Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Whineray EnglishMeans "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).
Whippet EnglishPossibly used as a nickname from the early 17th century English word
whippet, meaning "to move briskly". A type of sighthound bears this name.
Whipple EnglishEnglish surname of uncertain meaning. It might be a shortened form of “whippletree”; an early name for the dogwood. It may also be a variation of Whipp – an early surname for someone who carried out judicial punishments.
Whistler EnglishAn English occupational surname, meaning "one who whistles."
Whitby EnglishEnglish 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 ScottishA locational name from Whithorn near Wigtown, from Old English
hwit "white" and
ærn "house".
Whitehouse Englishthe origin of this surname started in England where people were called Whitehouse when they painted their houses white.
Whitelaw ScottishScottish and northern English: habitational name from any of various places in the Scottish Borders called Whitelaw, from Old English hwit ‘white’ + hlaw ‘hill’.
Whitfield EnglishIt is locational from any or all of the places called Whitfield in the counties of Derbyshire, Kent, Northamptonshire and Northumberland, or from the villages called Whitefield in Lancashire, the Isle of Wight and Gloucestershire.
Whitgift EnglishMeans "person from Whitgift", Yorkshire ("Hvítr's dowry"). This surname was borne by Anglican churchman John Whitgift (?1530-1604), archbishop of Canterbury 1583-1604 (in addition, Whitgift School is an independent day school for boys in South Croydon, founded in 1595 by John Whitgift; and Whitgift Centre is a complex of shops and offices in the middle of Croydon, Greater London, on a site previously occupied by Whitgift School).
Whiting EnglishDerived from a patronymic surname, created from the Old English personal name
Hwit, meaning "the white one."
Whitlam EnglishFrom a medieval nickname for a mild-mannered person (from Middle English
whit "white" +
lam "lamb"). This surname is borne by Australian Labour politician Gough Whitlam (1916-), prime minister 1972-75.
Whitley EnglishThis surname is derived from a place name composed of Old English elements
hwit meaning "white" and
leah meaning "clearing, grove."
Whitlock EnglishNickname for someone with white or fair hair, from Middle English
whit ‘white’ +
lock ‘tress’, ‘curl’. Compare
Sherlock. ... [
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Whitlow Englishwhite hill” place name from east side of country in lower Northumbria perhaps? Or perhaps next lower shire.
Whitman EnglishFrom Middle English
whit ‘white’ +
man ‘man’, either a nickname with the same sense as
White, or else an occupational name for a servant of a bearer of the nickname
White.... [
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Whitmarsh EnglishEnglish habitational name from Whitemarsh, a place in the parish of Sedgehill, Wiltshire, named from Old English
hwit ‘white’ (i.e. ‘phosphorescent’) +
mersc ‘marsh’. Compare
Whitmore.
Whitson Scottish (Gallicized)This surname originated in Lanarkshire in Scotland. The family held a seat from King Malcolm IV in 1153 in Wicestun.
Whittlesey EnglishA habitational surname for someone from Whittlesey, an ancient market town in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire in England. The town's name is derived from an unattested Old English personal name
Wittel (or
Witil), an occupational name given to a moneyer, and the Old English
eg, meaning "island", also used to describe a piece of firm land in a fen... [
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Whybrow EnglishFrom the medieval female personal name
Wyburgh, literally "war-fortress". (Cf. Germanic cognate
Wigburg.)
Wiberg SwedishCombination of Old Norse
víðr "forest, wood" (probably taken from a place name) and Swedish
berg "mountain".
Wick English, GermanEnglish: topographic name for someone who lived in an outlying settlement dependent on a larger village, Old English wic (Latin vicus), or a habitational name from a place named with this word, of which there are examples in Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Worcestershire... [
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Wickersham EnglishA habitational surname that originates from a lost medieval site or village of Norse origins.... [
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Wickramanayake SinhaleseFrom Sanskrit विक्रम
(vikrama) meaning "stride, pace" or "valour" and नायक
(nayaka) meaning "hero, leader".
Wicksey EnglishTwo separate surnames, joined together to form Wicksey, when the Vikings invaded England. The name means "Dairy Farmer on the Marsh".
Widemann GermanDerived from the given name
Widiman, composed of Old High German
witu "wood" or
wit "wide" and
man "man".
Widger EnglishFrom the Old English male personal name
Wihtgār, literally "elf-spear".
Widman SwedishMeaning uncertain. Perhaps a combination of Old Swedish
viþr "wood, forest" or
vid "wide" and
man "man". It is also possible, though less likely, that it is a re-spelling of
Vikman, where the first element is Swedish
vik "bay".
Wie KoreanMeans “top” in Korean. Most known for Korean American golfer Michelle Wie West
Wiebe GermanFrom a short form of any of various Germanic personal names beginning with
wig ‘battle’, ‘war.’
Wieczorek PolishMeans "bat" in Polish, used as a nickname for a person thought to resemble a bat, ultimately from
wieczór meaning "evening".
Wiederspahn GermanCarpenter or roofer who applied wooden shingles from Wied, Wieden, or Wieda. Associated with the German-speaking minority that lived along the Volga River in Russia from 1764 to 1941.
Wiegel GermanFrom a pet form of any of the various Germanic personal names beginning with the element wig 'battle', 'war'.
Wierzbowski PolishTaken from the word
wierzba meaning "willow", this name may have designated someone who lived near a willow tree.
Wiese GermanDerived from the Old German word wisa, which means meadow.
Wiesenthal GermanHabitational name from any of various places called Wiesent(h)al.
Wieslander SwedishCombination of an unexplained first element and the common surname suffix
-lander.
Wiesner GermanGerman: habitational name for someone from a place called
Wiesen, or topographic name for someone who lived by a meadow, a derivative of Middle High German wise ‘meadow’.
Wiggin EnglishEither (i) from the Germanic male personal name
Wīgant, literally "warrior", introduced into England by the Normans; or (ii) from the Breton male personal name
Wiucon, literally "worthy-noble", introduced into England by the Normans.
Wiggs English (British)The surname Wiggs was first found in Leicestershire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, at Lennerlyde. This interesting name has two possible origins. The first being a metonymic occupational name for a maker of wedge-shaped bread, from the Medieval English "Wigge" meaning "wedge-shaped"... [
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Wightman English"Wight" in Anglo-saxon could refer to a "soul," a "being," or to "courage." It is similar to the different meanings of the words "spirit" and "spirited." ... [
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Wijewickrama SinhaleseFrom Sanskrit विजय
(vijaya) meaning "victory" and विक्रम
(vikrama) meaning "stride, pace" or "valour".
Wilberforce EnglishMeans "person from Wilberfoss", Yorkshire ("
Wilburh's ditch"). This is borne by Wilberforce University, a university in Xenia, Ohio, USA, founded in 1856 and named in honour of the British philanthropist and anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce (1759-1833)... [
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Wilbraham EnglishDenoted a person hailing from Wilbraham in Cambridgeshire, England. The place name itself means "
Wilburg's homestead or estate" in Old English, Wilburg or Wilburga allegedly referring to a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon princess who was given the lands later called Wilbraham by her father, King Penda of Mercia.
Wilburn EnglishA habitation name of uncertain origin found in the East Midlands. Speculation includes the possibility of the meaning "well" and "burn, borne" therefore meaning one who lived near a well or spring by a waterway crossing.
Wilczek PolishDiminutive form of Wilk, which means "wolf" in Polish.
Wild Medieval English, English, German, JewishEnglish: from Middle English
wild ‘wild’, ‘uncontrolled’ (Old English
wilde), hence a nickname for a man of violent and undisciplined character, or a topographic name for someone who lived on a patch of overgrown uncultivated land.... [
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Wildin EnglishThe former placename is composed of the Olde English pre 7th Century words "wilg", willow, and "denu", a valley; while the latter place in Worcestershire is derived from the Olde English personal name "Winela", plus the Olde English "dun", a hill or mountain.
Wile Hungarianno particular meaning. the word wile means to trick though.
Wiles EnglishOccupational name for a trapper or hunter, from Middle English
wile "trap, snare". It could also be a nickname for a devious person.
Wilewski PolishThis indicates familial origin within the Masovian village of Wilewo.
Wilgar IrishAn ancient surname of Olde English and Scottish origins. It is usually occupational for a textile fuller, deriving from the pre 7th century word wealcere, meaning to walk or tread.
Wilkowski PolishHabitational name for someone from Wilkowo or Wilków. Derived from Polish
wilk meaning "wolf".
Willingham EnglishHabitational name from a place named Willingham, notably one in Cambridgeshire and one in Suffolk. The first is recorded in Domesday Book as
Wivelingham "homestead (Old English
hām) of the people of a man called
Wifel".
Willock EnglishFrom the medieval male personal name
Willoc, a pet-form based on the first syllable of any of a range of Old English compound names beginning with
willa "will, desire".
Willows English (British)This is an English residential or perhaps occupational surname. It may originate from one of the various places in England called 'The Willows', or even a place such as Newton le Willows in Lancashire, or it may describe a supplier of willow.
Wills GermanPatronymic from any of the Germanic personal names beginning with
wil "will, desire".
Wimmer GermanOccupational last name, meaning "wine maker," using a derivation of the element
Wein (meaning "wine") and likely another derivation from
-macher (meaning "maker"). It's possible as well that it is derived from
Weimann.
Wimp EnglishThe surname has at least two origins. The first is occupational and describes a maker of 'wimplels', an Old English veil later much associated with nuns. Second, it may also be locational from the village of Whimple in Devonshire, or Wimpole in Cambridge.
Wimpey EnglishPerhaps a deliberate alteration of
Impey. It is borne by George Wimpey, a British construction company, founded in Hammersmith, London in 1880 by George Wimpey (1855-1913)... [
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Winchel Englishfrom Old English wencel ‘child’, perhaps used to distinguish a son from his father with the same forename or perhaps a nickname for a person with a baby face or childlike manner
Wind English, German, DanishNickname for a swift runner, from Middle English
wind "wind", Middle High German
wint "wind", also "greyhound".
Wind EnglishTopographic name for someone who lived near a pathway, alleyway, or road, Old English
(ge)wind (from
windan "to go").
Wind Swedish (Rare)From Swedish
vind "wind". It's either ornamental or a habitational name derived from a place named with this element.
Windham English, Irish (Anglicized)English habitational name from Wyndham in West Sussex, near West Grinstead, probably named from an unattested Old English personal name
Winda + Old English
hamm ‘water meadow’; or from Wymondham in Leicestershire and Norfolk, named from the Old English personal name
Wigmund (see
Wyman) + Old English
ham ‘homestead’... [
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Winegar GermanThis German surname may belong to one whose ancestors worked in the food industry or in the production of vinegar. In German the letter “W” is pronounced as the letter “V” in English.
Winehouse Jewish, GermanAnglicized variant of German and Yiddish 'Weinhaus'. From German
wein, 'vine, grapevine' and
haus 'house, building, home', likely indicating a house with a vineyard. ... [
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Winford EnglishEnglish location name meaning "from a white ford or water crossing" or "from a meadow ford".
Winfrey EnglishFrom the Old English personal name
Winfrith, literally "friend-peace". A famous bearer of this surname is Oprah Winfrey (1954-), a US television talk-show presenter.
Winkel German, Jewish, Dutch, BelgianGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic): topographic name for someone who lived on a corner of land in the country or a street corner in a town or city, from Middle High German winkel, German Winkel ‘corner’... [
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Winkelmann German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic): topographic name for someone who lived on a corner or kept a corner shop (see
Winkel), with the addition of Middle High German man, German Mann ‘man’... [
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Winkle Englishit's said to originate from the village of Wincle, near the town of Macclesfield in the county of Cheshire.
Winne Dutch, EnglishDutch: occupational name for an agricultural worker, Middle Low German winne ‘peasant’. ... [
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Winney EnglishDerived from an unattested Old English given name, *
Wyngeofu, composed of the elements
wyn "joy" and
geofu "battle".... [
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Winnick English (Rare)Habitational name for someone from a place called Winwick, for example in Northamptonshire or Cambridgeshire, both of which are named from the Old English personal name Wina + wic 'outlying dairy farm or settlement'.
Winninger GermanProbably denoted a person from the municipality of
Winningen in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in western Germany.