Old English Origin Surnames

This is a list of surnames in which the origin is Old English. Old English was the West Germanic language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons who inhabited ancient England.
usage
origin
Horton English
From the names of various places in England, which are derived from Old English horh "dirt, mud" and tun "enclosure, yard, town".
House English
Referred to a person who lived or worked in a house, as opposed to a smaller hut.
Houston Scottish
From a place name meaning "Hugh's town". The original Houston is in Scotland near Glasgow.
Howard 2 English
Occupational name meaning "ewe herder", from Old English eowu "ewe" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".
Huff English
Means "spur of a hill", from Old English hoh.
Hull English
Variant of Hill.
Hume Scottish, English
Variant of Holme. A famous bearer was the philosopher David Hume (1711-1776).
Hunt English
Variant of Hunter.
Hunter English, Scottish
Occupational name that referred to someone who hunted for a living, from Old English hunta.
Hurst English
Originally a name for a person who lived near a thicket of trees, from Old English hyrst "thicket".
Huxley English
From the name of a town in Cheshire. The final element is Old English leah "woodland, clearing", while the first element might be hux "insult, scorn". A famous bearer was the British author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963).
Hyland 1 English
Topographic name meaning "high land", from Old English heah and land.
Irwin English
Derived from the Old English given name Eoforwine.
Jackman English
Means "servant of Jack".
Jakeman English
Means "servant of Jack".
Johnston Scottish
From the name of a Scottish town, which meant "John's town".
Kemp English
Derived from Middle English kempe meaning "champion, warrior".
Kendall English
Derived from the town of Kendal in England, so-called from the river Kent, on which it is situated, and Old English dæl meaning "valley, dale".
Kendrick 1 English
From the Old English given names Cyneric or Cenric.
Kennard English
Derived from the given names Cyneweard or Cyneheard.
Kersey English
From an English place name meaning derived from Old English cærse "watercress" and ieg "island".
Kimball English
Derived from the Welsh given name Cynbel or the Old English given name Cynebald.
Kimberley English
From various English places called Kimberley. They mean either "Cyneburga's field", "Cynebald's field" or "Cynemær's field".
King English
From Old English cyning "king", originally a nickname for someone who either acted in a kingly manner or who worked for or was otherwise associated with a king. A famous bearer was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).
Kingsley English
From a place name meaning "king's clearing" in Old English.
Kingston English
From a place name meaning "king's town" in Old English.
Kinsey English
Derived from the given name Cynesige.
Knight English
From Old English cniht meaning "knight", a tenant serving as a mounted soldier.
Kynaston English
Originally derived from a place name meaning "Cynefrith's town" in Old English.
Langdon English
Derived from the name of various places, of Old English origin meaning "long hill" (effectively "ridge").
Langford English
From any of various places in England with this name, derived from Old English lang "long" and ford "ford, river crossing".
Langley 1 English
From any of the various places with this name, all derived from Old English lang "long" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Langston English
From any of the various locations in England with this name, derived from Old English lang "long" and stan "stone".
Law English
Derived from Old English hlaw "hill".
Layton English
Derived from the name of English towns, meaning "town with a leek garden" in Old English.
Lee 1 English
Originally given to a person who lived on or near a leah, Old English meaning "woodland, clearing".
Leigh English
Variant of Lee 1.
Lewin English
Derived from the given name Leofwine.
Leyton English
Variant of Layton.
Lindon English
Variant of Lyndon.
Linton English
Originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.
Linwood English
Originally from place names meaning "linden tree forest" in Old English.
Long English
Originally a nickname for a person who had long limbs or who was tall.
Love English
From the Old English given name Lufu meaning "love".
Lovelace English
From a nickname for a lothario, derived from Middle English lufeles, Old English lufuleas meaning "loveless".
Low English
Variant of Law.
Lowe 2 English
Variant of Law.
Lyndon English
Originally from a place name meaning "linden tree hill" in Old English.
Lynton English
Variant of Linton.
Mann German, English
From a nickname meaning "man". This may have originally been given in order to distinguish the bearer from a younger person with the same name.
Manning 1 English
Patronymic form of Mann.
Marvin English
Derived from the Welsh given name Merfyn or the Old English name Mærwine.
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.
Merrill 2 English
From the name of various places in England, derived from Old English myrige "pleasant" and hyll "hill".
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".
Milburn English
Derived from various place names meaning "mill stream" in Old English.
Milford English
Originally derived from various place names all meaning "ford by a mill" in Old English.
Millhouse English
Name for someone whose house was in a mill or who worked in a mill.
Millward English
Means "guardian of the mill" in Old English.
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".
Monday 2 English
Denoted a person for whom this was a significant day, often the day they would pay their feudal fees.
Mondo Italian
From a given name, a short form of names such as Raimondo or Edmondo.
Monet French
Derived from either of the given names Hamon or Edmond. A famous bearer was the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
Monette French
Variant of Monet.
Moore 1 English
Originally indicated a person who lived on a moor, from Middle English mor meaning "open land, bog".
Moors English
Variant of Moore 1.
Morley English
From the name of various English towns, from Old English mor "moor, bog" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Muir Scottish
Scots form of Moore 1. This name was borne by the Scottish-American naturalist John Muir (1838-1914).
Murgatroyd English
From a place name meaning "Margaret's clearing".
Nash English
Derived from the Middle English phrase atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015).
Newman English
English cognate of Neumann.
Newport English
Given to one who came from the town of Newport (which means simply "new port"), which was the name of several English towns.
Newton English
From the name of one of many English towns meaning "new town". A famous bearer was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
Norris 1 English, Scottish
Means "from the north" from Old French norreis. It either denoted someone who originated in the north or someone who lived in the northern part of a settlement.
North English
Name for a person who lived to the north.
Northrop English
Originally denoted one who came from a town of this name England, meaning "north farm".
Norton English
From the name of various towns in England meaning "north town" in Old English.
Norwood English
Originally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English.
Oakley English
From a place name meaning "oak clearing" in Old English. It was borne by American sharpshooter Annie Oakley (1860-1926).
Ogden English
From a place name derived from Old English ac "oak" and denu "valley".
Osborne English
Derived from the given name Osborn.
Osbourne English
Derived from the given name Osborn.
Outterridge English
Derived from the Old English given name Uhtric.
Payton English
From the name of the town of Peyton in Sussex. It means "Pæga's town".
Peak English
Originally indicated a dweller by a pointed hill, from Old English peac "peak". It could also denote a person from the Peak District in Derbyshire, England.
Peck 1 English
Variant of Peak.
Penn 2 English
Occupational name for a person who kept penned animals, from Old English penn.
Penner English
Variant of Penn 2.
Penny English
Nickname meaning "penny, coin" from Old English penning.
Peyton English
Variant of Payton.
Piper English
Originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute).
Pitt English
Originally given to a person who lived near a pit or a hole, derived from Old English pytt "pit".
Pittman English
Variant of Pitt.
Poole English
From Old English pol meaning "pool", referring to a person who lived by a small body of water.
Prescott English
From the name of various English places meaning "priest's cottage" in Old English.
Presley English
Variant of Priestley. This name was borne by musician Elvis Presley (1935-1977).
Preston English
Originally derived from various place names meaning "priest town" in Old English.
Priestley English
From a place name meaning "priest clearing", from Old English preost and leah.
Quick English
Nickname for a quick or agile person, ultimately from Old English cwic meaning "alive".
Radcliff English
From various place names in England that mean "red cliff" in Old English.
Rake English
Originally a name for a dweller on a narrow pass or hillside, from Old English hrace meaning "throat, gorge".
Rakes English
Variant of Rake.
Ray English
Variant of Rey 1, Rey 2, Rye or Wray.
Read 1 English
Means "red" from Middle English read, probably denoting a person with red hair or complexion.
Read 2 English
From Old English ryd, an unattested form of rod meaning "cleared land". It is also derived from various English place names with various meanings, including "roe headland", "reeds" and "brushwood".
Ready 1 English
From Middle English redi meaning "prepared, prompt".
Reed English
Variant of Read 1.
Reeve English
Occupational name derived from Middle English reeve, Old English (ge)refa meaning "sheriff, prefect, local official".
Reeves English
Variant of Reeve.
Reid Scottish, English
Scots variant of Read 1.
Revie English
Variant of Reeve.
Rey 2 English
Means "female roe deer" from Old English ræge, probably denoting someone of a nervous temperament.
Rhodes English
Topographic name derived from Old English rod meaning "cleared land", or a locational name from any of the locations named with this word.
Rider English
Variant of Ryder.
Ridley English
Denoted a person who hailed from one of the various places of this name in England. The places are derived from Old English hreod "reed" or ryddan "to strip, to clear" combined with leah "woodland, clearing".
Riley 1 English
From the name of the town of Ryley in Lancashire, derived from Old English ryge "rye" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Ripley English
From the name of various English towns, from Old English rippel "grove, thicket" and leah "woodland, clearing". A notable fictional bearer is the character Ellen Ripley from the movie Alien (1979) and its sequels.
Romilly English, French
Originally denoted a person who came from any of the various places in northern France called Romilly or from Romiley in England.
Roydon English
Originally derived from a place name meaning "rye hill", from Old English ryge "rye" and dun "hill".
Royle English
Originally derived from a place name meaning "rye hill" from Old English ryge "rye" and hyll "hill".
Royston English
Originally taken from an Old English place name meaning "Royse's town". The given name Royse was a medieval variant of Rose.
Rutherford Scottish
From the name of places in southern Scotland and northern England, derived from Old English hriðer meaning "cattle, ox" and ford meaning "ford, river crossing".
Ryder English
Occupational name for a mounted warrior, from Old English ridere meaning "rider".
Rye English
Topographic name. It could be a misdivision of the Middle English phrases atter ye meaning "at the island" or atter eye meaning "at the river". In some cases it merely indicated a person who lived where rye was grown or worked with rye (from Old English ryge).
Ryland English
From various English place names, derived from Old English ryge "rye" and land "land".
Ryley English
Variant of Riley 1.
Sandford English
Indicated a person from Sandford, England, which means simply "sand ford".
Sands English
From Old English, indicated the original nearer lived on sandy ground.
Sangster English, Scottish
Occupational name or nickname for a singer, from Old English singan "to sing, to chant".
Sawyer English
Occupational name meaning "sawer of wood, woodcutter" in Middle English, ultimately from Old English sagu meaning "saw". Mark Twain used it for the main character in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).
Schofield English
From various northern English place names, which were derived from Old Norse skáli "hut" and Old English feld "field".
Seward 1 English
Derived from the given name Sigeweard.
Seward 2 English
Means "swineherd" from Old English su "sow, female pig" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".
Sharp English
Nickname for a keen person, from Old English scearp "sharp".
Sharpe English
Variant of Sharp.
Shaw 1 English
Originally given to a person who lived near a prominent thicket, from Old English sceaga meaning "thicket, copse".
Shearer English
English cognate of Scherer.
Shepherd English
Occupational name meaning "shepherd, sheep herder", from Old English sceaphyrde.
Sherburn English
Denoted a person hailing from any of the various places called Sherborne or Sherburn in England, derived from Old English scir "bright" and burna "spring, fountain, stream".
Sherman 1 English
Means "shear man", referring to someone who used shears in his line of work, such as a sheep-shearer.
Shine 1 English
Means "beautiful, attractive" from Old English sciene.
Shirley English
From an English place name, derived from Old English scir "bright" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Silver English
From a nickname for a person with grey hair, from Old English seolfor "silver".
Skywalker Popular Culture
From the English words sky and walker, created by George Lucas as the surname for several characters in his Star Wars movie series, notably the hero Luke Skywalker from the original trilogy (beginning 1977). Early drafts of the script had the name as Starkiller.
Small English
From a nickname for a small person, from Middle English smal.
Smalls English
Variant of Small.
Smith English
Means "metalworker, blacksmith" from Old English smiþ, related to smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world. A famous bearer was the Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790).
Smythe English
Variant of Smith.
Snell English
From Old English snel meaning "fast, quick, nimble".
Snider English
Variant of Snyder.
Snyder English
Means "tailor", derived from Middle English snithen "to cut", an occupational name for a person who stitched coats and clothing.
Sommer 1 German, English
Means "summer", from Old High German sumar or Old English sumor. This was a nickname for a cheerful person, someone who lived in a sunny spot, or a farmer who had to pay taxes in the summer.
Southgate English
Name for a person who lived near the southern gate of a town or in a town named Southgate, from Old English suþ and gæt.
Sowards English, Irish
Possibly a variant of Seward 1 or Seward 3.
Spear English
From Old English spere "spear", an occupational name for a hunter or a maker of spears, or a nickname for a thin person.
Spearing English
Patronymic form of Spear.
Spears English
Patronymic form of Spear.
Stanford English
Derived from various English place names meaning "stone ford" in Old English.
Stanley English
From various place names meaning "stone clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer was the British-American explorer and journalist Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904).
Stanton English
From one of the many places named Stanton or Staunton in England, derived from Old English stan meaning "stone" and tun meaning "enclosure, town".
Stark English, German
From a nickname meaning "strong, rigid", from Old English stearc or Old High German stark.
Starr English
From Middle English sterre meaning "star". This was usually a nickname, but it could also occasionally be a sign name from the name of an inn called the Star.
Stewart Scottish
Occupational name for an administrative official of an estate or steward, from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". The Stewart family (sometimes spelled Stuart) held the Scottish crown for several centuries. One of the most famous members of the Stewart family was Mary, Queen of Scots.
Stidolph English
From the Old English given name Stithulf.
Stoddard English
Occupational name for a horse keeper, from Old English stod "stallion, stud" and hierde "herder".
Stoke English
From the name of numerous places in England, derived from Old English stoc meaning "place, dwelling".
Stokes English
Variant of Stoke.
Stone English
Name for a person who lived near a prominent stone or worked with stone, derived from Old English stan.
Stroud English
From Old English strod meaning "marshy ground overgrown with brushwood".
Strudwick English
From an English place name derived from Old English strod meaning "marshy ground overgrown with brushwood" and wic meaning "village, town".
Sudworth English
From an English place name composed of Old English suþ "south" and worþ "enclosure".
Summerfield English
Originally indicated the bearer was from a town of this name, derived from Old English sumor "summer" and feld "field".
Sutton English
From various English place names meaning "south town".
Sweet English
From a nickname meaning "sweet, pleasant", from Old English swete.
Tash English
From Middle English at asche meaning "at the ash tree".
Tate English
Derived from the Old English given name Tata.
Tatham English
From the name of the town of Tatham in Lancashire, itself from the Old English given name Tata combined with ham meaning "home, settlement".
Tatton English
Originally indicated a person from a town by this name, derived from the Old English given name Tata combined with tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town".
Tatum English
Variant of Tatham.
Tenley English
Possibly from the name of an English town derived from Old English tind "point" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Thacker English
Northern Middle English variant of Thatcher.
Thatcher English
Referred to a person who thatched roofs by attaching straw to them, derived from Old English þæc meaning "thatch, roof". A famous bearer was the British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).
Thorley English
From any of the various places in England called Thornley or Thorley, meaning "thorn clearing" in Old English.
Thorn English, Danish
Originally applied to a person who lived in or near a thorn bush.
Thorne English
Variant of Thorn.
Thornton English
From any of the various places in England by this name, meaning "thorn town" in Old English.
Toller English
Occupational name meaning "tax gatherer", derived from Old English toln "toll, fee, tax".
Towner English
Variant of Toller.
Townsend English
Indicated a person who lived at the town's edge, from Old English tun "enclosure, yard, town" and ende "end, limit".
Truman English
Means "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972).
Turnbull English, Scottish
Nickname for someone thought to be strong enough to turn around a bull.
Uggeri Italian
Derived from the given name Edgardo.
Underhill English
Means "dweller at the foot of a hill", from Old English under and hyll.
Underwood English
Means "dweller at the edge of the woods", from Old English under and wudu.
Upton English
Denoted a person hailing from one of the many towns in England bearing this name. The place name itself is derived from Old English upp "up" and tun "enclosure, yard, town".
Vance English
Indicated a dweller by a fen, from Old English fenn meaning "fen, marsh".
Vann English
From Old English fenn meaning "fen, swamp", indicating a person who lived near such a place.
Wakefield English
Originally indicated a person who came from the English city of Wakefield, derived from Old English wacu "wake, vigil" and feld "field".
Walker English
Occupational name for a person who walked on damp raw cloth in order to thicken it. It is derived from Middle English walkere, Old English wealcan meaning "to move".
Wall English
Originally denoted a person who lived near a prominent wall, from Old English weall.
Waller 2 English
Derived from Old English weall meaning "wall", denoting a builder of walls or someone who lived near a prominent wall.
Waller 3 English
From Old English wille meaning "well, spring, water hole".
Walmsley English
Originally denoted a person from the English town of Walmersley.
Walsh English, Irish
From Old English wælisc meaning "foreigner, stranger, Celt".
Walton English
From the name of any of several villages in England, derived from Old English wealh "foreigner, Celt", weald "forest", weall "wall", or wille "well, spring, water hole" combined with tun "enclosure, yard, town".
Ward 1 English
Derived from Old English weard meaning "guard, guardian".
Ware 1 English
From Old English wer meaning "dam, weir", indicating someone who lived near such a structure.
Warwick English
From the name of an English town, itself derived from Old English wer "weir, dam" and wic "village, town".
Washington English
From a place name meaning "settlement belonging to Wassa's people", from the given name Wassa and Old English tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". A famous bearer was George Washington (1732-1799), the first president of the United States. This surname was sometimes adopted by freed slaves, resulting in a high proportion of African-American bearers.
Waterman 1 English
Means "servant of Walter".
Waterman 2 English, Dutch
Occupational name for a boatman or a water carrier. It could also describe a person who lived by water.
Waters 1 English
Originally given to a person who lived near the water.
Way English
From Old English weg meaning "way, road, path".
Wayne English
Occupational name meaning "wagon maker, cartwright", derived from Old English wægn "wagon". A famous bearer was the American actor John Wayne (1907-1979).
Weasley Literature
Used by J. K. Rowling for the character of Ron Weasley (and other members of his family) in her Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997. Rowling presumably derived it from the English word weasel, perhaps in combination with the common place name/surname suffix -ley, which is derived from Old English leah meaning "woodland, clearing".
Weaver 1 English
Occupational name for a weaver, derived from Old English wefan "to weave".
Webb English
Occupational name meaning "weaver", from Old English webba, a derivative of wefan "to weave".
Webster English
Occupational name meaning "weaver", from Old English webba, a derivative of wefan "to weave".
Weekes English
Variant of Weeks.
Weeks English
Derived from Old English wic meaning "village, town".
Welch English
Variant of Walsh.
Wells English
Derived from Middle English wille meaning "well, spring, water hole".
Wembley English
From the name of a town, now part of Greater London, meaning "Wemba's clearing" in Old English.
West English, German
Denoted a person who lived to the west of something, or who came from the west.
Westbrook English
From the name of places in England, derived from Old English west "west" and broc "brook, stream".
Westcott English
From any of the several English towns by this name, derived from Old English meaning "west cottage".
Westley English
From the name of various English towns, derived from Old English west "west" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Weston English
From the name of various English towns, derived from Old English west "west" and tun "enclosure, yard, town".
Wheatley English
From any of the various places in England with this name, meaning "wheat clearing" in Old English.
Whitaker English
From a place name composed of Old English hwit "white" and æcer "field".
White English
Originally a nickname for a person who had white hair or a pale complexion, from Old English hwit "white".
Whitehead English
Nickname for someone with white or light-coloured hair, from Old English hwit "white" and heafod "head".
Whitney English
Originally from the name of an English town, meaning "white island" in Old English.
Whittemore English
From various English place names derived from Old English hwit "white" and mor "moor, heath, bog".
Whittle English
From various English place names derived from Old English hwit "white" and hyll "hill".
Wickham English
From any of various towns by this name in England, notably in Hampshire. They are derived from Old English wic "village, town" (of Latin origin) and ham "home, settlement".
Wild English, German
Means "wild, untamed, uncontrolled", derived from Old English wilde. This was either a nickname for a person who behaved in a wild manner or a topographic name for someone who lived on overgrown land.
Wiley English
From any of the various English towns named Willey or from the River Wylye.
Willard English
From the given name Wilheard or Willihard.
Willey English
Variant of Wiley.
Willoughby English
From the name of various English towns, derived from Old English welig "willow" and Old Norse býr "farm, settlement".
Wilmer German, English
Derived from the given name Willimar or Wilmǣr.
Wilton English
From any of the English towns named Wilton.
Winfield English
From various English place names, derived from Old English winn "meadow, pasture" and feld "field".
Winslow English
Derived from an Old English place name meaning "hill belonging to Wine".
Winston English
Derived from the given name Wynnstan.
Winter English, German, Swedish
From Old English winter or Old High German wintar meaning "winter". This was a nickname for a person with a cold personality.
Winterbottom English
From Old English winter meaning "winter" and botm meaning "ground, soil, bottom". This name probably referred to a winter pasture at the bottom of a lowland valley.
Winthrop English
Habitational name from the place names Winthrope 1 or Winthrope 2.
Winton English
Derived from the name of several English villages. Their names derive from Old English meaning "enclosure belonging to Wine".
Wolf German, English
From Middle High German or Middle English wolf meaning "wolf", or else from an Old German given name beginning with this element.
Wolfe English
Variant of Wolf.
Womack English
Of uncertain origin. One theory suggests that it indicated a dweller by a hollow oak tree, derived from Old English womb "hollow" and ac "oak".
Wood English, Scottish
Originally denoted one who lived in or worked in a forest, derived from Old English wudu "wood".
Woodcock English
Nickname referring to the woodcock bird.
Woodham English
Indicated a person who had a home near a wood, derived from Old English wudu "wood" and ham "home, settlement".
Woodrow English
From a place name meaning "row of houses by a wood" in Old English.
Woodward English
Occupational name for a forester, meaning "ward of the wood" in Old English.
Woolf English
Variant of Wolf.
Wootton English
Derived from Old English wudu "wood" and tun "enclosure, town".
Wortham English
Derived from the name of a town in Suffolk, England meaning "enclosed homestead".