Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Ferreire CelticIt means smith. In the Gaelic languaje is gofaint or ngfaint.
Ferrers Ancient RomanIt derives from Latin, "ferrum", which means "iron". As a surname, it derives from two French villages named "Ferrieres" where iron was mined.
Ferrier ScottishScottish: occupational name for a smith, one who shoed horses, Middle English and Old French ferrier, from medieval Latin ferrarius, from ferrus ‘horseshoe’, from Latin ferrum ‘iron’. Compare
Farrar.
Ferrigno ItalianDerived from the Italian adjective
ferrigno meaning "made of or resembling iron" (a derivative of Latin
ferrum meaning "iron"), applied as a nickname to someone who was very strong or thought to resemble the metal in some other way... [
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Feste LiteratureFeste was the fool in Twelfth Night, written by William Shakespeare.
Fett GermanNickname for a fat man, from Middle Low German vett meaning "fat".
Fett EnglishNickname from Old French fait, Middle English fet meaning "suitable", "comely".
Fett Norwegian (Rare)Derived from Old Norse
fit "land, shore". This was the name of several farmsteads in Norway.
Feuchtwanger GermanDenoted a person from the town of Feuchtwangen in Germany. The name of the town is probably from German
feucht "wet, humid, dank" and possibly
wangen "cheek".
Feuer JewishOrnamental name from modern German
Feuer "fire".
Feuer GermanMetonymic occupational name for a stoker in a smithy or public baths, or nickname for someone with red hair or a fiery temper, from Middle High German
viur "fire".
Feuerbacher GermanHabitational name for someone from any of the places called Feuerbach.
Feuerhahn GermanFeuerhahn comes from the Old High German words (fivr) meaning "fire" & (hano) meaning "cock".
Feuerschütte German (Modern)comes from the combination of the words "Feuer" and "Schütte", which form the word "flamethrower". Surname of a Brazilian Celebrity with German Origin "Lucas Feuerschütte"
Feuerstein GermanThis name comes from the German feuer meaning fire, and stein meaning stone. This was a name commonly given to a blacksmith.
Feuille FrenchThis is actually a standard word in French, correctly pronounce like "furry" without the r's. It means "leaf", or "sheet" (i.e. feuille de papier).
Feulner GermanFranconian dialect form of
Feilner (see
Feiler), or derived from
Feuln, a town near the district of Kulmbach, Bavaria, Germany. A notable bearer is the American academic Edwin Feulner (1941-).
Feverel EnglishFrom a Middle English form of
February, probably used as a nickname either for someone born in that month or for someone with a suitably frosty demeanor. In fiction, this surname was borne by the central character of George Meredith's novel 'The Ordeal of Richard Feverel' (1859).
Feverfew LiteratureUsed in Jill Murphy's books, The Worst Witch, as well as the television adaptations for the surname of Fenella Feverfew. It is a combination of "fever" and "few".
Feynman Russian, YiddishRussian and Yiddish form of
Feinman. This name was borne by the American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman (1918-1988).
Ffelan EnglishAnglisized version of the Gaelic Ó Faoláin meaning "descendent of Faolán", a given name meaning "wolf".
Fforde English (British)Notably the last name of English novelist Jasper Fforde. The spelling suggests it is Welsh. Possibly a form of
Ford? The source is unknown to me.
Ffrost Medieval WelshDevired from the old Welsh word "Ymffrostgar", meaning a brag or boastful person. Originally spelt as "Ffrost", later changed to "Frost".
Fiander English (British)The Fiander surname may have it's origins in Normandy, France (possibly from the old-French "Vyandre"), but is an English (British) surname from the Dorset county region. The Fiander name can also be found in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, Canada the origins of which can be traced back to the mid-1700's in the village of Milton Abbas, Dorsetshire.
Fibonacci ItalianA notable bearer is the mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci (1170-1240), the creator of the Fibonacci sequence.
Fichera ItalianFrom Sicilian
fichera "fig tree", a nickname for someone who grew or sold figs, or perhaps lived near them.
Fichter GermanTopographic name for someone who lived near pine trees (originally bei den Fichten, Feichten, or Feuchten), from Old High German
fiohta. The vowel of the first syllable underwent a variety of changes in different dialects.
Fichter German (Austrian)Habitational name deriving from places named with this word in Württemberg, Bavaria, Saxony, or Austria.
Fichtner GermanThe Fichtner family name first began to be used in the German state of Bavaria. After the 12th century, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules, and names that were derived from locations became particularly common
Fico Italianfrom
fico "fig" (from Latin
ficus) applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or sold figs a topographic name for someone who lived in an area where figs grew or a habitational name from a place called with this word such as the district so named in Valderice Trapani province Sicily.
Fielder EnglishSouthern English from Middle English
felder ‘dweller by the open country’.
Fieldhouse EnglishTopographic name for someone who lived in a house in open pasture land. Reaney draws attention to the form de Felhouse (Staffordshire 1332), and suggests that this may have become Fellows.
Fielding EnglishTopographic name from an Old English
felding ‘dweller in open country’.
Fiene German, Low GermanA nickname for an elegant person, from Middle Low German
fin, meaning ‘fine’. Can also be a locational name from several fields and places named Fiene.
Fiennes EnglishDerived from
Fiennes, a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. The wealthy and influential Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes family, prominent in British society, originated in northern France... [
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Fieri ItalianA notable bearer is American restaurateur and television host Guy Fieri (1968-).
Fiermonte ItalianMeaning uncertain. It possibly consists of the medieval Italian given name
Fiero and the Italian word
monte meaning "mountain", which would give this surname the meaning of "Fiero's mountain".
Fifield EnglishLocal. Has the same signification as Manorfield. Lands held in fee or fief, for which the individual pays service or owes rent.
Figgis EnglishFrom a medieval nickname for a trustworthy person (from the Anglo-Norman form of Old French
fichais "loyal").
Figueira Portuguese, GalicianMeans "fig tree" in Portuguese and Galician, ultimately from Latin
ficaria. It was used a topographic name for someone who lived or worked near fig trees or for someone from any of various places called Figueira (derived from the same word).
Figueiredo PortugueseName for someone from any of various places named Figueiredo, from Portuguese
figueiredo meaning "fig tree orchard".
Figuerola CatalanIt indicates familial origin within either of 4 places: Figuerola farmhouse in the nucleus of Fontanet in the municipality of Torà in the comarca of Segarra, Figuerola neighborhood in the municipality of Les Piles, the municipality of Figuerola del Camp, or Figuerola d’Orcau neighborhood in the municipality of Isona i Conca Dellà.
Figuier French (Rare)From French
figuier meaning "fig tree" (ultimately from Latin
ficus; a cognate of
Figueroa), possibly indicating a person who lived near a fig tree or one who owned a plantation of fig trees.
Fija RyukyuanThis Ryūkyū Name has a Combination of Kanji Characters "比" meaning "Ratio", and "嘉".
Fijałkowski PolishThis indicates familial origin within the Masovian village of Fijałkowo.
Filipkowski PolishEither a patronymic from the given name
Filip, or a habitational name denoting a person from various places called
Filipki (also derived from the given name) in Poland.
Filkins EnglishMeans either (i) "person from Filkins", Oxfordshire ("settlement of Filica's people"); or "son of
Filkin", a medieval personal name meaning literally "little
Phil", from
Philip.
Fillery EnglishFrom a medieval nickname derived from Anglo-Norman
fitz le rei "son of the king" (see also
Fitzroy), probably applied mainly (and ironically) to an illegitimate person or to someone who put on quasi-royal airs.
Fillion French, French (Quebec)Probably a diminutive of
fils or
fille, respectively "son" and "daughter". May have alluded to the bearer being the youngest amongst siblings.
Fillmore EnglishOf uncertain origin: it could be derived from the Norman given name Filimor, composed of the Germanic elements
filu ("very") and
mari or
meri ("famous"), or it might be a combination of the Saxon elements
fille ("abundance") and
mere, a word denoting a lake or otherwise humid land.
Filosa ItalianSouthern Italian: Probably an occupational nickname for a fisherman, from Sicilian filuòsa ‘fishing net’. Also from the subphylum: Filosa. These are known as euglyphids, filose (which means stringy or thread-like), amoebae with shells of siliceous scales or plates, which are commonly found in soils, nutrient-rich waters, and on aquatic plants.
Fils FrenchFrom
fils "son", used to identify the younger of two bearers of the same personal name in a family.
Fincham Englishhabitational name from a place in Norfolk so called from Old English
finc "finch" and
ham "homestead".
Finchem EnglishThis surname came from the Norman’s who had invaded England. The surname Finchem means homestead.
Finco VenetianFrom Venetian
finco "finch", possibly a nickname for someone considered shrewd or cunning.
Fine English (?)English nickname for a clever or elegant man, from Old French
fin ‘fine’, ‘delicate’, ‘skilled’, ‘cunning’ (originally a noun from Latin
finis ‘end’, ‘extremity’, ‘boundary’, later used also as an adjective in the sense ‘ultimate’, ‘excellent’).
Finel German (Swiss)In colloquial language the word “Finel” describes a shelter, protecting animal and man from wind and weather.
Finger English, German, JewishProbably applied as a nickname for a man who had some peculiarity of the fingers, such as possessing a supernumerary one or having lost one or more of them through injury, or for someone who was small in stature or considered insignificant... [
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Fink German, Slovene, English, JewishNickname for a lively or cheerful person, Jewish ornamental name derived from the Germanic word for "finch", and German translation of Slovene
Šinkovec which is from
šcinkovec or
šcinkavec meaning "finch".
Finklea EnglishVariant form of
Finkley. A famous bearer was the American actress and dancer Cyd Charisse (1922-2008), whose birth name was Tula Ellice Finklea.
Finkley EnglishFrom
Finkley, a hamlet in Hampshire, England, derived from Old English
finc meaning "finch" and
leah meaning "woodland, clearing".
Finnerty IrishReduced anglicisation of Irish
Ó Fionnachta meaning "descendant of Fionnachta", a given name derived from
fionn meaning "fair, white" and
sneachta meaning "snow".
Finnigan IrishThis interesting surname is of Irish origin, and is an Anglicization of the Gaelic
Ó Fionnagáin, meaning the descendant(s) of Fionnagan, an Old Irish personal name derived from the word "fionn", white, fairheaded.
Finocchio ItalianFrom Italian
finocchio "fennel", a nickname for someone who grew or sold the plant. In modern Italian, the word is a derogatory slang term for a gay man. The meaning "fine eye, keen eyesight" has also been suggested.
Finstad NorwegianMeans "Finn's farmstead", from the given name
Finn 2 and Old Norse
staðr "farmstead, dwelling". This was the name of several farms in Norway.
Finster German, JewishNickname from German
finster "dark, gloomy" or Yiddish
fintster (Middle High German
vinster). The name may have referred to a person's habitual character or it may have been acquired as a result of some now irrecoverable anecdote... [
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Fiordelise Italian (Rare)Derived from Italian
fiordaliso "cornflower". In heraldry, however,
fiordaliso is the Italian term for Fleur-de-lys, the symbol for the King of France (until the French Revolution). This surname either could have been ornamental, or could have referred to Italians loyal to the French Kingdom / Empire, even those among the king's guard.
Fiorelli ItalianThe surname Fiorelli was first found in Bolgna (Latin: Bononia), the largest city and the capital of Emilia-Romagna Region. The famous University of Bolgna was founded in the 11th century, by the 13th century the student body was nearly 10,000... [
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Firmino PortugueseSurname descendant of
Firmino, meaning “firm”. A famous bearer is Brazilian footballer Roberto Firmino.
Firth English, Scottish, WelshEnglish and Scottish: topographic name from Old English
(ge)fyrhþe ‘woodland’ or ‘scrubland on the edge of a forest’.... [
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Fischbach GermanFrom a place called Fischbach, or a topographic name from German meaning
fisch 'fish' +
bach 'stream'.
Fischi ItalianRare central Italian surname. Means “whistler” in Italian.
Fischioni Italian (Rare)Possibly deriving from fischiare, meaning to whistle, or from fischioni, the Italian word for widgeons.
Fiscus GermanFrom Latin
fiscus "basket", a humanistic Latinization of the German surname
Korb. This is a metonymic occupational name for a basketmaker or a peddler, or a habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a basket.
Fish Medieval English, JewishFrom Middle English
fische, fish ‘fish’, a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or fish seller, or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a fish.... [
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Fishburne EnglishDerived from the villages of Fishbourne in West Sussex and the Isle of Wight, or the village and civil parish of
Fishburn in County Durham, England, all named from Old English
fisc meaning "fish" and
burna meaning "stream"... [
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Fisk English (British)English (East Anglia): metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or fish seller, or a nickname for someone supposedly resembling a fish in some way, from Old Norse fiskr ‘fish’ (cognate with Old English fisc).
Fiske English, NorwegianFrom the traditionally Norwegian habitational surname, from the Old Norse
fiskr "fish" and
vin "meadow". In England and Denmark it was a surname denoting someone who was a "fisherman" or earned their living from selling fish.
Fitch ScottishThe name fitch is of anglo-saxon decent, it refers to a person of iron point inrefrence to a soldier or worrior it is derived from an english word (Fiche) which means iron point the name started in county suffolk
Fitoussi Jewish (Sephardic)Meaning uncertain, possibly from the Tamazight place name
Fitous located in present-day Libya. Alternately it may be related to the Arabic root ف ط س
(f-t-s) meaning "flatness", possibly used as a nickname for someone with a flat nose.
FitzEmpress History, Anglo-NormanMeans "son of the empress" in Anglo-Norman French. The three sons of Empress Matilda (1102-1167) were known as Henry FitzEmpress (King Henry II of England), Geoffrey FitzEmpress, Count of Nantes, and William FitzEmpress, Count of Poitou.
Fitzherbert IrishDerives from Anglo-Norman French
fi(t)z "son" and the personal name
Herbert to mean "son of Herbert".
Fitzooth Folklore (?)Fitzooth means "son of a nobleman". Robin Hood's real name was Robert Fitzooth.
Fitzpiers English, LiteratureMeans "son of
Peter" in Anglo-Norman, from a medieval form of Peter,
Piers. Edred Fitzpiers is a character in the 18th-century novel
The Woodlanders by
Thomas Hardy, who is depicted as a new doctor in the small woodland village of Little Hintock, who took an interest in
Grace Melbury, one of the characters,
Giles Winterborne's childhood sweetheart.
Fitzsimons IrishFitzsimons (also spelled FitzSimons, Fitzsimmons or FitzSimmons) is a surname of Norman origin common in both Ireland and England. The name is a variant of "Sigmundsson", meaning son of Sigmund. The Gaelicisation of this surname is Mac Shíomóin.
Fiveland Norwegian (Rare)From the name of a farm in Norway named with the word
fivel possibly meaning "cottongrass, bog cotton". This plant grows in abundance in the marshy land near the location of the farm.
Fjellström SwedishCombination of Swedish
fjäll "mountain, fell" and
ström "stream, river".
Flack EnglishProbably from Middle English
flack / flak meaning "turf, sod" (as found in the place name Flatmoor, in Cambridgeshire), and hence perhaps an occupational name for a turf cutter.
Flam JewishOrnamental name from Yiddish
flam "flame".
Flamel FrenchMeaning unknown. Proposals include french flamme meaning "flame" or a description of origin, such as "Flemish", or the French term for the same word, Flamand.... [
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Flammia ItalianFrom Latin
flammeus "flaming, fiery; flame-coloured", probably referring to the bearer's red hair.