Surnames Starting with M

Masson 2 French
From a short form of the given name Thomasson, itself a diminutive of Thomas.

Masters English
Variant of Masterson.

Masterson English
Patronymic derived from Middle English maister meaning "master", via Old French from Latin magister.

Mata Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan
From Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan mata meaning "trees, shrubs", possibly from Late Latin matta meaning "reed mat".

Mataracı Turkish
Occupational name for a person who made water bottles or flasks, from Turkish matara "flask".

Mateev Bulgarian
Means "son of Matey".

Matei Romanian
Derived from the given name Matei.

Matějka Czech
Derived from the given name Matěj.

Mateo Spanish
Derived from the given name Mateo.

Mateu Catalan
Derived from the given name Mateu.

Mateus Portuguese
From the given name Mateus.

Matevosian Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Մաթեւոսյան (see Matevosyan).

Matevosyan Armenian
Means "son of Matevos".

Mathers English
Occupational name meaning "mower, cutter of hay" in Old English.

Matheson Scottish
Means "son of Matthew".

Mathews English
Derived from the given name Matthew.

Mathewson English
Means "son of Matthew".

Mathiasen Danish
Means "son of Mathias".

Mathieson Scottish
Variant of Matheson.

Mathieu French
Derived from the given name Mathieu.

Mathisen Norwegian
Means "son of Mathias".

Matić Croatian
Means "son of Matija".

Matijević Croatian, Serbian
Means "son of Matija".

Matos Portuguese, Spanish
Variant of Mata.

Matoušek Czech
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Matouš.

Matsson Swedish
Means "son of Mats".

Matsubara Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".

Matsuda Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Matsumoto Japanese
From one of the many places with this name in Japan, derived from Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Matsumura Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Matsuoka Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge".

Matsushita Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 下 (shita) meaning "under, below".

Matthews English
Derived from the given name Matthew.

Matthewson English
Means "son of Matthew".

Matthiasen Danish
Means "son of Matthias".

Mattsson Swedish
Means "son of Matts".

Matveev Russian
Means "son of Matvey".

Maurer German
Occupational name meaning "wall builder" in German.

Maus German
From a nickname meaning "mouse", from Old High German mus.

Maxwell Scottish
From a place name meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.

May English
Derived from the given name Matthew.

Mayer 1 German
Variant of Meyer 1.

Mayer 2 Jewish
Variant of Meyer 2.

Mayer 3 English
Occupational name for a mayor, from Middle English mair, derived via Old French from Latin maior.

Mayer 4 English
Variant of Myer.

Mayes English
Patronymic form of May.

Maynard English
Derived from the Old German given name Meginhard.

Mazur Polish
Indicated a person from either Mazovia (Polish Mazowsze) or Masuria (Polish Mazury), regions in Poland.

Mazza Italian
From a nickname (perhaps occupational) meaning "maul, mallet" in Italian.

McAdams Scottish, Irish
Means "son of Adam" in Gaelic.

McAfee Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of MacDhubhshìth.

McAlister Scottish, Irish
From Scottish Gaelic MacAlastair or Irish Gaelic Mac Alastair meaning "son of Alistair".

McArthur Scottish
Means "son of Arthur" in Gaelic.

McBride Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Giolla Bhrighde.

McCabe Irish, Scottish
Means "son of Cába", where Cába is a byname meaning "cape, cloak" (from Latin cappa).

McCaig Scottish
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic MacThaoig meaning "son of Tadhg".

McCallum Scottish
Variant form of MacAngus.

McCarthy Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Mac Cárthaigh meaning "son of Carthach".

McCauley Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Amhalghaidh or Mac Amhalghadha meaning "son of Amhalghaidh". The given name Amhalghaidh, from Old Irish Amalgaid, is of uncertain meaning.

McCleary Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Cléirich.

McClellan Irish, Scottish
Variant of McClelland.

McClelland Irish, Scottish
From Gaelic Mac Giolla Fhaoláin meaning "son of the servant of Faolán".

McConnell Scottish, Irish
Derived from Gaelic MacDhòmhnaill (see MacDonald).

McCormick Irish, Scottish
From Gaelic Mac Cormaic meaning "son of Cormac".

McCoy Scottish
Anglicized form of MacAoidh.

McCracken Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Mac Reachtain, Ulster Irish variant of Mac Neachtain.

McCrae Scottish
Variant of McRae.

McCreery Irish, Scottish
Variant of McCrory.

McCrory Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Ruaidhrí meaning "son of Ruaidhrí".

McCrum Scottish
Anglicized form of MacChruim.

McCulloch Scottish
Scottish form of McCullough.

McCullough Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Mac Cú Uladh meaning "son of Cú Uladh". The byname Cú Uladh means "hound of Ulster". This surname has also been associated with Old Irish cullach "boar".

McCune Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Eoghain.

McDaniel Scottish
Variant of MacDonald.

McDermott Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Mac Diarmada meaning "son of Diarmaid". The McDermotts were nobility in the Kingdom of Connaught, a province in Ireland.

McDevitt Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Mac Daibhéid meaning "son of Dáibhí".

McDonald Scottish
Variant of MacDonald.

McDougall Scottish
Variant of MacDougall.

McEachern Scottish
Anglicized form of Mac Eachairn.

McElligott Irish
Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Mac Uileagóid meaning "son of Uileagóid", a diminutive of Uilleag.

McEwan Scottish
Anglicized form of MacEòghainn.

McFarland Irish, Scottish
Variant of McFarlane.

McFarlane Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic MacPhàrlain or Irish Gaelic Mac Pharlain meaning "son of Parthalán".

McFee Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of MacDhubhshìth.

McFly Popular Culture
Invented name, using the prefix Mc-, from Irish mac "son", and the English word fly. This name was created for the time-travelling hero Marty McFly of the Back to the Future movie series, beginning 1985.

McGee Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Mac Aodha.

McGill Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Ghoill meaning "son of the foreigner", derived from gall "foreigner".

McGinnis Irish
Variant of McGuinness.

McGough Irish
Variant of Gough 2.

McGovern Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mag Shamhradháin meaning "son of Samhradháin", a given name meaning "summer".

McGowan Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Ghabhann.

McGregor Scottish
Variant of MacGregor.

McGuinness Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Mag Aonghuis meaning "son of Aonghus".

McGuire Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Mag Uidhir meaning "son of Odhar", a given name meaning "pale-coloured".

McInnes Scottish
Variant of MacInnes.

McIntyre Scottish
From Scottish Gaelic Mac an tSaoir meaning "son of the carpenter".

McIver Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of Gaelic MacIomhair meaning "son of Íomhar".

McKay Scottish
Anglicized form of MacAoidh.

McKee Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Aodha.

McKeever Irish
Variant of McIver.

McKellar Scottish
From Gaelic MacEalair meaning "son of Ealar".

McKendrick Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic MacEanruig meaning "son of Eanraig".

McKenna Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Cionaodha meaning "son of Cionaodh".

McKenzie Scottish
Variant of MacKenzie.

McKinley Scottish
Anglicized form of MacFhionnlaigh. This name was borne by the American president William McKinley (1843-1901), who was assassinated.

McKinney Irish, Scottish
Variant of McKenna.

McKowen Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Eoghain.

McLain Scottish
Variant of McLean.

McLean Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic MacGillEathain or MacGillEain meaning "son of the servant of Eòin".

McLeod Scottish
From Gaelic MacLeòid meaning "son of Leod", a given name derived from Old Norse ljótr "ugly".

McMahon Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Mac Mathghamhna meaning "son of Mathgamain".

McManus Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Mac Maghnuis meaning "son of Mághnus".

McMillan Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic MacMhaoilein meaning "son of Maolan", itself meaning "devotee, servant, tonsured one".

McNab Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Aba meaning "son of the abbot".

McNabb Irish, Scottish
Variant of McNab.

McNamara Irish
From Irish Mac Conmara meaning "son of Conmara". The given name Conmara is composed of cú "hound" and muir "sea".

McNaughton Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Mac Neachtain.

McNeal Scottish
Variant of McNeil.

McNee Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Niadh.

McNeil Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic MacNèill meaning "son of Niall".

McNeill Scottish, Irish
Variant of McNeil.

McNeilly Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh meaning "son of the poet".

McNiel Scottish
Variant of McNeil.

McNiven Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Cnáimhín.

McPhee Scottish
Anglicized form of MacDhubhshìth.

McQueen Scottish
Anglicized form of Mac Shuibhne.

McRae Scottish
From Gaelic Mag Raith meaning "son of Rath", a given name meaning "prosperity" or "grace".

McReynolds Scottish, Irish
Means "son of Reynold" in Gaelic.

McSheehy Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mac Síthigh, meaning "son of Sítheach".

McTaggart Scottish
Variant of Taggart.

McTavish Scottish
Anglicized form of Gaelic MacTàmhais meaning "son of Tàmhas".

McWilliam Scottish
Means "son of William" in Gaelic.

Meadows English
Referred to one who lived in a meadow, from Old English mædwe.

Meaney Irish
Variant of O'Mooney.

Medeiros Portuguese
From various Portuguese place names that were derived from Portuguese medeiro meaning "haystack", ultimately from Latin meta meaning "cone, pyramid".

Medina Spanish
Means "(Arab) city" in Spanish, derived from Arabic مدينة (madinah).

Medved Slovene, Croatian, Russian, Ukrainian
Means "bear" in several Slavic languages.

Medveď Slovak
Slovak cognate of Medved.

Meeuwes Dutch
Variant of Meeuwsen.

Meeuwessen Dutch
Variant of Meeuwsen.

Meeuwis Dutch
Variant of Meeuwsen.

Meeuwissen Dutch
Variant of Meeuwsen.

Meeuwsen Dutch
Derived from the Dutch given name Meeuw, which comes from Bartholomeus (see Bartholomew).

Megalos Greek
From Greek μεγάλος (megalos) meaning "big, great".

Meggyesfalvi Hungarian
Derived from a Hungarian village named Meggyesfalva meaning "cherry village", from meggy "cherry" and falu "village".

Mehmedović Bosnian
Means "son of Mehmed".

Mei Chinese
From Chinese 梅 (méi) meaning "plum, apricot".

Meier 1 German
Variant of Meyer 1.

Meier 2 Jewish
Variant of Meyer 2.

Meijer Dutch
Dutch form of Meyer 1.

Mein German
Derived from the given name Meino.

Meindl German
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Meino.

Meinhardt German
Derived from the given name Meinhard.

Meir Jewish
Variant of Meyer 2.

Meisner German
Variant of Meissner.

Meissner German
Originally denoted a person from the German town of Meissen, which is probably of Slavic origin.

Mejía Spanish
Possibly from a nickname derived from Spanish Mesías meaning "Messiah", from Latin Messias, ultimately from Biblical Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyach) meaning "anointed".

Meléndez Spanish
Variant of Menéndez.

Melnik Russian
Means "miller" in Russian.

Melnyk Ukrainian
Means "miller" in Ukrainian. This is the most common Ukrainian surname.

Melo Portuguese
Portuguese form of Merlo.

Melsbach German
From the name of a German town, possibly meaning "mill stream".

Melville Scottish
From the place name Malleville meaning "bad town" in Norman French.

Melvin Scottish
Variant of Melville.

Mencher Polish
Possibly an occupational name derived from Polish maczarz meaning "miller".

Mendel 1 Jewish
Derived from the given name Mendel.

Mendel 2 German
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Meino. A famous bearer was Gregor Mendel (1822-1884), a Czech monk and scientist who did experiments in genetics.

Mendelsohn Jewish
Means "son of Mendel".

Mendelssohn Jewish
Means "son of Mendel".

Mendes Portuguese
Portuguese form of Menéndez.

Méndez Spanish
Variant of Menéndez.

Mendoza Spanish, Basque
From a Basque place name derived from mendi "mountain" and hotz "cold".

Menéndez Spanish
Means "son of Menendo" in Spanish, the given name Menendo being a medieval Spanish form of Hermenegildo.

Mercer English
Occupational name for a trader in textiles, from Old French mercier, derived from Latin merx meaning "merchandise".

Merchant English
Variant of Marchand.

Mercier French
French form of Mercer.

Merckx Dutch, Flemish
From the given name Mark.

Merino Spanish
From the title for a judge in medieval Spain, derived from Latin maior.

Merkel German
From a diminutive of the given name Markus. A notable bearer is the former German chancellor Angela Merkel (1954-).

Merle French
French form of Merlo.

Merlo Italian, Spanish
Means "blackbird", ultimately from Latin merula. The blackbird is a symbol of a naive person.

Merrick Welsh
Derived from the given name Meurig.

Merricks Welsh
Variant of Merrick.

Merrill 1 English
Derived from the given name Muriel.

Merrill 2 English
From the name of various places in England, derived from Old English myrige "pleasant" and hyll "hill".

Merritt English
From an English place name meaning "boundary gate".

Mertens Dutch, Low German, Flemish
From the given name Merten.

Merx Dutch, Flemish
From the given name Mark.

Messana Italian
Variant of Messina.

Messer German
Occupational name for a person who made knives, from Middle High German messer "knife".

Messerli German (Swiss)
Swiss diminutive form of Messer.

Messina Italian
From the name of the Sicilian city of Messina, founded by Greek colonists. The city was named after the Greek city Μεσσήνη (Messene).

Messmann German
Variant of Messer.

Messner German
Occupational name for a sexton or churchwarden, from Old High German mesinari.

Mészáros Hungarian
Means "butcher" in Hungarian.

Metaxas Greek
Derived from Greek μέταξα (metaxa) meaning "silk", most likely referring to a silk merchant or another occupation dealing with silk.

Metharom Thai
Possibly refers to a place or institute of learning or where knowledge is provided.

Metz 1 German
Occupational name for maker of knives, from Middle High German metze "knife".

Metz 2 German
Derived from Mätz, a diminutive of the given name Matthias.

Metzger German
Means "butcher" in German.

Meunier French
Means "miller" in French.

Meyer 1 German
From Middle High German meier meaning "bailiff, administrator", derived from Latin maior meaning "greater". Later it also denoted a tenant farmer. The spellings Meier and Meyer are more common in northern Germany while Maier and Mayer are more common in southern Germany.

Meyer 2 Jewish
From Hebrew מֵאִיר (meir) meaning "enlightened".

Meyer 3 English
Variant of Mayer 3.

Meyer 4 English
Variant of Myer.

Meyers German, English
Patronymic form of Meyer 1, Mayer 3 or Myer.

Meyrick Welsh
Variant of Merrick.

Mhasalkar Indian (Rare), Marathi (Rare)
Derived from the name of the town of Mhasla in Maharashtra, India.

Miazga Polish
Derived from Polish miazga "pulp, crush".

Michael English, German
From the given name Michael.

Michaelis German
Derived from the given name Michael.

Michaels English
Derived from the given name Michael.

Michaelson English
Means "son of Michael".

Michalak Polish
Derived from the given name Michał.

Michalski Polish
Habitational name for a person from a village named Michale or Michały, both derived from the given name Michał.

Michaud French
Derived from the given name Michel.

Michel French, German, Dutch, Basque
Derived from the given name Michel, Michiel or Mitxel.

Michelakakis Greek
Patronymic meaning "son of Michail".

Michelakis Greek
Patronymic meaning "son of Michail".

Michelakos Greek
Patronymic meaning "son of Michail".

Micheli Italian
From the given name Michele 1.

Michiels Dutch, Flemish
Means "son of Michiel".

Middleton English
Originally denoted a person who lived in one of the numerous English towns by this name, derived from Old English middel "middle" and tun "enclosure, yard, town".

Midgley English
From the English village of Midgley in West Yorkshire, meaning "midge (insect) wood" in Old English.

Miguel Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Miguel.

Mihai Romanian
From the given name Mihai.

Mihailović Serbian
Means "son of Mihailo".

Mihajlović Serbian
Means "son of Mihajlo".

Mihaljević Croatian
Means "son of Mihael".

Mihaylov Bulgarian
Means "son of Mihail".

Mihov Bulgarian
Means "son of Miho", the given name Miho being a diminutive of Mihail.

Mikaelsson Swedish
Means "son of Mikael".

Mikhailov Russian
Means "son of Mikhail".

Mikkelsen Danish
Means "son of Mikkel".

Mikolajczak Polish
From the Polish given name Mikołaj.

Milani Italian
Variant of Milano.

Milano Italian
Originally indicated someone who came from Milan.

Milburn English
Derived from various place names meaning "mill stream" in Old English.

Miles English
From the given name Miles.

Milford English
Originally derived from various place names all meaning "ford by a mill" in Old English.

Milić Serbian, Croatian
Means "son of Mile".

Millard English
Variant of Millward.

Miller English
Occupational surname meaning "miller", referring to a person who owned or worked in a grain mill, derived from Middle English mille "mill".

Millhouse English
Name for someone whose house was in a mill or who worked in a mill.

Milligan Irish
Anglicized form of the Irish Ó Maolagáin meaning "descendant of Maolagán", a given name derived from maol meaning "bald" or "tonsured".

Mills English
Originally given to one who lived near a mill or who worked in a mill, from Middle English mille.

Millward English
Means "guardian of the mill" in Old English.

Milne Scottish
From Scots and Middle English milne (a variant of mille) meaning "mill".

Milojević Serbian
Means "son of Miloje".

Milošević Serbian
Means "son of Miloš".

Milovanović Serbian
Means "son of Milovan".

Milton English
Derived from an English place name meaning "mill town" in Old English. A famous bearer was John Milton (1608-1674), the poet who wrote "Paradise Lost".

Minami Japanese
From Japanese 南 (minami) meaning "south".

Minett English
From the medieval given name Minna.

Mingo Spanish
From the given name Domingo.

Minkov Bulgarian
Means "son of Minko", a Bulgarian diminutive of Mihail.

Miranda Spanish, Portuguese
Habitational name from any of the numerous places in Spain and Portugal bearing this name, possibly derived from Latin mirandus "admirable, wonderful".

Mishra Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "mixed, mingled, honourable" in Sanskrit.

Misra Indian, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi मिश्र (see Mishra).

Mitchell 1 English, Scottish
Derived from the given name Michael.

Mitchell 2 English
Originally a nickname for a large person, from Old English micel "big".

Mittelman Jewish
Nickname for a man of moderate means, from Yiddish, ultimately from Old High German mittil "means, resources".

Miura Japanese
From Japanese 三 (mi) meaning "three" and 浦 (ura) meaning "bay, inlet".

Miyagawa Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Miyajima Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 島 (shima) meaning "island".

Miyake Japanese
From Japanese 三 (mi) meaning "three" and 宅 (yake) meaning "house, home".

Miyamoto Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin". A notable bearer is video game pioneer Shigeru Miyamoto (1952-).

Miyashita Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 下 (shita) meaning "under, below".

Miyata Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Miyazaki Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".

Mizuno Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning "water" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Mizushima Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning "water" and 島 (shima) meaning "island".

Mizutani Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning "water" and 谷 (tani) meaning "valley".

Mladenovski Macedonian
Means "son of Mladen".

Mlakar Slovene, Croatian
Referred to someone who lived near a pool, derived from South Slavic mlaka meaning "pool, puddle".

Mlynář Czech
Means "miller" in Czech.

Mlynárik Czech
Variant of Mlynář.

Mochizuki Japanese
Means "full moon" in Japanese, a compound of 望 (mochi) meaning "wish, desire" and 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon".

Modugno Italian
From the town of Modugno, in Apulia in southern Italy. It is the surname of the Italian actor and singer Domenico Modugno (1928-1994).

Moe Norwegian
Means "sandy ground" in Norwegian.

Moen Norwegian
Means "the sandy ground" in Norwegian.

Moffett Scottish
From the town of Moffat in Scotland, meaning "long field" in Gaelic.

Mogensen Danish
Means "son of Mogens".

Mohamed Arabic
Derived from the given name Muhammad.

Mohammad Persian, Urdu, Bengali
Derived from the given name Mohammad.

Mohammadi Persian
From the given name Mohammad.

Mohammed Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Derived from the given name Muhammad.

Mohan Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Mocháin meaning "descendant of Mochán".

Mohren German
Derived from the given name Maurus.

Moles Catalan
From Catalan mola meaning "millstone".

Molina Spanish
Means "mill" in Spanish.

Möller Low German, Swedish
Low German and Swedish form of Müller.

Møller Danish
Danish form of Müller.

Mollown Irish
Variant of Malone.

Molloy Irish
Anglicized form of Ó Maolmhuaidh or Ó Maol Aodha.

Molnár Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "miller" in Hungarian.

Moloney Irish
From Irish Ó Maol Dhomhnaigh meaning "descendant of a church servant".

Monaghan Irish
Variant of Monahan.

Monahan Irish
From Irish Ó Manacháin meaning "descendant of Manacháin". The given name Manacháin meant "little monk", from manach "monk" and a diminutive suffix.

Mondadori Italian
From Italian mondatore meaning "weeder". This was an occupational name for someone who kept fields clear of weeds.