This is a list of surnames in which the categories include defence.
AmanteaItalian From the name of a town in Calabria, Italy. It is possibly derived from Arabic (dating from the Arab raids of the 9th century) meaning "the fortress".
ArgallCornish From a place name meaning "shelter, quiet place" in Cornish.
ArmatiItalian From Italian armato meaning "armed, armoured, equipped".
AtteberryEnglish Means "dweller at the fortified town" from Middle English at and burh "fortified place".
BeaufortFrench From various French place names derived from beau "beautiful" and fort "strong place, fortress".
BerryEnglish Derived from a place name, which was derived from Old English burh"fortification".
BorgSwedish From Swedish borg meaning "fortification, castle".
BurgstallerGerman From German Burg "fortress, castle" and Stelle "place, position". This was a name given to a person dwelling at or near such a site.
DufortFrench Means "from the fort", from French fort "stronghold".
DunbarScottish From the name of a town in East Lothian, Scotland, derived from Gaelic dùn meaning "fort" and barr meaning "summit", so called from its situation on a rock that projects into the sea.
HaywardEnglish Occupational name for a person who protected an enclosed forest, from Old English hæg "enclosure, fence" and weard "guard".
HoggardEnglish Occupational name meaning "pig herder", from Old English hogg "hog" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".
Howard 2English Occupational name meaning "ewe herder", from Old English eowu "ewe" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".
LagorioItalian From a nickname derived from Ligurian lagö, referring to a type of lizard, the European green lizard. This little reptile is respected because it supposedly protects against vipers.
LaguardiaItalian Occupational name meaning "sentry, sentinel" in Italian, also a locative name referring to a person who lived near a watchtower. Fiorello Laguardia (1882-1947) was the first mayor of New York of Italian origin.
LécuyerFrench From French écuyer meaning "squire, shield-bearer".
LemmiItalian From a short form of the given name Guglielmo. It is typical of Tuscany.
RattrayScottish From a Scottish place name meaning "fortress town", from Gaelic ráth meaning "fortress" and a Pictish word meaning "town".
RothschildJewish From Middle High German rot "red" and schilt "shield", or Yiddish רויט (roit) and שילד (shild). The famous Rothschild family of bankers took their name from a house with a red shield on it.
StewartScottish 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.
WilsonEnglish Means "son of Will". A famous bearer was the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924).
ZingelJewish From Middle High German zingel"defensive wall". This name was originally applied to a person who lived near the outermost wall of a castle.