Surnames Categorized "nicknames"

This is a list of surnames in which the categories include nicknames.
usage
Aalto Finnish
From Finnish aalto meaning "wave". A famous bearer was Finnish architect Alvar Aalto (1898-1976).
Abbandonato Italian
Means "forsaken, abandoned" in Italian.
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".
Admiraal Dutch
Means "admiral" in Dutch.
Affini Italian
From Latin affinis meaning "neighbouring, kindred".
Afolayan Western African, Yoruba
Means "walks like a wealthy person, walks with confidence" in Yoruba.
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 ('ajam) meaning "foreigner, non-Arab".
Al-Amin Arabic
Means "the truthful" from Arabic امين (amin).
Allegri Italian
From an Italian nickname derived from allegro meaning "quick, lively".
Arany Hungarian
Means "golden" in Hungarian. A famous bearer of the name was Hungarian poet János Arany (1817-1882).
Argyris Greek
Means "silver" in Greek.
Armati Italian
From Italian armato meaning "armed, armoured, equipped".
Ayers 1 English
From Middle English eir meaning "heir".
Baart Dutch
Means "beard" in Dutch, originally describing a person who wore a beard.
Baasch Low German
From Middle Low German bas meaning "boss".
Babić Serbian, Croatian
Matronymic surname derived from Slavic baba "old woman".
Bachchan Indian, Hindi
From Hindi बच्चा (bachcha) meaning "child", a word of Persian origin. This surname was adopted by the Indian poet Harivansh Rai Srivastava (1907-2003).
Bähr German
From Middle High German bër "bear" or ber "boar". This was originally a nickname for a strong or brave person.
Bai Chinese
From Chinese (bái) meaning "white".
Baines 2 English
From a nickname derived from Old English ban "bones", probably for a thin person.
Bajusz Hungarian
Means "moustache" in Hungarian.
Ball English
From Middle English bal, Old English beall meaning "ball". This was either a nickname for a rotund or bald person, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a ball-shaped feature.
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.
Barsotti Italian
Probably from the medieval Latin word baro meaning "man, freeman" (of Frankish origin).
Bass English
English cognate of Basso.
Basso Italian
Originally a nickname for a short person, from Latin bassus "thick, low".
Báthory Hungarian
Originally indicated a person from Bátor, a village in Hungary, which might be of Turkic origin meaning "hero". This was the surname of a Hungarian noble family who historically controlled the town. One of the family members, Stephen Báthory, became the king of Poland in the 16th century.
Battle English
From a nickname for a combative person. In some cases it may come from the name of English places called Battle, so named because they were sites of battles.
Bazzoli Italian
From Italian bazza meaning "protruding chin".
Belcher English
From a Middle English version of Old French bel chiere meaning "beautiful face". It later came to refer to a person who had a cheerful and pleasant temperament.
Bellamy French, English
From Old French bel ami meaning "beautiful friend".
Bellandi Italian
Means "son of Bellando", from a medieval given name derived from Latin bellandus meaning "which is to be fought".
Bellerose French
Means "beautiful rose" in French.
Bello Spanish, Italian
Means "beautiful" in Spanish and Italian, originally a nickname for an attractive person.
Bellomo Italian
From a nickname derived from Italian bello "beautiful, fair" and uomo "man".
Benbow English
From a nickname "bend the bow" given to an archer.
Benenati Italian
Means "son of Benenato", a given name derived from Latin bene "good, well" and natus "good".
Best 1 English
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).
Bianchi Italian
From Italian bianco meaning "white", originally given to a person who was white-haired or extremely pale.
Bieber German, Jewish
From Middle High German biber meaning "beaver", possibly a nickname for a hard worker.
Biondi Italian
Means "fair-haired, blond" in Italian. This name was borne by the American swimmer Matt Biondi (1965-).
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.
Blanc French
Means "white" in French. The name referred to a person who was pale, or whose hair was blond.
Blanco Spanish
Means "white" in Spanish. The name most likely referred to a person who was pale or had blond hair.
Blau German
Means "blue" in German, most likely used to refer to a person who wore blue clothes.
Blythe English
From Old English meaning "happy, joyous, blithe".
Boerefijn Dutch
Possibly an adaptation of French beurre fin meaning "good butter".
Bogomolov Russian
Patronymic derived from Russian богомол (bogomol) meaning "pious one, devotionalist".
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".
Bone 1 English
Derived from Old French bon meaning "good".
Bonfils French
Derived from Old French bon fils meaning "good son".
Bonhomme French
Derived from Old French bon homme meaning "good man".
Bonner English
From Middle English boneire "kind, courteous", derived from Norman French bon aire "good bloodline".
Bonney English
From northern Middle English boni meaning "pretty, attractive".
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".
Brady Irish
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ó Brádaigh meaning "descendant of Brádach". A famous bearer is the American football quarterback Tom Brady (1977-).
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).
Brock English
Derived from Old English brocc meaning "badger", ultimately of Celtic origin.
Buffone Italian
Means "jester, joker" in Italian.
Bullard English
Possibly a nickname derived from Middle English bole "fraud, deceit".
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).
Cabello Spanish
Means "hair" in Spanish, used as a nickname for a person with a large amount of hair.
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.
Caro Spanish, Italian
From Spanish and Italian caro meaning "beloved".
Caruso Italian
Means "close-cropped hair" in Italian, also having the secondary sense "boy, young man".
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".
Chance English
From a nickname for a lucky person or a gambler.
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.
Charbonneau French
Derived from a diminutive form of French charbon "charcoal", a nickname for a person with black hair or a dark complexion.
Chevalier French
From a nickname derived from French chevalier meaning "knight", from Late Latin caballarius "horseman", Latin caballus "horse".
Chey Khmer
Means "victory" in Khmer, from Sanskrit जय (jaya).
Choi Korean
From Sino-Korean (choe) meaning "high, lofty, towering".
Chvátal Czech
Derived from chvátat meaning "to hurry".
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).
Coelho Portuguese
From the Portuguese word for "rabbit", either a nickname or an occupational name referring to a hunter or seller of rabbits.
Collingwood English
From a place name, itself derived from Old French chalenge meaning "disputed" and Middle English wode meaning "woods".
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".
Corvi Italian
Nickname derived from Italian corvo meaning "crow".
Courtenay 2 English
From the Old French nickname court nes meaning "short nose".
Coy English
Means "quiet, shy, coy" from Middle English coi.
Crespo Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Referred to a person with curly hair, from Latin crispus meaning "curly".
Crisp English
English cognate of Crespo.
Cruickshank Scottish
From a nickname meaning "bent leg" in Scots.
Csintalan Hungarian
Means "mischievous, naughty" in Hungarian.
Csorba Hungarian
From a nickname meaning "chipped, jagged" in Hungarian.
Curtis English
Nickname for a courteous person, derived from Old French curteis meaning "refined, courtly".
Deering English
From the Old English given name Deora meaning "dear, beloved".
De Groot Dutch
From Dutch groot meaning "big, great".
Delgado Spanish, Portuguese
Means "thin" in Spanish and Portuguese, ultimately from Latin delicatus meaning "delicate, tender, charming".
Dempsey Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Díomasaigh meaning "descendant of Díomasach", a given name meaning "proud".
Devin 2 English
Nickname for a person who acted divinely, from Old French devin "divine", ultimately from Latin.
De Witte Dutch
Means "the white" in Dutch, a nickname for a person with white hair.
Di Pasqua Italian
Means "of Easter" in Italian.
Doherty Irish
From the Irish Ó Dochartaigh meaning "descendant of Dochartach". The byname Dochartach means "obstructive".
Doležal Czech
Nickname for a lazy person, derived from the past participle of the Czech verb doležat "to lie down".
Drago Italian
From a nickname meaning "dragon" in Italian.
Drake English
Derived from the Old Norse byname Draki or the Old English byname Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek δράκων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent".
Droit French
Means "right, straight" in French, a nickname for an upright person.
Du Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "stop, prevent" or "birchleaf pear tree".
Duff Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of Mac Dhuibh or Ó Duibh.
Duke English
From the noble title, which was originally from Latin dux "leader". It was a nickname for a person who behaved like a duke, or who worked in a duke's household.
Dunkel German
Means "dark" in German.
Dunst German
Derived from Middle High German dunst "haze".
Durand French, English
From Old French durant meaning "enduring", ultimately from Latin durans. This was a nickname for a stubborn person.
Dürr German
Means "thin" in German.
Eld Swedish
From Old Norse eldr, modern Swedish eld, meaning "fire".
Erős Hungarian
Means "strong" in Hungarian.
Espinosa Spanish
From Spanish espinoso meaning "thorny", ultimately from Latin spinosus, a derivative of spina meaning "thorn, spine".
Esposito Italian
Means "exposed" in Italian and denoted a child who was rescued after being abandoned by its parents.
Eszes Hungarian
Means "clever, bright" in Hungarian.
Fairchild English
Means "beautiful child" in Middle English.
Fear English
Derived from Middle English feare meaning "friend, comrade".
Fehér Hungarian
Means "white" in Hungarian, originally referring to a person with white hair or complexion.
Fejes Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian fej meaning "head", originally a nickname applied to a stubborn person.
Fekete Hungarian
Means "black" in Hungarian, originally a nickname for a person with dark hair or a dark complexion.
Fermi Italian
Originally indicated a person from the town of Fermo in the Marche region of Italy, originally called Firmum in Latin meaning "strong, steady, firm".
Fodor Hungarian
From Hungarian fodor meaning "curly, wavy", referring to a person with curly or wavy hair.
Foley Irish
From Irish Ó Foghladha meaning "descendant of Foghlaidh". The byname Foghlaidh meant "pirate, marauder, plunderer".
Foster 4 English
Nickname given to a person who was a foster child or foster parent.
Foth Low German
From a nickname meaning "foot" in Low German.
Fox English
From the name of the animal. It was originally a nickname for a person with red hair or a crafty person.
Frei German
Means "free" in German, probably referring to someone outside the feudal system.
Freitas Portuguese
Means "broken" in Portuguese, a name for one who lived on broken, stony ground.
Freud German, Jewish
Means "joy" in German, a nickname for a cheerful person. A famous bearer was the psychologist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939).
Freund German
From Middle High German vriunt, modern German Freund meaning "friend".
Frisk Swedish
From Swedish frisk "healthy", which was derived from the Middle Low German word vrisch "fresh, young, frisky".
Fromm German
From a nickname derived from Middle High German vrume meaning "noble, honourable".
Frost English, German
From Old English and Old High German meaning "frost", a nickname for a person who had a cold personality or a white beard.
Fürst German
From a nickname meaning "(sovereign) prince" in German. The word fürst itself is derived from Old High German furisto "first".
Fusco Italian
From Italian fosco meaning "dark", from Latin fuscus. This was a nickname for a person with dark features.
Gagliardi Italian
From Italian gagliardo meaning "strong, vigorous".
Gagnon French
Derived from old French gagnon "guard dog". The name most likely originated as a nickname for an aggressive or cruel person.
Gallo Italian, Spanish
Means "rooster", ultimately from Latin gallus. This was a nickname for a proud person.
Garofalo Italian
From a nickname, from a southern variant of the Italian word garofano meaning "carnation".
Gatti Italian
Means "cat" in Italian, originally a nickname for an agile person.
Geier German
Means "vulture" in German, a nickname for a greedy person.
Gentile Italian
From a nickname meaning "gentle, kind" in Italian.
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".
Good English
From a nickname meaning "good", referring to a kindly person.
Grbić Serbian, Croatian, Slovene
Means "hunchback", derived from Serbian, Croatian and Slovene grba "hump".
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).
Gronchi Italian
From the Tuscan word gronchio meaning "numb, bent". This is an Italian regional surname typical of Tuscany. A famous bearer was the Italian president Giovanni Gronchi (1887-1978).
Gros French
Means "thick, fat, big" in French, from Late Latin grossus, possibly of Germanic origin.
Groß German
From Old High German groz meaning "tall, big".
Guerra Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From a nickname meaning "war", given to a belligerent person or one engaged in warfare.
Gujić Bosnian
Means "son of a snake" from the Bosnian word guja meaning "snake".
Gully English
Nickname for a big person, from Middle English golias meaning "giant" (ultimately from Goliath, the Philistine warrior who was slain by David in the Old Testament).
Gutermuth German
Derived from Middle High German guot meaning "good" and muot meaning "mind, spirit". It was a nickname for an optimistic person.
Gwerder German (Swiss)
From Swiss German gwerig meaning "agile, alert".
Hackett English
From a diminutive of the medieval byname Hake, which was of Old Norse origin and meant "hook".
Hadzhiev Bulgarian
Means "son of the pilgrim" from Bulgarian хаджия (hadzhiya) meaning "pilgrim", ultimately derived from Arabic حَجّ (hajj).
Haggard English
From a nickname meaning "wild, untamed, worn", from Old French, ultimately from a Germanic root.
Hahn German
From a nickname for a proud or pugnacious person, from Old High German hano meaning "rooster, cock".
Head English
From Middle English hed meaning "head", from Old English heafod. It may have referred to a person who had a peculiar head, who lived near the head of a river or valley, or who served as the village headman.
Heffernan Irish
From Irish Ó hIfearnáin meaning "descendant of Ifearnán". The byname Ifearnán means "little demon".
Hertz German
Derived from Middle High German herze meaning "heart", a nickname for a big-hearted person.
Herzog German
From a German title meaning "duke", a nickname for a person who either acted like a duke or worked in a duke's household.
Hext English
From a nickname meaning "tallest" in Middle English. It is most common in the southwest of England in the county of Devon.
Hirsch 1 German
Means "deer, hart" in German. This was a nickname for a person who resembled a deer in some way, or who raised or hunted deer.
Hlaváč Czech
From a nickname for a person with an oddly-shaped head, derived from Czech hlava "head".
Hogan Irish
From Irish Ó hÓgáin meaning "descendant of Ógán". The given name Ógán is a diminutive of óg meaning "young".
Holguín Spanish
Possibly from Spanish holgar "to rest, to enjoy oneself".
Hopper English
Occupational name for an acrobat or a nickname for someone who was nervous or restless. A famous bearer was the American actor Dennis Hopper (1936-2010).
Hrabě Czech
Means "count" in Czech, perhaps used to denote someone who worked for a count or acted like a count.
Hrubý Czech
Means "crude, coarse" in Czech.
Hummel 2 German, Dutch
Nickname for a busy person, from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch hommel, Middle High German hummel, all meaning "bee".
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).
Ihejirika Western African, Igbo
Means "the one that I have is greater" in Igbo.
Innocenti Italian
From a nickname meaning "innocent" in Italian.
Jagoda Polish
Means "berry" in Polish.
Janvier French
Either from the given name Janvier or the French word janvier meaning "January", perhaps indicating a person who was baptized in that month.
Jedynak Polish
Means "only child" in Polish.
Jernigan English
Possibly derived from the old Breton name Iarnogon meaning "iron famous".
Jeż Polish
Means "hedgehog" in Polish. It may have originally been given to a person who resembled a hedgehog in some way.
Hungarian
Means "good" in Hungarian.
Jung 1 German
Means "young" in German, from Middle High German junc.
Kahler German
From a nickname derived from German kahl meaning "bald".
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.
Kasun Croatian
Possibly derived from the old Slavic word kazati meaning "to order, to command".
Kedves Hungarian
Means "nice, kind" in Hungarian.
Keen English
From Old English cene meaning "bold, brave".
Kelsey English
From an English place name meaning "Cenel's island", from the Old English name Cenel "fierce" in combination with eg "island".
Kemény Hungarian
Means "firm, hard, tough" in Hungarian.
Khan Urdu, Pashto, Bengali
From a title meaning "king, ruler", probably of Mongolian origin but used in many languages.
Kidd English
From a nickname meaning "young goat, kid" in Middle English, of Old Norse origin.
Kijek Polish
Means "small stick", from Polish kij "stick".
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).
Kloet Dutch
Possibly from Middle Dutch cloet meaning "lump, ball". In some cases this was a nickname for an oafish person. In other cases it may have been a name for someone who lived near a sign that had a globe on it.
Klossner German
Derived from German Klausner, Middle High German klosenære meaning "hermit".
Kneller German
Originally a nickname for a noisy or disruptive person, derived from Old German knellen "to make noise, to cause a disturbance".
Kóbor Hungarian
From Hungarian kóbor meaning "wanderer, ranger".
Kohut Ukrainian
Means "rooster" in Ukrainian, a nickname for a proud person.
Königsmann German
Means "king's man", or someone who played a king in a play.
Korhonen Finnish
Possibly from archaic Finnish korho meaning "deaf, hard of hearing". This is the most common surname in Finland.
Kövér Hungarian
Means "fat" in Hungarian.
Kratochvil Czech
Derived from Czech kratochvíle meaning "pastime".
Krebs German
Means "crab" in German, perhaps a nickname for a person with a crab-like walk.
Król Polish
Means "king" in Polish. The name referred to one who acted like a king or was connected in some way with a king's household.
Kron German, Swedish
From German Krone and Swedish krona meaning "crown" (from Latin corona), perhaps a nickname for one who worked in a royal household.
Kyselý Czech
Means "sour" in Czech. It was most likely used to denote a person known for having a bad mood.
Labelle French
Means "fair, beautiful" in French.
Lamb English
From the name of the animal, perhaps a nickname for a shy person.
Lapointe French
Means "the point (of a lance)" in French, possibly a nickname for a soldier.
Łaska Polish
Means "grace, mercy" in Polish.
Láska Czech, Slovak
Means "love" in Czech and Slovak.
Laukkanen Finnish
From a nickname for a person who took big steps, from Finnish laukka meaning "canter, gallop".
Lebeau French
Nickname for a handsome person, from French le "the" and beau "beautiful, handsome".
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.
Longstaff English
Occupational name for an official who was equipped with a ceremonial staff, or a nickname for a tall person.
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".
Manco Italian
Means "left-handed" in Italian, derived from Latin mancus meaning "maimed".
Mazza Italian
From a nickname (perhaps occupational) meaning "maul, mallet" in Italian.
McLeod Scottish
From Gaelic MacLeòid meaning "son of Leod", a given name derived from Old Norse ljótr "ugly".
Meyer 2 Jewish
From Hebrew מֵאִיר (meir) meaning "enlightened".
Miazga Polish
Derived from Polish miazga "pulp, crush".
Mishra Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "mixed, mingled, honourable" in Sanskrit.
Morandi Italian
From the Italian medieval given name Morando meaning "steadfast".
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 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).
Nasato Italian
Nickname for someone with a prominent nose, from Italian naso "nose".
Navrátil Czech
Means "returned" in Czech, from the verb navrátit "to return", perhaps used to denote a person who came home following a long absence.
Nedbálek Czech
From Czech nedbalý meaning "careless".
Nemes Hungarian
Means "noble, gentle" in Hungarian.
Neumann German, Jewish
From Middle High German niuwe and man meaning "new man, newcomer".
Nicchi Italian
From the Italian word nicchio meaning "shell", possibly a nickname for people related to the sea.
Nosek Czech, Polish
Means "small nose" in Czech and Polish.
Novak Slovene, Croatian, Serbian
Derived from Slavic novy "new", originally a name for someone who was new to a village.
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".
Outlaw English
Means simply "outlaw" from Middle English outlawe.
Parent English, French
Derived from Old French parent meaning either "notable" (from Latin pārēre meaning "to be apparent") or "parent" (from Latin parere meaning "to produce, to give birth").
Pavone Italian
Means "peacock" in Italian. It was originally a nickname for a proud or haughty person.
Payne English
From a medieval given name or nickname derived from Latin paganus meaning "heathen, pagan" (from an earlier sense "rural, rustic"), which was given to children whose baptism had been postponed or adults who were not overly religious.
Peel English
Nickname for a thin person, derived from Old French pel, Latin palus meaning "stake, post" (related to English pole).
Pellé French
From French pelé meaning "bald".
Pellegrino Italian
Means "pilgrim, traveller" in Italian, ultimately from Latin peregrinus.
Penny English
Nickname meaning "penny, coin" from Old English penning.
Petit French, Catalan, English
Means "small, little" derived from Old French and Catalan petit. It was perhaps used for a short, small person or to denote the younger of two individuals.
Pettigrew English
Derived from Norman French petit "small" and cru "growth".
Pfenning German
From Old High German pfenning meaning "penny, coin". It was used in reference to feudal tax obligations.
Picasso Italian
From Italian pica meaning "magpie". This probably denoted someone who was talkative or prone to stealing, although it may have described someone's unusual colouring. The Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was a famous bearer of this name.
Piccirillo Italian
From Neapolitan piccerillo meaning "small, young".
Piccoli Italian
Nickname for a short person, from Italian piccolo "small".
Pittaluga Italian
Originally a nickname for somebody who steals grapes from vineyards. In the Genoese dialect pittà means "to pick" and uga means "grapes" (uva in Italian).
Plank German, English
Means "plank", from Old French, itself from Late Latin planca. This could have referred to a person who lived by a plank bridge over a stream, someone who was thin, or a carpenter.
Platt English
From Old French plat meaning "flat, thin", from Late Latin plattus, from Greek πλατύς (platys) meaning "wide, broad, flat". This may have been a nickname or a topographic name for someone who lived near a flat feature.
Poindexter English
From the Jèrriais surname Poingdestre meaning "right fist".
Pokorný Czech, Slovak
Means "humble" in Czech and Slovak.
Polley English
From Old French poli meaning "polite, courteous".
Pospíšil Czech
Nickname for a person in a hurry, from Czech pospíšit "hurry".
Power 2 English
From Middle English povre meaning "poor", via Old French from Latin pauper. It could have been a nickname for someone who had no money or a miser.
Pratt English
From Old English prætt meaning "trick, prank". This was a nickname for a trickster.
Profeta Italian
From Italian profeta meaning "prophet". It probably came from a nickname indicating a person who wanted to predict the future. It is typical of southern Italy.
Protz German
From a nickname meaning "showy, pompous", derived from an old southern German word meaning "toad".
Proudfoot English
Nickname for a person with a proud step.
Proulx French
Derived from Old French preu meaning "valiant, brave".
Puga Galician
Means "thorn, prickle" in Galician.
Purcell English
From Old French pourcel "piglet", from Latin porcellus, a derivative of porcus "pig". This was a nickname or an occupational name for a swineherd.
Quaranta Italian
Means "forty" in Italian.
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.
Quick English
Nickname for a quick or agile person, ultimately from Old English cwic meaning "alive".
Quigley Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Coigligh meaning "descendant of Coigleach", a given name meaning "untidy".
Ragno Italian
From a nickname meaning "spider" in Italian.
Rapp 1 Swedish
From Swedish rapp meaning "quick, prompt", one of the names adopted by soldiers in the 17th century.
Rask Danish, Swedish
Means "energetic, quick, healthy" in Danish and Swedish.
Raskopf German
Possibly from German rasch "quick" and Kopf "head".
Ratti Italian
From Italian ratto meaning "rat", originally denoting a sly individual.
Reiher German
Means "heron" in German, a nickname for a person with long legs.
Rendón Spanish
Possibly derived from a variant of Spanish de rondón meaning "unexpectedly, rashly".
Reuter 2 German
From Middle High German riutœre meaning "highwayman, thief".
Rey 1 English, Spanish, French, Catalan
Means "king" in Old French, Spanish and Catalan, ultimately from Latin rex (genitive regis), perhaps originally denoting someone who acted like a king.
Rey 2 English
Means "female roe deer" from Old English ræge, probably denoting someone of a nervous temperament.
Riese German, Jewish
Means "giant" in German, from Old High German risi.
Robustelli Italian
From a nickname for a strong person, from Italian robusto "strong", from Latin robustus "firm, solid, oaken".
Róg Polish
Means "animal horn" in Polish.