Browse Submitted Surnames

Acar Ancient Aramaic
The origins of Acar in Lebanon is ACHAR (עָכָר), Anglicized form of Hebrew Akar or Akan, meaning “one who troubles or roils”.

Accola Romansh
Derived from Medieval Latin accola "tenant; farmer", ultimately from Classical Latin accola "one who lives near a place; a neighbor".

Agincourt Medieval English
Surname Agincourt was first found in Lincolnshire where "Walter de Aincourt, who came from Aincourt, a lordship between Mantes and Magny Normandy, where the remains of the ancient family castle still exists... [more]

Alabaster English
From the name of a whitish kind of gypsum used for vases, ornaments and busts, ultimately deriving from Greek alabastros, itself perhaps from Egyptian 'a-labaste "vessel of the goddess Bast"... [more]

Allam Arabic
originally an arabic name but has been used by english speakers. the name means "recognized" or "famous". in other languages it means "one who represents us" and in some languages translates as "flag"

Ampuan Filipino, Maranao
From a royal title meaning "one who asks for apology" or "revered, great" in Maranao.

Annavarapu Telugu
Means “one who has received the blessings or gifts of an elder brother or respected person”.

Aradhya Indian, Sanskrit
Means "one who worships god". Commonly seen in India, Karnataka and other parts of India like kashi. They wear holy thread (yagnopaveetha).

Armijo Spanish
Derived from the Spanish adjetive "armigero", meaning "one who bears arms". First found in the Northern Region of Spain in Cantabria. Alternate spellings include: Armijos, Armigo, and Armija.

Audi Arabic (Mashriqi)
Lebanese and Palestinian surname. Believed to have originated from the Arabic word "al-'awdi," which means "the one who returns."

Bacchus English
(i) Variant of Backus (meaning "one who lives in or works in a bakery", from Old English bǣchūs "bakehouse, bakery"), the spelling influenced by Bacchus (name of the Greek and Roman god of wine).... [more]

Ballaster English
Meant "person who makes or is armed with a crossbow" (from a derivative of Middle English baleste "crossbow", from Old French).

Baraki Ethiopian, Amharic
From the given name Baraki, meaning "one who blesses" in Amharic. It is possibly related to Arabic Barak 2 and Hebrew Baruch, also meaning "blessed".

Bar Deah Hebrew (Modern, Rare)
Means "one who has opinion" from Hebrew Bar, "son" and de'ah, "opinion".

Bar Gil Hebrew (Modern)
Combination of Bar and Gil, with the meaning of "son of Gil" or "one who is joyful".

Barkis English
Meant "person who works in a tannery" (from Middle English barkhous "tannery" - bark was used in the tanning process). A fictional bearer is Barkis, a carrier in Charles Dickens's 'David Copperfield' (1849) who sends a message via David to Clara Peggotty that "Barkis is willin'" (i.e. to marry her).

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]

Bhavaraju Sanskrit
It is a patronymic name, meaning it is from the father’s or ancestor’s name. It is derived from the Sanskrit words “bha,” which means “knowledge,” and “raja,” which means “king.” So, it means “king of knowledge” or “one who is knowledgeable.”

Blough English
Anglo-Saxon form of German “Blauch.” The name means “one who plays a horn.”

Boateng Western African, Akan
Means "someone who is humble to God" in Akan. This is among the most common surnames in Ghana. Famous bearers include half-brothers Jérôme (1988-) and Kevin-Prince Boateng (1987-), both of whom are German soccer players.

Boomhouwer German, Dutch
Boomhouwer, means "Cutter of Trees", or "The one who hews trees", having Boom translating into "tree", houw meaning to "hew" or to "cut", and er meaning "the one who".... [more]

Boujettif Northern African (Archaic)
Meaning, "The family of the son of the Clever Head" or "One Whom Possess a Clever Head." Bou (normally used in the North African Regions of the Maghrib Countries) has 2 possible derivative meanings both originating from the Arabic language, "Son of..." or an Arabic word Tho meaning, "One Who Possess A Quality." Jettif is a variance of Jettef, Jeif or Ji'f which is derived from the ancient Tamazight or Imazighen (popularly known as Berber) and is pronounced "j-ixf" which means Clever, head, or brain."

Bouteflika Arabic (Maghrebi)
Possibly means "one who makes things explode" in Algerian Arabic. A famous bearer is Abdelaziz Bouteflika (1937-), who served as president of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.

Brancaleone Italian
Derived from the medieval Italian masculine given name Brancaleone, which means either "a lion's paw" or "he who captures the lion". In the case of the former meaning, the name is derived from Italian branca meaning "paw, claw" combined with Italian leone meaning "lion"... [more]

Bumpus English
(i) from a medieval nickname for a vigorous walker (from Old French bon "good" + pas "pace"); (ii) perhaps "person who lives by a place through which travel is easy" (from Old French bon "good" + pas "passage")

Burrow English
Used to describe someone who lives in a burrow, which makes this surname’s meaning “he whom lives in a burrow.”

Carlan Irish
Anglicized form of Irish O'Carlain or O'Caireallain, from the Irish carla meaning a "wool-comb" and an meaning "one who" which roughly translates as "one who combs wool"... [more]

Carrier French
From carrier, "quarrier, someone who works in a quarry". cf Carrara.

Cassell English
Either (i) "person from Cassel", northern France, or "person from Kassel", Germany ("fort"); or (ii) a different form of Castle ("person who lives by or lives or works in a castle")... [more]

Catchpole English
Meant "bailiff, especially (originally) one who could seize domestic animals in lieu of tax or debt" (from Anglo-Norman cachepol, from cacher "to chase" + pol "chicken").

Cave Norman, French, English
A name of various possible origins. As a Norman French name Cave can mean "bald" from cauf or it can mean "worker in a wine cellar" or "one who dwelt in or near a cave". As an English name Cave refers to a Yorkshire river whose fast current inspired the name meaning "swift".

Chantry English
Means "singer in a chantry chapel" or "one who lives by a chantry chapel". A chantry was a type of chapel, one endowed for the singing of Masses for the soul of the founder (from Old French chanterie, from chanter "to sing").

Charnock English (Rare)
The locational surname originates from two places, Charnock Richard and Heath Charnock, which are both located in Lancashire, England.... [more]

Chaucer English
Meaning a "worker who makes leggings or breeches". Notable bearer is author Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400), most well known for his classic 'The Canterbury Tales'.

Chegwin Cornish
Means "person who lives in or by a white house" (from Cornish chy "house" + gwyn "white").

Choules English (British, Rare)
The surname Choules is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a variant of Scholes, itself "a topographical name for someone who lived in a rough hut or shed", from the Northern Middle English 'scale, schole'... [more]

Chouraqui Judeo-Spanish
Means "the one who comes from the east" from Arabic شَرْقِيّ (šarqiyy) meaning "eastern".

Claxon Anglo-Saxon, Medieval English
Derived from the Old English elements clǽg, which denoted places with a clayey soil and tūn, usually meaning "dwellings" or an "enclosed space", but was used in relation to any kind of human habitation... [more]

Consiglio Italian
Meaning "counselor" or "one who gives good advice".

Coot English
“an early member was a person who seemed to exhibit some of the characteristics of birds.”

Crowther English
Originally meant "person who plays the crowd (an ancient Celtic stringed instrument)". It was borne by British entertainer Leslie Crowther (1933-1996).

Culpepper English
Means "person who collects, prepares and/or sells herbs and spices" (from Middle English cullen "to pick" + pepper).

Culver English
Means "person who keeps or looks after doves", or from a medieval nickname for someone thought to resemble a dove (e.g. in mild disposition) (in either case from Middle English culver "dove")... [more]

Currier English
Occupational surname meaning "a worker who prepared leather".

Daiber German
Derived from either Middle High German tiuber "pigeon breeder, pigeon fancier" or from Middle High German touber "wind musician, musician who plays a wind instrument".

DeBrincat Maltese
Patronymic "Of Brincat," from the first name Pancratius, meaning "the one who holds everything."

Deforge French
This is a surname of French origins. Introduced into England after the famous Invasion and Conquest of 1066, it is residential, but also possibly occupational. It is a surname which in its different forms is widely recorded heraldically, and particularly in the French regions of Brittany and Normandy... [more]

De Talleyrand French
A French noble surname. A cadet branch of the family of sovereign counts of Périgord, they took their name from the estate of Périgord owned by these counts, and date back to Boso I, count of la Marche... [more]

Dieckmann German
"one who lives on a dike"

Dikshit Indian, Hindi, Odia
From Sanskrit दीक्षित (dikshita) meaning "one who is initiated", ultimately from दीक्षा (diksha) meaning "initiation, dedication". The term was historically used to refer to teachers and scholars of the Brahmin caste.

Dinger English
Means "one who rings the bell," which is most likely a butler

Dwivedi Indian, Hindi
From Sanskrit द्विवेदी (dvivedi) meaning "one who has studied two Vedas", from द्वि (dvi) meaning "two" and वेद (veda) meaning "Veda".

Economos Greek (Anglicized, Expatriate, ?)
Alternate transcription of Greek Οικονόμος (see Oikonomos), which was an occupational surname meaning "one who manages a household, steward of an estate, housekeeper" from the ancient Greek word οἰκόνομος (oikonomos), itself derived from οἶκος (oikos) "house, household" and νόμος (nomos) "law, custom".

Ejiofor Western African, Igbo
Means "one who acts in good faith" in Igbo. A famous bearer is British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor (1977-).

Elford Medieval English
From the Old English personal name Ella, from the word oelf meaning "elf" or from the Old English alor/elre, meaning "alder tree." The name in full would mean "alder tree by a ford" or "Ella who lives by a ford".... [more]

Ellermeyer German
It is a combination of the German words “Eller,” which means “alder,” and “Meyer,” which means “steward” or farmer”. So, it is thought to refer to someone who was either a steward or farmer who lived near an alder grove.

El-shafei Arabic
It means "the intercessor (which refers to the Prophet of Islam, who will hopefully intercede on one's behalf before God on the day of judgement)".

Essien Western African, Akan, Ibibio, Efik
Means "sixth born child" in Akan, possibly deriving from the given name Nsia. As a Nigerian name it is derived from a given name (found among the Ibibio and Efik people) denoting the son the family lineage depends on, possibly meaning either "a child who belongs to everyone" or "the child who takes charge of outside matters"... [more]

Farthing English
(i) "someone who lives on a 'farthing' of land" (i.e. a quarter of a larger area); (ii) from a medieval nickname based on farthing "1/4 penny", perhaps applied to someone who paid a farthing in rent; (iii) from the Old Norse male personal name Farthegn, literally "voyaging warrior"

Flash English
Means "person who lives near a pool" (Middle English flasshe "pool, marsh").

Flygare Swedish
Means "someone who flies" in Swedish, ultimately a combination of the verb flyga "to fly" and the suffix -are denoting a person who performs the action of the verb. The surname was first used in the 17th century and is therefore unrelated to the modern occupation pilot (the Swedish word for pilot is also "pilot"), instead, a flygare probably referred to a person who was quick, fast.

Gaitanos Greek
Derived from the Ancient Greek Καίετανος (Kaietanos) meaning "who come from the cave/port" or "who come from Gaeta", an ancient Greek port that is located in the Italian modern province of Lazio.

Garnica Spanish
The surname is of local origin, derived from the name of the place where a man once lived or held land. In this instance the surname, Garnica, is derived from the place-name Guernica. Thus, the name Garnica signifies "one who hails from Guernica".

Geller Yiddish, German, Russian
The name may derive from the German word "gellen" (to yell) and mean "one who yells." It may derive from the Yiddish word "gel" (yellow) and mean the "yellow man" or from the Yiddish word "geler," an expression for a redheaded man... [more]

Glock German
Meant "person who lives by a church bell-tower or in a house with the sign of a bell", "bell-ringer" or "town crier" (German Glocke "bell"). It was borne by Sir William Glock (1908-2000), a British music administrator.

Gohrband German (Rare)
Contained in a Latin land deed granted to a German for a castle-keep dated February 21, 1308. It is believed to be the first written record and original spelling of the name, generally understood to mean in German, "he who lives by the marsh"... [more]

Gören Turkish
Means "seer, one who sees" in Turkish.

Haag Germanic (Archaic)
'The German surname Haag, like many surnames, was taken from some geographical feature near the dwelling place of its first bearer. Coming from the Old Norse haga, or some local variation of the word, the name means "one who lives near a hedged or fenced enclosure."... [more]

Haldar Indian, Bengali
Probably from Sanskrit हलधर (haladhara) meaning "one who holds a plough", an epithet of the Hindu god Balarama.

Infante Italian
Nickname for someone with a childlike disposition, from infante "child" (Latin infans, literally "one who cannot speak").

İşbaşaran Turkish
From Turkish iş "work" and başaran "one who is successful".

Jareño Basque (Modern), Spanish
Perhaps "who lives among the rockroses".

Kamat Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Konkani
Means "people who work in soil" from काम (kām) meaning "work, task, labour" combined with मिट्टी (miṭṭī) meaning "soil, earth".

Karanci Turkish
Means "merchant","someone who deals with transport"

Keçeci Turkish
Means "felt seller, person who makes felt" in Turkish, derived from keçe meaning "felt, cloth".

Khandakar Bengali
Means "teacher, scholar" (literally "one who reads"), derived from Persian خواندن (khandan) meaning "to read, to study" and the occupational suffix گار (kar).

Koop Dutch (Modern)
Comes from the Biblical given name Jacob, meaning "he who supplants."

Kvitsinia Abkhaz
Mingrelian form of the Abkhaz surname Kutsnia; the Abkhaz name was replaced by the Mingrelian spelling during the era of Joseph Stalin. It is most likely derived from Abkhaz икуцны иааз (ikutsny iaaz) meaning "one who migrates", though the word квици (kvitsi) has no real meaning in Abkhaz... [more]

Lepsy Slavic (Rare), Turkish (Rare)
Possibly dating back to the Ottoman Empire's invasion of Europe, the original Turkic meaning is veiled in mystery, and possibly meant "one who comes from the edge of the lake." ... [more]

Leuenberger German (Swiss)
Means "one who came from Löwenberg" in German.

Macaraeg Filipino, Tagalog
From Tagalog makaraig meaning "one who defeats, one who overcomes".

Macatangay Filipino, Tagalog
Derived from Tagalog makatangay meaning "one who takes away".

Mac Giolla Adhnamhnáin Northern Irish
It means "a devotee of St Eunan who succeeded St Colm Cille at Iona", Ádhamhnán is a diminutive of Adam

Maebara Japanese
Maebara is an uncommon Japanese surname that has more than one meaning, depending on the characters used to write it. The first and most common spelling is with the characters for "Before" (前) and "Original" (原)... [more]

Magsino Filipino, Tagalog
Means "to look closely", derived from Tagalog sino meaning "who". It was probably used as an occupational name for an investigator.

Mamaril Filipino, Pangasinan, Tagalog
Means "shooter, one who shoots" in Pangasinan and Tagalog, derived from the professional or habitual prefix mang- and baril meaning "gun, firearm".

Manansala Filipino, Pampangan, Tagalog
Means "one who prohibits" from Tagalog sansala meaning "inhibition, prohibition, interdiction".

Melker Dutch, Swedish (Rare), Afrikaans
Derived from Dutch melker "milker (one who milks)". In some cases, however, it can also be derived from the given name Melchior.

Midler English
Nickname for a person who causes trouble or meddles in the affairs of others, derived from Middle English medeler meaning "meddler, troublemaker, one who interferes". This name is borne by the American singer, actress and comedienne Bette Midler (1945-).

Mikal Ethiopian
The Origin of Mikal comes from the Hebrew meaning... [more]

Molitvenik Ukrainian (Ukrainianized, Rare)
The meaning is "prayer warrior" or "someone who prays"

Morabito Italian
Ultimately from Arabic مُرَابِط (murabit) "holy man, one who preaches in the street; soldier stationed in an outpost", from which comes Sicilian murabitu "moderate, sober" and murabbiu "teetotal".

Morand French, French (Swiss)
from the medieval Latin personal name Maurandus Morandus derived from Maurus "Mauritanian Moor" and the suffix -andus (following the pattern of names formed from a verbal noun such as Amandus) or shortened from Moderandus which appears to be Latin for "he who is (able) to be guided"... [more]

Moujahid Arabic (Maghrebi)
Derived from Arabic مُجَاهِد (mujāhid) meaning "one who is labouring, one who is in distress", also used to refer to a member of a liberation army in Muslim countries (chiefly Moroccan).

Mudd English
Either (i) "person who lives in a muddy area"; (ii) from the medieval female personal name Mudd, a variant of Maud (variously Mahalt, Mauld, Malt, vernacular versions of Anglo-Norman Matilda); or (iii) from the Old English personal name Mōd or Mōda, a shortened form of various compound names beginning with mōd "courage".

Nabrotzky German (East Prussian)
The story I was told was:... [more]

Niswonger Dutch
"One who dwells in the clearing"

Nutter English
Means either (i) "scribe, clerk" (from Middle English notere, ultimately from Latin notārius); or (ii) "person who keeps or tends oxen" (from a derivative of Middle English nowt "ox")... [more]

Onyilogwu Nigerian (Rare), Igbo (Rare)
Possibly means "he who is invulnerable to dark magic" in Igbo.

Owner English
From English owner meaning "a person who owns something".

Palin English
(i) "person from Palling", Norfolk ("settlement of Pælli's people") or "person from Poling", Sussex ("settlement of Pāl's people"); (ii) from the Welsh name ap Heilyn "son of Heilyn", a personal name perhaps meaning "one who serves at table"

Paquin French
Originated in east France. This last name signified a freehold that permitted use of a cluster of land or pastures. The name became “he who possesses lands” and "he who is wise."

Paramar Indian, Gujarati
Means "one who strikes the enemy" from Sanskrit पर (para) meaning "other, alien, foreigner, enemy" and मार (mā́ra) meaning "killing, slaying, destroying".

Phukuntsi Tswana, Sotho
This surname has multilayered meanings... [more]

Plantz English (American)
Deriving from England. "Men known as a Planter was an English term for people who were "planted" abroad in order to promote a political, religious cause or for colonization purposes." ... [more]

Prevedoros Greek
From the Italian rank of provveditore "he who sees to things" (overseer) was the style of various local district governors in the extensive, mainly maritime empire of the Republic of Venice.

Prymak Belarusian
Derived from Belarusian прымак (prymak) meaning "live-in son-in-law (man who marries and lives with his wife's family)".

Ratzinger German
Ratzinger means that someone has origins in the town of Ratzing. There are several German towns with this name. RATZ means ‘Serb’. Serbs were indigenous people in Germany, and many German cities originally had Serbian names (Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Brandenburg)... [more]

Reinking German
Reinking is a German-derived surname meaning "one who is neat and tidy"

Rocher French
From French roche, meaning "rock'. It indicates a person who worked at a quarry.

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.

Roser German
German: topographic name for "someone who lived at a place where wild roses grew" (see Rose 1), with the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.German (Röser): habitational name from places called Rös, Roes, or Rösa in Bavaria, Rhineland, and Saxony, or a variant of Rosser.Swiss German (Röser): from a short form of a Germanic personal name based on hrod "renown".English: "unexplained".

Saładajczyk Polish
A Polish surname consisting of 3 elements: sała or сала a word of East Slavic origin meaning "salo" or "slanina", daj meaning "give" and czyk meaning "son of". The name means "the son of the one who gives the salo".

Saldrim Irish
Means "One who knows".

Saotome Japanese
From Japanese 早乙女 (saotome) meaning "Saotome", a former village in the former district of Shioya in the former Japanese province of Shimotsuke in present-day Tochigi, Japan. The name of the location itself is derived from Japanese 早乙女 (saotome) meaning "a woman who plants rice in the fields"... [more]

Schommer German
"one who was a gossip, a vagabond or rascal"... [more]

Scudamore Anglo-Norman
A locational surname that was first recorded in England in 1264. Derived from one of the ancient villages of Fifield Scudamore or Upton Scudamore, with Scudamore coming from the Old English scitemor, which means "one who lived at the moor."

Shockley English
(i) perhaps "person from Shocklach", Cheshire ("boggy stream infested with evil spirits"); (ii) perhaps an anglicization of Swiss German Schoechli, literally "person who lives by the little barn"

Skutnik Romanian
Derived from the historical term scutnic.... [more]

Sluiter Dutch
Occupation name for a porter, or gatekeeper. Also an occupational name for someone who made and poured alcohol. "The one who pours the alcohol." - Middle Dutch Sluter. Compare to English Porter.

Smithson English
Means "a son who was born by a blacksmith worker".

Spatafora Italian
This surname originates from the Italian island of Sicily, where it was first borne by a noble family of Byzantine origin, which had settled on the island in the 11th century AD. Their surname was derived from the Greek noun σπάθη (spathe) "blade, sword" (akin to Latin spatha "broad sword with a double edge") combined with Greek φορεω (phoreo) "to carry, to bear", which gives the surname the meaning of "he who carries the sword" or "sword-bearer"... [more]

Spier English
An English surname, meaning "the one who watches".

Steelworker English (Rare)
Modern version of Smith, meaning "someone who works with steel". Comes from the occupation Steel Worker .

Taglialatela Italian
Taglialatela means "the person who cuts the cloth" and is typical in the Naples and Caserta areas of Italy.

Tedder English
From the Middle English word Thedere or Teddere which either comes from the Old English name Thēodhere or the Germanic name Theudher. Alternatively, it could be an occupational name from the Middle English Teddere, meaning “one who teds”... [more]

Threadgold English
Means "person who embroiders cloth with gold thread".

Toraman Turkish
Means "powerful young person, someone who looks big for his age" in Turkish.

Traeger German
Derived from the German word Trager which means "Someone who carries something." Traeger could also mean "gift of God."

Tripathi Indian, Hindi, Odia, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi
From Sanskrit त्रिपाठिन् (tripathin) meaning "one who has studied three Vedas".

Trivedi Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "one who knows the three Vedas", derived from Sanskrit त्रि (tri) meaning "three" and वेद (veda) meaning "Veda".

Vandal English (Rare)
A English word meaning "someone who willfully destroys or defaces property",and a member of ancient Germanic tribes.

Villasurda German
Villasurda is a Germanic name dating back to the time of the Vikings. It, roughly translated from a Norse word, means, "the one who is fat."

Weld English
Meant "one who lives in or near a forest (or in a deforested upland area)", from Middle English wold "forest" or "cleared upland". A famous bearer is American actress Tuesday Weld (1943-).

Weller English, German
Either from the Olde English term for a person who extracted salt from seawater, or from the English and German "well(e)," meaning "someone who lived by a spring or stream."... [more]

Whineray English
Means "person from Whinneray", Cumbria, or "person who lives in a nook of land growing with gorse" (in either case from Old Norse hvin "whin, gorse" + vrá "nook of land"). It was borne by New Zealand rugby player Sir Wilson Whineray (1935-2012).

Whistler English
An English occupational surname, meaning "one who whistles."

Wolfhard German, Jewish
This name derives from the Old High German name “Wolfhard”, composed of two elements: the “*-wulfaz” (wolf) plus “*harduz / *hardu-” (hard, strong, brave, valiant, powerful one). In turn the name means “the one who is strong like a wolf”.

Zugrăvescu Romanian
Patronymic surname of uncertain origin. It may be derived from the verb a zugrăvi meaning "to paint, to describe figuratively" and therefore mean "The descendant of he who describes/paints".