SOMMER (1) German, EnglishMeans "summer", from Old High German
sumar or Old English
sumor. This was a nickname for a cheerful person, someone who lived in a sunny spot, or a farmer who had to pay taxes in the summer.
SOUTHGATE EnglishName for a person who lived near the southern gate of a town or in a town named Southgate, from Old English
suþ and
gæt.
SPALDING EnglishFrom the name of the town of Spalding in Lincolnshire, derived from the Anglo-Saxon tribe of the Spaldingas.
SPARKS EnglishFrom an Old Norse nickname or byname derived from
sparkr meaning "sprightly".
SPEAR EnglishFrom Old English
spere "spear", an occupational name for a hunter or a maker of spears, or a nickname for a thin person.
SPENCER EnglishOccupational name for a person who dispensed provisions to those who worked at a manor, derived from Middle English
spense "larder, pantry".
SPOONER EnglishOccupational name for a maker of spoons or a maker of shingles, derived from Middle English
spone meaning "chip of wood, spoon".
SPURLING EnglishFrom Middle English
sparewe "sparrow" and the diminutive suffix
-ling.
STACK EnglishFrom a nickname for a big person, derived from Middle English
stack "haystack", of Old Norse origin.
STAFFORD EnglishFrom the name of the English city of Stafford, Staffordshire, derived from Old English
stæð meaning "wharf, landing place" and
ford meaning "ford, river crossing".
STAINTHORPE EnglishOriginally indicated a person from Staindrop, County Durham, England, derived from Old English
stæner meaning "stony ground" and
hop meaning "valley".
STAMP EnglishOriginally denoted a person from Étampes near Paris. It was called
Stampae in Latin, but the ultimate origin is uncertain.
STANFORD EnglishDerived from various English place names meaning "stone ford" in Old English.
STANLEY EnglishFrom various place names meaning "stone clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer was the British-American explorer and journalist Sir Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904).
STANTON EnglishFrom one of the many places named Stanton or Staunton in England, derived from Old English
stan meaning "stone" and
tun meaning "enclosure, town".
STARK English, GermanFrom a nickname meaning "strong, rigid", from Old English
stearc or Old High German
stark.
STARR EnglishFrom Middle English
sterre meaning "star". This was usually a nickname, but it could also occasionally be a sign name from the name of an inn called the Star.
STATHAM EnglishFrom the name of a village in the English county of Cheshire, derived from Old English
stæð meaning "wharf, landing place".
STEED EnglishOccupational name for one who tended horses, derived from Middle English
steed, in turn derived from Old English
steda meaning "stallion".
STEELE EnglishOccupational name for a steelworker, from Old English
stele meaning "steel".
STERN (1) EnglishFrom Old English
styrne meaning "stern, severe". This was used as a nickname for someone who was stern, harsh, or severe in manner or character.
STODDARD EnglishOccupational name for a horse keeper, from Old English
stod "stallion, stud" and
hierde "herder".
STONE EnglishName for a person who lived near a prominent stone or worked with stone, derived from Old English
stan.
STRANGE EnglishDerived from Middle English
strange meaning "foreign", ultimately from Latin
extraneus.
STREET EnglishHabitational name for a person who lived in a place called Street, for example in Somerset. It is derived from Old English
stræt meaning "Roman road", from Latin
strata.
STRICKLAND EnglishFrom the name of a town in Cumbria, derived from Old English
stirc "calf, young bullock" and
land "cultivated land".
STRINGER EnglishOccupational name for a maker of string or bow strings, from Old English
streng "string".
STROUD EnglishFrom Old English
strod meaning "marshy ground overgrown with brushwood".
STRUDWICK EnglishFrom an English place name derived from Old English
strod meaning "marshy ground overgrown with brushwood" and
wíc meaning "village, town".
STYLES EnglishLocational name for one who lived near a steep hill, from Old English
stigol "stile, set of steps".
SUMMERFIELD EnglishOriginally indicated the bearer was from a town of this name, derived from Old English
sumor "summer" and
feld "field".
SUMNER EnglishOccupational name for a summoner, an official who was responsible for ensuring the appearance of witnesses in court, from Middle English
sumner, ultimately from Latin
submonere "to advise".
SUTTON EnglishFrom various English place names meaning "south town".
SWEET EnglishFrom a nickname meaning "sweet, pleasant", from Old English
swete.
SWINDLEHURST EnglishFrom the place name
Swinglehurst in the Forest of Bowland in central Lancashire, derived from Old English
swin "swine, pig",
hyll "hill" and
hyrst "wood, grove".
TANNER EnglishOccupational name for a person who tanned animal hides, from Old English
tannian "to tan", itself from Late Latin and possibly ultimately of Celtic origin.
TASH EnglishFrom Middle English
at asche meaning "at the ash tree".
TASKER EnglishFrom Middle English
taske meaning "task, assignment". A tasker was a person who had a fixed job to do, particularly a person who threshed grain with a flail.
TATHAM EnglishFrom the name of the town of Tatham in Lancashire, itself from the Old English given name
TATA combined with
ham meaning "homestead".
TATTON EnglishOriginally indicated a person from a town by this name, derived from the Old English given name
TATA combined with
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town".
TAYLOR EnglishDerived from Old French
tailleur meaning "tailor", ultimately from Latin
taliare "to cut".
TEEL EnglishFrom Middle English
tele meaning "teal, duck".
TERRELL EnglishProbably derived from the Norman French nickname
tirel meaning "to pull", referring to a stubborn person.
THATCHER EnglishReferred to a person who thatched roofs by attaching straw to them, derived from Old English
þæc meaning "thatch".
THORLEY EnglishFrom any of the various places in England called
Thornley or
Thorley, meaning "thorn clearing" in Old English.
THORNTON EnglishFrom any of the various places in England by this name, meaning "thorn town" in Old English.
THRUSSELL EnglishFrom Old English
þrostle meaning "song thrush", referring to a cheerful person.
THWAITE EnglishIndicated a dweller in a forest clearing or pasture, from Old Norse
þveit "clearing, pasture".
TIMBERLAKE EnglishFrom an English place name, derived from Old English
timber "timber, wood" and
lacu "lake, pool, stream".
TINDALL EnglishFrom
Tindale, the name of a town in Cumbria, derived from the name of the river Tyne combined with Old English
dæl "dale, valley".
TINKER EnglishOccupational name for a mender of kettles, pots and pans. The name could derive from the tinking sound made by light hammering on metal. It is possible that the word comes from the word
tin, the material with which the tinker worked.
TIPTON EnglishOriginally given to one who came from the town of Tipton, derived from the Old English given name
Tippa combined with
tun "enclosure, yard, town".
TITTENSOR EnglishIndicated a person from Tittensor, England, which means "Titten's ridge".
TODD EnglishMeans "fox", derived from Middle English
todde.
TOFT EnglishDenoted a person hailing from one of the many places in Britain of that name, derived from Old Norse
topt meaning "homestead".
TOLBERT EnglishPossibly from a Germanic given name of unknown meaning, the second element of the name is derived from
beraht meaning "bright, famous".
TOLLER EnglishOccupational name meaning "tax gatherer", derived from Old English
toln "toll, fee, tax".
TOWNSEND EnglishIndicated a person who lived at the town's edge, from Old English
tun "enclosure, yard, town" and
ende "end, limit".
TRACEY (1) EnglishFrom the village of Tracy-sur-mer on the Normandy coast in France. It was brought to England with William the Conqueror.
TRASK EnglishOriginally indicated a person from Thirsk, North Yorkshire, derived from Old Norse
þresk meaning "fen, marsh".
TRAVERS English, FrenchFrom an English and French place name that described a person who lived near a bridge or ford, or occasionally as an occupational name for the collector of tolls at such a location. The place name is derived from Old French
traverser (which comes from Late Latin
transversare), which means "to cross".
TRELOAR EnglishOriginally denoted a person from a place of this name in Cornwall, England.
TRENGOVE EnglishOriginally indicated a person from Trengove in Cornwall, England.
TRIGGS EnglishFrom a byname derived from Old Norse
tryggr meaning "true, loyal".
TRUMAN EnglishMeans "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972).
TUCKER EnglishOccupational name for a fuller of cloth, derived from Old English
tucian meaning "offend, torment".
TUFT EnglishDenoted one who lived near a clump of trees or bushes, from Middle English
tufte "tuft, clump", from Old French.
TUPPER EnglishOccupational name for a herdsman, derived from Middle English
toupe "ram".
TURNER EnglishOccupational name for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English
turnian "to turn", of Latin origin.
TYLER EnglishOccupational name for a tiler of roofs, derived from Old English
tigele "tile". A famous bearer of this name was American president John Tyler (1790-1862).
TYSON (1) EnglishDerived from a nickname for a quarrelsome person, from Old French
tison meaning "firebrand".
UNDERHILL EnglishMeans "dweller at the foot of a hill", from Old English
under and
hyll.
UNDERWOOD EnglishMeans "dweller at the edge of the woods", from Old English
under and
wudu.
UPTON EnglishDenoted a person hailing from one of the many towns in England which bear this name. The place name itself is derived from Old English
upp "up" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town".
VANCE EnglishIndicated a dweller by a fen, from Old English
fenn meaning "fen, marsh".
VANN EnglishFrom Old English
fenn meaning "fen, swamp, peat", indicating a person who lived near such a place.
VARLEY EnglishOriginally denoted a person from Verly, France, itself derived from the Roman name
Virilius.
VERITY EnglishFrom a nickname meaning "truth", perhaps given originally to a truthful person.
VERNON EnglishLocational name in the Eure region of Normandy, from the Gaulish element
vern "alder (tree)" with the genitive case maker
onis.
VIPOND EnglishFrom
Vieux-Pont, the name of various places in Normandy, derived from French
vieux "old" and
pont "bridge".
VIRGO EnglishPossibly from Latin
virgo "virgin, maiden". It may have been a nickname for an actor who played the Virgin Mary in mystery plays, or for a shy man or a lecher.
WADE (1) EnglishDerived from the Old English place name
wæd meaning "a ford".
WADE (2) EnglishFrom the Old English given name
Wada, a derivative of the word
wadan "to go".
WAKEFIELD EnglishOriginally indicated a person who came from the English city of Wakefield, derived from Old English
wacu "wake, vigil" and
feld "field".
WALKER EnglishOccupational name for a person who walked on damp raw cloth in order to thicken it. It is derived from Middle English
walkere, Old English
wealcan meaning "to move".
WALLACE Scottish, English, IrishMeans "foreigner, stranger, Celt" from Norman French
waleis (of Germanic origin). It was often used to denote native Welsh and Bretons. A famous bearer was the 13th-century Sir William Wallace of Scotland.
WALLER (1) EnglishDerived from Old French
gallier meaning "a person with a pleasant temper".
WALLER (2) EnglishDerived from Old English
weall meaning "wall", denoting a builder of walls or someone who lived near a prominent wall.
WALTON EnglishFrom the name of any of several villages in England, derived from Old English
wealh "foreigner, Celt",
weald "forest",
weall "wall", or
well "well, spring, water hole" combined with
tun "enclosure".
WARDROBE EnglishFrom Old French
warder "to guard" and
robe "garment", an occupational name for a servant responsible for the clothing in a household.
WARE (1) EnglishFrom Old English
wer meaning "dam, weir", indicating someone who lived near such a structure.
WARE (2) EnglishFrom the Middle English nickname
ware meaning "wary, astute, prudent".
WARREN (1) EnglishDenoted a person who lived near a warren, from Norman French
warrene meaning "animal enclosure" (of Germanic origin).
WARREN (2) EnglishOriginally denoted a person from the town of La Varenne in Normandy, which may derive from a Gaulish word meaning "sandy soil".
WARWICK EnglishFrom the name of an English town, itself derived from Old English
wer "weir, dam" and
wíc "village, town".
WASHINGTON EnglishFrom a place name meaning "settlement belonging to Wassa's people", from the given name
WASSA and Old English
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". A famous bearer was George Washington (1732-1799), the first president of the United States.
WATERMAN (2) English, DutchOccupational name for a boatman or a water carrier. It could also describe a person who lived by water.
WATKINS EnglishDerived from the Middle English given name
Wat or
Watt, which was a diminutive of the name
WALTER.
WATT EnglishDerived from the Middle English given name
Wat or
Watt, a diminutive of the name
WALTER.
WATTS EnglishPatronymic derived from the Middle English given name
Wat or
Watt, a diminutive of the name
WALTER.
WAY EnglishFrom Old English
weg meaning "way, road, path".
WAYNE EnglishOccupational name meaning "wagon maker, cartwright", derived from Old English
wægn "wagon". A famous bearer was the American actor John Wayne (1907-1979).
WEAVER (1) EnglishOccupational name for a weaver, derived from Old English
wefan "to weave".
WEAVER (2) EnglishFrom the name of the River Weaver, derived from Old English
wefer meaning "winding stream".
WEBB EnglishOccupational name meaning "weaver", from Old English
webba, a derivative of
wefan "to weave".
WEBSTER EnglishOccupational name meaning "weaver", from Old English
webba, a derivative of
wefan "to weave".
WELLS EnglishDerived from Middle English
welle meaning "well, spring, water hole".
WEMBLEY EnglishFrom the name of a town, now part of Greater London, meaning "
WEMBA's clearing" in Old English.
WEST English, GermanDenoted a person who lived to the west of something, or who came from the west.
WESTCOTT EnglishFrom any of the several English towns by this name, derived from Old English meaning "west cottage".
WESTLEY EnglishFrom the name of various English towns, derived from Old English
west "west" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
WHEELER EnglishOccupational name for a maker of wagon wheels, derived from Middle English
whele "wheel".
WHEELOCK EnglishOriginally indicated a person from the town of Wheelock, England. It was named for the nearby River Wheelock, which is derived from Welsh
chwylog meaning "winding".
WHINERY EnglishFrom Middle English
whin "gorse bush" and
wray "nook of land".
WHITE EnglishOriginally a nickname for a person who had white hair or a pale complexion, from Old English
hwit "white".
WHITNEY EnglishOriginally from the name of an English town, meaning "white island" in Old English.
WICKHAM EnglishFrom any of various towns by this name in England, notably in Hampshire. They are derived from Old English
wíc "village, town" (of Latin origin) and
ham "home, settlement".
WILBUR EnglishFrom the nickname
Wildbor meaning "wild boar" in Middle English.
WILLIS EnglishDerived from the given name
WILLIAM. A famous bearer of this surname is actor Bruce Willis (1955-).
WILLOUGHBY EnglishFrom the name of various English towns, derived from Old English
wilig meaning "willow" and Old Norse
býr "farm, settlement".
WINCHESTER EnglishFrom an English place name, derived from
Venta, of Celtic origin, and Latin
castrum meaning "camp, fortress".
WINFIELD EnglishFrom a place name derived from Old English
winn "meadow, pasture" and
feld "field".
WINSHIP EnglishPossibly denoted a person who came from Wincheap Street in Canterbury, England. It is uncertain origin, possibly meaning "wine market" in Old English.
WINTER English, German, SwedishFrom Old English
winter or Old High German
wintar meaning "winter". This was a nickname for a person with a cold personality.
WINTERBOTTOM EnglishFrom Old English
winter meaning "winter" and
botm meaning "ground, soil, bottom". This name probably referred to a winter pasture at the bottom of a lowland valley.
WINTON EnglishDerived from the name of several English villages. Their names derive from Old English meaning "enclosure belonging to
WINE".
WITHERSPOON EnglishOriginally given to a person who dwelt near a sheep enclosure, from Middle English
wether "sheep" and
spong "strip of land".
WOLF German, EnglishFrom Middle High German or Middle English
wolf meaning "wolf", or else from a Germanic given name beginning with this element.
WOMACK EnglishOf uncertain origin. One theory suggests that it indicated a dweller by a hollow oak tree, derived from Old English
womb "hollow" and
ac "oak".
WOOD English, ScottishOriginally denoted one who lived in or worked in a forest, derived from Old English
wudu "wood".
WOODHAM EnglishIndicated a person who had a home near a wood, derived from Old English
wudu "wood" and
ham "home".
WOODROW EnglishFrom a place name meaning "row of houses by a wood" in Old English.
WOODWARD EnglishOccupational name for a forester, meaning "ward of the wood" in Old English.
WORTHAM EnglishDerived from the name of a town in Suffolk, England meaning "enclosed homestead".
WRAY EnglishOriginally denoted someone who came from any of the various places of this name in northern England, from Old Norse
vrá meaning "corner, nook".
WRIGHT (1) EnglishFrom Old English
wyrhta meaning "wright, maker", an occupational name for someone who was a craftsman. Famous bearers were Orville and Wilbur Wright, the inventors of the first successful airplane.
WYNDHAM EnglishFrom the name of the town of Wymondham, meaning "home belonging to Wigmund", from the given name
WIGMUND combined with Old English
ham meaning "home".
YAP EnglishFrom a nickname for a clever or cunning person, from Middle English
yap meaning "devious, deceitful, shrewd".
YATES EnglishFrom Old English
geat meaning "gate", a name for a gatekeeper or someone who lived near a gate.
YORK EnglishFrom the name of the English city of York, which was originally called
Eburacon (Latinized as
Eboracum), meaning "yew" in Brythonic, but was altered by association with Old English
Eoforwic, meaning "pig farm".
YOUNG EnglishDerived from Old English
geong meaning "young". This was a descriptive name to distinguish father from son.
YOXALL EnglishOriginally indicated a person from the town of Yoxall in Staffordshire, itself derived from Old English
geoc "oxen yoke" and
halh "nook, recess".