Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Bormann GermanThis surname is presumed to be a variant of
Bornemann, which is made up of Middle Low German
born meaning "spring" and
man meaning "man," denoting someone who lived by a spring or a well.
Born German, EnglishA topographical name indicating someone who lived near a stream, from the Old English "burna, burne". Alternatively, it could be contemporarily derived from the modern English word "born". Possible variants include
Bourne,
Burns 1 and
Boren.
Bornemann Low GermanNorth German: topographic name denoting someone who lived by a well or spring, from Middle Low German born ‘spring’, ‘well’ + man ‘man’.
Boro Indian, BodoFrom the name of the Boro (or Bodo) people, itself either meaning "great people" or derived from the name of the Hindu god
Varaha.
Boronda American (Hispanic), BasqueBoronda is a Californio surname that is also of Basque origin. Boronda is the name of a place in Salinas California named after Jose Eusebio Boronda where he made his house out of Adobe. Today, It is a California national Historic landmark in Boronda road in Salinas.
Borowicz PolishPatronymic from a pet form of Borowy, or from Borzyslaw, Bolebor, or some other personal name formed with the element bor ‘to fight’.
Borrelli ItalianThere are three possible origins of this surname. It could derive from some place names located in Catania and Campania -two Italian southern regions. Another hypothesis is that it derives from the Celtic word
borro, meaning "proud" or maybe "ditch"... [
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Borresen DanishThe Danish surname Borresen has two origins. Boerresen is composed of -sen 'son' + the given name Boerre, the modern equivalent of Old Norse Byrgir 'the helper' (from proto-Indo-European root BHER- 'to carry, bear')... [
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Borromeo Spanish (Philippines)Nickname derived from Italian
buon romeo meaning "good pilgrim", from
buono meaning "good" and
Romeo meaning "pilgrim (to Rome)".
Borsheim Norwegian (Rare)Habitational name from either of two farmsteads in Norway: Borsheim in Rogaland and Børsheim in Hordaland. Borsheim is a combination of an unknown first element and Norwegian
heim "home", while Børsheim is a combination of Old Norse
byrgi "fence, enclosure" and
heim.
Bortnik RussianMeans "beekeeper" in Russian, used as an occupational name.
Borzykh RussianDerived from Russian борзый
(borzy) meaning "swift, brisk".
Bosch AmericanThe surname Bosch originates from the Old Norse word "buski," meaning "bush," or "woods” thus it is classed at a toponymic surname and was most likely used by a man who lived near a prominent bush... [
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Boscolo ItalianHabitational name for someone who lived by a forest, derived from Italian
bosco meaning "woods, forest".
Bosinney CornishDenotes the original bearer came from Bossiney, Cornwall. Bossiney comes from Cornish
Bod and
Cini, meaning "Cini's dwelling," with Cini being a Cornish name of unknown meaning.... [
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Bosley EnglishEnglish habitation surname derived from the Old English personal name
Bosa and the Old English
leah "clearing, field". It's also possibly a variant of the French surname Beausoleil meaning "beautiful sun" from the French
beau 'beautiful, fair' and
soleil 'sun'... [
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Boşnak TurkishMeans "Bosniak" in Turkish. One of the only major ethnic groups that adopted Islam during the Ottoman Empire. A huge diaspora of Bosniaks live in Turkey and many Turks have Bosniak heritage.
Bošnjak Croatian, SerbianDerived from "Bošnjak", for someone who has their roots in Bosnia. This surname is rare in Bosnian Muslims.
Boso ItalianFrom the medieval personal name Boso, from a Germanic personal name derived from a pejorative nickname meaning ‘leader’, ‘nobleman’, or ‘arrogant person’. Compare Dutch Boos.
Bosoy RussianDerived from Russian босой
(bosoy) meaning "barefoot". This may have been a nickname for a low-class person.
Boss EnglishFrom an originally French term meaning "hunchback".
Bossier FrenchOccupational name for a cooper, from an agent derivative of Old French
bosse 'barrel'.
Bosso ItalianDerived from Italian
bosso "box tree", probably applied as a topographic name but possibly also as a metonymic occupational name for a wood carver or turner.
Boston EnglishHabitational name from the town Boston in Lincolnshire, England. The name means "
Botwulf’s stone".... [
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Boström SwedishCombination of Swedish
bo "dwelling, home" and
ström "stream, river".
Bostwick EnglishFrom an English surname which was from a lost or unidentified place name. The second element is clearly Old English
wic "outlying (dairy) farm".
Boswell French (Anglicized)The name Boswell is an Anglicization of the name of a French village: Boseville (Beuzeville). This was a village of 1400 inhabitants near Yvetot, in Normandy. (from 'A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames', by Charles W. Bardsley, New York, 1901)... [
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Botelho Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazilian)From the Portuguese word
botelho, which can denote a measure of grain, a grain sack, or seaweed, and was probably applied as an occupational name for a grain dealer or a gatherer of kelp or seaweed.
Botkin RussianThis was the surname of
Evgeniy Botkin ( 1865 - 1918) who was the Russian court physician. He remained loyal to the family of Tsar Nicholas II Romanov when the revolution occurred and followed them into exile in Siberia... [
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Botticelli ItalianEtymology uncertain. It can derive from the Italian word
botte meaning "barrel" and from the occupation
bottaio meaning "cooper". In the case of Sandro Botticelli it has probably another origin... [
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Bottomley EnglishEnglish (Yorkshire and Lancashire): habitational name from a place in West Yorkshire named Bottomley, from Old English botm ‘broad valley’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.
Bottum Anglo-SaxonOne of the oldest Anglo-Saxon names in Britain. It is the name of the families who lived in a broad valley or a hillside near Bootham near Yorkshire
Bouazizi Arabic (Maghrebi)Means "father of
Aziz" in Arabic (chiefly Maghrebi). A notable bearer was Mohamed Bouazizi (1984-2011), a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire... [
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Bouchareb Arabic (Maghrebi)Means "father of the moustache" or "father of the drinker" from Arabic أَبُو
(ʾabū) meaning "father" and شَارِب
(šārib) meaning "moustache" or "drinker".
Boudreaux FrenchVariant of
Beaudreau. Originated in ancient area known as Languedoc, where the family was established. Comes from having lived in Languedoc, where the name was found since the early Middle Ages.
Bouhired Arabic (Maghrebi)Meaning unknown. A notable bearer is
Djamila Bouhired (1935-), an Algerian militant and nationalist who opposed the French rule over Algeria.
Bouhouche Berber, Northern AfricanKabyle name possibly derived from Arabic أَبُو
(ʾabū) meaning "father" and حَوْش
(ḥawš) meaning "courtyard, enclosure, farm" (chiefly Algerian).
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."
Boukouras GreekName of Dacian/Illyrian or Thracian origin. It means "happy". Also, see the Romanian surname
Bukur Boulier FrenchOccupational name for a maker of balls or the organizer of a game of boules, from French
boule meaning "ball".
Boulton EnglishMeans "district" characterized by bends from the Old English words boga and land.
Boumediene Arabic (Maghrebi)Means "father of
Midian" in Arabic (chiefly Algerian). A notable bearer was
Houari Boumediene (1932-1978), born as
Mohamed ben Brahim Boukharouba, an Algerian revolutionary who served as the second President of Algeria from 1976-1978.
Bounpaseuth LaoFrom Lao ບຸນ
(boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ປະເສີດ
(pasoet) meaning "excellent, magnificent".
Bounvilay LaoFrom Lao ບຸນ
(boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ວິໄລ
(vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful".
Bounyavong LaoFrom Lao ບຸນ
(boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ວົງ
(vong) meaning "lineage, family".
Bounyavong LaoFrom Lao ບຸນ
(boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ວົງ
(vong) meaning "lineage, family".
Bouras Arabic (Maghrebi)Means "father of the head" from Arabic أبو
(abu) meaning "father" and رأس
(ras) meaning "head, leader, chief".
Bouras GreekDerived from Albanian
burrë meaning "man, husband".
Bourassa IndianSeems to be an Indian name. I am in touch with a relative whose family were Pottawatomi Indians in Oklahoma. This name comes from that reservation.
Bourbon FrenchThe Bourbons were one of the most important ruling houses of Europe . Its members were descended from Louis I, duc de Bourbon from 1327 to 1342, the grandson of the French king Louis IX (ruled 1226-70)... [
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Bourbon Frenchhabitational name from a village in Allier the site of the (now ruined) castle of Bourbon or from another place called (Le) Bourbon mainly in the southern part of France. The placename is derived from a Celtic and pre-Celtic element borb- denoting a hot spring.
Bourget FrenchPossibly meaning "from the city, town" or given to wealthy families, (from bourgeois)
Bourguignon FrenchOriginally denoted a person from Burgundy (called
Bourgogne in French), a historical region of east-central France.
Bourque French (Quebec)Unknown history. A famous bearer is Raymond Bourque (B.-1960), a Quebec born professional ice hockey player from 1979-2001.
Bousquet OccitanOriginally a name for someone living or working in a wooded area.
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.
Boutella Arabic (Maghrebi, Rare)Means "father of the mountain" or "father of the hill", from Arabic أَبُو
(ʾabū) meaning "father (of)" and تَلّ
(tall) meaning "hill, foothill". Two notable bearers include father and daughter
Safy (1950-) and
Sofia (1982-) Boutella, an Algerian singer and an Algerian-French actress, respectively.
Boutet Frenchfrom a pet form of the ancient Germanic personal name
Boto a short form of any of various names composed with the element
bod "messenger"... [
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Bovary FrenchIt is the surname of the famous fictional character Emma Bovary protagonist of Gustave Flaubert's novel.
Bow English, ScottishHabitational name from any of various minor places called with Old English
boga, meaning "bow, arch, bend".
Bowden EnglishHabitational name from any of several places called Bowden or Bowdon, most of them in England. From Old English
boga "bow" and
dun "hill", or from Old English personal names
Buga or
Bucge combined with
dun.... [
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Bowdler EnglishFrom Dutch
de Boelare meaning "from Boelare", the name of a town in the Netherlands. Alternatively, it could derive from English
buddler, an occupational name for someone who washes crushed ore.
Bowdoin French (Huguenot)Americanized form of French Baudouin or Baudoin. Both the French form of Baldwin. A famous bearer of this surname was James Bowdoin II (1726-1790) Who was the second governor of Massachusetts and political rival of John Hancock.
Bowe Medieval English, English, Irish (Anglicized)There are three possible sources of this surname, the first being that it is a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of bows, a vital trade in medieval times before the invention of gunpowder, and a derivative of the Old English
boga "bow", from
bugan "to bend"... [
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Bowell EnglishOf Norman origin; habitational name from Bouelles, Seine-Maritime, France, which is from Old Norman French "boelle" meaning "enclosure, dwelling".
Bowker EnglishA surname of French origin, from the occupational term for 'butcher' (boucher). Some theories have it that it derives from OE 'bocer', meaning a scribe, but the former is more likely and is more widely affirmed.
Bowland EnglishFrom any variety of places in England with this name. These places are likely from with Old English boga ‘bow’ (in the sense of a bend in a river) and land ‘land’.
Bowser EnglishNickname from the Norman term of address beu sire ‘fine sir’, given either to a fine gentleman or to someone who made frequent use of this term of address.
Bowyer EnglishEnglish: occupational name for a maker or seller of bows (see
Bow), as opposed to an archer. Compare
Bowman.
Boyajyan ArmenianMeans "son of the painter" from Armenian պոյաճի
(poyači) meaning "dyer, painter".
Boydston ScottishHabitational name from a place called Boydston near Glasgow. This surname is no longer found in the British Isles.
Boykins English (American)Americanized form of Dutch Boeijkens: patronymic from the personal name Boye with the diminutive element -ken and genitive -s. Compare the English cognate Boykin and North German Boyken.... [
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Boys EnglishFrom the Old French word
bois, which means "wood," indicates that the original bearer lived near a wooded area, such as a forest.
Bozan TurkishMeans "witherer, expunger, spoiler" in Turkish.
Bozkurt TurkishMeans "grey wolf" from Turkish
boz meaning "grey" and
kurt meaning "wolf".
Braafheid Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)Means "braveness" in Dutch, derived from
braaf meaning "brave, well-behaved, obedient" and the suffix -
heid denoting a condition or state of being. This was originally a nickname for a strong or brave person... [
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Braaksma Frisian (Dutchified, Modern, Rare)Topographic name for someone who lived by a piece of wasteland or newly cultivated land, from Frisian, Dutch braak ‘fallow’, ‘waste’ + Frisian ma ‘man’. The suffix -ma indicating that it is of Frisian origin.
Bracamontes SpanishProbably a habitational name from the French town of Bracquemont near Dieppe.
Bracco ItalianEither a nickname derived from Calabrian
braccu meaning "small, chubby", or probably for someone thought to resemble a hunting dog, from Italian
bracco literally meaning "hunting dog, bloodhound"... [
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