Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Rohme GermanFrom the Germanic personal name
Ruom (Old High German
hruom ‘fame’), a short form of
Ruombald and similar personal names containing this element.
Rohr German, JewishTopographic name for someone who lived in an area thickly grown with reeds, from Middle High German
ror. Also a habitational name from one of the several places named with this word.
Rohrbach German, German (Swiss)German and Swiss German: habitational name from any of numerous places called Rohrbach (‘reed brook’ or ‘channel brook’) in many parts of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. It is a common surname in Pennsylvania.
Rohtla EstonianRohtla is an Estonian surname meaning "veld", "prairie" and "steppe".
Rohumaa EstonianRohumaa is an Estonian surname meaning "grassland" and "meadow".
Roisum NorwegianHabitational name from the farmstead in Sogn named Røysum, from the dative plural of Old Norse reysi ‘heap of stones’.
Roka JapaneseJapanese name meaning "White crest of the wave".
Roland French, German, ScottishFrench, German, English, and Scottish: from a Germanic personal name composed
hrod ‘renown’ +
-nand ‘bold’, assimilated to
-lant ‘land’. (Compare
Rowland).... [
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Rolf GermanEnglish: Composed of the Germanic elements
hrod ‘renown’ +
wulf ‘wolf’. This name was especially popular among Nordic peoples in the contracted form
Hrólfr and seems to have reached England by two separate channels; partly through its use among pre-Conquest Scandinavian settlers, partly through its popularity among the Normans, who, however, generally used the form
Rou (see
Rollo).... [
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Rolf EnglishFrom the Middle English personal name
Rolf, composed of the Germanic elements
hrōd "renown" and
wulf "wolf". This name was especially popular among Nordic peoples in the contracted form
Hrólfr, and seems to have reached England by two separate channels; partly through its use among pre-Conquest Scandinavian settlers, partly through its popularity among the Normans, who, however, generally used the form
Rou(l) (see
Rollo).
Rolfs GermanThis surname means "son of
Rolf," a patronymic surname from northern Germany.
Roll Upper German, German, EnglishGerman: from Middle High German
rolle,
rulle ‘roll’, ‘list’, possibly applied as a metonymic occupational name for a scribe.... [
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Rollo ScottishFrom a Latinized form, common in early medieval documents, of the personal name
Rou(l), the usual Norman form of
Rolf.
Rolls EnglishPossibly derived from the Latin word
rotus, meaning "wheel". It would indicate one who built wheels as a living. A famous bearer was American inventor and entrepreneur Charles Rolls (1877-1910), founder of the Rolls-Royce Ltd along with Henry Royce (1863-1933).
Rolston EnglishEnglish habitational name from any of various places, such as Rowlston in Lincolnshire, Rolleston in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire, or Rowlstone in Herefordshire, near the Welsh border... [
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Roman Catalan, French, Polish, English, German, Hungarian, Romanian, Ukrainian, BelarusianFrom the Latin personal name
Romanus, which originally meant "Roman". This name was borne by several saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Rouen.
Romana Catalan, French, Italian, Polish, English (Rare), German, Hungarian, Romanian, Ukrainian, BelarusianFrom the feminine form of the Latin personal name
Romanus, which originally meant "Roman".
Romansky Czech, Slovak, Polish, RussianIn Czech and Slovak usage, it is a habitational name from Romanov, a village in central Bohemia. In Polish usage, it is a habitational name for someone from any of several places in Poland called Romany, named with the personal name
Roman... [
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Rommel Upper German, DutchNickname for an obstreperous person, from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch
rummeln,
rumpeln to make a noise, create a disturbance (of imitative origin). Variant of
Rummel.
Romney EnglishEnglish: habitational name from a place in Kent, so called from an obscure first element,
rumen, + Old English
ea ‘river’ (see
Rye).
Romo SpanishDerived from latin
(rhombus) meaning obtuse, blunt.
Ron Spanish, GalicianHabitational name from a town called Ron in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain.
Ronde DutchMeans "round" in Dutch, originally a nickname for a plump person, ultimately from Latin
rotundus.
Rondelli Italian, English, FrenchFrom the medieval name "Rondello" derived from French "rondel" meaning "go around, round" or "rondel", a French old nickname for a round, plump man.
Roney Irish (Anglicized, Modern, Archaic)The most common Irish variant of
Rooney primarily concentrated in the Ulster counties of Down, Louth, Armagh, Fermanagh, Monaghan, and Sligo. From the Gaelic O'Ruanaidh and O'Ruanadha which means the descendant of the champion of ulster... [
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Rõngas EstonianRõngas is an Estonian surname meaning "ring", "annulet", "wreath" and "coil" (circular).
Röntgen GermanMeaning uncertain. This was the name of German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1845-1923) who discovered and studied x-rays. Röntgen called the radiation "X" because it was an unknown type of radiation.
Roo EstonianRoo is an Estonian surname derived from "roog" ("reed" or "cane") or "roos" ("rose").
Rooba EstonianRooba is an Estonian surname, derived from "roobas", meaning "ditch" or "rut".
Rook EnglishFrom a medieval nickname for someone thought to resemble a rook (e.g. in having black hair or a harsh voice).
Rool EstonianRool is an Estonian surname meaning "wheel" and "helm".
Rõõm EstonianRõõm is an Estonian surname meaning "gladness".
Roomet EstonianRoomet is an Estonian surname (and masculine given name) derived from the masculine given name "Roomet".
Rõõmus EstonianRõõmus is an Estonian surname meaning "glad" or "joyful".
Rooney IrishReduced Anglicized form of Gaelic
Ó Ruanaidh "descendant of
Ruanadh", a byname meaning "champion".
Rööp EstonianRööp is an Estonian surname meaning "parallel" and "beside".
Roos Estonian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch, German (Swiss), Low GermanMeans "rose" in Estonian and Dutch. Swedish and Danish variant of
Ros, also meaning "rose". This could be a locational name for someone living near roses, an occupational name for someone who grew roses, or a nickname for someone with reddish skin.
Root English, DutchEnglish: nickname for a cheerful person, from Middle English rote ‘glad’ (Old English rot). ... [
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Roots EstonianRoots is an Estonian surname meaning "leaf stalk" or "stem". May also derive from "rootslane", meaning "Swede".
Rootsmaa EstonianRootsmaa is an Estonian surname meaning "leaf stalk/stem land".
Rootsmäe EstonianRootsmäe is an Estonian surname meaning "leaf stalk/stem hill/mountain".
Roper EnglishEnglish: occupational name for a maker or seller of rope, from an agent derivative of Old English rāp ‘rope’. See also
Roop.
Roppolo ItalianPerhaps a derivative of
Roppo, a given name of Germanic origin.
Ros SpanishThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous neighborhood of the Castilian municipality of Valle de Santibáñez.
Rosado SpanishDerived from the Spanish word
rosa, meaning "rose".
Rosamel FrenchA French surname turned Spanish masculine given name, Rosamel likely derives from the combination of
rose + Greek
mel “honey”. As a surname, it was borne by a 19th century French naval officer with the wonderful name of Claude Charles Marie du Campe
de Rosamel.
Rosano Italianrosa meaning pink. Could also be indicative of a location known for or possessing roses.
Roseland EnglishAmericanized form of Norwegian
Røys(e)land; a habitational name from about 30 farmsteads, many in Agder, named from Old Norse reysi ‘heap of stones’ + land ‘land’, ‘farmstead’.
Rosell SwedishCombination of
ros "rose" and the common surname suffix
-ell.
Rosén SwedishCombination of Swedish
ros "rose" and the common Swedish surname suffix
-én.
Rosenbaum GermanHabitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a rosebush, Middle High German
rōsenboum.
Rosenbaum JewishOrnamental adoption of modern German
Rosenbaum "rose bush".
Rosenthal German, Jewishname for any of numerous places named rosenthal or rosendahl. means " rose valley"
Roser GermanGerman: 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".
Rosevear Cornish, EnglishFrom the name of a Cornish village near St Mawgan which derives from Celtic
ros "moor, heath" and
vur "big".
Rosewarne CornishCornish locational origin from Ros(e)warne, an estate in the parish of Camborne. The name derives from the Breton "ros" meaning a hill(ock), usually one where heather grows, plus the Anglo-Norman French "warrene", a piece of land for breeding game.
Rosholt NorwegianNorwegian: habitational name from either of two farms called Røsholt in southeastern Norway, named with Old Norse, either ross ‘mare’ or ruð ‘clearing’ + holt ‘grove’, ‘wood’.
Rosier FrenchFrench for "rose tree" or "rose bush". A common surname in Francophone areas. It is also the name of a fallen angel who was considered the patron demon of tainted love and seduction.
Rosing German1 German and Dutch: patronymic from a derivative of the medieval personal name Rozinus.... [
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Rosmarin GermanAccording to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary and Latin dictonaries the name Rosmarin derives from the Latin words 'ros' ('dew' or 'tear') and 'marin' ('sea')... [
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Rosseau French, AmericanVariant spelling of
Rousseau. Comes from the Old French word
rous meaning "red", likely a nickname for someone with red hair or a particularly rosy complexion.
Rossignol FrenchMeans "nightingale" in French, used as a nickname for person with a good singing voice, or ironically, for a raucous person.
Rost GermanFrom a nickname for a red-haired person, from Middle High German
rost meaning ‘rust’.
Rost GermanA metonymic occupational name for a limeburner or blacksmith, from Middle High German, Middle Low German
rōst meaning ‘grate, grill’ or Middle High German
rōst(e) meaning ‘fire, embers, pyre, grate’ (typically one for burning lime).
Rostov Russian, LiteratureEither derived from Rostov Oblast, a Russian federal subject, the town of Rostov in Yaroslavl Oblast, or Rostov-on-Don, a Russian city in the Rostov Oblast. This is also the surname of multiple characters from Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel "War and Peace".
Rostworowski PolishThis indicates familial origin within the Greater Polish village of Rostworowo.
Roszhart GermanThe original spelling of the name is Roßhart. Roß means "horse" and hart means "hard" in German. The name was changed when the family immigrated to the United States in the 1850's. Some took on the name "Rosshart", and some "Roszhart" as the ß has the "sss" sound.
Rothfus GermanMiddle High German rot "red" + vuoz "foot", a nickname for someone who followed the fashion for shoes made from a type of fine reddish leather. Or a variant of
Rotfuchs, from the Middle Low German form fos "fox", a nickname for a clever person.
Rothfuss GermanVariant spelling of
Rothfus. A notable bearer is Patrick Rothfuss (1973-), an American author of epic fantasy.
Rott GermanAs far as I've researched the name dates back to a man by the name of Count Palatine Kuno von Rott (~1083). After he got land from the Pfalzfrafs which seem to be a nobile family line.... [
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Rotten Popular CultureFrom the English word rotten, meaning "In a state of decay/cruel, mean, immoral/bad, horrible". In the Icelandic children's television program LazyTown, Robbie Rotten is the main antagonist of the show who desires silence and peace, continuously formulates reckless schemes that often feature him masquerading in various disguises as a means of hoodwinking or tempting residents away from an active lifestyle... [
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Rotter GermanVariant spelling of Rother, an occupational name for the foreman or leader of a group or association of men, or a work gang, from an agent derivative of Middle High German rotte ‘team’, ‘gang’... [
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Rotterdam DutchDenoting someone from a place named
Rotterdam "place of the muddy water".
Rottscheit GermanModernization of Rotscheidt, also a city in Germany (Rottscheidt) bearing another modern alternate spelling. When broken down it ultimately means "red" and "piece of wood", implying that the families of today descends from woodwrokers.
Rouen FrenchFrom the other broad category of surnames that was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. ... Ruen is a place-name from in Rouen, the capital of Normandy... [
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Rouge FrenchNickname for someone with a ruddy complexion.
Rougeau FrenchDiminutive of
Rouge, a nickname for someone with a ruddy complexion.
Rouget FrenchDerived from the French adjective
rouge meaning "red" combined with the French masculine diminutive suffix
-et.
Rough EnglishA topographic name referring to a dwelling with uncultivated ground, ultimately deriving from Olde English ruh meaning "rough".
Rouhani PersianMeans "cleric, clergyman" or "clean, pure, good" in Persian.
Rõuk EstonianRõuk is an Estonian surname derived from the word "rõuk", a type of traditional stack made for the collection and drying of hay, cereals, or straw, often made with a wooden frame.
Rouse Englishnickname for a person with red hair, from Middle English, Old French rous ‘red(-haired)’
Roussos GreekOriginally a nickname for a red-haired or blond person, derived from Greek ρούσος
(roúsos) "red".
Routh EnglishFrom the village and civil parish of
Routh in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England (recorded in the Domesday book as
Rutha). The place name may derive from Old Norse
hrúedhr meaning "rough shaly ground"... [
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Röver GermanThis surname was originally used as a derogative nickname for an unscrupulous individual, from Middle Low German
rover meaning "pirate, robber."
Rover English, 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.... [
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Rovira CatalanTopographic name for someone who lived by an oak wood, from Catalan
rovira meaning "oak wood, oak grove".
Rovnák CzechHabitational name from places named Rovné and/or Rovný.