Browse Submitted Surnames

This is a list of submitted surnames in which the person who added the name is SeaHorse15.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Acquaviva Italian
From an Italian place name meaning "running water, spring", literally "living water".
Adlam English
Derived (via Anglo-Norman) from the Old German given name Adalhelm. Also compare Adelelmus (see Adelelm).
Advíncula Spanish
Perhaps from Latin ad vincula "in chains", a title of Saint Peter.
Allely Irish
From Irish Mac Ailghile meaning "descendant of Ailghil".
Anikeev Russian
Means "son of Anikey", Anikey being an archaic short form of Ioannikiy.
Aslanian Armenian
Alternate transcription of Aslanyan.
Asplin English
From a short form of the given name Absalom.
Atempa Mexican, Nahuatl (Hispanicized)
Means "on the riverbank" or "on the bank of the lake", derived from Nahuatl atl meaning "water" combined with tentli "bank, shore" and the suffix -pan "in, on".
Aveline French
Derived from the medieval given name Aveline or Avelin.
Axelrod Jewish (Americanized)
Derived from the Yiddish given name Akslrod.
Babushkin Russian, Jewish
Derived from Russian бабушка (babushka) meaning "grandmother".
Bégon French
Probably from French béguin "(male) Beguin", referring to a member of a particular religious order active in the 13th century, and derived from the surname of Lambert le Bègue, the mid-12th-century priest responsible for starting it... [more]
Bevilacqua Italian
From Italian bevi l'acqua "drinks water", a nickname likely applied ironically to an alcoholic.
Beynon Welsh
From Welsh ab Einon meaning "son of Einon". Einon is a variant of Einion.
Blomstrand Swedish
From Swedish blomma (Old Norse blóm) meaning "flower" and strand (Old Norse strǫnd) meaning "beach, sea shore".
Bohórquez Spanish
Denoted a person from Bohorques, a minor place in the Spanish province of Santander.
Borromée Italian (Gallicized)
Gallicized form of Borromeo, used in reference to Saint Charles Borromeo, a 16th-century Italian cardinal.
Brannock Irish
Originally taken from the Welsh place name Brecknock. Medieval settlers brought this name to Ireland.
Brightwen English
From either of the two Old English given names Beohrtwine (a masculine name which meant "bright friend") or Beohrtwynn (a feminine name which meant "bright joy").
Bylilly Navajo
Derived from Navajo ‎"for him" and álílee "magic power".
Cattley English
Means "person from Catley", Herefordshire and Lincolnshire ("glade frequented by cats"). It was borne by the British botanical patron William Cattley (1788-1835).
Chinchilla Spanish
Originally denoted a person from the Spanish town of Chinchilla de Monte-Aragón in the province of Albacete. The place name is possibly of Arabic origin.
Cokayne English
Medieval English nickname which meant "idle dreamer" from Cockaigne, the name of an imaginary land of luxury and idleness in medieval myth. The place may derive its name from Old French (pays de) cocaigne "(land of) plenty", ultimately from the Low German word kokenje, a diminutive of koke "cake" (since the houses in Cockaigne are made of cake).
Danz German
Derived from a given name, a short form of the name Tandulf, the origins of which are uncertain. (In some cases, however, this surname may have originated as a nickname denoting a person who liked to dance, from the Middle High German word tanz, danz "dance".)
Debs French
From the given name Debus, a variant of Thebs or Thebus, which was an altered short form of Mattheus. This was borne by American union leader Eugene V. Debs (1855-1926).
Desanges French (Rare)
Means "from the angels", possibly connected to the French title of the Virgin Mary Notre Dame des Anges, meaning "Our Lady of the Angels". Bearers of this surname include Louis William Desanges (1822-1905), an English artist of French descent, and French historian Jehan Desanges (1929-).
Di Stasio Italian
Means "son of Stasio", Stasio being a short form of Anastasio.
Dolphin English, Irish
Derived from the Old Norse personal name Dólgfinnr.
Dorsainvil Haitian Creole
Ornamental name derived from French d'or meaning "of gold" combined with saint "holy" and vil "settlement" (the Haitian Creole spelling of French ville).
Drury English, French, Irish
Originally a Norman French nickname, derived from druerie "love, friendship" (itself a derivative of dru "lover, favourite, friend" - originally an adjective, apparently from a Gaulish word meaning "strong, vigourous, lively", but influenced by the sense of the Old High German element trut, drut "dear, beloved").... [more]
Elphee English
Derived from the Old English given name Ælfwig.
Elsegood English (British), English (Australian)
Derived from an Old English given name, possibly *Ælfgod or *Æðelgod, in which the second element is god "god". (Another source gives the meaning "temple-god", presumably from ealh and god.)... [more]
Enevoldsen Danish
Means "son of Enevold".
Espíritu Spanish
From a short form of Spanish del Espíritu Santo meaning "of the Holy Spirit, of the Holy Ghost" (Latin Spiritus Sanctus), which was the second part of religious compound names formed from the bearer's given name and del Espíritu Santo... [more]
Esplin Scottish
Scottish variant of Asplin. This was borne by the English stained glass artist and muralist Mabel Esplin (1874-1921).
Fahey Irish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Fathaidh or Ó Fathaigh meaning "descendant of Fathadh", a given name derived from the Gaelic word fothadh "base, foundation".... [more]
Fantasia Italian
From Italian fantasia meaning "imagination", possibly a nickname for a person who had a vivid imagination, or from the personal name Fantasia, the feminine form of Fantasio. Known bearers include American sociologist Rick Fantasia and Australian footballer Orazio Fantasia (1995-).
Feoktistov Russian
Means "son of Feoktist".
Fioravanti Italian
Derived from the given name Fioravante.
Florescu Romanian
Means "son of Florea".
Fomin Russian
Derived from the given name Foma.
Gavriiloglou Greek
Patronymic meaning "son of Gavriil", from the given name Gavriil combined with the Turkish suffix -oğlu meaning "son of".
Greenway English
Originally given to a person who lived near a grassy path, from Middle English grene "green" and weye "road, path" (cf. Way).... [more]
Greenway Welsh
Derived from the given name Goronwy.
Gulliver English
From a medieval nickname for a greedy person (from Old French goulafre "glutton"). Jonathan Swift used it in his satire 'Gulliver's Travels' (1726), about the shipwrecked ship's surgeon Lemuel Gulliver, whose adventures "offer opportunities for a wide-ranging and often savage lampooning of human stupidity and vice."
Hadjópulos Greek (Hispanicized, Expatriate), Mexican (Rare)
Spanish form of Greek Χατζόπουλος (see Chatzopoulos).
Harjo Creek
From Creek Ha'chō meaning "crazy brave; recklessly brave".
Hatathli Navajo
From Navajo hataałii meaning ‎"medicine man, shaman", literally "singer" (from the verb hataał ‎"he sings, he is chanting").
Hatzopoulos Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Χατζόπουλος (see Chatzopoulos).
Havelock English
From the Middle English male personal name Havelok, from Old Norse Hafleikr, literally "sea sport". It was borne by the British general Sir Henry Havelock (1795-1857).
Heard English
Occupational name for a tender of animals, normally a cowherd or shepherd, from Middle English herde (Old English hi(e)rde).
Hickory English
Meaning uncertain.
Hinckley English
From the name of a place in Leicestershire meaning "Hynca's wood", from the Old English byname Hynca, derivative of hún "bear cub", and leah "woodland, clearing".
Hollier English, French
Occupational name for a male brothel keeper, from a dissimilated variant of Old French horier "pimp", which was the agent noun of hore "whore, prostitute". Hollier was probably also used as an abusive nickname in Middle English and Old French.... [more]
Hrytsenko Ukrainian
Patronymic derived from a diminutive of Hryhoriy.
Hurd English
Variant of Heard.
Imbimbo Neapolitan
From Italian bimbo meaning "a child, a male baby" (which is a variant of bambino "child") combined with in-, a prefix indicating "belonging to the family of".
Ipatiev Russian
Means "son of Ipatiy".
Jolicoeur French (Quebec), Haitian Creole
From Old French joli "joyful, cheerful" and cuer "heart". It was originally a nickname for a cheerful person. This was a frequent French Canadian secondary surname (or dit name).
Jourdemayne Medieval English
Likely from Old French jor de main meaning "day labourer". This was borne by Margery Jourdemayne, an English woman known as the "Witch of Eye" who was burned at the stake in 1441 for conspiring to kill the king with witchcraft... [more]
Kalashnikov Russian
Means "son of the kalach-maker", derived from Russian калашник (kalashnik), a variant of калачник (kalachnik) "maker of kalaches" - kalach being a type of bread - combined with ‎the patronymic suffix -ов (-ov)... [more]
Kellen German
From the name of a place in Rhineland, which is derived from Middle Low German kel (a field name denoting swampy land) or from the dialect word kelle meaning "steep path, ravine".
Kelty Scottish
From the name of a village in Fife, Scotland, which was derived from Scottish Gaelic coillte "wooded area, grove".
Khashoggi Arabic
Arabized form of the Turkish surname Kaşıkçı.
Kilgore Scottish
Habitational name for someone from Kilgour in Fife, named with the Gaelic coille "wood" and gobhar, gabhar "goat".
Labonté French (Quebec), Haitian Creole, Mauritian Creole
From French la bonté meaning "(the) kindness, (the) goodness", originally used as a soldier's name and perhaps also as a nickname for a benevolent person. This surname is rare in France.
Lansing Dutch
Patronymic from Lans, Germanic Lanzo, a Dutch cognate of Lance.
Lansing English
Derived from the name of Lancing, a place in West Sussex, which was composed of the Old English personal name Wlanc and -ingas meaning "family of" or "followers of".
Laverdure French
From the French place name La Verdure meaning "greenness, greenery".
Laverick English
Derived from Old English lāferce meaning "lark", making it a cognate of Lark.
Lazenby English
From a place name which was derived from leysingi and byr, two Norse words meaning "freedman" and "settlement" respectively.
Liljedahl Swedish, Norwegian
Ornamental name derived from Swedish lilje, a genitive form of lilja "lily" used in compounds, and the archaic word dahl (Old Norse dalr) meaning "valley"... [more]
Linnett English
Derived from a diminutive of the medieval feminine given name Line, which was a short form of names such as Cateline, Adelina, Amelina and Lecelina.
Luster English
Variant of Lester.
Mac Pháidín Irish
Patronymic of (a Gaelic diminutive of) Patrick.
Martynenko Ukrainian
Patronymic derived from the given name Martyn.
Mastin English
Variant of Maston.
Mazarin French
French form of Italian Mazzarino.
Mazzarino Italian
A diminutive of Mazzaro, an Italian surname meaning "mace-bearer".
Mcfadden Scottish, Irish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Phaid(e)in (Scottish) and Mac Pháidín (Irish) - both patronymics of Patrick (via Gaelic diminutives of the given name).
Moskovsky Russian
Habitational name for someone from Moscow.
Mowbray English
Ultimately from the name of a place in Normandy meaning "mud hill" in Old French.
Palafox Spanish (Mexican)
From Palafolls, a Catalan place name.
Peltier French
Variant of Pelletier (from Old French pellet, a diminutive of pel "skin, hide").
Penrose Cornish, Welsh
Originally meant "person from Penrose", Cornwall, Herefordshire and Wales ("highest part of the heath or moorland"). It is borne by the British mathematician Sir Roger Penrose (1931-).... [more]
Piketty French
Perhaps related to the English surname Pickett. A notable bearer is French economist Thomas Piketty (1971-).
Plumier French, Belgian
Possibly an occupational name for a dealer in feathers and quills, from an agent derivative of Old French plume "feather, plume" (compare English and Dutch Plumer)... [more]
Pobjoy English
From a medieval nickname for someone thought to resemble a parrot, from Middle English papejai, popinjay "parrot". This probably denoted someone who was talkative or who dressed in bright colours, although it may have described a person who excelled at the medieval sport of pole archery, i.e. shooting at a wooden parrot on a pole.
Polidori Italian
Means "son of Polidoro". Famous bearers include John William Polidori (1795-1821), a physician to Lord Byron and author of 'The Vampyre' (1819), and his sister Frances Polidori (1800-1886), the mother of painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti, poet Christina Rossetti, critic William Michael Rossetti, and author Maria Francesca Rossetti.
Posthumus Dutch, Low German
From a personal name which was given to a posthumous child, i.e., one born after the death of his father, derived from Latin postumus "last, last-born" (superlative of posterus "coming after, subsequent") via Late Latin posthumus, which was altered by association with Latin humare "to bury", suggesting death (i.e., thought to consist of post "after" and humus "grave", hence "after death"); the one born after the father's death obviously being the last.
Ramkissoon Trinidadian Creole, Mauritian Creole, South African, South American
Altered form of Ramakrishnan used mainly in Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius, South Africa and Guyana. This surname is not used in India.
Ravenhill English
From Rauenilde or Ravenild, medieval English forms of the Old Norse given name Hrafnhildr.
Réal French
This can derive from several different sources: southern French réal "royal", a word which was applied to someone either as a nickname (presumably given to people perceived as being regal) or as an occupational name (given to a person in the service of the king); or the French place name Réal, in which case this is a habitational name taken from any of various places which were named for having been part of a royal domain (also compare Reau, Reaux).
Rodionov Russian
Means "son of Rodion".
Rosevear Cornish, English
From the name of a Cornish village near St Mawgan which derives from Celtic ros "moor, heath" and vur "big".
Sahabi Iranian
Possibly from Arabic صَحَابِيّ‎ (ṣaḥābiyy) meaning "companion", from the verb صَحِبَ‎ (ṣaḥiba) "to accompany, to be one's companion".
Sanguinetti Italian, Judeo-Italian
From Sanguinetto, the name of two places in Genova and Verona provinces.
Sankara Mossi (?), Fula (?)
The surname of the assassinated Burkinabé president Thomas Sankara (1949-1987).
Sedaine French
Derived from the given name Sidoine.
Severson American
Probably an Americanized form of Sivertsen, Sivertson, or Sievertsen.
Sheldrake English
From a medieval nickname for a dandyish (showy) or vain man, from Middle English scheldrake, the male of a type of duck with brightly-coloured plumage (itself from the East Anglian dialect term scheld "variegated" combined with drake "male duck").
Shivers Irish
Irish variant of Chivers.
Shuck English
Origin uncertain; perhaps a nickname from Middle English schucke "devil, fiend".
Sievertsen German
Patronymic of Sievert.
Sivertson American
Americanized form of Sivertsen or Sivertsson.
Sivertsson Swedish
Swedish cognate of Sivertsen.
Somov Russian
Derived from Russian сом (som) meaning "catfish".
Somova Russian
Feminine form of Somov. This is borne by Russian ballerina Alina Somova (1985-).
Sorrell English
From a medieval nickname meaning literally "little red-haired one", from a derivative of Anglo-Norman sorel "chestnut".
Spendlove English
From a medieval nickname for someone who spread their amorous affections around freely. A different form of the surname was borne by Dora Spenlow, the eponymous hero's "child-wife" in Charles Dickens's 'David Copperfield' (1849-50).... [more]
St Fleur Haitian Creole
From the French place name St Fleur.
St-gelais French (Quebec)
From the French place name Saint-Gelais which was allegedly named for a 5th-century bishop of Poitiers. The name Gelais is a variant of Gélase.
St Leger Irish, English
Anglo-Irish surname, from one of the places in France called Saint-Léger, which were named in honour of St. Leodegar.
Stradivari Italian
Italian surname of uncertain origin, either from the plural of Lombard stradivare meaning "toll-man" or from strada averta meaning "open road" in the Cremonese dialect. A famous bearer was Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), a violin-maker of Cremona.
Swan English, Scottish
Originally given as a nickname to a person who was noted for purity or excellence, which were taken to be attributes of the swan, or who resembled a swan in some other way. In some cases it may have been given to a person who lived at a house with the sign of a swan... [more]
Tannahill Scottish
From the name of a place in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Tanqueray French
Derived from the given name Tancred.
Tenayuca Indigenous American, Mexican (Rare), Comanche (?)
Of uncertain origin. A known bearer was Emma Tenayuca (1916-1999), an American labor leader of Comanche descent.
Thistlethwaite English
A surname found in Lancashire in north west England, taken from the name of a minor place in the parish of Lancaster which meant "meadow overgrown with thistles" from Middle English thistle and thwaite "meadow" (cf... [more]
Tranquilli Italian
Derived from the given name Tranquillo.
Triantafyllidou Greek
Patronymic from the genitive form of Triantafyllos.
Turrentine American
Origin unidentified (Dictionary of American Family Names: '1881 census has 0, Not in RW, EML'), perhaps from the Italian surname Tarantino.
Ungoed Welsh
Derived from Welsh un "one" and coed "a wood".
Unthank English
From a place name meaning "squatter's holding" from Old English unthanc (literally "without consent").
Weld English
Meant "one who lives in or near a forest (or in a deforested upland area)", from Middle English wold "forest" or "cleared upland". A famous bearer is American actress Tuesday Weld (1943-).
Welty German (Swiss)
From a Swiss German diminutive of the German given name Walther. A literary bearer was the American writer Eudora Welty (1909-2001).
Whynot German (Americanized)
Americanized form of German Weinacht.
Winney English
Derived from an unattested Old English given name, *Wyngeofu, composed of the elements wyn "joy" and geofu "battle".... [more]
Winterson English
Patronymic form of Winter.
Yarzagaray Spanish (Caribbean), Papiamento (?)
Aruban surname of Basque origin.
Zafeiriou Greek
Means "son of Zafeiris".