Browse Submitted Surnames

This is a list of submitted surnames in which the usage is English or American.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Gatenby English
Derives from the place of Gatenby in North Yorkshire, which comes from an Old Norse personal name "Gaithen", likely from Old Norse geitin "goats" (later influenced by Old English gāt "goat") and the suffix býr "farm, settlement", referring to a settlement with goats... [more]
Gatlin English
English of uncertain origin; probably a variant of Catlin or Gadling, a nickname from Old English gœdeling ‘kinsman’, ‘companion’, but also ‘low fellow’.
Gatling English, German (Anglicized)
English variant of Gatlin. Possibly a respelling of German Gättling (see also Gatlin).
Gatton English
Gat means "goat" and ton from tun means "enclosure".
Gaudet Louisiana Creole
Derived from the Germanic personal name Waldo (from waldan ‘to govern’).
Gaunt English
This name is believed to have derived "from the town of Gaunt, now Ghent, in Flanders."... [more]
Gavin Scottish, English
From the given name Gavin.
Gavitt English
Perhaps an altered spelling of the middle English Gabbett, which is from a pet form of the personal name Gabriel.
Gawel Polish, English (Americanized), German (Germanized)
Variant of Gaweł, particularly outside of Poland.
Gawkrodger English
From a medieval nickname meaning "clumsy Roger".
Gawthrop English
habitational name from any of several places in Yorkshire and Lancashire called Gawthorpe or Gowthorpe all of which are named from Old Norse gaukr "cuckoo" and þorp "enclosure" meaning "village where cuckoo's frequented".
Gay English, French
Nickname for a lighthearted or cheerful person, from Middle English, Old French gai.
Gay English, Norman
Habitational name from places in Normandy called Gaye, from an early proprietor bearing a Germanic personal name cognate with Wade.
Gaydos Hungarian, English
Anglicized spelling of Hungarian GAJDOS.
Gaye English
Possibly a nickname for a cheerful person, derived from the archaic word "gay" meaning "happy". A famous bearer was the American singer Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).
Gayler English (American)
Variant of Gaylord
Gaylord English
Derived from Old French gaillard meaning "high-spirited, boistrous".
Gear English
Derived from the Germanic name element ger, meaning "spear".
Gearhart English (American)
Americanized spelling of German Gierhard, a variant of Gerhardt.
Gearing English
probably an Americanized spelling of Gehring
Gee Irish, Scottish, English, French
Irish and Scottish: reduced form of McGee, Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Aodha ‘son of Aodh’ (see McCoy). ... [more]
Gegge English
Medieval English variant of Gegg.
Genain English (American, ?)
This pseudonym was used to protect the identities of the Morlok sisters, identical quadruplets born in 1930. All four developed schizophrenia, suggesting a large genetic component to the cause of the disease.
Geoffrey English, French
From the given name Geoffrey
Georgia English
From the given name Georgia.
Gerald English
Derived from the given name Gerald.
Geraldson English
Means "son of Gerald".
Gere English
Variant of Geer, Gehr or Geary, all related to the Old High German element gēr (Old English gār, Old Norse geirr) meaning "spear, arrow". A famous bearer is American actor Richard Gere (b... [more]
German English, Norman, German, Jewish, Greek
From Old French germain meaning "German". This sometimes denoted an actual immigrant from Germany, but was also used to refer to a person who had trade or other connections with German-speaking lands... [more]
Gerrard English
From the given name Gerrard.
Gerry English
Diminutive of names containing ger, meaning "spear".
Gershon English, Hebrew
Hebrew One of the tribes of Israel ... [more]
Gervais English, French
From the French given name Gervais, cognate with English Jarvis.
Gibbon English
English from the medieval personal name Gibbon, a pet form of Gibb.
Gibbons English
Patronymic formed from a diminutive of Gib.
Gibs English
Variant of Gibbs
Gideon English, Jewish
From the given name Gideon.
Gidlow English
The first recorded use of the name is from 1291; Robert de Gidlow was a freeholder in Aspull, Lancanshire, United Kingdom and the name occurs frequently down to the 17th century. The Gidlow family moved to the United States in the mid-18th century where the spelling was changed to Goodlow and eventually to Goodloe.
Gierc English, Polish
Pronounciation: Rhymes with "pierce." Hard "g" (as in "goat"). ... [more]
Gifford English
Gifford is an English name for someone who comes from Giffords Hall in Suffolk. In Old English, it was Gyddingford, or "ford associated with Gydda." Alternatively, it could come from the Middle English nickname, "Giffard," from Old French meaning "chubby-cheeked."
Gilbertson English
Means "son of Gilbert".
Gilby English
Means either (i) "person from Gilby", Lincolnshire ("Gilli's farm"); or (ii) "little Gilbert".
Gilkeson English, Scottish
From the Scottish Gilchristson(son of Gilchrist) meaning "son of the servant/devotee of Christ"
Gillard English
English from a pejorative derivative of the personal name Giles.
Gillard English, French, Swiss
English and French from an assimilated form of the personal name Gislehard, a compound of Old High German gisel ‘hostage’, ‘pledge’, ‘noble youth’ (see Giesel) + hard ‘hardy’... [more]
Gillette English, French
English: from a feminine form of Gillett.... [more]
Gillian English
From the first name Gillian.
Gilliard English, Northern Irish
English and northern Irish (county Down) variant of Gillard.
Gillibrand English
From the Norman personal name Gillebrand, of Germanic origin and meaning literally "hostage-sword".
Gillingham English
Habitational name from places in Dorset, Norfolk, and Kent, named Gillingham, 'homestead
Gilly English
Variant of Gilley.
Gilmore English, Irish
Gilmore is a surname with several origins and meanings:... [more]
Gilpin English, Irish, Northern Irish
English: in the northeast, from the Gilpin river in Cumbria; in southern counties, probably a variant of Galpin. ... [more]
Gilson English, French (Belgian)
Means "son of Gill" or "son of Giles".
Gilstrap English (British, Anglicized, Rare)
This is a place name acquired from once having lived at a place spelled Gill(s)thorp(e), Gilsthorp(e), Gill(s)throp(e) or Gil(s)throp(e) located in the Old Danelaw area of England.... [more]
Gilton English
from Mcgilton
Gingell English
Either (i) from a shortened form of the Germanic personal name Gangulf, literally "walking wolf"; or (ii) a different form of Gingold.
Gipson English (American)
Variant of Gibson more commonly used in the United States.
Girling English
From a medieval nickname applied to a brave man (or, with heavy irony, to a cowardly one), from Old French cuer de lion "lion heart".
Glad English, Scandinavian
Nickname for a cheerful person, from Middle English, Scandinavian glad "merry, jolly".
Glad English
From a short form of the various Old English personal names with a first element glæd "shining, joyful". Compare Gladwin.
Gladding English
Given as a nickname to someone who is glad, in high spirits, and happy.
Gladney English
Probably means "bright island", from the Old English element glæd "bright" (cf. Glædwine) and the English element ney "island" (cf.... [more]
Glasgow English (American), English (British)
Derived from the city of Glasgow in Scotland.
Gleave English
Means either "sword-maker" or "sword-seller", or else from a nickname applied to a skilled swordsman (in either case from Middle English gleyve "sword").
Glendon Scottish, English
From the first name, which means "from the dark glen" in Scottish Gaelic.
Glissen English, Irish
Possible British version of the Irish surname Glasson from the the Gaelic word O’Glasain. Meaning green from the counties of Tipperary.
Gloster English
habitational name from the city of Gloucester. The place originally bore the British name Glevum (apparently from a cognate of Welsh gloyw "bright") to which was added the Old English element ceaster "Roman fort or walled city" (from Latin castrum "legionary camp")... [more]
Gloucester English
habitational name from the city of Gloucester. The place originally bore the British name Glevum (apparently from a cognate of Welsh gloyw "bright") to which was added the Old English element ceaster "Roman fort or walled city" (from Latin castrum "legionary camp")... [more]
Glowczenski American
This is my surname. My cousin Steve Glowzenski, had the C dropped along the way somewhere, probably the military.
Gober English, French
The surname Gober was first found in Warwickshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Norman influence of English history dominated after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed.
Gobert French, German, English
From the given name Gobert a compressed form of Godebert composed of the ancient Germanic elements gōd "good" or god got "god" and berht "bright famous".
Goble English
From “Gobble”, meaning “to gorge, to guzzle”
Godil English
English: habitational name for someone from Gadshill in Kent, either of two places called Godshill in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, or Godsell Farm in Wiltshire, which were all originally named Godeshyll ‘God's hill’.
Godin English
Comes from the Germanic personal name Godin-, a pet form of any of various compound names beginning with god, got ‘god’. Compare Godbold, Goddard, and Godfrey.
Godwin English
Derived from the first name Godwine.
Godwinson English
Means "Son of Godwin". First born by Harold Godwinson. From his father Godwine, Earl of Wessex... [more]
Goforth English
Probably given to someone who likes to lead
Golden English
From the English word golden which is the yellow color.
Goldfarb English, German, Jewish
Goldfarb is a Jewish occupational name that was originally derived from the Old German word gold.
Goldring German, English, Jewish
This surname was probably given to someone who wore a gold ring.
Goldsmith English
Occupational name for a worker in gold, a compound of Old English gold "gold" and smið "smith". In North America it is very often an English translation of German or Jewish Goldschmidt.
Goldthwaite English
Possibly derived from Guilthwaite in South Yorkshire, which is named from Old Norse gil meaning "ravine" and þveit meaning "clearing". However, the modern surname is associated with Essex, suggesting some other source, now lost.
Goldwyn English, Jewish
Derived from the Old English given name Goldwine, composed of the elements gold meaning "gold" and win meaning "friend".
Golston English (Rare)
Meaning uncertain.
Gonnynge English (Rare)
A variant of the given name Gunwyn, which is derived from the Old English word gundwein, meaning "battle friend".
Gonsalves English (British), Portuguese, Indian (Christian)
Variant of Gonçalves more commonly used in Britain and western India.
Goodall English
Habitational name from Gowdall in East Yorkshire, named from Old English golde "marigold" and Old English halh "nook, recess".
Goodall English
From Middle English gode "good" and ale "ale, malt liquor", hence a metonymic occupational name for a brewer or an innkeeper.
Goodbar German (Anglicized), English
Possibly an altered spelling of English Godber, derived from the medieval given name Godebert, or an occupational name for a beer brewer and a nickname for a toper... [more]
Goodenough English
From a medieval nickname probably applied either to someone of average abilities or to an easily satisfied person; also, perhaps from a medieval nickname meaning "good servant".
Goodfellow English
Generally explained as a nickname meaning 'good fellow' or 'good companion'.
Goodfriend English
Nickname for a reliable friend or neighbor, from Middle English gode meaning "good", and frend meaning "friend". It is an English translation and cognate of German Gutfreund, from Middle High German guot meaning "good" and vriunt meaning "friend".
Gooding English
The name Gooding comes from the baptismal name for "the son of Godwin"
Goodliffe English
Derived from the Middle English feminine given name Godlieve, composed of the Germanic elements god meaning "good" or gud meaning "god", and liub meaning "dear, beloved".
Goodloe English
Goodloe traces back to the English Gidlow. The first recorded use of the name is from 1291; Robert de Gidlow was a freeholder in Aspull, Lancanshire, United Kingdom and the name occurs frequently down to the 17th century... [more]
Goodluck English
Early Anglo Saxon name from 6-7th century. Derived from Guolac,meaning battle play.
Goodrich English
Derived from the Middle English given name Goderiche (itself derived from the Anglo-Saxon given name Godric), composed of Old English god meaning "good" and ric meaning "ruler, mighty, god's ruler, power"... [more]
Goods English
Variant of Good.
Goodson English
Nickname for a dutiful son, from Middle English gode ‘good’ + sone ‘son’.
Goodwill English
Nickname for a friendly or amiable person; from Middle English god(e), gud(e) goud(e), meaning "good" and wil(le), meaning "will, volition".
Goodyear English
Probably a nickname from Middle English expression gode ‘good’ (Old English gōd) + year, yere ‘year’ commonly used as an intensifier in questions e.g. ‘What the good year?’... [more]
Goof English (American, Rare)
The name has been Anglicized from the Dutch short form Goof, from Govert, with its roots from the Dutch and Limburgish cognate Godfried... [more]
Goose English, Norman
Occupational name for a goose-herd (a person who tends to geese) or a medieval nickname for a person who resembled a goose in some way. It could also be a English (of Norman French origins) cognate of Gosse.
Goot English
Variant of Good.
Gorey English, Irish (Anglicized)
See Mcgorry. Edward Gorey was a noted bearer.
Gorham English
A name originating from Kent, England believed to come from the elements gara and ham meaning "from a triangular shaped homestead." Compare Gore.
Gorringe English
Derived from the name of the village of Goring-by-the-Sea in Sussex
Gorsuch English
Habitational name from the hamlet of Gorsuch, Lancashire, earlier Gosefordsich, derived from Old English gosford meaning "goose ford" and sic meaning "small stream".
Gosden English
From the name of a lost place in the village and civil parish of Slaugham in West Sussex, England, derived from Old English gos meaning "goose" and denn meaning "woodland pasture".
Goshawk English
Probably referring to a breeder of Eagle-Owls or an eagle-tamer. Shares its name with the Wizarding World author, Miranda Goshawk.
Gosling English
1. variant of Joslin - see Jocelyn, Jocelyn. ... [more]
Gosney English
from Middle English gosse "goose" and ei "island" (Old English gos and ieg)... [more]
Gotham English
English: habitational name from Gotham in Nottinghamshire, so named from Old English gat ‘goat’ + ham ‘homestead’ or hamm ‘water meadow’.
Gould English
Variant of Gold.
Goulding English
From the late Old English personal name Golding, which was derived from Golda (or the feminine form Golde) and the patronymic suffix -ing.... [more]
Goulter English (Rare)
This very unusual name has long been recorded in England but perhaps surprisingly as a Norman personal name. The first recording in England was as "Galterii" which appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 for London as a French form of the Olde German "Walter" translating as "Mighty Army".
Govern English, Irish
Reduced form of McGovern.
Grabowsky English
Russian form of Grabowski.
Grace English
From the given name Grace
Graff English
Metonymic occupational name for a clerk or scribe, from Anglo-Norman French grafe "quill, pen" (a derivative of grafer "to write", Late Latin grafare, from Greek graphein).
Grammer German, English
Variant of Krämer or a habitational name for someone possibly from German places called Gram or Grammen. It can also be an English occupational name for a scholar or an astrologer, derived from Old French gramaire meaning "grammarian, scholar, astrologer"... [more]
Grand English
Variant of Grant.
Grandison English
A habitational name from Grandson on Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland.... [more]
Grange English, French
English and French topographic name for someone who lived by a granary, from Middle English, Old French grange (Latin granica ‘granary’, ‘barn’, from granum ‘grain’)... [more]
Grant English, Scottish
From a medieval personal name, probably a survival into Middle English of the Old English byname Granta (see Grantham).
Grantham English
Habitational name from Grantham in Lincolnshire, of uncertain origin. The final element is Old English hām "homestead"; the first may be Old English grand "gravel" or perhaps a personal name Granta, which probably originated as a byname meaning "snarler"... [more]
Grass English, German
Topographic name for someone who owned or lived by a meadow, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who made or sold hay, from Middle English gras, Middle High German gras "grass, pasture, grazing".
Grato English
From a nickname given to somebody with grass-like hair, making this surname’s meaning “he with grass-like hair.”
Grave English
Topographic name, a variant of Grove.
Grave English
Occupational name from Middle English greyve "steward", from Old Norse greifi or Low German greve
Graves English, French
English: patronymic from Grave.
Graves French, English
Topographic name from the plural of Old French grave "gravel"
Graves English, French, German
Derives from someone who had an occupation as a grave digger or a caretaker for a graveyard.
Graybill English (American)
Anglicized form of Swiss German Krähenbühl, meaning "crow hill".
Grayling English (British)
Uncommon surname of unclear origin; possible medieval locational name, or a derivative of the French surname Grail or the diminutive Graillon.... [more]
Grazer English
Not available.
Grealish English
The name derives from the Old Norman French word "greslet", meaning pitted or scarred, and is itself derived from the very early Germanic word "gresle", or hailstone.
Greasby English
One who came from Greasby, a parish on the Wirral Peninsula, in Cheshire, now Merseyside.
Greay English (Rare)
The name Greay originated when a family matriarch changed the name to differentiate between the two families with the same name Grey. There was a wedding between the two families and it was easier if the name was changed.
Greeley English, Norman
English (of Norman origin): nickname for someone with a pock-marked face, from Old Northern French greslé ‘pitted’, ‘scarred’ (from gresle ‘hailstone’, of Germanic origin).
Greenall English
From Lincolnshire in England, meaning "green hill".
Greenfeld English
Partly Americanized form of the Ashkenazic Jewish ornamental name Grun(e)feld or Grinfeld, a compound of Yiddish grin + German Feld 'field', or of German Grünfeld (see Grunfeld).
Greengrass English
Notable bearers include film director Paul Greengrass and baseball player Jim Greengrass.
Greenhill English
The name is derived from a geographic locality, "at the green hill", or rather, more specifically of "Greenhill". The surname could also derive from the liberty on the wapentake of Corringham in Lincolnshire, or a hamlet in the parish of Harrow in Middlesex... [more]
Greenidge English
From Greenhedge Farm in Aslockton, Nottinghamshire, itself derived from Old English grene “green” + hecg “hedge”.
Greening English
Meaning unknown.
Greenland English (Germanized)
Greenland Name Meaning. English: topographic name for someone who lived near a patch of land left open as communal pasturage, from Middle English grene 'green' + land 'land'. Translated form of German Grönland, a topographic name with the same meaning as 1, from Low German grön 'green' + Land 'land'.
Greenlaw English
From one of two placenames, located near the Anglo-Scottish border. Named with Old English grēne, 'green' and halw, 'hill, mound'.
Greenleaf English
From Old English grēne "green" and lēaf "leaf", presumably applied as a nickname, the significance of which is now lost.
Greenlee English
habitational name from any of various minor places, for example in Staffordshire, so named from Old English grene ‘green’ + leah ‘woodland clearing’.
Greenwald American
Partly Americanized form of German and Jewish Grün(e)wald (see Grunwald). ... [more]
Greenway English
Originally given to a person who lived near a grassy path, from Middle English grene "green" and weye "road, path" (cf. Way).... [more]
Gregerson English
Means "son of Gregory/Greg"
Gregg English
Variant of Greg.
Gregson English
Means "son of Greg"
Gresham English
From a place name meaning "grazing homestead" in Old English.
Griggs English
Means "son of Grigg", Grigg being a short form of Gregory.
Grimes English
Patronymic derived from Grime.... [more]
Grimm English, German, Danish, Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare)
From a nickname for a stern and forbidding individual, derived from the Old High German word grim "stern, severe". Or possibly from the given name Grímr derived from Old Norse gríma "mask, helmet"... [more]
Grimmie English
American variant of Grimm.