Newport EnglishGiven to one who came from the town of Newport (which means simply "new port"), which was the name of several English towns.
Newton EnglishFrom the name of one of many English towns meaning "new town". A famous bearer was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
Nixon EnglishMeans
"son of Nick". A famous bearer was the American president Richard Nixon (1913-1994).
Noble English, ScottishFrom 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.
Noel French, EnglishEither from the given name
Noël, or else derived directly from Old French
noel "Christmas" and given to a person who had a particular connection with the holiday.
Norman EnglishReferred to a person who was originally from Scandinavia or Normandy. Even before the Norman Conquest, Scandinavians were settling the north and east of England. The Normans who participated in the Conquest were originally from Scandinavia, but had been living in Normandy, France for over a century and spoke French.
Norris 1 English, ScottishMeans
"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.
Norris 2 EnglishMeans
"wet nurse, foster mother" from Old French
norrice, from Latin
nutricius.
Northrop EnglishOriginally denoted one who came from a town of this name England, meaning "north farm".
Norton EnglishFrom the name of various towns in England meaning "north town" in Old English.
Nørup DanishFrom the name of Danish villages named
Nørup or
Norup.
Norwood EnglishOriginally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English.
Nye EnglishOriginally indicated a person who lived near a river, from Middle English
atten eye meaning
"at the river".
Nyman SwedishFrom Swedish
ny (Old Norse
nýr) meaning "new" and
man (Old Norse
maðr) meaning "person, man".
Nyström SwedishOrnamental name derived from Swedish
ny (Old Norse
nýr) meaning "new" and
ström (Old Norse
straumr) meaning "stream".
Oakley EnglishFrom a place name meaning "oak clearing" in Old English. It was borne by American sharpshooter Annie Oakley (1860-1926).
Oberst GermanFrom Old High German
obar meaning
"above, upper", indicating a person from the uppermost end of a village or the top of a house.
Odell EnglishOriginally denoted a person who was from Odell in Bedfordshire, derived from Old English
wad "woad" (a plant that produces a blue dye) and
hyll "hill".
Oelberg GermanMeans
"oil hill" from Middle High German
öl "oil" and
berg "mountain, hill".
Offermans DutchFrom Dutch
offer meaning
"offering, donation", referring to a person who collected money in a church.
Ogtrop DutchOriginally denoted a person who was from the town of Ochtrup in Germany, which is of uncertain origin.
Ohme GermanFrom Middle High German
oem meaning
"maternal uncle".
Olander SwedishDenoted someone from the islands of Öland (eastern Sweden) or
Åland (western Finland).
Öman SwedishFrom Swedish
ö (Old Norse
ey) meaning "island" and
man (Old Norse
maðr) meaning "person, man".
Omdahl NorwegianDenoted a person hailing from any one of a number of farms in Norway called either Åmdal or Omdal meaning "elm valley".
Oomen DutchPatronymic derived from Middle Dutch
oom meaning
"(maternal) uncle".
Oppenheimer GermanOriginally indicated a person from Oppenheim, Germany, perhaps meaning "marshy home". A notable bearer was the American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967).
Øster DanishFrom Danish
øst meaning
"east", originally denoting a dweller on the eastern side of a place.
Østergård DanishFrom Danish
øst meaning "east" and
gård meaning "enclosure, farm".
Oursler GermanOriginally a name designating a person from Ursel (now Oberursel) in Hesse, Germany.
Overton EnglishDenoted a person who hailed from one of the various places in England called Overton, meaning "upper settlement" or "riverbank settlement" in Old English.
Owston EnglishDenoted a person who came from any one of the places in Britain called Ouston or Owston.
Padmore EnglishOriginally indicated a person from Padmore in England, derived from Old English
padde "toad" and
mor "moor, marsh".
Page English, FrenchOccupational name meaning
"servant, page". It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek
παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".
Palmer EnglishMeans
"pilgrim", ultimately from Latin
palma "palm tree", since pilgrims to the Holy Land often brought back palm fronds as proof of their journey.
Papp 2 GermanNickname perhaps related to Latin
pappo meaning
"to eat".
Parent English, FrenchDerived from Old French
parent meaning either
"notable" (from Latin
pareo meaning "to be apparent") or
"parent" (from Latin
pario meaning "to produce, to give birth").
Paris French, Italian, EnglishOriginally denoted a person who came from the French city of
Paris, which got its name from the ancient Celtic tribe known as the Parisii.
Park 2 EnglishFrom Middle English
park, from Latin
parricus, of Frankish origin. This was a name for someone who worked in or lived in a park.
Parker EnglishMeans
"keeper of the park" in Middle English. It is an occupational name for a person who was a gamekeeper at a medieval park.
Parsons EnglishOriginally denoted a son of a parson, a derivative of Latin
persona "person".
Paternoster English, ItalianOccupational name for a maker of rosaries, also called paternosters. They are derived from the Latin phrase
pater noster "our Father", the opening words of the Lord's Prayer.
Paxton EnglishFrom an English place name meaning "Pœcc's town".
Pœcc is an Old English name of unknown meaning.
Payne EnglishFrom 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.
Peacock EnglishFrom Middle English
pecok meaning
"peacock". It was originally a nickname for a proud or haughty person.
Peak EnglishOriginally 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 2 EnglishOccupational name for a maker of pecks (vessels used as peck measures), derived from Middle English
pekke.
Peel EnglishNickname for a thin person, derived from Old French
pel, Latin
palus meaning
"stake, post" (related to English
pole).
Peerenboom DutchFrom Dutch meaning
"pear tree", referring to someone who lived or worked at a pear orchard.
Pemberton EnglishFrom the name of a town near Manchester, derived from Celtic
penn meaning "hill" combined with Old English
bere meaning "barley" and
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town".
Pender 1 EnglishFrom Middle English
pind "to pen up". This was an occupational name for someone who penned animals.
Penders DutchFrom Middle Dutch
paender meaning
"brewer", derived from
panne meaning "pan, pot", ultimately from Latin
patina.
Penn 1 EnglishDerived from various place names that were named using the Brythonic word
penn meaning
"hilltop, head".
Penn 2 EnglishOccupational name for a person who kept penned animals, from Old English
penn.
Penny EnglishNickname meaning
"penny, coin" from Old English
penning.
Perry 1 EnglishFrom Old English
pirige meaning
"pear tree", a derivative of
peru meaning "pear", itself from Latin
pirum. A famous bearer was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.
Petit French, Catalan, EnglishMeans
"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.
Pfaff GermanFrom a nickname meaning
"priest, cleric" from Old High German
pfaffo, from Latin
papa.
Pfeiffer GermanOccupational name meaning
"pipe player" in German, from Middle High German
pfifen "to whistle".
Pfenning GermanFrom Old High German
pfenning meaning
"penny, coin". It was used in reference to feudal tax obligations.
Philips English, DutchMeans
"son of Philip". Famous bearers of this surname were Frederick Philips (1830-1900) and his son Gerard (1858-1942), the Dutch founders of the company Philips.
Pickering EnglishFrom the name of a town in Yorkshire, derived from Old English
Piceringas, the name of a tribe.
Pickle EnglishDerived from Middle English
pighel meaning
"small field".
Piper EnglishOriginally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute).
Pitt EnglishOriginally given to a person who lived near a pit or a hole, derived from Old English
pytt "pit".
Pitts EnglishIndicated a person who lived by a pit or hollow, from Old English
pytt. It could also indicate a person from Pitt (Hants) or Pett (East Sussex) in England.
Plank German, EnglishMeans
"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.
Plaskett EnglishOriginally denoted a dweller by a swampy meadow, from Old French
plascq meaning
"wet meadow".
Platt EnglishFrom 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.
Pletscher GermanPossibly from the name of a field where cattle fodder was grown, from German
Bletsch.
Polzin GermanFrom the name of a town in Pomerania, Poland (formerly part of Germany). In Polish it is called Połczyn.
Pond EnglishOriginally referred to one who lived near a pond.
Poole EnglishFrom Old English
pol meaning
"pool", referring to a person who lived by a small body of water.
Pope EnglishFrom a nickname that originally designated a person who played the part of the pope in a play or pageant. Otherwise the name could be used as a nickname for a man with a solemn, austere, or pious appearance. It is derived from Latin
papa, ultimately from Greek
πάππας (pappas) meaning "father".
Porsche GermanPossibly derived from German
Bursche meaning
"boy, servant" or from the given name
Boris.
Porter EnglishOccupational name meaning
"doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French
porte "door", from Latin
porta.
Potter EnglishOccupational name for a potter, one who makes earthen vessels. This surname was used by J. K. Rowling for the hero in her
Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Pottinger EnglishOccupational name, either for an apothecary, from Old French
potecaire, or a seller of stew, from Old French
potagier.
Pound EnglishOccupational name for a person who kept animals, from Old English
pund "animal enclosure".
Power 1 English, IrishFrom Old French
Poier, indicating a person who came from the town of Poix in Picardy, France.
Power 2 EnglishFrom 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 EnglishFrom Old English
prætt meaning
"trick, prank". This was a nickname for a trickster.
Prescott EnglishFrom the name of various English places meaning
"priest's cottage" in Old English.
Preston EnglishOriginally derived from various place names meaning
"priest town" in Old English.
Prince English, FrenchFrom a nickname for someone who acted in a princely manner, ultimately derived from Latin
princeps.
Prinsen DutchMeans
"son of the prince", the term prince would have denoted someone who acted in a regal manner.
Protz GermanFrom a nickname meaning
"showy, pompous", derived from an old southern German word meaning "toad".
Pryor EnglishOriginally belonged to one who was a prior (a religious official), or one who worked for a prior.
Purcell EnglishFrom Old French
pourcel "piglet", from Latin
porcellus, a derivative of
porcus "pig". This was a nickname or an occupational name for a swineherd.
Putnam EnglishFrom
Puttenham, the name of towns in Hertfordshire and Surrey in England, which mean "Putta's homestead".
Queen EnglishFrom a given name that was derived from Old English
cwen meaning
"queen, woman". In some occurrences it may have been a nickname.
Quick EnglishNickname for a quick or agile person, ultimately from Old English
cwic meaning
"alive".
Quincy EnglishOriginally from various place names in Normandy that were derived from the given name
Quintus.
Radcliff EnglishFrom various place names in England that mean "red cliff" in Old English.
Rademaker DutchFrom the occupation of
rademaker meaning
"maker of wheels", from Dutch
rad meaning "wheel".
Raine 1 EnglishFrom a nickname derived from Old French
reine meaning
"queen".
Raine 2 English, FrenchDerived from a Germanic name that was short for longer names beginning with the element
ragin meaning "advice, counsel".
Raines EnglishOriginally denoted a person from Rayne, Essex, England (possibly from an Old English word meaning "shelter") or from Rennes, Brittany, France (from the name of the Gaulish tribe of the Redones).
Rake EnglishOriginally a name for a dweller on a narrow pass or hillside, from Old English
hrace meaning
"throat, gorge".
Ramsey English, ScottishMeans
"garlic island", derived from Old English
hramsa "garlic" and
eg "island". The surname was brought to Scotland by the Norman baron Simundus de Ramsay.
Randrup DanishFrom the name of homesteads in Denmark (in Viborg or Rebild municipalities).
Rapp 1 SwedishFrom Swedish
rapp meaning
"quick, prompt", one of the names adopted by soldiers in the 17th century.
Rapp 2 GermanFrom Middle High German
raben meaning
"raven", a nickname for a person with black hair.
Raskopf GermanPossibly from German
rasch "quick" and
Kopf "head".
Ravn DanishMeans
"raven" in Danish, from Old Norse
hrafn.
Read 1 EnglishMeans
"red" from Middle English
read, probably denoting a person with red hair or complexion.
Read 2 EnglishFrom 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".
Reenberg DanishMeaning unknown. The second element is probably from Old Norse
berg "mountain" (modern Danish
bjerg).
Reeve EnglishOccupational name derived from Middle English
reeve, Old English
(ge)refa meaning
"sheriff, prefect, local official".
Regenbogen German, JewishFrom a German nickname meaning
"rainbow", probably a habitational name for someone who lived in a house with the sign of a rainbow. As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.
Reich German, JewishNickname for a wealthy or powerful person, from Old High German
rihhi "rich, powerful".
Reiher GermanMeans
"heron" in German, a nickname for a person with long legs.
Reis German, JewishFrom Middle High German
ris meaning
"twig, branch, bush", denoting a person who lived in an overgrown area. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
Remington EnglishFrom the name of the town of Rimington in Lancashire, derived from the name of the stream
Riming combined with Old English
tun meaning "enclosure, town".
Rettig GermanDerived from Middle High German
retich, Middle Low German
redik meaning
"radish", an occupational name for a grower or seller of radishes.
Reuter 2 GermanFrom Middle High German
riutœre meaning
"highwayman, thief".
Rey 1 English, Spanish, French, CatalanMeans
"king" in Old French, Spanish and Catalan, ultimately from Latin
rex (genitive
regis), perhaps originally denoting someone who acted like a king.
Rey 2 EnglishMeans
"female roe deer" from Old English
ræge, probably denoting someone of a nervous temperament.
Rhodes EnglishTopographic name derived from Old English
rod meaning
"cleared land", or a locational name from any of the locations named with this word.
Riber DanishOriginally indicated a person from the county or town of Ribe in southwestern Denmark.