Browse Submitted Surnames

Kuriki Japanese
From Japanese 栗 (kuri) meaning "chestnut" and 城 (ki) meaning "castle".

Lamborghini Italian
Probably from Germanic landa "land" and burg "fortress, castle".

Latour French
Either a topographic name for someone who lived near a tower usually a defensive fortification or watchtower from Old French tūr "tower"; or a habitational name from any of various places called Latour or La Tour named with this word.

Lester English
Habitational name from Leicester which is recorded as Ligeraceastre in the 10th century. The placename derives from an Old English folk name Legore "the dwellers by the river Legor (a lost river name)" and Old English ceaster "city Roman fortification" (from Latin castrum) "camp fortress".

Liné French (Rare)
From Old French liné meaning "made of linen". This name was an occupational name for someone who weaved linen or was a linen merchant.

Linnus Estonian
Linnus is an Estonian surname meaning "castle" or "citadel".

Linnuste Estonian
Linnuste is an Estonian surname relating to "linnus", meaning "castle" or "citadel".

Liyanage Sinhalese
Means "house of writing" from Sinhala ලියන (liyana) meaning "writing" and ගේ (ge) meaning "home, house".

Lou Chinese
From Chinese 楼 (lóu) meaning "storey, level, building".

Mac An Airchinnigh Irish
It literally means "son of the hereditary steward of church lands".

Maisonneuve French
Means "new house" in French.

Maker Dutch
From Dutch maken "to make or mend".

Malefeyt Dutch (Archaic)
Archaic Dutch surname that is now no longer in use (not in this exact spelling, that is): the spelling reflects the surname's origin from older times (as -eyt is an exclusively archaic spelling that has not survived into modern times like its counterparts -eit and -ijt did)... [more]

Malfatto Italian
Means "badly made, shoddy; deformed" in Italian, possibly originating with the nickname Malefactus "ugly, injured". Cognate to French Malfait.

Mamiya Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "true, genuine" or 茉 (ma) meaning "Arabian jasmine, white jasmine" combined with 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Manhattan English
From the name of the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City, in the U.S. state of New York. Derived from the Munsee Lenape language term manaháhtaan (where manah- means "gather", -aht- means "bow" and -aan is an abstract element used to form verb stems), meaning "the place where we get bows" or "place for gathering the (wood to make) bows"... [more]

Marugg Romansh
Derived from the given name Maurus, combined with the diminutive suffix -ugg. Another theory, however, derives this name from Late Latin maior domus "mayor of a palace" (compare Meyer 1).

Mast German, Dutch
Derived from Middle High German and Middle Dutch mast "mast (fodder made of acorns and beechnuts); the process of fattening livestock", this used to be an occupational name for a pig farmer or a swineherd... [more]

Maxia Italian
Possibly from the dialectical term maxia "magic", or masia "farm, country house".

McInerney Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mac An Airchinnigh, meaning "son of the overseer (of church lands)".

Mecklenburg German, Jewish
Regional name for someone from this province in northern Germany. Derived from Old Saxon mikil "big, great" and burg "castle".

Meer German (Swiss), Romansh
Derived from Late Latin maior domus "mayor of a palace" (compare Meyer 1).

Midōmaru Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 御 (mi-), a prefix added to emphasize beauty, 堂 (dō) meaning "temple, shrine, hall", and 丸 (maru) meaning "circle, sphere", referring to a round land.

Milman English
From the old English word mylen meaning "mill" and mann meaning "man", which in this sense means a worker

Miya Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Miyagi Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 城 (gi) meaning "castle".

Miyagishima Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace", 城 (ki) meaning "castle" and 島 (shima) meaning "island".

Miyahara Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".

Miyahoshi Japanese
Miya means "shrine, temple, palace" and hoshi means "star".

Miyaichi Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "a shrine; a palace" and 一 (ichi) meaning "one".... [more]

Miyakuni Japanese
Miya means "Shrine, temple" and kuni "country".

Miyama Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 間 (ma) meaning "among, between". It can also be formed from 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 深 (mi) meaning "deep, profound" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain, hill".

Miyamizu Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" combined with 水 (mizu) meaning "water". A fictional bearer of this surname is Mitsuha Miyamizu (宮水 三葉) from the 2016 anime movie Your Name/Kimi no Na wa.

Miyamori Japanese
Miya means "shrine, temple" and mori means "forest".

Miyanichi Japanese
Miya means "temple, palace, shrine" and nichi means "sun, day".

Miyano Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Miyaoka Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 岡 (oka) meaning "ridge, hill".

Miyasaka Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 坂 or 阪 (saka) meaning "slope".

Miyasato Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 里 (sato) meaning "village".

Miyashima Japanese
Miya means "shrine, palace temple" and shima means "island".

Miyashiro Japanese
"Shrine Castle".

Miyatō Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 藤 (tō) meaning "wisteria".

Miyauchi Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 内 (uchi) meaning "inside".

Miyawaki Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 脇 (waki) meaning "side".

Miyazato Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 里 (sato) meaning "village".

Miyazawa Japanese
From Japanese 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace" and 沢 or 澤 (sawa) meaning "marsh".

Mohler German (Swiss)
Derived from the Low German word möhl, meaning "mill." Variant of Müller.

Mõis Estonian
Mõis is an Estonian surname meaning "manor".

Mõisa Estonian
Mõisa is an Estonian surname meaning "manor".

Mõisaäär Estonian
Mõisaäär is an Estonian surname meaning "manor edge/periphery".

Molinaro Italian
Occupational name for a miller, derived from Italian mulino meaning "mill".

Molinarolo Italian
Probably from a person's occupation, with molino/mulino meaning "mill" in Italian. The second part may come from rullo, meaning "a roller" or "I roll."

Molyneux French
Possibly a habitational name from Moulineux, meaning "mill of the waters", or derives from the Old French name De Molines or De Moulins, meaning "mill". The surname has been linked to a large French family that settled in Lancashire from France.

Moorhouse English (British)
This derives from the surname Morehouse, with Old English mōr meaning "marsh", "fen" + hūs meaning "house".... [more]

Morehouse English
Habitational name from any of various places, for example Moorhouse in West Yorkshire, named from Old English mōr meaning "marsh", "fen" + hūs meaning "house".

Morimiya Japanese
Mori means "forest" and miya means "temple, shrine".

Moriya Japanese
From Japanese 守 (mori) meaning "watchman, keeper, caretaker" and 屋 (ya) meaning "house, dwelling".

Mroczkowski Polish
Name for someone from any of various places called Mroczkowa, Mroczków or Mroczkowice, all derived from Polish mroczek meaning "house bat".

Muehlhauser Old High German
The German surname Müehlhauser is derived from the Middle High German words "mülle" and "hûs" which respectively mean mill and house. It is roughly translated to mean "mill-house" and is believed to have evolved from an individual who was either the owner of a mill or lived in a house attached to a mill in earlier times.

Muldoon Irish
From Irish Gaelic Ó Maoldúin "descendant of Maoldún", a personal name meaning literally "chief fortress".

Musch Dutch, German
From a nickname meaning "house sparrow".

Myllymäki Finnish
Combination of Finnish mylly "mill" and mäki "hill, slope".

Nakajo Japanese
From 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 城 (jo) meaning "castle".

Narumiya Japanese
From Japanese 成 (naru) meaning "become" and 宮 (miya) meaning "palace, constellation".

Neuhauser German, German (Austrian)
Means "new house" in German.

Neukirch German, German (Swiss)
Derived from the Middle High German niuwe meaning "new" and kirch meaning "church".

Newhouse English
Either a habitational name for someone who lived at a "new house" (from Middle English niwe "new" and hus "new house") or a habitational name from any of various minor places so called especially perhaps Newhouses in Horton Yorkshire near the border with Lancashire... [more]

Niemitalo Finnish
Finnish surname derived from the words "Niemi" meaning "peninsula,cape" and "talo" meaning "house"

Nieuwenhuis Dutch
Means "new house" in Dutch. Indicated that the bearer lived in a new house or lived in a village of the same name

Niidera Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 新 (nii-) meaning "temple" and 寺 (dera), the joining form of 寺 (tera) meaning "temple".

Nikaido Japanese (Rare, ?)
From japanese kanji 二 (ni) meaning "two", 階 (kai) meaning "floor, storey" combined with 堂 (dō) meaning "temple". The last name is a name of a clan of Japanese samurai that ruled the Iwase District of Mutsu Province during the Sengoku period during the Kamakura era... [more]

Nikaidō Japanese
From Japanese 二 (ni) meaning "two", 階 (kai) meaning "floor, storey" and 堂 (dō) meaning "temple, shrine".

Ninomiya Japanese
From Japanese 二 (ni) meaning "two", ノ (no), a possessive marker, and 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Nishidate Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west" and 舘 (tate) meaning "mansion, large building, palace".

Nishimiya Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west" and 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Nonnenmacher German
Occupational name for a gelder of hogs, from Middle High German nunne, nonne meaning "nun", and by transfer "castrated hog" + an agent derivative of machen meaning "to make".

Northcott English
Derived from the Old English words "norð," meaning "north," and "cot," meaning a "cottage," or "shelter."

Oikonomos Greek
Means "housekeeper, steward" from the Greek word οἰκόνομος (oikonomos), derived from οἶκος (oikos) "house, household" and νόμος (nomos) "law, custom"... [more]

Ōkura Japanese
From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 倉 (kura) or 蔵 (kura) both meaning "granary, storehouse".

Okuro Japanese
O means "big, large" and kuro means "castle".

Onodera Japanese
From Japanese 小 (o) meaning "small", 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness" and 寺 (tera) meaning "temple".

Oosterhuis Dutch
Oosterhuis is a Dutch surname meaning "eastern house".

Ōtsuki Japanese
This surname combines 大 (tai, dai, oo-, -oo.ini, oo.kii) "large, big" with 月 (gatsu, getsu, tsuki) meaning "moon, month," 槻 (ki, tsuki) meaning "Zelkova tree," 築 (chiku, kizu.ku, tsuki) meaning "build, construct, fabricate," 附 (fu, tsu.ku, tsu.keru) meaning "affixed, append, attach" or 即 (soku, sunawa.chi, tsu.ku, tsu.keru) meaning "adapt, agree, as is, conform, instant, namely." It can also be used to combine 王 (ou, -nou) meaning "king, magnate, rule" and 月.... [more]

Oudenhoven Dutch
Derived from Dutch oude "old" and hoeve "farm; farmstead; manor". As a surname it is derived from one of the many places of this name, for example in Menen, Passendale, Steenvoorde, Steenwerk, Broekburg or Godewaardsvelde.

Ōya Japanese
From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 屋 (ya) meaning "roof, house, shop".

Paglinawan Filipino, Tagalog, Cebuano
Means "to clarify" or "to make clear" in Tagalog and Cebuano.

Palacio Spanish
Palacio is derived from the Spanish word "palaciao," meaning a "palace," and as a surname, was no doubt taken on by someone who lived near a palace or mansion, or perhaps by someone who worked there.

Palau Catalan
From palau meaning "palace", "mansion".

Pamulaklakin Filipino (Rare), Tagalog (Rare)
Means "to make it bloom" in Tagalog.

Paratore Italian
Derived from Italian paratore meaning "decorator, fuller", which refers to a craftsman who fulls coarse cloth. In other words: this surname is the Italian cognate of the English surname Fuller... [more]

Paudel Nepali
From Nepali पौडी (paudi) possibly referring to the town of Pauri in Uttarakhand, India, combined with आलय (alaya) meaning "house, dwelling".

Phomvihane Lao
From Lao ພົມ (phom) referring to the Hindu god Brahma and ວິຫານ (vihane) meaning "temple, sanctuary". A notable bearer was Kaysone Phomvihane (1920-1992), the second president of Laos.

Pijnenburg Dutch
From the name of an estate or hamlet called Pijnenburg in the town of Soest in Utrecht, the Netherlands, composed of Middle Dutch pijn meaning "pine tree" and burg meaning "fortress, manor, mansion".

Poltimore English (Rare)
Rare English surname derived from a Devon place name of Celtic origin, allegedly meaning “pool by the large house”.

Porteous Scottish
A topographic surname for someone who lived in the lodge at the entrance to a manor house, derived from Middle English port, meaning "gateway" or "entrance", and hous meaning "house". It can also be an occupational name with similar meaning, derived from Latin portarius meaning "porter"... [more]

Pulver Low German, French, English
I comes from the Latin verb meaning "to make powder." This name was given to either an alchemist or one who made gunpowder.

Pyrgos Greek
Means "tower" in Greek. Pyrgos is a city in the northwestern Peloponnese, Greece, capital of the regional unit of Elis.

Quaderer German
Nickname for someone stocky, from Middle High German quader meaning "building stone".

Qvarnström Swedish
Combination of Swedish kvarn meaning "mill" and ström meaning "stream".

Rausch German
Nickname for a noisy person, derived from ruschen, meaning "to make a noise" in Middle High German. ... [more]

Reller German (Swiss)
Occupational name for a miller, derived from the Swiss German dialect term relle meaning "grist mill".

Rideout English
Means "outrider (a municipal or monastic official in the Middle Ages whose job was to ride around the country collecting dues and supervising manors)".

Rikimaru Japanese
This surname is used as 力丸 with 力 (rii, riki, ryoku, chikara) meaning "bear up, exert, power, strain, strength, strong" and 丸 (gan, maru, maru.i, maru.meru) meaning "curl up, explain away, full, make round, month, perfection, pills, roll up, round, seduce."... [more]

Rodman English
The surname Rodman is an ancient English surname, derived from a trade name, "men who were by the tenure or customs of their lands to ride with or for the lord of the manor about his business". The most famous bearer of this name is the basketball player Dennis Rodman.

Rootare Estonian
Rootare is an Estonian surname meaning "reed hut/house".

Rünne Estonian
Rünne is an Estonian surname meaning both "attack" and "to make inroads into something".

Sackhoff German
Occupational name for a farmer who cultivated land to grow plants, particularly crops, derived from Middle High German sack meaning "sack, end of a valley, area of cultivation" and hof meaning "farmstead, manor, farm"... [more]

Saeki Japanese
This surname is used as 佐伯, 三枝木 or 佐柄木 with 佐 (sa) meaning "assistant, help", 伯 (haku, eki) meaning "chief, count, earl, uncle, Brazil", 三 (san, zou, mi, mi'.tsu, mi.tsu) meaning "three", 枝 (shi, eda, e) meaning "bough, branch, twig, limb", 柄 (hei, gara, e, tsuka) meaning "design, pattern, build, nature, character, handle, crank, grip, knob, shaft" and 木 (boku, moku, ki, ko-) meaning "tree, wood."... [more]

Saijō Japanese
From Japanese 西 (sai) meaning "west" and 城 (jō) meaning "castle".

Saionji Japanese
Japanese surname derived from the kanji for "west", "park, garden" and "Buddhist temple".

Sakuramiya Japanese
From Japanese 桜, 櫻 (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom" combined with 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Sakurayashiki Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 桜 (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom" and 屋敷 (yashiki) meaning "estate; grounds; mansion; compound; residence".... [more]

Satomiya Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 里 (sato) meaning "village" and 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Sawashiro Japanese
From Japanese 沢 (sawa) meaning "marsh" and 城 (shiro) meaning "castle".

Scafata Italian
Possibly denoting someone from the Italian town Scafati, from Latin scapha "skiff, light boat". Alternately, may be from Italian scafare "to husk peas", either literally referring to someone's occupation, or from the figurative meaning of "to make more confident; alert, shrewd".

Scarborough English
Habitational name from Scarborough on the coast of North Yorkshire, so named from the Old Norse byname Skarði + Old Norse borg "fortress", "fortified town".

Schild Jewish
From German Schild "shield", "(house) sign", applied either as an ornamental name or as a habitational name for someone who lived in a house distinguished by a sign.

Schmelzer German
occupational name for a smelter from an agent derivative of Middle High German smelzen German schmelzen "to smelt metal" or "make glass".

Schwandt German
Topographic name for someone who lived in a forest clearing, from Middle High German swant (from swenden "to thin out", "make disappear", causative from swinden "to disappear" modern German schwinden.

Schwandt German
Habitational name from any of the various places called Schwand or Schwanden, all in southern Germany, named with this element, from Middle High German swant (from swenden "to thin out", "make disappear", causative from swinden "to disappear" modern German schwinden.

Seehuus Norwegian
Norwegian for "house by the sea."

Selwyn English
from the Middle English personal name Selewin (Old English Selewine perhaps from sele "manor" or sǣl "happiness prosperity" and wine "friend")... [more]

Shimoyashiki Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 下 (shimo) meaning "lower, downstream" and 屋敷 (yashiki) meaning "mansion", referring to a mansion in the lowlands.

Shindō Japanese
From Japanese 新 (shin) meaning "new", 進 (shin) meaning "advance, progress", 信 (shin) meaning "trust, faith", or 真 (shin) meaning "truth, reality" combined with 藤 (dō) meaning "wisteria" or 堂 (dō) meaning "temple, shrine".

Shinkura Japanese
From 新 (shin, ara, nii) meaning "fresh, new" and 蔵 (kura) or 倉 (kura) meaning "possess, storehouse, granary".

Shintaku Japanese
From Japanese 新 (shin) meaning "fresh, new" and 宅 (taku) meaning "house, home".

Shōji Japanese
From Japanese 庄 (shō) meaning "manor, villa" and 司 (ji) meaning "officer, boss".

Siddi Italian
From the name of a municipality in Sardinia, possibly deriving from Vulgar Latin casilli "huts, farmhouses".

Spector Jewish
From Polish szpektor meaning "teacher's assistant (in a Jewish school)", ultimately from inspektor meaning "supervisor".

Stackhouse English
habitational name from Stackhouse in Giggleswick (Yorkshire) from Old Norse stakkr "stack pile rick" and hus "house".

Stekelenburg Dutch
Derived from Middle Dutch stekel meaning "prickle, stickle, spine, spike" and burg meaning "fortress". A famous bearer is the retired Dutch soccer goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg (1982-).

Sterken Dutch, English
Means "strong". Derived either from the Old English term sterċan, meaning "to make rigid", or from the Old Saxon sterkian and Old High German sterken, both meaning "to strengthen."

Steward English
Occupational name for an administrative official of an estate or steward, from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard".

Stonehouse English
From Middle English ston stan "stone" (Old English stan) and house "house" (Old English hus)... [more]

Suzushiro Japanese
From 鈴 (suzu) meaning "bell, chime" and 城 (shiro) meaning "castle".

Tabernero Spanish
Tabernero is a Spanish-language occupational surname literally meaning "tavern keeper".

Tachikura Japanese
Tachi means "stand" and kura means "granary, storehouse, warehouse, have, possess".

Tadayashiki Japanese (Rare)
Combination of Kanji Characters 多 meaning "many" and 田 meaning "rice field", and 屋 and 敷, 屋敷 meaning "great house".

Takakura Japanese
From Japanese 高 (taka) meaning "tall, high" and 倉 (kura) meaning "granary, storehouse".

Takamaru Japanese
This surname is used as 高丸 with 高 (kou, taka.i, taka, -daka, taka.maru, taka.meru) meaning "expensive, high, tall" and 丸 (gan, maru, maru.i, maru.meru) meaning "curl up, explain away, full, make round, month, perfection, pills, roll up, round, seduce."... [more]

Takamiya Japanese
From Japanese 高 (taka) meaning "tall, high" and 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Takemiya Japanese
From Japanese 竹 (take) meaning "bamboo" and 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Takezo Japanese
Take means "bamboo" and zo means "castle".

Tamaki Japanese
From Japanese 玉 (tama) meaning "jewel, ball, sphere" combined with 城 (ki) meaning "castle", 置 (ki) meaning "put, place, set", or 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood".

Tamashiro Japanese
Means "jewel castle" or "ball castle" in Japanese. From the Japanese words 玉 (jewel, ball) and 城 (castle). This surname is of Okinawan origin.

Tamiya Japanese (Rare)
Tamiya means "rice field palace". See also Miyata

Tammeveski Estonian
Tammeveski is an Estonian surname meaning "oak mill".

Tarro Estonian
Tarro is an Estonian name, possibly derived from "tare", meaning "hut".

Tatewaki Japanese
From the Japanese 舘 (tate) "mansion," "large building," "palace" and 脇 (waki) "side."

Tateyama Japanese
From Japanese 館 (tate) meaning "large building, mansion" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain".

Tellechea Basque
Latinized spelling of "Telletxea" meaning in Basque "(from) the house with tiles"

Temple English, French
Occupational name or habitational name for someone who was employed at or lived near one of the houses ("temples") maintained by the Knights Templar, a crusading order so named because they claimed to occupy in Jerusalem the site of the old temple (Middle English, Old French temple, Latin templum)... [more]

Templer English
Templer is an Old English surname denoting either a servant of one of the Knights Templar, or a person living near or serving at a church. The meaning is “church attendant”.

Tennōji Japanese (Rare)
Composed of Japanese ten 天 meaning "heaven," ō (which becomes nō due to renjō) 王 meaning "king," and ji 寺 meaning "temple" or "Buddhist temple."

Tepper German
Meaning "tavern owner"

Terachi Japanese
From Japanese 寺 (tera) meaning "temple" and 地 (chi) meaning "ground".

Terada Japanese
From Japanese 寺 (tera) meaning "Buddhist temple" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Teraguchi Japanese
Tera means "temple" and guchi means "opening, mouth".

Terai Japanese
Tera means "temple" and i means "well".

Teraji Japanese
Tera means "temple" and ji means "road".

Terakado Japanese
From 寺 (tera) meaning "Buddhist temple" meaning 門 (kado) meaning "gate".

Teramoto Japanese
From Japanese 寺 (tera) meaning "Buddhist temple" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Teranishi Japanese
From Japanese 寺 (tera) meaning "temple" and 西 (nishi) meaning "west".

Terao Japanese
Tera means "temple" and o means "tail".

Terao Japanese
From Japanese 寺 (tera) meaning "temple" and 尾 (o) meaning "tail, foot, end".

Teraoka Japanese
Tera means "temple" and oka means "hill".

Teraoka Japanese
From Japanese 寺 (tera) meaning "temple" and 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge".

Terasaki Japanese
From Japanese 寺 (tera) meaning "Buddhist temple" and 崎 (saki) meaning "cape, peninsula".

Terasawa Japanese
From Japanese 寺 (tera) meaning "temple" and 沢 (sawa) meaning "marsh".

Terashima Japanese
From Japanese 寺 (tera) meaning "Buddhist temple" and 島 or 嶋 (shima) meaning "island".

Teratani Japanese
Tera means "temple" and tani means "valley".

Terauchi Japanese
From the Japanese 寺 (tera) "{Buddhist} temple" and 内 (uchi or nai) "inside."

Thành Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 成 (thành) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded", 城 (thành) meaning "castle, city" or 誠 (thành) meaning "sincere, honest, true".

Thorn Low German, German, German (Silesian), Polish, Luxembourgish
In North German, Danish, and Luxembourgish, it is a habitational name for someone who lived near a tower, from Middle Low German torn "tower".... [more]

Tomiie Japanese (Rare)
Tomi means "wealth, abundance, fortune" and ie means "house, home, building, family, dwelling, residence, habitation".

Toodu Estonian
Toodu is an Estonian surname possibly derived from "toode" meaning "product", "manufacture", and "make".

Torni Finnish
Means "tower" in Finnish.

Torralba Spanish, Catalan, Aragonese
Habitational name from any of several places called Torralba, named with torre meaning "tower" + alba meaning "white".

Torre Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian cognitive and, Spanish and Portuguese variant of Torres. From torre "tower" (from Latin turris).

Town English
topographic name from Middle English toun(e) th one tun(e) "town village settlement" (Old English tun) often in the senses "primary settlement within an area" "manor estate" and "hamlet farm" for someone who lived in such a place.

Trail Scottish
This surname is most likely a habitational name, taken on from a place name; perhaps from the Gaelic "Traill Creek" which runs into Upper Loch Torridon of Scotland.... [more]

Truaisch Romansh
Derived from Romansh torbaces "granary; larder".

Tsugue Japanese
Tsu means "harbor, seaport", gu comes from ku meaning "longevity, long time ago", and e means "family, house, residence".

Tsukishiro Japanese
Tsuki means "month, moon" and shiro means "castle".

Tsukiyama Japanese
From Japanese 築 (tsuki) meaning "fabricate, build, construct" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain, hill".

Tuor Romansh
Derived from Romansh tuor "tower".

Turcotte French, Welsh
Means "tower" in French and Welsh.

Uda Japanese
From Japanese 宇 (u) meaning "eaves, roof, house" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Udagawa Japanese
From Japanese 宇 (u) meaning "eaves, roof, house", 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Ufugusuku Okinawan
The Okinawan language reading of its kanji, meaning "big castle".

Ugushiro Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 天宮城 (Ugushiro) meaning "Ugu Castle", a castle that was possibly somewhere in the present-day city of Fukuyama in the prefecture of Hiroshima in Japan.

Ujiie Japanese
From Japanese 氏 (uji) meaning "family, clan" and 家 (ie) menaing "house, home".

Umon Japanese (Rare)
This surname combines 右 (u, yuu, migi) meaning "right" or 宇 (u) meaning "eaves, heaven, house, roof" with 門 (mon, kado, to) meaning "gate."... [more]

Unagi Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 宇 (u) meaning "eaves; roof; house; building" or "whole world; universe" and 梛 (nagi) meaning "nageia nagi".

Upchurch English
habitational name from a place called as "the high church" or possibly the higher of two churches from Middle English up "up high higher" and chirche "church" (Old English upp and cirice)... [more]

Urrutikoetxea Basque
From Basque urruti meaning "far, distant" and etxe meaning "house".

Usami Japanese
From Japanese 宇 (u) meaning "house, eaves, roof", 佐 (sa) meaning "help, aid" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful".

Utsugi Japanese
Utsugi can be written in 15 ways, them being: 宇ツ木, 宇次, 宇津城, 宇津木, 宇都城, 宇都木, 卯都木, 卯木, 空木, 槍, 打木, 梼木, 楊盧木, 擣木, 棯. The 宇津木 and 打木 are also place names while 空木 is also a female given name... [more]

Utsunomiya Japanese
This surname is used as either 宇都宮 or 宇津宮 with 宇 (u) meaning "eaves, heaven, house, roof", 都 (tsu, to, miyako) meaning "capital, metropolis", 津 (shin, tsu) meaning "ferry, harbour, haven, port" and 宮 (kyuu, ku, kuu, guu, miya) meaning "constellations, palace, princess, Shinto shrine."... [more]

Utsunomiya Japanese
From Japanese 宇 (u) meaning "house, eaves, universe", 都 (tsu) meaning "city", and 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Uuemõis Estonian
Uuemõis is an Estonian surname meaning "new manor".

Vakk Estonian
Vakk is an Estonian surname meaning "granary bin".

Vanaveski Estonian
Vanaveski is an Estonian surname meaning "old mill".

Van Buskirk Dutch
The name is made up of two Dutch words: "bos," meaning "woods," and "kerk," meaning "church." The characteristic Dutch prefix "van" literally means "from," and thus the surname indicates "one from the church in the woods."

Van De Kerkhof Dutch
Means "from the churchyard", derived from Middle Dutch kerke meaning "church" and hof meaning "court, garden, yard". Famous bearers of this surname include twin brothers René and Willy Van De Kerkhof (1951-), both retired Dutch soccer players.

van Niekerk Afrikaans
Topographic name for any of the various locations named Nieuwerkerk in The Netherlands or Nieuwerkerken in Belgium. The name itself means "of the new church" from Dutch van meaning "of" combined with nieuw meaning "new" and kerk meaning "church".

Verdun French, English (British, Rare), Spanish, Catalan
From the various locations in France called Verdun with the Gaulish elements ver vern "alder" and dun "hill fortress" and Verdú in Catalonia, English variant of Verdon

Verran Cornish
Perhaps means "person from Treverran", Cornwall (from Cornish tre "farmstead" with an unknown second element), or "person from Veryan", Cornwall ("church of St Symphorian").

Veski Estonian
Veski is an Estonian surname meaning "mill".

Veskimets Estonian
Veskimets is an Estonian surname meaning "mill woods/forest".

Veskinõmm Estonian
Veskinõmm is an Estonian surname meaning "mill heath".

Veskioja Estonian
Veskioja is an Estonian surname meaning "(water) mill creek".

Villard German
Altered form of German Hilgard, from the female personal name Hildegard, composed of the Germanic elements hild "strife, battle" and gard "fortress, stronghold".

Vourtzis Greek
From the Arabic word burdj, "tower".

Wakamiya Japanese
Waka means "young" and miya means "shrine, palace, temple".

Walcott English
habitational name from any of several places called Walcott Walcot or Walcote for example in Lincolnshire Leicestershire Norfolk Oxfordshire and Wiltshire all named in Old English wealh "foreigner Briton serf" (genitive plural wala) and cot "cottage hut shelter" (plural cotu) meaning "the cottage where the (Welsh-speaking) Britons lived".

Walshingham English
From the Anglo-Saxon words ham, meaning "house".

Warburton English
From the village and civil parish of Warburton in Greater Manchester (formerly in Cheshire), England, derived from the Old English feminine given name Werburg (itself derived from wǣr meaning "pledge" and burh "fortress") and Old English tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town".

Waterhouse German
Old German and Dutch locational name meaning “a house by water.”

Weisenburger German, Jewish
Habitational name for someone from any of numerous places named Weissenburg "white fortress".

Westrop English (British)
Viking name local to Somerset and several counties in the North East of England. Approximate meaning "place to the west of the village with the church".

Whitby English
English surname which was from either of two place names, that of a port in North Yorkshire (which comes from the Old Norse elements hvítr "white" (or Hvíti, a byname derived from it) combined with býr "farm") or a place in Cheshire (from Old English hwit "white" (i.e., "stone-built") and burh "fortress").

Whitehorn Scottish
A locational name from Whithorn near Wigtown, from Old English hwit "white" and ærn "house".

Whybrow English
From the medieval female personal name Wyburgh, literally "war-fortress". (Cf. Germanic cognate Wigburg.)

Windenburg German, Germanic
Means "Windy Castle" in German.

Windus English
Variant of Wingers. The name is a metonymic occupational name for a textile worker or weaver, derived from the Middle English wyndhows ("winding house").

Woodson English
From a location in Yorkshire, England earlier spelled Woodsome and meaning "from the houses in the wood" or possibly a patronymic meaning "descendant of a wood cutter or forester."

Xavier English, French
Derived from the Basque place name Etxaberri meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries.

Yakumo Japanese (Rare)
This surname combines 八 (hachi, ya, ya'.tsu, ya.tsu, you) meaning "eight", 耶 (ja, ya, ka) meaning "question mark" or 家 (ka, ke, ie, uchi, ya) meaning "expert, family, home, house, performer, professional" with 雲 (un, kumo, -gumo) meaning "cloud."... [more]

Yamadera Japanese
Yama means "mountain, hill" and dera comes from tera meaning "temple".

Yamashiro Japanese
From Japanese 山 (yama) meaning "mounain, hill" and 城 (shiro) meaning "castle".

Yarbrough Anglo-Saxon
The ancient roots of the Yarbrough family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Yarbrough comes from when the family lived in either the parish or the hamlet called Yarborough in the county of Lincolnshire... [more]

Yonekura Japanese
From Japanese 米 (yone) meaning "rice" and 倉 (kura) meaning "granary, storehouse".

Yukimiya Japanese
From Japanese, 雪 (yuki) meaning "snow" combined with 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".

Záček Czech
Žáček means "small school boy" in Czech. A famous bearer is Chicagoan writer Dennis Začek.

Żelazny Polish
Means "(made of) iron" in Polish, used as a nickname for a person with a strong personality.

Zen'in Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 禅院 (zen'in) meaning "dhyana temple".... [more]

Žiak Slovak
Žiak means "school boy" in Slovak