

Hampton English
From the name of multiple towns in England, derived from Old English ham "home" or ham "water meadow, enclosure" and tun "enclosure, yard, town".

Harford English
Habitational name from places called Harford in Gloucestershire and Devon, meaning "hart ford" or "army ford".

Harley English
Derived from a place name meaning "hare clearing", from Old English hara "hare" or hær "rock, heap of stones" and leah "woodland, clearing".

Harlow English
Habitational name derived from a number of locations named Harlow, from Old English hær "rock, heap of stones" or here "army", combined with hlaw "hill".

Harper English
Originally belonged to a person who played the harp or who made harps.

Harrington English
From the name of towns in England, meaning either "Hæfer's town" or "stony town" in Old English.

Hart English
Means "male deer". It was originally acquired by a person who lived in a place frequented by harts, or bore some resemblance to a hart.

Hase German
From Middle High German and Middle Low German hase meaning "hare, rabbit". This was a nickname for a person who was quick or timid.

Hauer German
Derived from Middle High German houwen "to chop", referring to a butcher or woodchopper.

Haumann German
Derived from Middle High German houwen "to chop" and man "man", referring to a butcher or woodchopper.

Haward English
Variant of Howard 1 or Hayward.

Hawk English
Originally a nickname for a person who had a hawk-like appearance or who acted in a fierce manner, derived from Old English hafoc "hawk".

Hayasaka Japanese
From Japanese 早 (haya) meaning "already, now" and 坂 or 阪 (saka) meaning "slope".

Hayden 1 English
From place names meaning either "hay valley" or "hay hill", derived from Old English heg "hay" and denu "valley" or dun "hill".

Hayden 2 Irish
Anglicized form of Ó hÉideáin or Ó hÉidín.

Head English
From Middle English hed meaning "head", from Old English heafod. It may have referred to a person who had a peculiar head, who lived near the head of a river or valley, or who served as the village headman.

Heath English
Originally belonged to a person who was a dweller on the heath or open land.

Heeren Dutch
From Dutch heer "lord, master", a nickname for a person who acted like a lord or who worked for a lord.

Hepburn English, Scottish
From northern English place names meaning "high burial mound" in Old English. It was borne by Mary Queen of Scot's infamous third husband, James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwall. Other famous bearers include the actresses Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003) and Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).

Hersch German, Jewish
Variant of Hirsch 1 or Hirsch 2.

Herschel German, Jewish
Diminutive form of Hirsch 1 or Hirsch 2. A famous bearer was the British-German astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822), as well as his sister Caroline Herschel (1750-1848) and son John Herschel (1792-1871), also noted scientists.

Herzog German
From a German title meaning "duke", a nickname for a person who either acted like a duke or worked in a duke's household.

Hidalgo Spanish
Means "nobleman" in Spanish. The Spanish word is a contraction of the phrase hijo de algo meaning "son of something". This surname was typically in origin a nickname or an occupational name for one who worked in a noble's household.

Hill English
Originally given to a person who lived on or near a hill, derived from Old English hyll.

Hines Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó hEidhin meaning "descendant of Eidhin", a given name or byname of unknown origin.

Hino Japanese
From Japanese 日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" or 火 (hi) meaning "fire" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Hirsch 1 German
Means "deer, hart" in German. This was a nickname for a person who resembled a deer in some way, or who raised or hunted deer.

Hirschel German, Jewish
Diminutive form of Hirsch 1 or Hirsch 2.

Holme English, Scottish
Referred either to someone living by a small island (northern Middle English holm, from Old Norse holmr) or near a holly tree (Middle English holm, from Old English holegn).

Holzmann German
Derived from Old High German holz "wood" and man "man", a name for someone who lived close to a wood or worked with wood.

Honeycutt English
Derived from the name of the English town of Hunnacott, derived from Old English hunig "honey" or the given name Huna combined with cot "cottage".

Hood English
Metonymic occupational name for a maker of hoods or a nickname for someone who wore a distinctive hood, from Old English hod.

Hooker English
Originally applied to one who lived near a river bend or corner of some natural feature, from Old English hoc "angle, hook".

Hopper English
Occupational name for an acrobat or a nickname for someone who was nervous or restless. A famous bearer was the American actor Dennis Hopper (1936-2010).

Horn English, German, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old English, Old High German and Old Norse word horn meaning "horn". This was an occupational name for one who carved objects out of horn or who played a horn, or a person who lived near a horn-shaped geographical feature, such as a mountain or a bend in a river.

House English
Referred to a person who lived or worked in a house, as opposed to a smaller hut.

Howard 1 English
Derived from the given name Hughard or Hávarðr.

Hrabě m Czech
Means "count" in Czech, perhaps used to denote someone who worked for a count or acted like a count.

Hruška m Czech, Slovak
Means "pear" in Czech and Slovak, most likely used to denote a person who grew or sold pears.

Im Korean
From Sino-Korean 林 (im) meaning "forest", making it the Korean form of Lin, or 任 (im) of uncertain meaning, making it the Korean form of Ren.

Iordanou Greek
From the name of the Jordan river, which is from Hebrew יָרַד (yaraḏ) meaning "descend" or "flow down".

Irvin Scottish, English
Variant of Irvine 1 or Irwin.

Irving Scottish, English
Variant of Irvine 1 or Irwin.

Ivanova f Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian, Macedonian, Belarusian
Feminine form of Ivanov or Ivanow.

Jankowski m Polish
Habitational name for a person from a town named Jankowo or Janków, all derived from the given name Janek.

Janowski m Polish
Habitational name for a person from a town named Janowo, Janów or Janowice, all derived from the given name Jan 1.

Janvier French
Either from the given name Janvier or the French word janvier meaning "January", perhaps indicating a person who was baptized in that month.

Jaworski m Polish
Habitational name for someone from any of the various places named Jawory or Jaworze, derived from Polish jawor meaning "maple tree".

Jordan 2 Jewish
Derived from the name of the Jordan river, which is from Hebrew יָרַד (yaraḏ) meaning "descend" or "flow down".

Kamiński m Polish
From Polish kamień meaning "stone", a name for a stonecutter or for one who lived at a place with this name.

Kappel German, Dutch
Name for a person who lived near or worked at a chapel, ultimately from Late Latin cappella, a diminutive of cappa "cape", arising from the holy relic of the torn cape of Saint Martin, which was kept in small churches.

Kardos Hungarian
From Hungarian kard meaning "sword". It could have been applied to soldiers, sword makers, or one with a pugnacious nature.

Kaur Indian (Sikh)
Means "princess", ultimately from Sanskrit कुमारी (kumārī) meaning "girl". In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh gave all his Sikh female followers the surname Kaur and all males Singh. In many instances, it is also used as a middle name with the family name serving as the surname.

Kavanagh Irish
Derived from the Irish Gaelic name Caomhánach, which means "a student of saint Caomhán". It was the name used by a 12th-century king of Leinster, Domhnall Caomhánach, the eldest son of the historic Irish king Diarmait Mac Murchada.

Kay 2 English
Derived from Old French kay meaning "wharf, quay", indicating one who lived near or worked on a wharf.

Keaton English
From any of three English place names: Ketton in Rutland, Ketton in Durham or Keaton in Devon. The first is probably derived from an old river name or tribal name combined with Old English ea "river", with the spelling later influenced by tun "enclosure, yard, town". The second is from the Old English given name Catta or the Old Norse given name Káti combined with Old English tun. The third is possibly from Cornish kee "hedge, bank" combined with Old English tun.

Kelly 1 Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Ceallaigh meaning "descendant of Ceallach". Famous bearers include actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).

Kendrick 1 English
From the Old English given names Cyneric or Cenric.

Kennard English
Derived from the given names Cyneweard or Cyneheard.

Kerner German
Derived from Old High German kerno "seed", an occupational name for one who sold or planted seeds.

Key 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.

Keyes 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.

Keys 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.