Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Caprio Italianfrom Latin
caprae ‘goats’ or possibly from Greek
kapros "(wild) boar" and so a metonymic occupational name for a goatherd or swineherd or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a goat or boar.
Capshaw EnglishUnexplained. Perhaps a habitational name from Cadshaw near Blackburn, Lancashire, although the surname is not found in England.
Capua ItalianCapua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km (16 mi) north of Naples on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now.... [
more]
Capulet EnglishThis is the last name of Juliet from William Shakepeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet.
Caputo ItalianDerived from Latin
caput meaning "head", used as a nickname for a big-headed or stubborn person.
Carabuz RomanianCarabuz is a combination betwen 2 Romanian words, ,,cărăbuș" the Romanian form of ,,beetle" and ,,autobuz" the Romanian form of ,,bus"
Caradine English, German (Anglicized)Americanized form of German
Gardein, itself a Germanized spelling of French
Jardin. It could also denote someone from the village and civil parish of
Carden in Cheshire, England.
Carafa ItalianIt could derive from toponyms such as Caraffa del Bianco in the province of Reggio Calabria or Caraffa in the province of Catanzaro.... [
more]
Carandang Filipino, TagalogOccupational name for someone who dried things using fire, derived from Tagalog
dangdang meaning "heating, toasting, drying through exposure to fire or glowing coals".
Caraway EnglishProbably means "spice merchant" (from Middle English
carewei "caraway").
Carbajal Spanish, Judeo-SpanishProbably a habitational name denoting someone originally from any of the multiple locations called
Carbajal in León, Asturias, or Zamora in Spain. Alternatively, it may be of pre-Roman origin from the word
carbalio meaning "oak", denoting someone who either lived near an oak tree or who was like an oak tree in some way.... [
more]
Carbonell EnglishFrom a medieval nickname for a dark-haired or swarthy person, from Anglo-Norman
carbonel, literally "little charcoal".
Carbonero SpanishFamous bearers are Carlos Carbonero, a Colombian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Sampdoria on loan from Fénix and Sara Carbonero, a Spanish sports journalist.
Carbrey IrishAnglicized form of Irish Gaelic
Ó Cairbre and
Mac Cairbre meaning "descendant of
Cairbre", a given name meaning "charioteer".
Carcan LombardIt indicates familial origin within the eponymous frazione of the commune of Vila in the province of Còmm.
Carcelén SpanishThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Card EnglishEnglish: metonymic occupational name for someone who carded wool (i.e. disentangled it), preparatory to spinning, from Middle English, Old French card(e) ‘carder’, an implement used for this purpose... [
more]
Cardellini ItalianFrom a diminutive of
Cardelli. A famous bearer of this surname is the American actress Linda Cardellini (1975-).
Cardenete SpanishThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Cardillo ItalianCardillo is a surname of Sicilian origin, derived from the word
cardilla, meaning ''goldfinch''.
Cardon Frenchfrom the name of several places in southern France called (Le) Cardon. Or from Old Norman French
cardon "thistle" (a diminutive of
carde from Latin
carduus) hence a topographic name for someone who lived on land overgrown with thistles an occupational name for someone who carded wool (originally a process carried out with thistles and teasels) or perhaps a nickname for a prickly and unapproachable person... [
more]
Cardone Italian, SicilianFrom Sicilian
carduni "thistle, teasel, cardoon" possibly a topographic name but also could mean "rough, uncouth, stingy, or miserly".
Carducci ItalianFrom
Riccarduccio, an affectionate form of the given name
Riccardo. A famous bearer of this surname is Italian poet Giosuè Carducci (1835-1907), winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1906.
Cardwell EnglishFrom the traditionally British surname, which is a variant of the British surname Caldwell, a from the Old English
cald "cold" and
well(a) "spring, stream".
Care EnglishOccupational name for a locksmith, Middle English keyere, kayer, an agent derivative of keye.
Carganico ItalianPossibly from
cargar, an Italic descendent of Latin
carrico "to load", indicating someone who carried or loaded items for transport for a living.
Carhartt Cornishthe surname of the founder of Carhartt Apparel, a habitational name from
Carhart in Cornwall. Possibly also an Americanized form of German
Gerhardt.
Cariglia GalicianThe surname Cariglia comes from the autonomous region in the northwest Iberian peninsula.
Carioto ItalianIt means “deer” and originates from Italy the surname is considerably rare the total number is still unknown
Carisbrook EnglishCarisbrooke is a village on the Isle of Wight; the name is thought to mean "Carey's brook". When in 1917 the British royal family changed its name from the "House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha" to the "House of Windsor" and renounced all German titles, the title of Marquess of Carisbrooke was created for the erstwhile German Prince Alexander of Battenberg.
Carisch RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Risch.
Ĉaristo EsperantoOccupational name for a charioteer, from
ĉaro, meaning "a chariot, wagon, or cart", and
-isto, a suffix used for professions.
Carlan IrishAnglicized form of Irish
O'Carlain or
O'Caireallain, from the Irish
carla meaning a "wool-comb" and
an meaning "one who" which roughly translates as "one who combs wool"... [
more]
Carlander SwedishCombination of the given name
Karl or Swedish
karl "man" and
ander, from classical Greek
andros, "man".
Carlin Swedish (Rare)Combination of the given name
Karl, which is also a common place name prefix, and the common surname suffix
-in (originally from Latin
-inus "descendant of").
Carlin GermanHabitational name from a place named Carlin in Germany.
Carling SwedishFrom the personal name
Karl, which is also a common place name prefix, and the common surname suffix
-ing "belonging to".
Carlova RomanianMeaning uncertain. It may be related to the name Karlov or Karlova. Another possible relative is the surname
Korolev, originating from
korol meaning "king"... [
more]
Carlsberg GermanVariant spelling of
Karlsberg or derived from the name of a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Carlström SwedishCombination of the given name
Carl and Swedish
ström (Old Norse
straumr) meaning "stream".
Carlyon CornishCornish: habitational name from any of three places in Cornwall called Carlyon, in St. Minver and Kea parishes. The first element is Celtic ker ‘fort’; the second could represent the plural of Cornish legh ‘slab’.
Carmack EnglishAnyone with information about this last name please edit.
Carmiggelt DutchDutch cognate of
Carmichael. This was the surname of the Dutch writer, journalist and poet Simon Carmiggelt (1913-1987).
Carnegie ScottishHabitational name from a place called Carnegie, near Carmyllie in Angus, from Gaelic
cathair an eige "fort at the gap".
Carneiro Portuguese, GalicianMeans "ram" in Portuguese and Galician, either used as an occupational name for a shepherd or a habitational name for someone from any of various places called Carneiro.
Carnell EnglishA crossbowman or archer who protected castles and fortresses.
Carney IrishAnglicized form of Gaelic
Ó Catharnaigh "descendant of Catharnach", a byname meaning "warlike".
Carniglia ItalianDerived from the Latin word “carnem”, meaning “flesh”, and likely referred to a person who worked with meat or was a butcher. The surname may have also been adopted as a nickname for someone who was particularly robust or fleshy.
Carosella ItalianFrom
carosello "carousel, merry-go-round", possibly a nickname for a farmer, as a carousel was an allotment of grain collected by farmers. Also a type of jousting tournament.
Caroti ItalianFrom Italian
carota "carrot", probably referring to the bearer's hair colour.
Carpenito ItalianThis surname derives from a person who had worked as a "carpenter".
Carrasquillo SpanishThe surname Carrasquillo is of Spanish origin and it is derived from the word "carrasca" which means "holm oak". Therefore, the name roughly translates to "a place where there are holm oaks".
Carraway English (British)The name Carraway belongs to the early history of Britain, and its origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of one having lived on a road near a field or piece of land that was triangular in shape... [
more]
Carre FrenchFrench (Carré): from Old French carré "square", applied as a nickname for a squat, thickset man.
Carrel FrenchFrench: from Old French quar(r)el ‘bolt (for a crossbow)’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of crossbow bolts or a nickname for a short, stout man. The word also meant ‘paving slab’, and so it could also have been a metonymic occupational name for a street layer... [
more]
Carrell EnglishEnglish: from Old French carrel, ‘pillow’, ‘bolster’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of these. In some cases perhaps an altered spelling of Irish
Carroll... [
more]
Carrender English (American)Probably from Scottish
kerr meaning "rough, wet ground" combined with
ender (possibly related to the end of something). It probably denoted someone who lived between rough, wet ground and normal ground.
Carreño AsturianThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality.
Carrera Spanish, ItalianSpanish: topographic name for someone living by a main road,
carrera ‘thoroughfare’, originally a road passable by vehicles as well as pedestrians (Late Latin
carraria (via), a derivative of
carrum ‘cart’), or a habitational name from any of various places named with this word.... [
more]
Carrey IrishVariant of
Carey. A famous bearer is Canadian-American actor and comedian Jim Carrey (1962-).
Carrick ScottishThe possible roots of the Carrick family name may be from the ancient Strathclyde people of the the Scottish/English Borderlands. Carrick may also be of local origin, referring to those who lived in or near the place called Carrick in Ayrshire... [
more]
Carrier EnglishAn occupational name meaning someone who transports goods.
Carrington English, ScottishEnglish: habitational name from a place in Greater Manchester (formerly in Cheshire) called Carrington, probably named with an unattested Old English personal name
Cara +
-ing- denoting association +
tun ‘settlement’.... [
more]
Carrión SpanishIt comes from the knight Alonso Carreño, who distinguished himself in the conquest of the town of Carrión de los Condes (Palencia), where he founded his solar house.
Carrow EnglishEnglish: habitational name from either of two places: Carrow in Norfolk or Carraw in Northumberland. The first is thought to be named from Old English carr ‘rock’ (a Celtic loan word) + hoh ‘spur of a hill’, while the last may be named either from an Old British plural of carr, or from carr + Old English raw ‘row’... [
more]
Carruthers ScottishThis old Scottish surname was first used by Strathclyde-Briton people. The Carruthers family in the land of Carruthers in the parish of Middlebie, Dumfriesshire. In that are it is pronounced 'Cridders'.... [
more]
Carstairs English (British)From the manor or barony of the same name in the parish of Carstairs (= 1170 Casteltarres, 'Castle of Tarres').
Cartagena SpanishFrom the name of the city of Cartagena in southeastern Spain, derived from Latin
Carthāgō Nova meaning "New Carthage" (ultimately derived from Phonecian
qrt-ḥdšt meaning "new city").
Cartier French, NormanOriginal Norman French form of
Carter. A notable bearer was Breton-French explorer Jacques Cartier (1491-1557), who is known for discovering the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Cartman Popular CultureMeans a man who pulls a cart. A famous bearer is
Eric Cartman, Villain Protagonist of the adult cartoon South Park
Cartmell EnglishDenoted a person from
Cartmel, a village in Cumbria, England (formerly in Lancashire). It is the site of a famous priory, inland from Cartmel Sands. The place name is derived from Old Norse
kartr meaning "rocky ground" and
melr meaning "sandbank".
Cartmill Anglo-SaxonThe name Cartmill is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in or near the village of Cartmel in the county of Lancashire (now part of Cumbria.) Thus, Cartmill is a habitation surname which is derived from the name of a place... [
more]
Carucci ItalianDerived from Medieval Latin names
Carutius or
Caruccius or from the Italian term
caruccio composed by
caro meaning "dear" with the endearment suffix
-uccio.
Carulli ItalianIt should derive from the late Latin cognomen Carullus, a hypochoristic form of the more widespread cognomen Carus.... [
more]
Caruthers ScottishMeans "Rhydderch's fort" in Cumbric. This might refer to the king of Alt Clut, Rhydderch Hael.
Carville French, IrishAs a French location name it comes from a settlement in Normandy. As an Irish name it derives from a word for "warrior".
Carvoeiro PortugueseDerived from the Portuguese word "carvão," which means "coal." It likely originated as a surname for someone who worked with or lived near coal, or it could have been a nickname based on physical characteristics or personal attributes associated with coal.
Casabuena Spanish (Modern, Rare)Means "Happy House" or "House of Happiness" in Spanish, with the Spanish word "Casa", which means "House" and Buena, meaning "Happy" or "Happiness".
Casado SpanishOrigin uncertain. Perhaps from
casado "married", it may also be an alteration of
Quesada.
Casagrande ItalianHabitational name for someone from any of the various locations called Casagrande or Casa Grande, derived from Italian
casa meaning "house" and
grande meaning "big, large".
Casamitjana CatalanIt indicates familial origin within either of 3 farmhouses: the one in Castellnou de Bages, the one in l'Esquirol, or the one in Moià.
Casanova Catalan, ItalianCatalan and Italian: topographic name from Latin
casa ‘house’ +
nova ‘new’, or a habitational name from any of the many places named with these words.
Casapiccola ItalianHabitational name for someone from any of the various locations called Casapiccola or Casa Piccola, derived from Italian
casa meaning "house" and
piccola meaning "small".
Casas SpanishOrigin uncertain. Possibly from
casas "houses", which was used for several location names. Alternatively, it may be a corruption of
Casaus, which was the name of two French knights that helped in the conquest of Seville.
Casaulta RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and
aulta, the feminine form of the adjective
ault, "high".
Casavantes French, Spanish, BasqueTopographic name composed of
casa "house" +
avant "ahead of forward" + the suffix
-es, denoting one who lived in the house located at the beginning of a village. This surname has died out in France.
Cascalho Portuguese (?)What I know about this surname is that it came from Alentejo, a region in Portugal countryside. The eldest Cascalho I know lived in Évora (city in this province) so I assume the name born there...
Caseli RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Seli, a short form of
Basilius.
Casella ItalianFrom casa "house" (Latin casa "hut, cottage, cabin"), perhaps originally denoting the occupier of the most distinguished house in a village. Italian chef Cesare Casella (1960 - ) is one such bearer of this name.
Casement ManxAnglicized and reduced form of Manx Gaelic
Mac Asmuint meaning "son of
Ásmundr". A notable bearer was Sir Roger Casement (1864-1916), an Irish-born British consular official and rebel.