Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Choate English, DutchThe names of Choate and Chute are believed to have been of common origin and derived from the residence of their first bearers at a place called Chute in Wiltshire, England. Certain historians, however, state that the name of Choate was of Dutch origin and was taken by its first bearers from their residence at a place of that name in the Netherlands.
Chockalingam Indian, TamilFrom a nickname referring to the Hindu god
Shiva, composed of the Sanskrit words चोक्का (
cokkā) meaning "alluring" and लिङ्गम् (
liṅga) meaning "sign, symbol, mark".
Chodecki PolishThis indicates familial origin within the Kuyavian town of Chodecz.
Choice EnglishDerived from the personal names
Josse or
Goce, which are derived from the Latin word "gaudere" and is a cognate in origin with the word "joy."
Chokalingam Indian, TamilVariant of
Chockalingam. A famous bearer is American actress and comedienne Vera Mindy Chokalingam (1979-), who uses the stage name Mindy Kaling.
Chokshi IndianFrom Gujarati čoksi ‘jeweler’, ‘assayer of gold and silver’, from čokəs ‘precise’, ‘circumspect’, a compound of čo- ‘four’, ‘four-way’, ‘all-round’ (Sanskrit čatus- ‘four’) + kəs ‘assaying’ (Sanskrit kạsa ‘rubbing’, ‘touchstone’).
Cholerzyński PolishThis indicates familial origin within the Lesser Polish village of Cholerzyn.
Cholmondeley EnglishAn aristocratic surname derived from a place name in Cheshire which means "Ceolmund's grove" in Old English.
Chopin FrenchFrench and English: nickname for a heavy drinker, from Old French chopine, a large liquid measure (from Middle Low German schopen "ladle"). The derived Old French verb chopiner has the sense 'to tipple’, ‘to drink to excess’... [
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Choquette FrenchAltered spelling of French Choquet, a Picard form of Old French soquet, which was the term for a tax on wines and foodstuffs, hence a metonymic occupational name for a collector of such taxes.
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'... [
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Chouraqui Judeo-SpanishMeans "the one who comes from the east" from Arabic شَرْقِيّ
(šarqiyy) meaning "eastern".
Chourey Hindichourey surname basically belongs to kurmi caste
Chousokabe JapaneseFrom Japanese 長 (
chou) meaning "chief, head, leader", 宗 (
so) meaning "religion", 我 (
ka) meaning "ego" and 部 (
be) meaning "section".
Chraplewski PolishThis indicates familial origin within either of 3 Greater Polish villages named Chraplewo.
Christ GermanFrom the Latin personal name
Christus "Christ" (see
Christian). The name
Christ (Latin
Christus) is from Greek
Khristos, a derivative of
khriein "to anoint", a calque of Hebrew
mashiach "Messiah", which likewise means literally "the anointed".
Christmas EnglishEither an occupational name for someone who was responsible for arrangement of festivities for Christmas day, or it might a nickname for someone who was born on Christmas.
Chriswell EnglishLikely originated in England. Creswell seems to be the oldest spelling then gradually giving way to Criswell and Chriswell.
Chronowski PolishThis indicates familial origin within either of 5 Lesser Polish villages: Chronów-Kolonia Dolna, Chronów-Kolonia Górna, Chronówek, Chronów in Gmina Orońsko, or Chronów in Gmina Nowy Wiśnicz.
Chrysanthe FrenchFrom the Greek
Χρύσανθος (
Chrysanthos), meaning "golden flower". This surname was first given to children found on October 25, the feast day of Saint
Chrysanthos.
Chrysler German, JewishFrom a German name referring to spinning or related to a Yiddish word,
krayzl meaning "spinning top." The name can refer to a potter who spun a wheel to make utensils or to a person with curly hair or someone known for being continually active... [
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Chrysovergis GreekThe one of the "golden rod".From the Greek words for gold: chrysos (χρυσός), and rod: verga (βέργα).
Chrzanowski PolishOriginally denoted someone who came from a place called Chrzanów or Chrzanowo, both derived from Polish
chrzan meaning "horseraddish".
Chubb EnglishEnglish (mainly West Country): nickname from Middle English chubbe ‘chub’ a common freshwater fish Leuciscus cephalus. The fish is notable for its short fat shape and sluggish habits and the word was used in early Modern English for a lazy spiritless person a rustic or a simpleton... [
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Chuckler Indian, TeluguTelugu occupational name for a leather worker, a job historically considered spiritually polluting and impure in India, where the surname belongs to
Dalit, or "Untouchables" - members of the lowest caste.
Chue HmongFrom the clan name
Tswb associated with the Chinese character 朱
(zhū) (see
Zhu).
Chughtai UrduFrom the name of 13th-century Mongol ruler
Chagatai Khan, borne by his present-day descendants in South Asia.
Chuibekov Slavic (Rare)The name Chuibekov means "son of Chuib". It originates from Eastern Europe/Russia, and is very rare today. It is most prevalent in Central Asia, especially Kyrgyzstan, where the majority of the population is descended from early Siberians, and first found in Mongolia... [
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Churchill EnglishFrom English, meaning 'church hill'. Denoted one who lived by both a church and a hill. A famous bearer is Sir Winston Churchill, the famed Prime Minister of Britain during WW2.
Churchward Anglo-SaxonChurchward derives from Old English pre 7th Century 'cyrice' meaning church, plus 'weard', a ward of guardian, originally given as an occupation name to a church custodian.
Churchyard EnglishIt comes from when the family lived in or near the precincts of a church. Churchyard belongs to the large class of Anglo-Saxon topographic surnames, which were given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as "a hill", "stream", "church", or "type of tree".
Chviedarovič Belarusian (Rare)Means "son of
Chviedar". A notable bearer is Mikalaj Čarnuševič (1904-1981), the Belarusian poet, prose writer and translator better known by his nickname Mikola Chviedarovič.
Chytil CzechNickname from the past participle of chytit ‘have caught’.
Ciambra ItalianA habitational name from a place containing the Sicilian element
ciambra "room, chamber".
Cianci ItalianThe surname Cianci is a name for a person of small financial means. The surname Cianfari is derived from the Italian words cianfrone and cianferone, which referred to a type of medieval coin.
Ciaramitaro ItalianFrom Sicilian
ciaramidaru "roof tile maker, potter", ultimately from Ancient Greek
κέραμος (
keramos) "potter's clay, pottery, tile".
Ciavarella ItalianFrom Sicilian
ciavaredda "goat kid", an occupational name for a goatherd, or perhaps a nickname based on the bearer's appearance or behaviour.
Ciavatta ItalianFrom
ciabatta "slippers", a nickname for a cobbler, or someone known for dressing casually.
Ciccone EnglishA diminutive of
Francesco. A famous bearer is American singer Madonna Ciccone (1958-), better known as simply Madonna.
Cicero ItalianFrom the Italian
cicero "pea," "chickpea," or "lentil."
Cicvara SerbianDerived from
cicvara (
цицвара), meaning "gruel", a type of food.
Ciechi ItalianMeans "blind (people)" in Italian, from Latin
caecus "devoid of light, blind; invisible; aimless".
Ciepliński PolishThis indicates familial origin within either of 3 Kuyavian villages: Ciepliny-Budy, Cieplinki, or Ciepliny.
Cieszyński PolishHabitational name for a person from the town Cieszyn in southern Poland, derived from a diminutive of the given name
Ciechosław.
Çifligu Albanian (Rare)This surname derives from the Albanian city Çiflig. The word Çiflig comes from the Turkish term for land management in the Ottoman Empire. Albania was under Ottoman rule for almost 500 years and has many cities and surnames that derive from Turkish terms.
Cifrino ItalianUncommon name originating in Italy. Legend says that it was used for the offspring of a king and one of his maids. Meaning is most likely something like "little nothing".
Cifuentes SpanishHabitational Name Probably From Cifuentes In Guadalajara Named From Spanish Cien ‘Hundred’ (From Latin Centum) + Fuentes ‘Springs’ (From Latin Fontes; See Font ) Because Of The Abundance Of Natural Springs In The Area.
Cilliërs AfrikaansBrought to South Africa by settlers of French decent some time in the past 300 years. Sometimes also a given name for boys.
Cimarosa Italianfrom "Cima" Top, and "Rosa" A rose or the Color Pink. A famous Bearer of this surname is the Italian composer Domenico Cimarosa(1749-1801).
Ciminera Italianfrom a dialect variant of
ciminiera "chimney" hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who built chimneys or worked a furnace oven or kiln with a chimney or a nickname for a tall thin person.
Cimino ItalianOccupational name for a spice dealer, from
cimino "cumin", Sicilian
ciminu.
Çınar TurkishMeans "plane tree" in Turkish (genus Platanus), derived from Persian چنار
(chenar).
Cinfuegos AsturianThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous parish of the municipality of Quirós.
Cinnamond Scottish, Irish, EnglishPossibly originates from Scottish place name Kininmonth. Probably introduced to Northern Ireland by Scottish settlers where it remains in Ulster. Another origin is the French place name Saint Amand originated from French Huguenots settling in Ireland.
Cintron SpanishSpanish form for the french "Citroen". Original from Puerto Rico.
Cipolla ItalianMeans "onion" in Italian, given to someone who farmed onions, or perhaps a nickname for someone who resembled an onion in some way.
Circelli SicilianDerived from Sicilian
circedda meaning "(hoop) earring", originally used to denote someone who wore hoop earrings.
Ciria SpanishThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous Castilian municipality.
Cisneros SpanishHabitational name from Cisneros, a place in the province of Palencia, named with a derivative of Spanish cisne 'swan' (via Old French and Latin from Greek kyknos).
Citarella NeapolitanOccupational name for someone who made or played a guitar, derived from
chitarra or
catarra "guitar".
Citrine JewishAn invented Jewish name based on Yiddish
tsitrin "lemon tree".
Ciubotaru RomanianMeans "boot maker" in Romanian, the one that makes boots ("ciubota" (singular), regionalism for "cizma"/"gheata"). Not the same with "shoe maker" (or "Schumacher" in German) as the Romanian "Ciubotar" refers strictly to boots and not all kinds of shoes.
Claassen GermanThe name Claassen means "son of Klaus." It's primarily German, but it's also Dutch and Danish.