Surnames Categorized "nicknames"

This is a list of surnames in which the categories include nicknames.

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Aalto Finnish
From Finnish aalto meaning "wave". A famous bearer was Finnish architect Alvar Aalto (1898-1976).

Acerbi Italian
From Italian acerbo meaning "bitter, harsh, severe".

Adesso Italian
Perhaps a nickname for a punctual or fast person, from Italian adesso meaning "now, at this moment".

Affini Italian
From Latin affinis meaning "neighbouring, kindred".

Agnelli Italian
From Italian agnello meaning "lamb" (ultimately from Latin agnus), denoting a pious or timid person.

Agnusdei Italian
From Latin Agnus Dei meaning "lamb of God". This was a nickname for someone who was particularly religious or someone who wore this symbol.

Agresta Italian
From Latin agrestis meaning "rural, rustic".

Ajam Arabic
From Arabic عَجَم (ʿajam) meaning "foreigner, non-Arab".

Baasch Low German
From Middle Low German bas meaning "boss".

Babić Serbian, Croatian
Matronymic surname derived from Serbo-Croatian baba "grandmother, old woman".

Baráth Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian barát meaning "friend".

Barrett English
Probably derived from the Middle English word barat meaning "trouble, deception", originally given to a quarrelsome person.

Benbow English
From a nickname "bend the bow" given to an archer.

Bisset English
From Old French bis meaning "drab, dingy", a nickname for someone who looked drab.

Blackman English
From a nickname, a variant of Black.

Boerefijn Dutch
Possibly an adaptation of French beurre fin meaning "good butter".

Boivin French
Nickname for a wine drinker, from Old French boi "to drink" and vin "wine".

Bolkvadze Georgian
From Georgian ბოლქვი (bolkvi) meaning "tuber, bulb".

Bonner English
From Middle English boneire "kind, courteous", derived from Norman French bon aire "good bloodline".

Bove Italian
Derived from an Italian nickname meaning "bull, ox".

Boyle Irish
From Irish Ó Baoighill meaning "descendant of Baoigheall". The meaning of the given name Baoigheall is uncertain, but it is thought to be connected to Irish geall meaning "pledge".

Breen Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Braoin meaning "descendant of Braon", a byname meaning "rain, moisture, drop".

Brennan Irish
From Irish Ó Braonáin meaning "descendant of Braonán", a byname meaning "rain, moisture, drop" (with a diminutive suffix).

Brittain English
Variant of Britton.

Britton English
Originally given to a person who was a Briton (a Celt of England) or a Breton (an inhabitant of Brittany).

Brock English
Derived from Old English brocc meaning "badger", ultimately of Celtic origin.

Buffone Italian
Means "jester, joker" in Italian.

Bullock English
From a nickname meaning "young bull".

Buonarroti Italian
From the medieval Italian given name Buonarroto meaning "good increase". This was the surname of the Renaissance painter and sculptor Michelangelo (1475-1564).

Capello 1 Italian
From Late Latin cappa meaning "cloak, cape, hood". This was a name for one who made or wore cloaks.

Capitani Italian
Occupational name meaning "captain" in Italian, ultimately from Latin caput "head".

Carbone Italian
From a nickname for a person with dark features, from Italian carbone meaning "coal".

Cardoso Portuguese, Spanish
From a place name meaning "thorny" in Portuguese and Spanish, ultimately from Latin carduus.

Carideo Italian
Originally denoted someone from San Pietro di Caridà, a town in Calabria. The town's name may be derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness".

Carman 2 English
From an Old Norse byname derived from karlmann meaning "male, man".

Carnevale Italian
From an Italian nickname meaning "carnival", perhaps given to a festive person.

Casey Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Cathasaigh meaning "descendant of Cathassach".

Cassidy Irish
From Irish Ó Caiside meaning "descendant of Caiside". Caiside is a given name meaning "curly haired".

Chaput French
From a diminutive of the Old French word chape meaning "cloak, hood". The name referred to a person who made, sold or often wore cloaks.

Choi Korean
From Sino-Korean 崔 (choe) meaning "high, lofty, towering".

Cobb English
From a medieval English byname meaning "lump".

Cody Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Cuidighthigh or Mac Óda. A famous bearer was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).

Confortola Italian
From the old Italian given name Conforto meaning "comfort".

Connolly Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Conghalaigh, which means "descendant of Conghalach". Conghalach is a nickname meaning "valiant".

Csintalan Hungarian
Means "mischievous, naughty" in Hungarian.

Csorba Hungarian
From a nickname meaning "chipped, jagged" in Hungarian.

Deering English
From the Old English given name Deora meaning "dear, beloved".

Dempsey Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Díomasaigh meaning "descendant of Díomasach", a given name meaning "proud".

De Wit Dutch
Variant of De Witte.

De With Dutch
Variant of De Witte.

De Witt Dutch
Variant of De Witte.

De Witte Dutch
Means "the white" in Dutch, a nickname for a person with white hair.

Doherty Irish
From the Irish Ó Dochartaigh meaning "descendant of Dochartach". The byname Dochartach means "obstructive".

Duff Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Dhuibh or Ó Duibh.

Espinosa Spanish
From Spanish espinoso meaning "thorny", ultimately from Latin spinosus, a derivative of spina meaning "thorn, spine". This was the real surname of the Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), who was of Portuguese Jewish origin.

Foley Irish
From Irish Ó Foghladha meaning "descendant of Foghlaidh". The byname Foghlaidh meant "pirate, marauder, plunderer".

Freitas Portuguese
Means "broken" in Portuguese, a name for one who lived on broken, stony ground.

Giunta Italian
From the old Italian given name Bonagiunta or Bonaggiunta (derived from bono "good" and aggiunto "assistant").

Gomółka Polish
Derived from Polish gomółka, a type of round cheese, ultimately from an old Polish word meaning "round".

Griffin 2 English
Nickname from the mythological beast with body of a lion with head and wings of an eagle. It is ultimately from Greek γρύψ (gryps).

Hackett English
From a diminutive of the medieval byname Hake, which was of Old Norse origin and meant "hook".

Heffernan Irish
From Irish Ó hIfearnáin meaning "descendant of Ifearnán". The byname Ifearnán means "little demon".

Hogan Irish
From Irish Ó hÓgáin meaning "descendant of Ógán". The given name Ógán is a diminutive of óg meaning "young".

Hrubý m Czech
Means "crude, coarse" in Czech.

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).

Jernigan English
Possibly derived from the old Breton name Iarnogon meaning "iron famous".

Kaiser German
From Middle High German keiser meaning "emperor", originally a nickname applied to someone who acted kingly. The title ultimately derives from the Roman name Caesar.

Kardos Hungarian
From Hungarian kard meaning "sword". It could have been applied to soldiers, sword makers, or one with a pugnacious nature.

Kelsey English
From an English place name meaning "Cenel's island", from the Old English name Cenel "fierce" in combination with eg "island".

Klossner German
Derived from German Klausner, Middle High German klosenære meaning "hermit".

Kratochvil m Czech
Derived from Czech kratochvíle meaning "pastime".

Kyselý m Czech
Means "sour" in Czech. It was most likely used to denote a person known for having a bad mood.

Lapointe French
Means "the point (of a lance)" in French, possibly a nickname for a soldier.

Lemaire French
Means "the mayor" in French. It was a title given to a town official, or else a nickname for someone who was pompous and officious.

MacChruim Scottish Gaelic
Means "son of Crum", where Crum is a Gaelic byname meaning "bent".

Mac Niadh Irish
Means "son of Niadh" in Irish. The given name Niadh means "champion".

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

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

Morandi Italian
From the medieval given name Morando, an Italian form of Morandus.

Moschella Italian
From a diminutive of Italian mosca meaning "housefly", perhaps originally a nickname for an annoying person.

Murgia Sardinian
Means "brine" in Sardinian, perhaps a nickname for someone who pickled foods.

Musil m Czech
Possibly from a nickname meaning "the one who had to", from the past participle of the Czech verb muset meaning "must" (of Germanic origin).

Nedbálek m Czech
From Czech nedbalý meaning "careless".

Nicchi Italian
From the Italian word nicchio meaning "shell", possibly a nickname for people related to the sea.

Ó Cnáimhín Irish
Means "descendant of Cnámh", Cnámh being a nickname meaning "bone".

O'Hannagain Irish
From Irish Ó hAnnagáin, which means "descendant of Annagán". The given name Annagán was a diminutive of Annadh meaning "delay".

Ó Rodagh Irish
Means "descendant of Rodach" in Irish. The given name Rodach is derived from from Irish rod meaning "spirited, furious".

Pfenning German
From Old High German pfenning meaning "penny, coin". It was used in reference to feudal tax obligations.

Polley English
From Old French poli meaning "polite, courteous".

Protz German
From a nickname meaning "showy, pompous", derived from an old southern German word meaning "toad".

Puga Galician
Means "thorn, prickle" in Galician.

Quattrocchi Italian
From Italian quattro meaning "four" and occhi meaning "eyes", a nickname for a person who wore glasses. It is usually found in Sicily.

Quigley Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Coigligh meaning "descendant of Coigleach", a given name meaning "untidy".

Rapp 1 Swedish
From Swedish rapp meaning "quick, prompt", one of the names adopted by soldiers in the 17th century.

Rendón Spanish
Possibly derived from a variant of Spanish de rondón meaning "unexpectedly, rashly".

Rey 2 English
Means "female roe deer" from Old English ræge, probably denoting someone of a nervous temperament.

Rustici Italian
From Italian rustico meaning "rustic, rural".

Sauber German
Means "clean, tidy" in German.

Scordato Italian
Means "forgotten, left behind" in Italian.

Sorge German
Means "worry, care, anxiety" in German, from Old High German sorga.

Spellmeyer German
Possibly from German spielen meaning "to play, to jest" combined with meyer meaning "village headman". Perhaps it referred to someone who was played or acted as the village headman.

Stern 1 English
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.

Stieber German
Derived from Middle High German stiuben meaning "to run away". It may have been given as a nickname to a cowardly person or a thief.

Strange English
Derived from Middle English strange meaning "foreign", ultimately from Latin extraneus.

Straub German
From Old High German strub meaning "rough, unkempt".

Stück German, Jewish
From Old High German stucki meaning "piece, part".

Sturm German
Means "storm" in German, originally a nickname for a volatile person.

Suchý m Czech, Slovak
Means "dry" in Czech and Slovak. This was a nickname for a thin person.

Tiryaki Turkish
Possibly from a nickname meaning "addict, opium user" in Turkish.

Tolkien German
Possibly from a Low German byname Tolk meaning "interpreter" (of Slavic origin). A famous bearer was the English author J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973). According to him, the surname was derived from German tollkühn meaning "foolhardy".

Unruh German
Refers to a restless, fidgety, nervous person, from German unruhe meaning "unrest".

Weiß German
Variant of Weiss.

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.