PaddockEnglish Derived from Middle English parrock meaning "paddock, small enclosure", hence a topographic name for a dweller by a paddock or an enclosed meadow. It could also be a nickname for a person who resembled a toad or frog in some way (derived from Middle English paddock meaning "toad, frog"), or denote a person hailing from one of the many places in England that bear this name, for example the town and civil parish of Paddock Wood in Kent.
ParhamIrish, English This name has been used amongst the Irish and English. This user's great grandmother came from Ireland and her maiden name was Parham. However, in English (London) it is a habitational name from places in Suffolk and Sussex, named in Old English with pere ‘pear’ + ham ‘homestead’.
ParleyEnglish A place name meaning "pear field" from Old English 'per' with 'lee' or 'lea' meaning a field or clearing, perhaps where land was cleared to cultivate pear trees. Therefore this name denotes someone who lived near or worked at such a location or came from a habitation associated with the name... [more]
ParmleyEnglish Variant of Parley. This form is found more in northern England, specifically Cumberland and Durham, but is of like derivation.
PartonEnglish Habitational name from any of various places called Parton; most are named with Old English peretun ‘pear orchard’. A famous bearer of the surname is Dolly Parton.
PattinsonEnglish, Scottish Derived from the name of an ancestor. 'The son of Patrick' (which see), from the nick. Pate and diminutive Patt-in; compare Colin, Robin.
PaxsonEnglish This surname means "son of Pack." Pack may be a survival of the Old English personal name Pacca or it may have been a Middle English personal name derived from Paschalis (meaning "relating to Easter"), the Latin form of Pascal.
PaytasHungarian, English (American) From the Hungarian nickname pajtás meaning "comrade, pal". Possibly originates from the Ottoman Turkish word پایداش (paydaş) meaning "partner, sharer". A notable bearer of the surname is the American YouTuber Trisha Paytas.
PearsallEnglish a British surname of French origin derived from the pre-9th-century word "pourcel", which described a breeder of animals or a farmer
PendarvisEnglish (American) The American English spelling of the Cornish surname Pendarves. Ultimately, the surname is traced back to Pendarves Island, Cornwall.
PendletonEnglish An Old English name meaning "overhanging settlement".
PenningtonEnglish Habitational surname denoting someone originally from any of the various locations in England named Pennington, derived from Old English penning meaning "penny" (used as a byname or from a tribute due on the land) and tun meaning "town".
PennyworthEnglish From Old English pening, penig meaning "penny (the coin)" and worþ meaning "enclosure". A notable fictional bearer is Alfred Pennyworth, a DC Comics character notable for being the butler of the superhero Batman.
PenryWelsh, Cornish, English Derived from Welsh ap Henry meaning "son of Henry". It is also a variant of Pendray, which is derived from a place name in Cornwall meaning "top of the village" in Middle Cornish... [more]
PercevalEnglish, Norman Derived from either the Old French given name Perceval, or from one of two places called Perceval in the department of Calvados in Normandy, France... [more]
PerhamEnglish A variation of the English name Parham, based on the village of Parham (one in county Suffolk, another in county Sussex). From the Old English peru, meaning "pear" (the fruit), and ham, meaning "homestead".
PettiferEnglish Nickname for a good infantryman, an old soldier who had lost a foot, or a person who was never tired of walking, derived from Old French pedefer, pied de fer meaning "iron foot".
PettyEnglish, Scottish Derived from Norman French petit, 'small', thus a nickname for a small or insignificant individual.... [more]
PettyferEnglish Variant spelling of Pettifer. The British actor and model Alex Pettyfer (1990-) is a famous bearer of this surname.
PickfordEnglish This surnames origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived in the parish of Pitchford in Shropshire. ... [more]
PierpontEnglish English (of Norman origin): habitational name from any of various places, for example in Aisne and Calvados, so called from Old French pierre ‘stone’ + pont ‘bridge’.
PiggottEnglish, Irish, Norman From the Old French and Old English given names Picot and Pigot, or derived from Old English pic meaning "point, hill", hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a hill with a sharp point (see Pike).
PillsburyEnglish Derived from a place in Derbyshire, England, so named from the genitive of the Old English given name Pil and burh meaning "fortified place".
PinchesEnglish (British, Rare) This is one of the very earliest of surnames. This is an English name. First recorded in the 12th century it was a nickname of endearment for a bright, chirpy, person, thought by his peer group to be active like a finch... [more]
PinderEnglish (African) Pinder originated in England as a surname used in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.
PriorEnglish Occupational surname for a prior (a high-ranking official in a monastery), ultimately from Latin prior meaning "superior, first".
ProvidenceEnglish From the name of the capital city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, derived from Middle English providence meaning "divine guidance, care", ultimately from Latin providentia.
PygallEnglish (Hellenized, Rare) From ancient Greek for rump, associations with prostitution across Europe, commonly given to illegitimate children of prostitutes, found especially in North East England and Nottinghamshire.
PyleEnglish From the Middle English word pile, meaning "stake" or "post", which is derived via Old English from Latin pilum, meaning "spike" or "javelin". This was a topographic name for someone who lived near a stake or post serving as a landmark, a metonymic occupational name for a stake maker, or a nickname for a tall, strong man.
RaisbeckEnglish Raisbeck is a hamlet in the civil parish of Orton, in the Eden district, in the county of Cumbria, England. The surname Raisbeck originates from the hamlet. The name of the hamlet derives from Hrridarr, a personal name and beck, a stream or river.
RaleighEnglish English habitation name in Devon meaning "red woodland clearing".
RamplingEnglish Originally indicated a person who lived in a thickly wooded area, derived from Latin ramus meaning "branch" (see Ramos). Famous bearers include English actress Charlotte Rampling (1946-) and her father, athlete and British Army officer Godfrey Rampling (1909-2009).
RamsbottomEnglish Habitational name from a market town called Ramsbottom in Greater Manchester, England (historically in Lancashire), derived from Old English hramsa meaning "wild garlic" or ramm "ram", and bothm meaning "bottom, bottom valley".
RectorEnglish Status name for the director of an institution, in particular the head of a religious house or a college. Also an anglicized form of Richter.
ReddenEnglish Location name meaning "clearing or cleared woodland." Communities called Redden include one in Roxburghshire, Scotland and another in Somerset, England. A notable bearer is actor Billy Redden who played the dueling banjoist Lonnie in the 1972 film 'Deliverance.'
RedfordEnglish Variant of Radford. A famous bearer is American actor Robert Redford (1936-).
RedgraveEnglish From the name of a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England, derived from Old English hrēod meaning "reed" or rēad "red", and græf meaning "pit, ditch" or grāf "grove"... [more]
RedmanEnglish, Irish Variant of Raymond. Also a nickname for a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion, from Middle English rudde "red" and man "man".
RedmayneEnglish, Irish Derived from Redmain, a small hamlet in Cumbria, England. It is named with Old English rēad meaning "red" and Welsh main meaning "rock, stone". The name could also be derived from the given name Réamonn, which is an Irish form of Raymond... [more]
ReubensJewish, English Derived from the given name Reuben. This surname is borne by American comedian and actor Paul Reubens (1952-), who created and played the comic fictional character Pee-wee Herman.
RibchesterEnglish This name originates from the small village in Lancashire that shares the same name. Interestingly, most people with the name 'Ribchester' are in Lancashire, but a lot are also found in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
RingerEnglish From the Norman name Reinger or Rainger derived from the Germanic elements ragin meaning "advice, counsel" and ger meaning "spear"... [more]
RiseboroughEnglish Denoted a person hailing from any of the various places called Risborough, Riseborough or Risbury in England, derived from Old English hrīs meaning "brushwood" and beorg meaning "hill, mound", or from hrīs and burh meaning "fortification"... [more]
RobardsEnglish Altered form of Roberts. A famous bearer was American actor Jason Robards (1922-2000), as well as his father Jason Robards Sr. (1892-1963) and son Sam Robards (1961-), also noted actors.
RondelliItalian, English, French From the medieval name "Rondello" derived from French "rondel" meaning "go around, round" or "rondel", a French old nickname for a round, plump man.
RosemontEnglish From rose "rose" + mont "mount". Also the name of a town in central California, near Sacramento. In 1880, there were 6 Rosemont families in Indiana.
RoverEnglish, German (Anglicized) This surname is derived from Middle English roof (from Old English hrof) combined with the agent suffix (i)er, which denotes someone who does/works with something. Thus, the surname was originally used for a constructor or repairer of roofs.... [more]
RowsonEnglish (British, Anglicized) The ancestors of the Rowson family first reached the shores of England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Their name is derived from the Norman given name Ralph. This name, which also occurs as Ralf, Rolf, and Raoul, is adapted from the Old French given name Raol.... [more]
RudyardEnglish From the location Rudyard (Staffs) which is recorded as Rudegeard in 100 The place-name probably derives from Old English rude "rue" and geard "enclosure yard".
RundellEnglish Nickname derived from a diminutive of Middle English and Old French rond, rund meaning "fat, round" (see Rounds), or derived from Rundale, a local place in the village and civil parish of Shoreham in Kent, England, named with Old English rum(ig) meaning "roomy, spacious" and dæl meaning "valley".
RunnerEnglish (American) Probably an altered spelling of German Ronner, annoccupational name for a runner or messenger, a lightly armed mounted soldier. Compare Renner. UK The surname Runner was first found in Lancashire. One of the first records of the family was found in the year 1246 when Alan de Runacres held estates in that shire... [more]
RushenEnglish Originally denoted a person who lived near a marsh, noted for its rushes (see Rush). A famous bearer of this surname is the American singer Patrice Rushen (b. 1954).
SangwinEnglish From Middle English sanguine (blood) ,one of the four humours.
SankeyEnglish, Irish Habitational name from a place in Lancashire, which derived from the name of an ancient British river, perhaps meaning "sacred, holy." ... [more]
SarverEnglish, Jewish English and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) occupational name from Old French serveur (an agent derivative of server ‘to serve’), Yiddish sarver ‘servant’.
SaxonEnglish Derived from the tribe of the Saxons from the Anglo-Saxon element seaxa "a Saxon" derived Germanic elements sahso and sahsaz derived from sahsą "knife"... [more]
SedgwickEnglish Habitational name from Sedgwick in Cumbria, so named from the Middle English personal name Sigg(e) (from Old Norse Siggi or Old English Sicg, short forms of the various compound names with the first element "victory") + Old English wic "outlying settlement", "dairy farm"; or from Sedgewick in Sussex, named with Old English secg (sedge) + wic.
SelwynEnglish from the Middle English personal name Selewin (Old English Selewine perhaps from sele "manor" or sǣl "happiness prosperity" and wine "friend")... [more]
ShandyEnglish (Rare) Shandy appears as a rare surname, mostly found in English-speaking countries going back to the 1600s. This name may originate from the English dialect adjective meaning "boisterous" or "empty headed; half crazy", of which the earliest record dates to 1691, though any further explanation for its origins are unknown... [more]
SheriffEnglish, Scottish Occupational name for a sheriff, derived from Middle English schiref, shreeve, shryve literally meaning "sheriff", or from Old English scir meaning "shire, administrative district" and (ge)refa meaning "reeve"... [more]
SherwoodEnglish From a place name meaning "bright forest", derived from Old English scir meaning "bright" and wudu meaning "tree, wood".
ShieldEnglish Metonymic occupational name for an armorer, from Middle English scheld "shield" (Old English scild, sceld).
ShipleyEnglish (Rare) English: habitational name from any of the various places, for example in Derbyshire, County Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire, Sussex, and West Yorkshire, so called from Old English sceap, scip ‘sheep’ + leah ‘wood’, ‘clearing’.
ShiptonEnglish From Old English scip "sheep", and tun "enclosure; settlement".
SibleyEnglish (British) From the Anglo-Saxons influence in England. Said to be derived from the ancient Sibbelee, a woman’s Christian name, and has been traced through Sibilla, Sybbly, and finally Sibley. Sibilla was the name of a Greek princess who uttered the ancient oracles, and is represented on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel... [more]
SilvergrassEnglish From English "Silver" and "Grass". Probably given from the plant called "Silvergrass", a Miscanthus type growing in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Islands, or a field shining with the sun.
SmalleyEnglish, Cornish (?) Locational surname from places in Derbyshire and Lancashire, so called from Old English smæl ‘narrow’ + leah ‘wood’, ‘clearing’. This may also be a Cornish name with an entirely separate meaning.
SmileyScots, English From elements small and lea meaning "a small clearing" or as a nickname may refer to a person of happy disposition known for smiling.
SolsticeEnglish Taken from it's usage as a given name, which derived from Latin solsticium and thus ultimately from sol "sun" and stito "to stand still". The English word solstice refers to two times of the year when the sun's apparent position in the sky reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes.
SoulsbyEnglish Habitational name from either of two places called Soulby in Cumbria
SouterEnglish, Scottish Occupational name for a cobbler or shoemaker, derived from Middle English soutere, from Old Norse sutare, ultimately derived from Latin sutor meaning "to sew".
SpellingEnglish, Irish, Jewish Occupational name for a scholar, speaker or a story teller, derived from Middle English spellan meaning "to tell or relate". It could also be a variant of Irish Spillane or Jewish Spellman... [more]
SpurrierEnglish Derived from the Old French word “esperonier,” meaning “to spur on”. It was likely given as a nickname to someone who was known for encouraging or motivating others. The name could have also referred to someone who was skilled at using spurs to control horses.
StaleyEnglish Byname from Middle English staley "resolute, reliable", a reduced form of Stallard.
StallardEnglish Byname for a valiant or resolute person, from a reduced pronunciation of Middle English stalward, stalworth "stalwart" (an Old English compound of stǣl "place" and wierðe "worthy").
StandishEnglish Habitational name Standish (Lancashire Now Part Of Greater Manchester, and Yorkshire) meaning Old English Stān ‘Stone Rock’ + Edisc ‘Enclosure; or Enclosed Park’.
StanwyckEnglish Variant spelling of Stanwick. This name was borne by the American actress, model and dancer Barbara Stanwyck (1907-1990).
StarkeyEnglish, German From a diminutive of Stark. This surname is borne by the English musician Sir Richard Starkey (1940-), also known as Ringo Starr.
StensonEnglish From the name of a hamlet (now called Twyford and Stenson) in Derbyshire, England. The name is a combination of the Old Norse name Steinn and Old English tun "settlement, enclosure".
SterleyEnglish This is an English locational surname. Recorded as Starley, Stearley, Sterley, Sturley, and others, it originates from a place called 'ster-leah', meaning "steer" or "cattle farm". However no such place in any of the known surname spellings is to be found in England, although there is place called Starleyburn in Fifeshire in Scotland... [more]
StillmanEnglish From German still "quiet" and Mann "man", hence, "calm man".
St LegerIrish, English Anglo-Irish surname, from one of the places in France called Saint-Léger, which were named in honour of St. Leodegar.
SturdivantEnglish Perhaps a nickname for messenger, a pursuivant or a hasty person, derived from Middle English stirten, sterten meaning "to start, leap" (ultimately from Old English styrtan) and avaunt meaning "forward" (itself from Old French).
SudlowEnglish (British) Apparently a habitational name from an unidentified place, perhaps Sudlow Farm in Cheshire.
SugarbakerEnglish Occupational name for an owner of a sugar-house, a factory where raw sugar was made or refined, derived from Middle English sugre, suker meaning "sugar" and bakere meaning "baker".
SummerEnglish, German From Middle English sum(m)er, Middle High German sumer "summer", hence a nickname for someone of a warm or sunny disposition, or for someone associated with the season of summer in some other way.
SummerleeEnglish (Rare) This surname is originated from Old English sumer meaning "summer" and leah meaning "clearing, meadow."
SurreyEnglish Regional name for someone from the county of Surrey.
SussexEnglish Derived from an English county name meaning "region of the Saxons from the south" in Old English.
SwanwickEnglish Habitational name from Swanwick in Derbyshire, possibly also Swanwick in Hampshire. Both are named from Old English swan, "herdsman," and wic, "outlying dairy farm."
SweetingEnglish Derived from Old English swete and Middle English sweting meaning "darling, sweetheart", hence a nickname for a popular and attractive person, or for somebody who habitually addressed people with the term (see Sweet).
SymereEnglish (American, Rare) Name of unknown origin, typically used in the United States. It is best known as the real first name of American rapper Lil Uzi Vert.
SzarabajkaPolish, English His surname, Szarabajka, means "Grey Tale" in Polish. Last name is pronounced "sarah-bike-ah".
TeasdaleEnglish From Teesdale, the name of a valley of the River Tees in northern England, derived from the river's name (meaning "warmth" in Old English) combined with dæl meaning "valley".
TebayEnglish From the name of a village in Cumbria, England, derived from the German name element theod meaning "people".
TedderEnglish 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]
TennantEnglish, Scottish The Strathclyde-Briton people of ancient Scotland were the first to use the name Tennant. It is a name for someone who works as a tenant farmer. The name was applied to those who paid for the rent on their land through working the fields and donating a percentage of the take to the landlord... [more]
TerwilligerEnglish An anglicized version of the Dutch surname, Der Willikeur, meaning "a by-law; a statute". Also, Der willige-waar, means "serviceable ware", or "ware that sells well" and could be related as well.
TewksburyEnglish Derived from Tewkesbury, a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is named with the Old English given name Teodec and burg meaning "fortification".
ThornburgEnglish The name Thornburg comes from the Old English thorn broc, because the original bearers lived near a "stream by the thorns" in Buckinghamshire and North Yorkshire.
TilsleyEnglish Derived from the place name Tyldesley, which in turn derives from Old English personal name Tīlweald with the suffix lēah “clearing, meadow”. Notable bearers of this name include Canadian salvationist and writer Bramwell Tillsley, as well as Welsh poet and Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales Gwilym Tilsley known under his bardic name of "Tilsli".... [more]
TisdaleEnglish Variant spelling of Teasdale. Famous bearers or this name include the actress and singer Ashley Tisdale (1985-), basketball player and bass guitarist Wayman Tisdale (1964-2009) and the engraver, miniature painter and cartoonist Elkanah Tisdale (1768-1835), all Americans.
TolivarAsturian (Modern, Rare), English (Rare) Variant of Tolliver. Apparently, this name may have originated in Candamo, Asturias, in the 18th (or earlier) century. The "var" last syllable may be related to "fer," and the meaning may be related to iron, e.g. iron miner, iron refiner, etc... [more]
TownshendEnglish Variant of Townsend. This surname is borne by the English musician Pete Townshend (1945-).
TozerEnglish Tozer is a surname commonly believed to have originated in Devon, South West England. It is a reference to the occupation of carding of wool which was originally performed by the use of teasels (Latin carduus), via the Middle English word tōsen, to tease (out).
TrotterEnglish, Scottish, German Northern English and Scottish: occupational name for a messenger, from an agent derivative of Middle English trot(en) 'to walk fast' (Old French troter, of Germanic origin). ... [more]
TunstallEnglish Habitational name for someone from any of the various locations in England named Tunstall, derived from Old English tun meaning "enclosure, garden, farm" and steall meaning "position, place, site".
TuppenEnglish It comes from people who shepherds. The word tup refers to a male sheep, and pen comes from where the sheep were kept. Tupping is a word used to refer to the mating of sheep and may also be related.
TurtonEnglish From Turton, an historical area in Lancashire, England (now part of Greater Manchester); it was originally a township in the former civil parish of Bolton le Moors. It is derived from the Old Norse given name Þórr (see Thor) and Old English tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town".
TwiningEnglish From the name of the village of Twyning in Gloucestershire, derived from Old English betweonan meaning "between" and eam meaning "river".
TysoeEnglish Denoted the bearer was from the parish of Tysoe, Warwickshire, England. The name of the parish is derived from Old English Tīges hōh, meaning "spur of land belonging to the god Tiw." (Tiw was the Old English name for the Roman deity Mars, and also inspired the name of Tuesday.)
UpshawEnglish Probably a habitational name from a lost or unidentified place named with Old English upp meaning "up(per)" and sc(e)aga meaning "copse", or a topographic name with the same meaning.
UptainEnglish Derived from Upton, but meaning "always prepared"
UrieScottish, English, Irish From the Scottish Fetteresso parish, Kincardineshire. May mean someone who is brave and loud.
VarnellEnglish Variant of Farnell. This form originated in southwestern England, where the change from F to V arose from the voicing of F that was characteristic of this area in Middle English.
VassarFrench, English Name indicating the status of "a vassal or serf" in feudal society.
VerneyEnglish, French The surname Verney was first found in Buckinghamshire, England, when they arrived from Vernai, a parish in the arrondissement of Bayeux in Normandy.
WadsworthEnglish Location name from Yorkshire meaning "Wæddi's enclosure or settlement" with Wæddi being an old English personal name of unknown meaning plus the location element -worth. Notable bearer is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) for whom the middle name was his mother's maiden name.
WainwrightEnglish Occupational name for a maker or repairer of wagons.
WaitmanEnglish Possibly from Middle English hwæt, "active, bold, brave" and mann "man"
WakehamEnglish, Cornish A locational surname for someone who lived in one of three places called Wakeham in various parts of England, including Cornwall and/or Devon.
WaldronMedieval German, Old Norman, Scottish Gaelic, English (British) Derived from the German compound wala-hran, literally "wall raven", but originally meaning "strong bird". Also derived from the Gaelic wealdærn, meaning "forest dwelling", thought to be derived from the Sussex village of Waldron... [more]
WallenEnglish Originated from the Old English words "waellan" or "weallan," which mean "to boil" or "to bubble." It is thought that the name may have been used to describe someone who lived near a boiling spring or a bubbling brook.