Kirby EnglishFrom numerous towns in northern England named Kirby or Kirkby, derived from Old Norse
kirkja "church" and
býr "farm, settlement".
Kirk EnglishFrom northern Middle English
kirk meaning
"church", from Old Norse
kirkja (cognate of
Church). A famous fictional bearer is the starship captain James Kirk from the
Star Trek television series (1966-1969), and subsequent films.
Knight EnglishFrom Old English
cniht meaning
"knight", a tenant serving as a mounted soldier.
Knowles EnglishFrom Middle English
knoll, Old English
cnoll meaning
"small hill, knoll". A famous bearer is American singer Beyoncé Knowles (1981-).
Lane 1 EnglishOriginally designated one who lived by a lane, a narrow way between fences or hedges, later used of any narrow pathway, including one between houses in a town.
Lawrence EnglishDerived from the given name
Laurence 1. Famous bearers include revolutionary T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935) and author D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930).
Lee 1 EnglishOriginally given to a person who lived on or near a
leah, Old English meaning
"woodland, clearing".
Lewis 1 EnglishDerived from the given name
Lewis. The author C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was a bearer of this surname.
Lincoln EnglishOriginally indicated that the bearer was from the English city of Lincoln, called
Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic
lindo "lake, pool" and Latin
colonia "colony". A famous bearer was Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
London EnglishFrom the name of the capital city of the United Kingdom, the meaning of which is uncertain.
Long EnglishOriginally a nickname for a person who had long limbs or who was tall.
Love EnglishFrom the Old English given name
Lufu meaning "love".
Madison EnglishMeans
"son of Matthew" or
"son of Maud". A famous bearer of this surname was the fourth American president James Madison (1751-1836).
Mann German, EnglishFrom a nickname meaning
"man". This may have originally been given in order to distinguish the bearer from a younger person with the same name.
Marsh EnglishOriginally denoted one who lived near a marsh or bog, derived from Old English
mersc "marsh".
Marshall EnglishDerived from Middle English
mareschal "marshal", from Latin
mariscalcus, ultimately from Germanic roots akin to Old High German
marah "horse" and
scalc "servant". It originally referred to someone who took care of horses.
Mason EnglishOccupational name for a stoneworker or layer of bricks, from Old French
masson, of Frankish origin (akin to Old English
macian "to make").
Massey EnglishDerived from
Massy, the name of several towns in France. The name of the town is perhaps derived from a personal name that was Latinized as
Maccius.
Mayer 3 EnglishOccupational name for a mayor, from Middle English
mair, derived via Old French from Latin
maior.
Meadows EnglishReferred to one who lived in a meadow, from Old English
mædwe.
Merrill 2 EnglishFrom the name of various places in England, derived from Old English
myrige "pleasant" and
hyll "hill".
Middleton EnglishOriginally denoted a person who lived in one of the numerous English towns by this name, derived from Old English
middel "middle" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town".
Milburn EnglishDerived from various place names meaning "mill stream" in Old English.
Miller EnglishOccupational surname meaning
"miller", referring to a person who owned or worked in a grain mill, derived from Middle English
mille "mill".
Mills EnglishOriginally given to one who lived near a mill or who worked in a mill, from Middle English
mille.
Milton EnglishDerived from an English place name meaning "mill town" in Old English. A famous bearer was John Milton (1608-1674), the poet who wrote "Paradise Lost".
Mitchell 2 EnglishOriginally a nickname for a large person, from Old English
micel "big".
Montgomery English, ScottishFrom a place name in Calvados, France meaning "
Gumarich's mountain". A notable bearer was Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976), a British army commander during World War II.
Moon 2 EnglishOriginally indicated a person from the town of Moyon in Normandy.
Moore 1 EnglishOriginally indicated a person who lived on a moor, from Middle English
mor meaning
"open land, bog".
Moore 3 EnglishNickname for a person of dark complexion, from Old French
more, Latin
maurus, meaning
"Moorish".
Morton EnglishDerived from a place name meaning
"moor town" in Old English.
Munson EnglishPatronymic formed from the Norman French nickname
moun meaning
"monk".
Nash EnglishDerived from the Middle English phrase
atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015).
Nelson 1 EnglishMeans
"son of Neil". This name was borne by the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805).
Neville English, IrishFrom the names of towns in Normandy, variously
Neuville or
Néville, meaning "new town" in French.
Newton EnglishFrom the name of one of many English towns meaning "new town". A famous bearer was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
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.
Norton EnglishFrom the name of various towns in England meaning "north town" in Old English.
Norwood EnglishOriginally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English.
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.
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.
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.
Pender 1 EnglishFrom Middle English
pind "to pen up". This was an occupational name for someone who penned animals.
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.
Pickering EnglishFrom the name of a town in Yorkshire, derived from Old English
Piceringas, the name of a tribe.
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.
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".
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.
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.
Prince English, FrenchFrom a nickname for someone who acted in a princely manner, ultimately derived from Latin
princeps.
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.
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".
Riley 1 EnglishFrom the name of the town of Ryley in Lancashire, derived from Old English
ryge "rye" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
Rimmer EnglishOccupational name meaning
"poet", from Middle English
rime meaning "rhyme".
Ripley EnglishFrom the name of various English towns, from Old English
rippel "grove, thicket" and
leah "woodland, clearing". A notable fictional bearer is the character Ellen Ripley from the movie
Alien (1979) and its sequels.
Rivers EnglishDenoted a person who lived near a river, from Middle English, from Old French
riviere meaning
"river", from Latin
riparius meaning "riverbank".
Rodney EnglishFrom a place name meaning
"Hroda's island" in Old English (where
Hroda is an Old English given name meaning "fame").
Rose 1 English, French, German, JewishMeans
"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).
Ross English, ScottishFrom various place names (such as the region of Ross in northern Scotland), which are derived from Scottish Gaelic
ros meaning "promontory, headland".
Royle EnglishOriginally derived from a place name meaning
"rye hill" from Old English
ryge "rye" and
hyll "hill".
Russell EnglishFrom a Norman French nickname that meant
"little red one", perhaps originally describing a person with red hair.
Sands EnglishFrom Old English, indicated the original nearer lived on sandy ground.
Savage EnglishEnglish nickname meaning
"wild, uncouth", derived from Old French
salvage or
sauvage meaning "untamed", ultimately from Latin
silvaticus meaning "wild, from the woods".
Schofield EnglishFrom various northern English place names, which were derived from Old Norse
skáli "hut" and Old English
feld "field".
Scott English, ScottishOriginally given to a person from Scotland or a person who spoke Scottish Gaelic.
Seabrook EnglishDenoted a person from a town by this name in Buckinghamshire, England. It is derived from that of a river combined with Old English
broc "stream".
Sexton EnglishOccupational name for a sexton (Middle English
sexteyn), a caretaker for a church or graveyard.
Seymour 2 EnglishFrom an English place name, derived from Old English
sæ "sea" and
mere "lake".
Sharp EnglishNickname for a keen person, from Old English
scearp "sharp".
Shaw 1 EnglishOriginally given to a person who lived near a prominent thicket, from Old English
sceaga meaning
"thicket, copse".
Shirley EnglishFrom an English place name, derived from Old English
scir "bright" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
Silver EnglishFrom a nickname for a person with grey hair, from Old English
seolfor "silver".
Simpson EnglishMeans
"son of Sim",
Sim being a medieval short form of
Simon 1. This is the name of a fictional American family on the animated television series
The Simpsons, starting 1989.
Skinner EnglishOccupational name for a person who skinned animals, from Old Norse
skinn.
Slater EnglishOccupational name indicating that an early member worked covering roofs with slate, from Old French
esclat "shard", of Germanic origin.
Small EnglishFrom a nickname for a small person, from Middle English
smal.
Smith EnglishMeans
"metalworker, blacksmith" from Old English
smiþ, related to
smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world. A famous bearer was the Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790).
Snell EnglishFrom Old English
snel meaning
"fast, quick, nimble".
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".
Stack EnglishFrom a nickname for a big person, derived from Middle English
stack "haystack", of Old Norse origin.
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.
Steele EnglishOccupational name for a steelworker, from Old English
stele meaning
"steel".
Stone EnglishName for a person who lived near a prominent stone or worked with stone, derived from Old English
stan.
Strickland EnglishFrom the name of a town in Cumbria, derived from Old English
stirc "calf, young bullock" and
land "cultivated land".
Strong EnglishNickname derived from Middle English
strong or
strang meaning
"strong".
Swanson EnglishPatronymic form of Middle English
swein meaning
"servant" (of Old Norse origin). This word was also used as a byname, and this surname could be a patronymic form of that.
Talbot EnglishOf Norman origin, possibly derived from an unattested Germanic given name composed of the elements
dala "to destroy" and
bod "message".
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.
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 "home, settlement".
Taylor EnglishDerived from Old French
tailleur meaning
"tailor", ultimately from Latin
talio "to cut".
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.
Todd EnglishMeans
"fox", derived from Middle English
todde.
Townsend EnglishIndicated a person who lived at the town's edge, from Old English
tun "enclosure, yard, town" and
ende "end, limit".
Triggs EnglishFrom a byname derived from Old Norse
tryggr meaning
"true, loyal".
Troy EnglishOriginally denoted a person from the city of Troyes in France.
Tucker EnglishOccupational name for a fuller of cloth, derived from Old English
tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.
Turner EnglishOccupational name for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English
turnian "to turn", of Latin origin. A famous bearer is the American musician Tina Turner (1939-2023), born Anna Mae Bullock.
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).
Underwood EnglishMeans
"dweller at the edge of the woods", from Old English
under and
wudu.
Vernon EnglishLocational name in the Eure region of Normandy, from the Gaulish element
vern "alder (tree)" with the genitive case maker
onis.
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".
Wall EnglishOriginally denoted a person who lived near a prominent wall, from Old English
weall.
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 Scottish hero William Wallace.
Waller 1 EnglishDerived from Old French
gallier meaning
"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
wille "well, spring, water hole" combined with
tun "enclosure, yard, town".
Ward 1 EnglishDerived from Old English
weard meaning
"guard, guardian".
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".
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. This surname was sometimes adopted by freed slaves, resulting in a high proportion of African-American bearers.
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. A noteworthy bearer was the Scottish inventor James Watt (1736-1819).
Watts EnglishPatronymic derived from the Middle English given name
Wat or
Watt, a diminutive of the name
Walter.
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
wille meaning
"well, spring, water hole".
West English, GermanDenoted a person who lived to the west of something, or who came from the west.
Wheatley EnglishFrom any of the various places in England with this name, meaning "wheat clearing" in Old English.
Wheeler EnglishOccupational name for a maker of wagon wheels, derived from Middle English
whele "wheel".
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.
Wild English, GermanMeans
"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.
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
welig "willow" and Old Norse
býr "farm, settlement".
Wilson EnglishMeans
"son of Will". A famous bearer was the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924).
Winter English, German, Dutch, SwedishFrom Old English
winter or Old High German
wintar meaning
"winter". This was a nickname for a person with a cold personality.
Wise EnglishFrom a nickname for a wise person, from Middle English
wys, Old English
wis.
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 an Old German given name beginning with this element.
Wood English, ScottishOriginally denoted one who lived in or worked in a forest, derived from Old English
wudu "wood".
Woodward EnglishOccupational name for a forester, meaning
"ward of the wood" in Old English.
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.