Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Wicksey EnglishTwo separate surnames, joined together to form Wicksey, when the Vikings invaded England. The name means "Dairy Farmer on the Marsh".
Widemann GermanDerived from the given name
Widiman, composed of Old High German
witu "wood" or
wit "wide" and
man "man".
Widger EnglishFrom the Old English male personal name
Wihtgār, literally "elf-spear".
Widman SwedishMeaning uncertain. Perhaps a combination of Old Swedish
viþr "wood, forest" or
vid "wide" and
man "man". It is also possible, though less likely, that it is a re-spelling of
Vikman, where the first element is Swedish
vik "bay".
Wie KoreanMeans “top” in Korean. Most known for Korean American golfer Michelle Wie West
Wiebe GermanFrom a short form of any of various Germanic personal names beginning with
wig ‘battle’, ‘war.’
Wiederspahn GermanCarpenter or roofer who applied wooden shingles from Wied, Wieden, or Wieda. Associated with the German-speaking minority that lived along the Volga River in Russia from 1764 to 1941.
Wiegel GermanFrom a pet form of any of the various Germanic personal names beginning with the element wig 'battle', 'war'.
Wierzbowski PolishTaken from the word
wierzba meaning "willow", this name may have designated someone who lived near a willow tree.
Wiese GermanDerived from the Old German word wisa, which means meadow.
Wiesenthal GermanHabitational name from any of various places called Wiesent(h)al.
Wieslander SwedishCombination of an unexplained first element and the common surname suffix
-lander.
Wiesner GermanGerman: habitational name for someone from a place called
Wiesen, or topographic name for someone who lived by a meadow, a derivative of Middle High German wise ‘meadow’.
Wiggin EnglishEither (i) from the Germanic male personal name
Wīgant, literally "warrior", introduced into England by the Normans; or (ii) from the Breton male personal name
Wiucon, literally "worthy-noble", introduced into England by the Normans.
Wiggs English (British)The surname Wiggs was first found in Leicestershire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, at Lennerlyde. This interesting name has two possible origins. The first being a metonymic occupational name for a maker of wedge-shaped bread, from the Medieval English "Wigge" meaning "wedge-shaped"... [
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Wightman English"Wight" in Anglo-saxon could refer to a "soul," a "being," or to "courage." It is similar to the different meanings of the words "spirit" and "spirited." ... [
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Wigmore Englishhabitational name from
Wigmore in Herefordshire so named from Old English
wicga in the sense "something moving quaking unstable ground" and
mor "marsh".
Wiibaru OkinawanThe Okinawan language reading of its kanji, 上原 meaning "upper plain" or 植原 meaning "planted plain".
Wijedasa SinhaleseDerived from Sanskrit विजय
(vijaya) meaning "victory" and दास
(dasa) meaning "servant, slave".
Wijekoon SinhaleseDerived from Sanskrit विजय
(vijaya) meaning "victory" combined with Sinhala කෝන්
(kon) meaning "king" (of Tamil origin).
Wijesiri SinhaleseDerived from Sanskrit विजय
(vijaya) meaning "victory" and श्री
(shri) meaning "diffusing light, radiance, splendour, beauty".
Wijesundara SinhaleseDerived from Sanskrit विजय
(vijaya) meaning "victory" and सुन्दर
(sundara) meaning "beautiful".
Wijewardana SinhaleseDerived from Sanskrit विजय
(vijaya) meaning "victory" and वर्धन
(vardhana) meaning "increasing, growing".
Wijewickrama SinhaleseFrom Sanskrit विजय
(vijaya) meaning "victory" and विक्रम
(vikrama) meaning "stride, pace" or "valour".
Wijnaldum Frisian, Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)From
Wijnaldum, the name of a village within the city of Harlingen in northwest Friesland in the Netherlands, derived from the given name
Winald combined with Old Frisian
hēm meaning "home, settlement"... [
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Wilberforce EnglishMeans "person from Wilberfoss", Yorkshire ("
Wilburh's ditch"). This is borne by Wilberforce University, a university in Xenia, Ohio, USA, founded in 1856 and named in honour of the British philanthropist and anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce (1759-1833)... [
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Wilbraham EnglishDenoted a person hailing from Wilbraham in Cambridgeshire, England. The place name itself means "
Wilburg's homestead or estate" in Old English, Wilburg or Wilburga allegedly referring to a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon princess who was given the lands later called Wilbraham by her father, King Penda of Mercia.
Wilburn EnglishA habitation name of uncertain origin found in the East Midlands. Speculation includes the possibility of the meaning "well" and "burn, borne" therefore meaning one who lived near a well or spring by a waterway crossing.
Wilczek PolishDiminutive form of Wilk, which means "wolf" in Polish.
Wildfong GermanAn Americanized form of German
Wildfang. A nickname from Middle High German
Wiltvanc "Wildman Stranger", denoting a person who was not a member of the community.
Wildin EnglishThe former placename is composed of the Olde English pre 7th Century words "wilg", willow, and "denu", a valley; while the latter place in Worcestershire is derived from the Olde English personal name "Winela", plus the Olde English "dun", a hill or mountain.
Wile Hungarianno particular meaning. the word wile means to trick though.
Wiles EnglishOccupational name for a trapper or hunter, from Middle English
wile "trap, snare". It could also be a nickname for a devious person.
Wilewski PolishThis indicates familial origin within the Masovian village of Wilewo.
Wilgar IrishAn ancient surname of Olde English and Scottish origins. It is usually occupational for a textile fuller, deriving from the pre 7th century word wealcere, meaning to walk or tread.
Wilkowski PolishHabitational name for someone from Wilkowo or Wilków, derived from Polish
wilk meaning "wolf".
Willert GermanGerman cognate and variant of
Willard. From a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements
willo "will, desire" and
hard "hardy, brave, strong".
Willingham EnglishHabitational name from a place named Willingham, notably one in Cambridgeshire and one in Suffolk. The first is recorded in Domesday Book as
Wivelingham "homestead (Old English
hām) of the people of a man called
Wifel".
Willock EnglishFrom the medieval male personal name
Willoc, a pet-form based on the first syllable of any of a range of Old English compound names beginning with
willa "will, desire".
Willows English (British)This is an English residential or perhaps occupational surname. It may originate from one of the various places in England called 'The Willows', or even a place such as Newton le Willows in Lancashire, or it may describe a supplier of willow.
Wills GermanPatronymic from any of the Germanic personal names beginning with
wil "will, desire".
Wimalasiri SinhaleseDerived from Sanskrit विमल
(vimala) meaning "clean, pure" and श्री
(shri) meaning "diffusing light, radiance, splendour, beauty".
Wimalawansa SinhaleseDerived from Sanskrit विमल
(vimala) meaning "clean, pure, spotless" and वंश
(vansa) meaning "lineage, clan, family".
Wimmer GermanOccupational last name, meaning "wine maker," using a derivation of the element
Wein (meaning "wine") and likely another derivation from
-macher (meaning "maker"). It's possible as well that it is derived from
Weimann.
Wimp EnglishThe surname has at least two origins. The first is occupational and describes a maker of 'wimplels', an Old English veil later much associated with nuns. Second, it may also be locational from the village of Whimple in Devonshire, or Wimpole in Cambridge.
Wimpey EnglishPerhaps a deliberate alteration of
Impey. It is borne by George Wimpey, a British construction company, founded in Hammersmith, London in 1880 by George Wimpey (1855-1913)... [
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Winchel Englishfrom Old English wencel ‘child’, perhaps used to distinguish a son from his father with the same forename or perhaps a nickname for a person with a baby face or childlike manner
Wind English, German, DanishNickname for a swift runner, from Middle English
wind "wind", Middle High German
wint "wind", also "greyhound".
Wind EnglishTopographic name for someone who lived near a pathway, alleyway, or road, Old English
(ge)wind (from
windan "to go").
Wind Swedish (Rare)From Swedish
vind "wind". It's either ornamental or a habitational name derived from a place named with this element.
Windham English, Irish (Anglicized)English habitational name from Wyndham in West Sussex, near West Grinstead, probably named from an unattested Old English personal name
Winda + Old English
hamm ‘water meadow’; or from Wymondham in Leicestershire and Norfolk, named from the Old English personal name
Wigmund (see
Wyman) + Old English
ham ‘homestead’... [
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Windus EnglishVariant of
Wingers. The name is a metonymic occupational name for a textile worker or weaver, derived from the Middle English wyndhows ("winding house").
Winegar GermanThis German surname may belong to one whose ancestors worked in the food industry or in the production of vinegar. In German the letter “W” is pronounced as the letter “V” in English.
Winehouse Jewish, GermanAnglicized variant of German and Yiddish 'Weinhaus'. From German
wein, 'vine, grapevine' and
haus 'house, building, home', likely indicating a house with a vineyard. ... [
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Winford EnglishEnglish location name meaning "from a white ford or water crossing" or "from a meadow ford".
Winfrey EnglishFrom the Old English personal name
Winfrith, literally "friend-peace". A famous bearer of this surname is Oprah Winfrey (1954-), a US television talk-show presenter.
Winkel German, Jewish, Dutch, BelgianGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic): topographic name for someone who lived on a corner of land in the country or a street corner in a town or city, from Middle High German winkel, German Winkel ‘corner’... [
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Winkelmann German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic): topographic name for someone who lived on a corner or kept a corner shop (see
Winkel), with the addition of Middle High German man, German Mann ‘man’... [
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Winkle Englishit's said to originate from the village of Wincle, near the town of Macclesfield in the county of Cheshire.
Winne Dutch, EnglishDutch: occupational name for an agricultural worker, Middle Low German winne ‘peasant’. ... [
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Winney EnglishDerived from an unattested Old English given name, *
Wyngeofu, composed of the elements
wyn "joy" and
geofu "battle".... [
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Winnick English (Rare)Habitational name for someone from a place called Winwick, for example in Northamptonshire or Cambridgeshire, both of which are named from the Old English personal name Wina + wic 'outlying dairy farm or settlement'.
Winninger GermanProbably denoted a person from the municipality of
Winningen in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in western Germany.
Winsininski Polish (Anglicized)Winsininski is an anglicized version of the name "Wisniewski", which is from multiple places in Poland called Wisniewo, Wisniew, and Wisniewa. These names all have "wisna" which means cherry, or cherry tree.... [
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Winstanley EnglishMeans "person from Winstanley", Lancashire ("Wynnstān's glade",
Wynnstān being an Old English male personal name, literally "joy-stone"; cf.
Winston)... [
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Winstead EnglishPerhaps derived from the town of
Wanstead in Greater London, England (recorded in the Domesday Book as
Wenesteda), named with Old English
wænn meaning "wagon" and
stede meaning "place, site", but it is more likely derived from the village of
Winestead in East Yorkshire, England, named from Old English
wefa meaning "wife" and
hamstede meaning "homestead"... [
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Winterberg GermanHabitational name from any of several places named with Middle High German
winter "winter" and
berg "mountain".
Winterbourne English (British)Probably meaning "winter stream". A large village in Gloucestershire, From the Thomas Hardy novel "The Woodlanders".
Winterburn Englishhabitational name from any of various places called with Old English
winter "winter" and
burna "stream" meaning "winter stream" for a stream which only flows or flows at a faster rate during the winter and more or less dries up in summer such as Winterburn in Gargrave (Yorkshire) Winterbourne (Berkshire Gloucestershire) Winterbourne Bassett (Wiltshire) or one of thirteen parishes named Winterborne in Dorset including Winterborne Abbas Winterborne Monkton and Winterborne Zelstone... [
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Wirta FinnishFrom virta ‘stream’, used as a topographic name, also as a soldier’s name in the 17th century. Also adopted as an ornamental name, especially in western and southern Finland.
Wise EnglishNickname for a wise or learned person, or in some cases a nickname for someone suspected of being acquainted with the occult arts, from Middle English
wise "wise" (Old English
wis). This name has also absorbed Dutch
Wijs, a nickname meaning "wise", and possibly cognates in other languages.
Wiseau English (American, Rare)Meaning unknown, believed to be derived from French oiseau, meaning bird. As a surname, it is born by American Director Tommy Wiseau.
Wish EnglishTopographic name for someone who lived by a water meadow or marsh, Middle English wyshe (Old English wisc). Americanized spelling of Wisch.
Wisp EnglishThe surname of the author of Quidditch Through The Ages in the Harry Potter Universe, Kennilworthy Whisp. Probably referring to the wind, or a family of people who usually were nearly bald.
Withall English"Withall" comes from the village of "Cornwall" called "Withiel." There is also a connection to an aristocratic level, in the 15th at Henry VII court a noble man and knight went under the family name "Wit-hall"... [
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