Browse Submitted Surnames

Akashi Japanese
From Japanese 明 (aka) meaning "bright" and 石 (shi) meaning "stone".

Akechi Japanese
From Japanese 明 (ake) meaning "bright" and 智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect".

Akehisa Japanese
Ale means "bright" and hisa means "long time ago, lasting".

Akemi Japanese
Ake means "bright" and mi means "mindset, view".... [more]

Akibara Japanese
This surname combines 昭 (shou, aki) meaning "shining, bright", 秋 (shuu, aki, toki) meaning "autumn" or 穐 with the same sounds and meaning with 原 (gen, hara) meaning "field, meadow, original, plain, prairie, primitive, tundra, wilderness."

Akimaru Japanese
Aki can mean "bright, luminous" or "autumn". Maru means "circle, round".

Akishima Japanese
Aki can mean "autumn" or "bright" and shima means "island".... [more]

Akitani Japanese
Aki can means "bright" or "autumn" and tani means "valley".

Akiyoshi Japanese
Aki can mean "bright" or "autumn", and yoshi can mean "good luck, fortune".

Alegre Spanish, Portuguese
Nickname from alegre "bright, merry" (Latin alacer).

Apaydın Turkish
Means "very bright, well lit" in Turkish.

Apaydin Turkish
Means "very bright".

Balch Welsh
From the Welsh adjective balch, which has a range of meanings—"fine", "splendid", "proud", "arrogant", "glad"—but the predominant meaning is "proud" and from this the family name probably derives.

Barraco Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Arabic بَرَّاق (barraq) "shining, lustrous".

Beddoes Welsh
“This name derives from Old Welsh name and patronymic surname (~ ) “Morgetuid / Margetiud”, composed of two elements: “mere” (great, splendid) plus “iudd” (lord). As a personal name the origins are lost in the mists of time but it is certainly pre Roman, however the modern use of the name is commonly taken from Merdydd ap Bleddyn, prince of Powys who died in 1132... [more]

Bertarelli Italian
Probably from a given name containing the Germanic root behrat "bright" or Celtic berta "to carry, to bear".

Bertin French
From the given name Bertin a diminutive of the ancient Germanic personal name Berhto a short form of various compound names formed with berht "bright famous".

Bertwig Swedish (Rare)
Derived from the forename elements beraht meaning "bright", and wig, meaning "war, battle".

Betschla Romansh (Archaic)
Derived from the Germanic name element beraht "bright". The name was replaced by the Italianized form Bezzola in the 18th century.

Blackford English
Derived from the words blæc "black" or blac "pale, shining, white" and ford "river crossing"

Blank Dutch
Dutch and German nickname for a man with white or fair hair or a pale complexion, from Middle Low, Middle High German blanc "bright", "shining", "white", "beautiful", Middle Dutch blank "fair", "white".... [more]

Blogg English
The name is most likely Anglo-Saxon or early medieval English in origin. ... [more]

Bolingoli Central African, Lingala
Means "shining" in Lingala. This surname is borne by Belgian soccer player Romelu Lukaku Bolingoli (1993-), more commonly known as Romelu Lukaku. Another famous bearer is Romelu's cousin Boli Bolingoli (1995-), also a noted soccer player.

Bounvilay Lao
From Lao ບຸນ (boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ວິໄລ (vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful".

Brecht German
From a short form of any of various personal names formed with Germanic element berth " bright" "famous".

Bright English
From a Middle English nickname or personal name, meaning "bright, fair, pretty", from Old English beorht "bright, shining".

Brightwen English
From either of the two Old English given names Beohrtwine (a masculine name which meant "bright friend") or Beohrtwynn (a feminine name which meant "bright joy").

Bunrueang Thai
From Thai บุญ (bun) meaning "merit" and เรือง (rueang) meaning "bright, brilliant".

Buttram English (American, Rare), English (British, Rare)
Possibly derived from the German cognate Bertram, from the Germanic elements beraht (meaning "bright"), and hrabn (meaning "raven")... [more]

Chaemchamrat Thai
From Thai แจ่ม (chaem) meaning "bright, clear, shining" and จำรัส (chamrat) meaning "brilliant, radiant, prosperous".

Chandran Indian, Malayalam, Tamil
Derived from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candrá) meaning "glittering, shining" or "moon".

Chanrueang Thai
Means "bright moon", from Thai จันทร์ (chan) meaning "Moon" and เรือง (rueang) meaning "bright; glowing; brilliant".

Chiaki Japanese (Rare)
Depending on the kanji used can mean different things. Chi means "thousand" or "wisdom" and aki means "bright", "autumn", "sparkle", "crystal ball" or "shining". This is the last name of Naomi Chiaki, a Japanese singer... [more]

Chitsawangdi Thai (Rare)
From Thai จิตต์ (chit) meaning "mind; heart; soul; spirit; mentality", สว่าง (sawang) meaning "bright; shining", and ดี (di) meaning "good".

Clairmont English
Means "bright hill."

De Clermont French
Means "of the bright hill" from the French de meaning "of" and clair, cler 'bright', 'clear' + mont 'hill'

Derakhshan Persian
Means "bright, brilliant" in Persian.

Dzhioty Ossetian
Most likely related to Sanskrit उज्ज्वल (ujjvala) meaning "bright, radiant, luminous".

Engelbrecht Afrikaans
The name Engelbrecht has multiple translations, including "Angle Glorious" and "Bright Angel".

Ghiocel Romanian
From Romanian ghiocel meaning "snowdrop" (flower).... [more]

Giesbrecht Dutch
A variant of the given name Giselbert, which in turn is related to Gilbert... [more]

Glad English
From a short form of the various Old English personal names with a first element glæd "shining, joyful". Compare Gladwin.

Gladney English
Probably means "bright island", from the Old English element glæd "bright" (cf. Glædwine) and the English element ney "island" (cf.... [more]

Gloster English
habitational name from the city of Gloucester. The place originally bore the British name Glevum (apparently from a cognate of Welsh gloyw "bright") to which was added the Old English element ceaster "Roman fort or walled city" (from Latin castrum "legionary camp")... [more]

Gloucester English
habitational name from the city of Gloucester. The place originally bore the British name Glevum (apparently from a cognate of Welsh gloyw "bright") to which was added the Old English element ceaster "Roman fort or walled city" (from Latin castrum "legionary camp")... [more]

Gobert French, German, English
From the given name Gobert a compressed form of Godebert composed of the ancient Germanic elements gōd "good" or god got "god" and berht "bright famous".

Guppy English
English habitational name from a place in Wootton Fitzpaine, Dorset, Gupehegh in Middle English. This is named with the Old English personal name Guppa (a short form of Guðbeorht "battle bright") + (ge)hæg "enclosure"... [more]

Hua Chinese
From Chinese 华 (huá) meaning "splendid, illustrious, flowery, Chinese".

Huệ Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 慧 (huệ) meaning "bright, intelligent" or 蕙 (huệ) meaning "tuberose (flower)".

Humbert German, Dutch, French
From a Germanic personal name composed of the elements hun "Hun, giant" or hun "bear cub" and berht "bright, famous". This was particularly popular in the Netherlands and North Germany during the Middle Ages as a result of the fame of a 7th-century St... [more]

Imbert French
From the medieval French personal name Imbert, of Germanic origin and meaning literally "vast-bright".

Iwaaki Japanese
From Japanese 岩 (iwa) meaning "cliff" and 明 (aki) meaning "bright". ... [more]

Keovilay Lao
From Lao ແກ້ວ (keo) meaning "jewel, gem" and ວິໄລ (vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful".

Lambros Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Λαμπρος (see Lampros), derived from Greek λαμπρός (lampros) meaning "bright, shining, brilliant". This is also related to the Greek word Λαμπρή (Lampri) "Easter".

Lichtenstein German, Jewish
habitational name from any of several places called Liechtenstein from Middle High German lieht "bright" and stein "stone rock". All take their name from a castle which formed the original settlement... [more]

Liebrecht German
From a Germanic personal name formed with liut "people, tribe" and berht "shining, famous".

Light English
Nickname for a happy, cheerful person, from Middle English lyght, Old English lēoht "light (not dark), bright, cheerful".

Luewisetphaibun Thai (Rare)
From Thai ลือ (lue) meaning "to speak widely of", วิเศษ (wiset) meaning "excellent; splendid; amazing; superb; magnificent", and ไพบูลย์ (phaibun) meaning "prosperity; abundance".

Magarang Filipino, Maranao
Means "bright, sharp" in Maranao.

Maliwanag Filipino, Tagalog
Means "bright, clear" in Tagalog.

Minh Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 明 (minh) meaning "bright".

Neubert German
Derived from the German word “neu,” meaning “new,” and the word “Bert,” which is a shortened form of the Germanic given name “Berthold,” meaning “bright ruler.” So, it means “new bright ruler”.

O'Galvin Irish
Anglicized form of Ó Gealbháin, which means "descendant of the bright, fair one", derived from the Gaelic elements geal "bright" and ban "fair, white". A known bearer of the original form of the surname is Ciarán Ó Gealbháin, former signer of the Irish traditional music band Danú.

Parlak Turkish
Means "bright, brilliant" in Turkish.

Philbert English
From the medieval French male personal name Filibert, of Germanic origin and meaning literally "very bright, very famous".

Phonevilay Lao
From Lao ພອນ (phone) meaning "blessing" and ວິໄລ (vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful".

Rainbird English
From the Old French male personal name Rainbert, of Germanic origin and meaning literally "counsel-bright" (cf. Raginbert). The modern form of the name has been influenced by English rainbird "plover".

Rambeau French (Rare), Frankish
Altered spelling of the southern French family name Rambaut, from an Old French personal name, Rainbaut, composed of the Germanic elements ragin "counsel" + bald "bold", "brave", or alternatively from the Germanic personal name Hrambehrt or Hrambald, composed of the elements hramn "crow" & berht "bright" or bald "bold", "brave".

Reepalu Estonian
Reepalu is an Estonian surname, possibly derived from "ere" ("bright" or "vivd") and "palu" ("sandy heath" and "heathy woodland".)

Richmond English
Habitational name from any of the numerous places so named, in northern France as well as in England. These are named with the Old French elements riche "rich, splendid" and mont "hill"... [more]

Saengkrachang Thai
From Thai แสง (saeng) meaning "light, ray, beam" and กระจ่าง (krachang) meaning "clear, bright, brilliant".

Saengsawang Thai
From Thai แสง (saeng) meaning "light, ray, beam" and สว่าง (sawang) meaning "bright, shining, brilliant".

Schein German, Jewish
from Middle High German schīn German schein "shining brightness" hence a nickname for someone with either a radiant personality or possibly for someone living in a sunny location or a Jewish artificial name.

Seabright English
Derives from the Old English name Sæbeorht from sæ meaning "sea" and beorht meaning "bright". Related to Seabert.

Sebert German, French
From a German personal name composed of the elements sigi meaning "victory" + berht meaning "bright", "famous".

Sengsavang Lao
From Lao ແສງ (seng) meaning "light" and ສະຫວ່າງ (savang) meaning "light, bright, dawn".

Sherrard English
Probably from a medieval nickname based on Middle English shere "bright, fair", with the derogatory suffix -ard.

Sherrell English
This surname is of English locational origin, from the place in Devonshire called Shirwell. The placename is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Sirewelle, and by 1242 as Shirewill... [more]

Sherwood English
From a place name meaning "bright forest", derived from Old English scir meaning "bright" and wudu meaning "tree, wood".

Shircliff English
habitational name from Shirecliff in Sheffield (Yorkshire) from Old English scir "bright" and clif "cliff bank".

Shukla Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi
Derived from Sanskrit शुक्ल (shukla) meaning "white, bright, pure".

Sibunrueang Thai
From Thai ศรี (si) meaning "glory, honour, fame" combined with บุญ (bun) meaning "merit" and เรือง (rueang) meaning "bright, glowing, brilliant".

Sirueang Thai
From Thai ศรี (si) meaning "glory, honour, splendour" and เรือง (rueang) meaning "bright, brilliant".

Splendente Italian
From Italian splendente "bright, shining", supposedly given to an infants abandoned at orphanages on sunny days.

Suksai Thai
Means "bright, brilliant, radiant" in Thai.

Talbert English, French
From a continental Germanic personal name composed of the elements tal "valley" and berth "bright".

Uraraka Popular Culture
In the case of the character Ochako (Ochaco) Uraraka (麗日 お茶子) from 'My Hero Academia', her surname is made up of the adjective 麗らか (uraraka) meaning "bright, clear, beautiful, glorious" and 日 (ka) meaning "day."

Vedriš Croatian
Derived from vedro, meaning "bright".

Viengvilay Lao
From Lao ວຽງ (vieng) meaning "town, city" and ວິໄລ (vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful".

Vilaysack Lao
From Lao ວິໄລ (vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful" and ສັກ (sack) meaning "rank, power, authority".

Vilaythong Lao
From Lao ວິໄລ (vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful" and ທອງ (thong) meaning "gold".

Vilayvanh Lao
From Lao ວິໄລ (vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful" and ວັນ (vanh) meaning "sun, day".

Wibisono Javanese
The name ꦥꦶꦱ꧀ꦗꦶꦢꦺꦴꦏ (Wibisono) is a Javanese surname that is derived from two words: "wibi," which means "clarity" or "bright," and "sono," which means "essence" or "core." Together, the name represents someone who is bright and clear at their core, someone who is true to themselves and radiates positivity.