Browse Surnames

Porter English
Occupational name meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French porte "door", from Latin porta.

Swanson English
Patronymic 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.

Dustin English
From the Old Norse given name Þórsteinn.

Blanchard French, English
Derived from the given name Blanchard.

Abbey English
Indicated a person who lived near an abbey or worked in an abbey, from Middle English abbeye.

Fay French, English
Referred to a person who came from various places named Fay or Faye in northern France, derived from Old French fau "beech tree", from Latin fagus.

Nicholson English
Means "son of Nicholas". A famous bearer of this surname is the American actor Jack Nicholson (1937-).

Rhodes English
Topographic name derived from Old English rod meaning "cleared land", or a locational name from any of the locations named with this word.

Ainsworth English
Habitational name for a person from the village of Ainsworth near Manchester, itself from the Old English given name Ægen and worþ meaning "enclosure".

Pond English
Originally referred to one who lived near a pond.

Statham English
From the name of a village in the English county of Cheshire, derived from Old English stæð meaning "wharf, landing place" and ham "home, settlement".

Penn 2 English
Occupational name for a person who kept penned animals, from Old English penn.

Randal English
Derived from the given name Randel.

Irwin English
Derived from the Old English given name Eoforwine.

Ibbott English
Matronymic surname derived from the medieval name Ibota, a diminutive of Isabel.

Mitchell 1 English, Scottish
Derived from the given name Michael.

Brierley English
From an English place name, derived from brer "briar" and leah "woodland, clearing".

Scriven English
Occupational name meaning "writer, clerk, scribe" in Old French, derived from Latin scriba.

Russell English
From a Norman French nickname that meant "little red one", perhaps originally describing a person with red hair.

Wells English
Derived from Middle English wille meaning "well, spring, water hole".

Courtenay 1 English
From the name of towns in France that were originally derivatives of the Gallo-Roman personal name Curtenus, itself derived from Latin curtus "short".

Keyes 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.

Curtis English
Nickname for a courteous person, derived from Old French curteis meaning "refined, courtly".

Crewe English
Originally denoted someone from Crewe in Cheshire, which is from Welsh criu "weir, dam, fish trap".

Dyson English
Means "son of Dye".

Rowe 2 English
From the medieval name Row, which is either a variant of Roul or short form of Roland.

Traylor English
Meaning unknown.

Snelling English
Variant of Snell.

Johns English
Derived from the given name John.

Anderson English
Means "son of Andrew".

Beck 3 English
From a nickname for a person with a big nose, from Middle English beke meaning "beak".

Hutson English
Variant of Hudson.

Sandford English
Indicated a person from Sandford, England, which means simply "sand ford".

Porcher English, French
Means "swineherd" from Old French and Middle English porchier, from Latin porcus "pig".

Lawson English
Means "son of Laurence 1".

Kennard English
Derived from the given names Cyneweard or Cyneheard.

Deadman English
Variant of Debenham.

Webster English
Occupational name meaning "weaver", from Old English webba, a derivative of wefan "to weave".

Ackerman English
Means "ploughman", derived from Middle English aker "field" and man.

Rollins English
From a diminutive of the given name Roland.

Quickley 1 English
Variant of Quick.

Blackburn English
From the name of a city in Lancashire, meaning "black stream" in Old English.

Morris English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
Derived from the given name Maurice.

Westcott English
From any of the several English towns by this name, derived from Old English meaning "west cottage".

Waldroup English
Variant of Wardrobe.

Waldo English
From the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Waltheof.

Proudfoot English
Nickname for a person with a proud step.

Tobias English, German, Jewish
From the given name Tobias.

Sands English
From Old English, indicated the original nearer lived on sandy ground.

Huddleston English
From the name of a town in the Yorkshire region of England, which means "Hudel's town" in Old English.

Rome French, English
English and French form of Romano 2.

Gadsby English
Habitational name from the villsage of Gaddesby in Leicestershire, so named from Old Norse gaddr "spur, spike (of land)" and býr "farm, settlement".

Burrell English
English form of Bureau.

Kerr Scottish, English
From Scots and northern Middle English kerr meaning "thicket, marsh", ultimately from Old Norse kjarr.

Wyndham English
From the name of the town of Wymondham, meaning "home belonging to Wigmund", from the given name Wigmund combined with Old English ham meaning "home, settlement".

Travers English, French
From 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".

Parish 2 English
Derived from the medieval given name Paris, an Old French diminutive form of Patrick.

Millard English
Variant of Millward.

Fuller English
Occupational name for a fuller, a person who thickened and cleaned coarse cloth by pounding it. It is derived via Middle English from Latin fullo.

Nash English
Derived from the Middle English phrase atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015).

Carlyle English
Variant of Carlisle.

Alfredson English
Means "son of Alfred".

Knaggs English
From Middle English knagg meaning "small mound, projection". It is found most commonly in the north of England, in particular Yorkshire.

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.

Banner English
Occupational name for a flag carrier, derived from Old French baniere meaning "banner", ultimately of Germanic origin.

Brewer English
Occupational name for a maker of ale or beer.

Haden English
From a place name derived from Old English hæþ "heath" and dun "hill".

Rains English
Variant of Raines.

Broadbent English
From a place name derived from Old English brad "broad" and beonet "bent grass".

Shakespeare English
From a nickname for a warlike person, from Old English scacan "to shake" and spere "spear". A famous bearer was the English dramatist and poet William Shakespeare (1564-1616).

Harding English
Derived from the given name Heard. A famous bearer was American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).

Kellogg English
Occupational name for a pig butcher, from Middle English killen "to kill" and hog "pig, swine, hog".

Dane 2 English
Originally denoted a Dane, that is a person from Denmark.

Love English
From the Old English given name Lufu meaning "love".

Lyon 2 English, French
From a nickname derived from Old French and Middle English lion meaning "lion".

Kingsley English
From a place name meaning "king's clearing" in Old English.

Bridges English
Originally denoted a person who lived near a bridge, from Old English brycg.

Denman English
From Middle English dene "valley" combined with man.

Jamison English
Means "son of James".

Warwick English
From the name of an English town, itself derived from Old English wer "weir, dam" and wīc "village, town".

Darwin English
From the given name Deorwine.

Watson English, Scottish
Patronymic derived from the Middle English given name Wat or Watt, a diminutive of the name Walter.

Ellis English, Welsh
Derived from the given name Elijah, or sometimes Elisedd.

Badcock English
From a diminutive of the medieval given name Bada.

Scarlett English
Denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet, a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saghrelat).

Haynes English
Patronymic derived from the Norman name Hagano.

Short English
From a nickname for a short person, from Middle English schort.

Hibbert English
Derived from the given name Hilbert.

Watkins English
Derived from the Middle English given name Wat or Watt, which was a diminutive of the name Walter.

Howe English
Name for one who lived on a hill, from Middle English how "hill" (of Norse origin).

Roy 1 French, English
Variant of Rey 1.

Penny English
Nickname meaning "penny, coin" from Old English penning.

Bagley English
From various English place names, all derived from Old English bagga "bag, badger" combined with leah "woodland, clearing".

Dorsey English
Means "from Orsay", referring to the town of Orsay near Paris, its name deriving from the Latin personal name Orcius.

John English
Derived from the given name John. A famous bearer is British musician Elton John (1947-), born Reginald Dwight.

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).

Gary English
Variant of Geary.

Readdie English
Variant of Ready 1.

Davison English
Means "son of David".

Ashley English
Denoted a person hailing from one of the many places in England that bear this name. The place name itself is derived from Old English æsc "ash tree" and leah "woodland, clearing".

Eldred English
From the given name Ealdræd.

Patrick English
From the given name Patrick.

Bradford English
Derived from the name of the city of Bradford in West Yorkshire, which meant "broad ford" in Old English. This is also the name of other smaller towns in England.

David English, French, German, Welsh, Czech, Portuguese, Romanian, Jewish
From the given name David.

Windsor English
From the name of a few English towns, one notably the site of Windsor Castle. Their names mean "riverbank with a windlass" in Old English, a windlass being a lifting apparatus. In 1917 the British royal family adopted this name (after Windsor Castle), replacing their previous name Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Coburn Scottish, English
Variant of Cockburn.

Gregory English
From the given name Gregory.

Pottinger English
Occupational name, either for an apothecary, from Old French potecaire, or a seller of stew, from Old French potagier.

Fishman English
Occupational name for a fisherman.

Deighton English
From English towns by this name, from Old English dic "ditch" and tun "enclosure, yard, town".

Combs English
Variant of Coombs.

Penn 1 English
Derived from various place names that were named using the Brythonic word penn meaning "hilltop, head".

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).

Stafford English
From the name of the English city of Stafford, Staffordshire, derived from Old English stæð meaning "wharf, landing place" and ford meaning "ford, river crossing".

Winston English
Derived from the given name Wynnstan.

Langdon English
Derived from various places names, of Old English origin meaning "long hill" (effectively "ridge").

Sumner English
Occupational 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".

Apted English
Probably from an unidentified place name meaning "up tower" in Old English.

Bannerman English
Variant of Banner.

Hayter English
Name for a person who lived on a hill, from Middle English heyt meaning "height".

Rimmer English
Occupational name meaning "poet", from Middle English rime meaning "rhyme".

Aitken Scottish, English
Derived from the medieval given name Atkin, a diminutive of Adam.

Lyons English
Variant of Lyon 1.

Radclyffe English
Variant of Radcliff.

Hedley English
Variant of Headley.

Lacy English
Variant of Lacey.

Martins English, Portuguese
Derived from the given name Martin.

Lewis 1 English
Derived from the given name Lewis. The author C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was a bearer of this surname.

Sharp English
Nickname for a keen person, from Old English scearp "sharp".

Boatwright English
Occupational name meaning "maker of boats".

Foss English
Variant of Fosse.

Brand 1 German, English
Derived from the Germanic given name Brando or its Old Norse cognate Brandr.

Easom English
Variant of Eads.

Dedrick English
Derived from the given name Dederick, an older form of Derek.

Outterridge English
Derived from the Old English given name Uhtric.

Summers 1 English
Variant of Sumner.

Scrivenor English
Variant of Scriven.

Remington English
From 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".

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.

Travis English
English variant of Travers.

Atkins English
Means "son of Atkin", a medieval diminutive of Adam.

Pocock English
Variant of Peacock.

Samson English, French
Derived from the given name Samson.

Kinsey English
Derived from the given name Cynesige.

Ayers 3 English
Indicated a person from the town of Ayr in Scotland. The town was named for the river that flows through it, itself derived from an Indo-European root meaning "water".

Maynard English
Derived from the Germanic given name Meginhard.

Gabriels English
Derived from the given name Gabriel.

Breckenridge Scottish, English
Originally indicated someone from Brackenrig in Lanarkshire, derived from northern Middle English braken meaning "bracken" (via Old Norse brækni) and rigg meaning "ridge" (via Old Norse hryggr).

Mould English
From the given name Mauld, a medieval form of Matilda.

Mynatt English
Variant of Minett.

Merchant English
Variant of Marchand.

Rose 2 English
Derived from the feminine given name Rose.

Power 1 English, Irish
From Old French Poier, indicating a person who came from the town of Poix in Picardy, France.

Preston English
Originally derived from various place names meaning "priest town" in Old English.

Constable English
From Old French conestable, ultimately from Latin comes stabuli meaning "officer of the stable".

Ware 1 English
From Old English wer meaning "dam, weir", indicating someone who lived near such a structure.

Clemens English
Derived from the given name Clement. This was the surname of the author Samuel Clemens (1835-1910), also known as Mark Twain.

Lane 1 English
Originally 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.

Belmont French, English
French and English form of Belmonte.

Whittemore English
From various English place names derived from Old English hwit "white" and mor "moor, heath, bog".

Tollemache English
Means "knapsack" in Old French.

Hooper English
Occupational name for someone who put the metal hoops around wooden barrels.

Leighton English
Variant of Layton.

Herberts English, Dutch
Variant of Herbert.

Oliver English, Catalan, German, French
Derived from the given name Oliver.

Danniell English
Variant of Daniel.

Bray English
From a place name derived from Cornish bre "hill".

Blackwood English, Scottish
From an English place name meaning "black wood".

Massey English
Derived 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.

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.

Fosse English, French
Derived from Old French fosse "ditch".

Adcock English
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Adam.

Taft English
Variant of Toft.

Dobbs English
Derived from the medieval given name Dobbe, a diminutive of Robert.

Mayer 3 English
Occupational name for a mayor, from Middle English mair, derived via Old French from Latin maior.

Joyner English
Variant of Joiner.

Myers English
Patronymic form of Mayer 3.

Peacock English
From Middle English pecok meaning "peacock". It was originally a nickname for a proud or haughty person.

Alexander English
Derived from the given name Alexander.

Fairburn English
From a place name meaning "fern stream", from Old English fearn "fern" and burna "stream".

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).

Allan English, Scottish
Derived from the given name Alan.

Beck 4 English
From Old English becca meaning "pickaxe", an occupational surname.

Dale English
From Old English dæl meaning "valley", originally indicating a person who lived there.

Waters 1 English
Originally given to a person who lived near the water.

Atkinson English
Means "son of Atkin", a medieval diminutive of Adam.

Reeves English
Variant of Reeve.

Mathewson English
Means "son of Matthew".

Styles English
Locational name for one who lived near a steep hill, from Old English stigol "stile, set of steps".

Thwaite English
Indicated a dweller in a forest clearing or pasture, from Old Norse þveit "clearing, pasture".

Simmons English
Derived from the given name Simon 1.

Wickham English
From any of various towns by this name in England, notably in Hampshire. They are derived from Old English wīc "village, town" (of Latin origin) and ham "home, settlement".

Eccleston English
Denoted a person from any of the various places named Eccleston in England, derived from Latin ecclesia "church" (via Briton) and Old English tun "enclosure, yard, town".

Bryson English
Means "son of Brice".

Penner English
Variant of Penn 2.

Shelton English
From the name of various English towns, meaning "shelf town" in Old English.

Levitt English
Variant of Leavitt.

Honeycutt English
Derived from the name of the English town of Hunnacott, derived from Old English hunig "honey" or the given name Huna combined with cot "cottage".

Garey English
Variant of Geary.

Hightower English
Possibly a variant of Hayter.

Tatum English
Variant of Tatham.

Emmitt English
Variant of Emmett.

Aaron Jewish, English
From the given name Aaron.

Berry English
Derived from a place name, which was derived from Old English burh "fortification".

Radcliff English
From various place names in England that mean "red cliff" in Old English.

Simonson English
Means "son of Simon 1".

Church English
From the English word, derived from Old English cirice, ultimately from Greek κυριακόν (kyriakon) meaning "(house) of the lord". It probably referred to a person who lived close to a church.

Cornett English
Derived from Old French cornet meaning "horn", referring to one who worked as a horn blower.

Gates English
Originally denoted a person who lived near the town gates.

Osborne English
Derived from the given name Osborn.

Garnier 2 English
Variant of Garner 1.

Cox English
Patronymic form of Cock.

Dallas 1 English
From Old English dæl meaning "valley" and hus meaning "house".

Walmsley English
Originally denoted a person from the English town of Walmersley.

Wilkie English
Double diminutive of the given name William.

Bloodworth English
Originally indicated someone from the town of Blidworth in Nottinghamshire, which was derived from the Old English byname Blīþa (meaning "happy, blithe") combined with worð "enclosure".

Banks English
Originally indicated someone who lived near a hillside or a bank of land.

Howse English
Variant of Howe.

Oakley English
From a place name meaning "oak clearing" in Old English. It was borne by American sharpshooter Annie Oakley (1860-1926).

Dexter English
Occupational name meaning "dyer" in Old English (originally this was a feminine word, but it was later applied to men as well).

Merritt English
From an English place name meaning "boundary gate".

Arkwright English
Occupational name meaning "chest maker", from Middle English arc meaning "chest, coffer" and wyrhta meaning "maker, craftsman".

Ingram English
Derived from the Norman French given name Enguerrand.

Page English, French
Occupational name meaning "servant, page". It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".

Hathaway English
Habitational name for someone who lived near a path across a heath, from Old English hæþ "heath" and weg "way".

Blackman English
From a nickname, a variant of Black.

Evanson English
Means "son of Evan".

Earls English
Patronymic form of Earl.

Harvey English
From the Breton given name Haerviu (see Harvey).

Rigby English
Originally derived from the name of a town in Lancashire, itself from Old Norse hryggr "ridge" and býr "farm, settlement".

Grayson English
Means "son of the steward", derived from Middle English greyve "steward".

Jewell English
Derived from the Breton given name Judicaël.

Dawson English
Means "son of Daw".

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.

Spurling English
From Middle English sparewe "sparrow" and the diminutive suffix -ling.

Dixon English
Means "son of Dick 1".

Rickard English
From the given name Richard.

Joyce English, Irish
From the given name Joyce.

Simpkin English
From a diminutive of the given name Simon 1.

Coupe English
From Middle English coupe meaning "barrel", a name for a barrel maker or cooper.

Bloxam English
Variant of Bloxham.

Bonney English
From northern Middle English boni meaning "pretty, attractive".

Swallow English
From the name of the bird, from Old English swealwe, a nickname for someone who resembled or acted like a swallow.

Jarvis English
Derived from the given name Gervais.

Alger English
From the given name Algar.

Emmett English
Derived from a diminutive of the feminine given name Emma.

Jepson English
Means "son of Jep".

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

Younge English
Variant of Young.

Hoggard English
Occupational name meaning "pig herder", from Old English hogg "hog" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".

White English
Originally a nickname for a person who had white hair or a pale complexion, from Old English hwit "white".

Hambleton English
From various English place names, derived from Old English hamel "crooked, mutilated" and tun "enclosure, yard, town".

Clifton English
Derived from various place names meaning "settlement by a cliff" in Old English.

Paul English, French, German, Dutch
From the given name Paul.

Kimberley English
From various English places called Kimberley. They mean either "Cyneburga's field", "Cynebald's field" or "Cynemær's field".

Leon English
Variant of Lyon 1, Lyon 2 or Lyon 3.

Bardsley English
From the name a village near Manchester, from the Old English given name Beornræd and leah "woodland, clearing".

Carman 1 English
Occupational name for a carter, from Middle English carre "cart" (of Latin origin) and man "man".

Elliston English
Variant of Ellison.

House English
Referred to a person who lived or worked in a house, as opposed to a smaller hut.

Barret English
Variant of Barrett.

Honeysett English
Possibly a variant of Honeycutt.

Peck 2 English
Occupational name for a maker of pecks (vessels used as peck measures), derived from Middle English pekke.

Hardy English, French
From Old French and Middle English hardi meaning "bold, daring, hardy", of Germanic origin.

Lynn English
From the name of a town in Norfolk (King's Lynn), derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake".

Hunnisett English
Possibly a variant of Honeycutt.

Murgatroyd English
From a place name meaning "Margaret's clearing".

Morison English
Variant of Morrison.

Hardwick English
From Old English heord "herd" and wīc "village, town".

Beaumont French, English
From French place names derived from beau "beautiful" and mont "mountain".

Padmore English
Originally indicated a person from Padmore in England, derived from Old English padde "toad" and mor "moor, marsh".

Tuft English
Denoted one who lived near a clump of trees or bushes, from Middle English tufte "tuft, clump", from Old French.

Fox English
From the name of the animal. It was originally a nickname for a person with red hair or a crafty person.

Stephenson English
Means "son of Stephen".

Stark English, German
From a nickname meaning "strong, rigid", from Old English stearc or Old High German stark.

Backus English
Means "bakery", an occupational name for a baker, from Old English bæchus literally "bake house".

Herriot English
From an Old French diminutive of the given name Herry.

Cornell English
Derived from the given name Cornelius.

Giffard English
Derived from the Germanic given name Gebhard.

Hamm English
Means "river meadow" in Old English.

Seabrook English
Denoted 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".

Botterill English
Probably indicated someone from the town of Les Bottereaux in Normandy, itself derived from Old French bot "toad".

Lovel English
Variant of Lowell.

Garry English
Variant of Geary.

Garret English
Variant of Garrett.

Elwin English
Variant of Elwyn.

Hermanson English
Means "son of Herman".

Arterbury English
Variant of Atteberry.

Hall English, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Means simply "hall", given to one who either lived in or worked in a hall (the house of a medieval noble).

Waterman 1 English
Means "servant of Walter".

Mercer English
Occupational name for a trader in textiles, from Old French mercier, derived from Latin merx meaning "merchandise".

Garnet English
Variant of Garnett 1 or Garnett 2.

Tracy English, Irish
Variant of Tracey 1 or Tracey 2.

Keen English
From Old English cene meaning "bold, brave".

Seaver English
From the unattested Old English given name Sæfaru, derived from the Old English elements sæ "sea, ocean" and faru "journey".

Lovell English
Variant of Lowell.

Hilton English
From various English place names derived from Old English hyll "hill" and tun "enclosure, town". Famous bearers of this name include the Hilton family of hotel heirs.

Brice English
From the given name Brice.

Lindon English
Variant of Lyndon.

Walton English
From 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".