BayerGerman Originally denoted a person from Bavaria, from its German name Bayern.
Best 1English Derived from Middle English beste meaning "beast", an occupational name for a keeper of animals or a nickname for someone who acted like a beast. A famous bearer of this surname was soccer legend George Best (1946-2005).
BlackEnglish Means either "black" (from Old English blæc) or "pale" (from Old English blac). It could refer to a person with a pale or a dark complexion, or a person who worked with black dye.
BlueEnglish From a nickname for a person with blue eyes or blue clothing.
BrasherEnglish Means "brass worker", derived from Old English bræs "brass".
BrownEnglish Originally a nickname for a person who had brown hair or skin. A notable bearer is Charlie Brown from the Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz.
BrunetFrench From a diminutive of French brun meaning "brown".
ElderEnglish Derived from Old English ealdra meaning "older", used to distinguish two people who had the same name.
EnglishEnglish Denoted a person who was of English heritage. It was used to distinguish people who lived in border areas (for example, near Wales or Scotland). It was also used to distinguish an Anglo-Saxon from a Norman.
Foster 4English Nickname given to a person who was a foster child or foster parent.
FullerEnglish Occupational name for a fuller, a person who thickened and cleaned coarse cloth by pounding it. It is derived via Middle English from Latin fullo.
GentileItalian From a nickname meaning "gentle, kind" in Italian.
GoldEnglish, German, Jewish From Old English and Old High German gold meaning "gold", an occupational name for someone who worked with gold or a nickname for someone with yellow hair. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
GoodEnglish From a nickname meaning "good", referring to a kindly person.
GrayEnglish From a nickname for a person who had grey hair or grey clothes.
GreenEnglish Descriptive name for someone who often wore the colour green or someone who lived near the village green.
MajorEnglish From the Norman French given name Mauger, derived from the Germanic name Malger.
NobleEnglish, Scottish From a nickname meaning "noble, high-born, illustrious", derived via Middle English and Old French from Latin nobilis. In some cases the nickname may have been given ironically to people of the opposite character.
NorthEnglish Name for a person who lived to the north.
PintoPortuguese, Spanish, Italian Means "mottled" in Portuguese, Spanish and Italian, derived from Late Latin pinctus, Latin pictus "painted".
Power 1English, Irish From Old French Poier, indicating a person who came from the town of Poix in Picardy, France.
QuickEnglish Nickname for a quick or agile person, ultimately from Old English cwic meaning "alive".
Ready 1English From Middle English redi meaning "prepared, prompt".
Rose 1English, French, German, Jewish Means "rose" from Middle English, Old French and Middle High German rose, all from Latin rosa. All denote a person of a rosy complexion or a person who lived in an area abundant with roses. As a Jewish surname it is ornamental, from Yiddish רויז (roiz).
SavageEnglish English nickname meaning "wild, uncouth", derived from Old French salvage or sauvage meaning "untamed", ultimately from Latin silvaticus meaning "wild, from the woods".
SeniorEnglish Originally a name for the elder of two brothers.
SharpEnglish Nickname for a keen person, from Old English scearp"sharp".
StarkEnglish, German From a nickname meaning "strong, rigid", from Old English stearc or Old High German stark.
SterlingScottish Derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning.
Stern 1English From Old English styrne meaning "stern, severe". This was used as a nickname for someone who was stern, harsh, or severe in manner or character.
StoneEnglish Name for a person who lived near a prominent stone or worked with stone, derived from Old English stan.
StrangeEnglish Derived from Middle English strange meaning "foreign", ultimately from Latin extraneus.
StrongEnglish Nickname derived from Middle English strong or strang meaning "strong".
SweetEnglish From a nickname meaning "sweet, pleasant", from Old English swete.
SwiftEnglish Nickname for a quick person, from Old English swift.
TannerEnglish Occupational name for a person who tanned animal hides, from Old English tannian "to tan", itself from Late Latin and possibly ultimately of Celtic origin.
Ware 2English From the Middle English nickname ware meaning "wary, astute, prudent".
WestEnglish, German Denoted a person who lived to the west of something, or who came from the west.
WhiteEnglish Originally a nickname for a person who had white hair or a pale complexion, from Old English hwit"white".
WildEnglish, 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.