Browse Submitted Surnames

Ahane Japanese (Rare)
亜 (A) means "second, Asia", 波 (ha) means "wave", 根 (ne) means "source, root". ... [more]

Akita Japanese
This surname can be used as 秋田, 明田, 穐田, 飽田 or 阿北 with 秋/穐 (shuu, aki, toki) meaning "autumn," 明 (mei, myou, min, a.kari, aka.rui, aka.rumu, aki.raka, a.keru, -a.ke, a.ku(ru), a.kasu) meaning "clear," 飽 (hou, a.kiru, a.kasu, a.ku, aki) meaning "boredom," 阿 (a, o, omone.ru, kuma) meaning "corner, nook," 田 (den, ta) meaning "rice field" and 北 (hou, kita) meaning "north."... [more]

Amachi Japanese
This surname is used as 天知, 天地, 天池, 天内, 雨知 or 雨地 with 天 (ten, ama-, amatsu, ame) meaning "heavens, imperial, sky", 雨 (u, ama-, ame, -same) meaning "rain", 知 (chi, shi.raseru, shi.ru) meaning "know, wisdom", 地 (ji, chi) meaning "earth, ground", 池 (chi, ike) meaning "cistern, pond, pool, reservoir" and 内 (dai, nai, uchi, chi) meaning "among, between, home, house, inside, within."... [more]

Amamiya Japanese
From Japanese 雨 (ama) meaning "rain" and 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace". A notable bearer of this surname is voice actress and singer Sora Amamiya (雨宮 天 Amamiya Sora, 1993–).

Astley English
Derived from an English surname and place name meaning "eastern woodland clearing" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname is British singer, songwriter, and radio personality Rick Astley (1966-pres.).

Atari Japanese
中 (Atari) means "middle". ... [more]

Auric French
Meaning unknown. Georges Auric (15 February 1899 – 23 July 1983) was a French composer, considered one of Les Six, a group of artists informally associated with Jean Cocteau and Erik Satie.

Austerlitz German (Austrian), Jewish
Derived from Slavkov u Brna (historically known as Austerlitz in German), a town located in Vyškov District, in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. This was real surname of the American actor and dancer Fred Astaire (1899-1987), as well as his sister Adele Astaire (1896-1981), an actress, singer and dancer.

Bacharach German, Jewish
Derived from Bacharach, a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. This surname was borne by the American composer and pianist Burt Bacharach (1928-2023).

Baez Spanish (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Spanish Báez, which might be a different form of Peláez (cf. Páez). A famous bearer is American singer and activist Joan Baez (1941-).... [more]

Bareilles French, Occitan
Derived from the place name Bareilles, a village in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitania region of France. A famous bearer is the American musician and actress Sara Bareilles (1979-).

Barzelay Hebrew
Variant form of Barzilai via Barzelai. A known bearer of this surname is American-Israeli musician Eef Barzelay (b... [more]

Bechet English
A famous bearer of this surname was Sidney Bechet (1897–1959), an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.

Beilin Jewish (Ashkenazi)
Derived from the feminine given name Beile or Bayla; the given names themselves are Yiddish forms of English Bella... [more]

Bellman Swedish, English
Swedish and English form of Bellmann. A notable bearer was Swedish composer, poet and entertainer Carl Michael Bellman (1740-1795).

Bergen German, Dutch, Flemish, Jewish
Originally denoted a person from any of the various places named Bergen in Germany and the Netherlands. It is also a variant of Berg. Famous bearers include the Americans Candice Bergen (1946-), an actress, and Polly Bergen (1930-2014), an actress, singer and television host.

Beyincé French, Louisiana Creole
Louisiana Creole form of Boyancé.... [more]

Blow English
From a medieval nickname for someone with a pale complexion (from Middle English blowe "pale"). This surname was borne by English composer John Blow (1649-1708) and British fashion editor Isabella Blow (original name Isabella Delves Broughton; 1958-2007); additionally, "Joe Blow" is a name used colloquially (in US, Canadian and Australian English) as representative of the ordinary uncomplicated unsophisticated man, the average man in the street (of which the equivalent in British English is "Joe Bloggs").

Bobber English
From the ancient Anglo-Saxon name Baber, a town in the county of Suffolk. A famous bearer of the last name is actor, director, animator, voice actor, and musician Troy Bobber.

Bockelmann German
Possibly derived from the name Bockel, a place in Germany. A famous bearer is Udo Jürgens (1934-2014), an Austrian musician, born Jürgen Udo Bockelmann.

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.

Brancaleone Italian
Derived from the medieval Italian masculine given name Brancaleone, which means either "a lion's paw" or "he who captures the lion". In the case of the former meaning, the name is derived from Italian branca meaning "paw, claw" combined with Italian leone meaning "lion"... [more]

Buffett French (Anglicized), English
Americanised form or a variant of French Buffet, or probably an English variant of Bufford. Famous bearers of this name include the Americans Warren Buffett (1930-), a businessman, investor and philanthropist, and Jimmy Buffett (1946-), a musician.

Bulsara Indian (Parsi)
From the name of the city of Valsad (historically known as Bulsar) in Gujarat, India. A famous bearer was British singer Farrokh Bulsara (1946-1991), better known as Freddie Mercury.

Buxtehude German, Low German
From the name of the town of Buxtehude in Lower Saxony, Germany. A famous bearer of this surname was the German-Danish Baroque composer and organist Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637-1707).

Caballé Spanish
Used by the Spanish Opera singer Montserrat Caballé.

Cabrit Medieval Occitan, Provençal, Judeo-Provençal, Occitan
Occitanian byname meaning ""billy-goat"" see: Vulgar Latin "cabritus", from "cabrire" from older Latine "caper". ... [more]

Cale Welsh
Possibly derived from the River Cale. A famous barer of this name is Welsh musician John Cale (1942- ).

Cant English
Means "singer in a chantry chapel", or from a medieval nickname for someone who was continually singing (in either case from Old Northern French cant "song").

Cantor Spanish
Occupational name for a singer.

Cantore Italian
From cantore "cantor, singer", itself from Latin canto "sing; enchant, call forth by charms".

Caplin English
Means "singer in a chantry chapel" (from Old Northern French capelain, a variant of standard Old French chapelain (cf. Chaplin)).

Caracciolo Italian
Famous bearer of this surname is Canadian-Italian singer Alessia Caracciolo (1996-).

Cavalera Italian
A bearer of this name is Brazilian metal musician Max Cavalera, whose father was Italian.

Cera Spanish, Italian, Catalan, Sicilian
Metonymic occupational name for a wax seller, derived from Latin cera meaning "wax". A famous bearer of this surname is Canadian actor and musician Michael Cera (1988-).

Chage Japanese
From Japanese 茶下 (chage) meaning "giver of tea". A notable bearer is Japanese musician Shūji Shibata (1958-), whose stage name is Chage.

Chaisson French, English
Variant of the French surname Chiasson originally denoting someone from the the municipality of Chiasso in Ticino, Switzerland, located along the Swiss/Italian border.... [more]

Chantry English
Means "singer in a chantry chapel" or "one who lives by a chantry chapel". A chantry was a type of chapel, one endowed for the singing of Masses for the soul of the founder (from Old French chanterie, from chanter "to sing").

Chiaki Japanese (Rare)
Depending on the kanji used can mean different things. Chi means "thousand" or "wisdom" and aki means "bright", "autumn", "sparkle", "crystal ball" or "shining". This is the last name of Naomi Chiaki, a Japanese singer... [more]

Ciccone English
A diminutive of Francesco. A famous bearer is American singer Madonna Ciccone (1958-), better known as simply Madonna.

Cimarosa Italian
from "Cima" Top, and "Rosa" A rose or the Color Pink. A famous Bearer of this surname is the Italian composer Domenico Cimarosa(1749-1801).

Clef Italian
At the end of the 10th century, Gregorian musical scribes increased the precision of early notation by introducing a horizontal line to indicate a base pitch. The pitch of this line was indicated by a letter at its start... [more]

Crudup German (Anglicized)
Probably an Americanised form of North German Gratop, a nickname for an old man, derived from Middle Low German gra meaning "gray" and top meaning "braid". Famous bearers of this name include the Americans Billy Crudup (1968-), an actor, and Arthur Crudup (1905-1974), a Delta blues singer, songwriter and guitarist.

Curroto Spanish (Latin American)
Spanish surname with unknown origin. Uruguayan / Spanish singer Lucas Curroto has this surname.

Cyrus English
From the given name Cyrus. A notable bearer is American singer and songwriter, Miley Cyrus (1992-).

Daiber German
Derived from either Middle High German tiuber "pigeon breeder, pigeon fancier" or from Middle High German touber "wind musician, musician who plays a wind instrument".

Da Palestrina Italian, History
Means "of Palestrina" in Italian, an Italian commune near Rome, derived from an Italian form of Latin Praenesteus or Praeneste, both of uncertain meaning. a famous bearer of the surname was the Italian late Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594).

De La Halle French
Means "of the hall" or "of the covered market" in French, from French halle "hall, covered market". Adam de la Halle (1245-1306) was a French poet-composer trouvère, widely considered as both a conservative and progressive composer.

Delalande French
French surname, pronounced /dølalɑ̃də/, which means "from the moor", "from the heath". Famous bearer Michel-Richard Delalande (1657-1726), French baroque composer and organist nicknamed "the Latin Lully", changed its spelling in "de Lalande" in order to give it aristocratic looks.

Deschanel French
Derived from French eschamel meaning "stepladder" or des chanels meaning "from the channels, from the little jugs". An occupational nickname for a trader, it supposedly originated in the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France... [more]

Desrouleaux French, Haitian Creole
Means "of the scrolls" in French. It is a occupational name for a scribe, a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of automatic printing... [more]

Diamandis Greek
"Diamonds" in Greek. One notable bearer of the surname is Marina Lambrini Diamandis, A Welsh/Greek Songwriter and Singer who preforms under the stage name of "Marina and the Diamonds"

Dio Italian
Means God in Italian. It was born as a stage name by Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010), an American Heavy Metal Musician.

Dion French
Meaning uncertain. It may be a habitational name from any of various locations called Dion or Dionne, derived from the Gaulish element divon- meaning "(sacred) spring" or Celtic dēwos meaning "god, deity"... [more]

Dodie Scottish (Modern)
Dodie is a Scottish shortening of the name "Dorothy" it is quite rare and one of the only famous people with this name is the singer/songwrite Dodie Clark.

Dudin Russian
Derived from Russian дудка (dudka), which denotes a wind-blown instrument similar to a flute or pipe. It was probably used to denote a musician or shepherd who played the flute or pipe, as well as someone who made pipes... [more]

Dunayevsky Russian
Derived from the Danube, the second-longest river in Europe. Two famous bearers are Soviet film composer and conductor Isaak Dunayevsky (1900-1955), and his son, Russian film composer Maksim Dunayevsky (1945-).

Falces Spanish (Philippines)
Falces is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain. In Basque the town is called Faltzes. It has a population of around 2500 inhabitants. It is well known for the famous "encierro del pilon", which is a running of the bulls made even more dangerous due to it being run down a narrow road of a steep hill... [more]

Fältskog Swedish
Combination of Swedish fält "field" and skog "forest". Agnetha Fältskog (b. 1950) is a Swedish singer and former member of ABBA.

Farkash Hebrew
Hebrew transcription of Farkas, famous bearer is Israeli singer and actress Amit Farkash (or Farkas)

Ferrante Italian
This surname can be derived from a given name (thus making it a patronymic surname) as well as from a nickname (thus making it a descriptive surname). In the case of a patronymic surname, the surname is derived from the medieval masculine given name Ferrante... [more]

Frampton English
English: habitational name from any of various places so called, of which there are several in Gloucestershire and one in Dorset. Most take the name from the Frome river (which is probably from a British word meaning ‘fair’, ‘brisk’) + Old English tun ‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’... [more]

Frescobaldi Italian
Derived from the given name Frescobaldo. This was the name of a prominent Florentine noble family as well as Italian composer and virtuoso Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643).

Frusciante Italian
Derived from the Italian adjective frusciante meaning "rustling, swishing, whishing", which itself is derived from the Italian verb frusciare meaning "to rustle, to swish, to whish". The surname had probably started out as a nickname for someone who made a rustling or whishing sound whenever they walked, which was probably caused by the clothes that they were wearing (in that the clothes must have been made of a certain fabric that is prone to making some noise when touched in any way).... [more]

Garson Scottish, French, English, German (Anglicized), Spanish, Jewish
Variant of Scottish Carson and Corston, French Garçon, Spanish-Jewish Garzon and English Garston, or an Americanised form of German Gerson... [more]

Gaye English
Possibly a nickname for a cheerful person, derived from the archaic word "gay" meaning "happy". A famous bearer was the American singer Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).

Gayen Bengali
Occupational name for a singer or bard of traditional Bengali music, ultimately derived from Sanskrit गै (gai) meaning "to sing".

Germanotta Italian
Possibly derived from Germano by adding a diminutive suffix. Most common in the Messina area in Sicily. A famous bearer of the surname is singer Lady Gaga (Stefani Germanotta).

Giacchino Italian
Meaning unknown. A famous bearer of this name is an American music composer films known as Michael Giacchino (1967-).

Giesinger German
Denoted a person from the town of Giesing in Germany. Or perhaps a variant spelling of Geisinger. A famous bearer of this surname is the German singer-songwriter Max Giesinger.

Grable German
Means "digger of ditches or graves" (from a derivative of Middle High German graben "ditch"). A famous bearer was US actress, dancer and singer Betty Grable (1916-1973).

Grala Polish
Nickname for a musician. Derived from Polish grać meaning "to play a musical instrument".

Grammer German, English
Variant of Krämer or a habitational name for someone possibly from German places called Gram or Grammen. It can also be an English occupational name for a scholar or an astrologer, derived from Old French gramaire meaning "grammarian, scholar, astrologer"... [more]

Grigahcine Berber (Rare, ?)
Meaning unknown, perhaps of Kabyle origin. A known bearer is DJ Snake, who was born William Grigahcine (1986-), an Algerian-French musician.

Guðnadóttir Icelandic
Means "daughter of Guðni". A notable bearer is Icelandic musician and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (b. 1982).

Hajime Japanese (Rare)
From the given name Hajime meaning "beginning". A notable bearer is Japanese singer Chitose Hajime.

Hasselhoff American
The surname of the singer, David Hasselhoff.

Hatathli Navajo
From Navajo hataałii meaning ‎"medicine man, shaman", literally "singer" (from the verb hataał ‎"he sings, he is chanting").

Haydn German
Meaning "heathen". Famous bearer is Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809).

Hazzan Jewish
Occupational name for a cantor or singer of a synagogue, from Hebrew חזן (khazán) "cantor, leader of a congregation".

Hölzel German
The surname of Austrian singer Johann "Hans" Hölzel (1957-1998), better known by his stage name Falco.

Honegger Swiss
Arthur Honegger (10 March 1892 – 27 November 1955) was a Swiss composer, and a member of Les Six, a group of composers associated with Jean Cocteau and Erik Satie. His most famous work is "Pacific 231".

Humperdinck German (?), Literature
From the German surname Humperdinck. As a surname it was born by the composer Engelbert Humperdinck. As a first name it was used for the villain Prince Humperdinck in William Goldman's novel The Princess Bride.

Ichihara Japanese
This surname combines 一 (ichi, itsu, hito-, hito.tsu) meaning "one" or 市 (shi, ichi) meaning "city, market, town" with 原 (gen, hara) meaning "field, meadow, original, plain, prairie, primitive, tundra, wilderness".... [more]

Ifans Welsh
Derived from Welsh ap Ifan meaning "son of Ifan". A famous bearer is Welsh actor and musician Rhys Ifans (1967-), born Rhys Owain Evans.

Ingoglia Italian
Means "belonging to the family of Goglia" in Italian, derived from the prefix in- meaning "belonging to the family of" combined with the name Goglia... [more]

Iriyama Japanese
From 入 (iri) meaning "entry, input", and 山 (yama) meaning "hill, mountain".... [more]

Jacks English
Possibly derived as a diminutive of the given name Jack. A famous bearer is Canadian singer-songwriter Terry Jacks, best known for his 1974 single 'Seasons in the Sun.'

Joplin English
Possibly derived from a Middle English diminutive of Geoffrey, a nickname from Middle English joppe "fool", or from the Biblical name Job... [more]

Kajiura Japanese (Rare)
Kaji means "wind" and Ura means "seacoast, bay".... [more]

Kamakawiwo'ole Hawaiian
From ka maka wiwo'ole, which means "the fearless eye, the bold face" in Hawaiian.... [more]

Kanters Dutch
An occupational name for a singer, such as a precentor (someone who leads songs or prayers in a church, monastery, or synagogue) or choir member. Ultimately derived from Latin cantor "singer, leader of song at a ceremony; prayer leader in a Jewish ceremony".

Kapela Polish
Occupational name for a musician, derived from Polish kapela "music band; court orchestra".

Kareluša Serbian
Famous bearer of this surname is Serbian singer Jelena Kareluša (1978-)

Kawaei Japanese
From 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 栄 (ei) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper".... [more]

Khil Russian
Russian spelling of Hill. A notable bearer was Russian baritone singer Eduard Khil (1934-2012).

Kitsusu Kongo
The surname of a notable Congolese musician whose real first name was Philemon.

Kiyoko Japanese
Surname of American-Japanese singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and director Hayley Kiyoko.

Kleinknecht German
A combining of the German word klein "small" and knecht "servant", originally an occupational name for a secondary hired hand. A famous historic figure who bore this surname was Jakob Friedrich Kleinknecht (8 April 1722 in Ulm - 11 August 1794 in Ansbach), a German composer of many works of chamber music and symphonies, flutist and Kapellmeister (chapel master).

Knopfler English, German
Derived from Knopf (German for "button"), this surname was originally given to button makers or button sellers. A famous bearer of this surname is English musician Mark Knopfler (1949-).

Kodály Hungarian
Hungarian surname.... [more]

Kollodzieyski Polish (Rare)
Best known as the surname of a certain composer called Walter Kollo.

Kondratenko Ukrainian
Form of Polish Kondrat. Masha Kondratenko is a Ukrainian singer.

Kotobuki Japanese
This surname is used as 寿 (shuu, ju, su, kotobuki, kotobu.ku) meaning "congratulations, longevity, one's natural life."... [more]

Krahe German, Spanish
From the German word Krähe, meaning "crow".... [more]

Kugimiya Japanese
This surname is used as 釘宮 with 釘 (chou, tei, kugi) meaning "nail, peg, tack" and 宮 (kyuu, ku, kuu, guu, miya) meaning "constellations, palace, princess, Shinto shrine."... [more]

Kuljuntausta Finnish (Rare)
Derived from Finnish kulju "quagmire, morass" and tausta "back". A notable of this name is the Finnish electronic composer Petri Kuljuntausta (1961-).

Lamond Scottish
Scottish classical pianist and composer; Henry George Lamond has this surname. It means lawyer.

Lark English
From the name of the bird, a nickname for a singer or a cheerful person, or perhaps someone who caught and sold larks. Alternatively, could be a shortened form of the personal name Larkin.

Lautemann German
From laute "lute" and man "man". This name was used by musicians who played the lute

Leal Portuguese, Spanish
Means "loyal" in Portuguese and Spanish. A famous bearer of this surname is Roberto Leal, a very popular singer in Portugal.

Leto Italian
From the personal name Leto. From Latin Laetus meaning "happy, joyful"... [more]

Lirnyk Ukrainian
Derived from Ukrainian лірник (lirnyk) meaning "lirnyk". Lirnyky were itinerant Ukrainian musicians who performed religious, historical and epic songs to the accompaniment of a lira.

Liszt Hungarian
Liszt is a Hungarian surname that literally means "flour".... [more]

Lobato American (Hispanic)
Lobato variant of Lovato, a Hispanic last name originating from Spanish colonial New Mexico and Colorado. That surname is common with Native New Mexicans... [more]

Loshaw English
English name this is the last name of singer Avril Lavigne’s Mother Judith Rosanne Loshaw

Luce Norman, French
Form of Lucius, meaning "light". A notable bearer of this surname is French singer-songwriter Renan Luce (1980-).

Lyngstad Norwegian
Anni-Frid Lyngstad (b. 1945) is a Norwegian-born Swedish singer and former member of ABBA.

MacDowell Scottish, Irish
Variant of McDowell. A famous bearer is American actress Andie MacDowell (1958-). Another was the American composer and pianist Edward MacDowell (1860-1908).

MacLaine Scottish
Variant form of McLean. A well-known bearer is American actress, singer and former dancer Shirley MacLaine (1934-).

Magaldi Italian, South American
Patronymic or plural form of the Old German personal name Magoald (from the elements megin, magan "strength, might, power" and wald "power"), or else a nickname from magaldo meaning "evil, wicked", which was derived from the personal name... [more]

Mahler German
Variant of Maler, a German occupational surname meaning "painter", particularly a stained glass painter.... [more]

Makhmetmurzayev Chechen
Ayshat Makhmetmurzayeva is a Chechen singer.

Maraj Indian, Trinidadian Creole
Shortened form of Maharaj. A notable bearer is singer Onika Maraj-Petty (1982-), professionally known as Nicki Minaj.

Mastrantonio Italian
From the Italian title mastro meaning "master craftsman", combined with the given name Antonio. A famous bearer is American actress and singer Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (1958-).

Matsuyuki Japanese
Matsu (松) means "pine" and yuki (雪) means "snow". ... [more]

McClurkin English (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Cléireacháin, a variant of Mac Cléirich. A famous bearer of this surname is pastor and gospel singer Donnie McClurkin (1959-).

Meester Dutch, Flemish, German
Occupational name for a teacher, lecturer or a master craftsman, or a nickname for someone who had a bossy demeanor, derived from Dutch meester meaning "master". A famous bearer of this surname is the American actress, singer and model Leighton Meester (1986-).

Mercury English
In some cases this may represent an anglicized form of French Mercure or Italian Mercuri, Mercurio or Di Mercurio... [more]

Merikanto Finnish
From Finnish meri "sea" and Kanto, an estate in Finland.... [more]

Michalka Czech (Americanized, ?), Slovak (Americanized, ?)
Of unknown origin and meaning... [more]

Midler English
Nickname for a person who causes trouble or meddles in the affairs of others, derived from Middle English medeler meaning "meddler, troublemaker, one who interferes". This name is borne by the American singer, actress and comedienne Bette Midler (1945-).

Miley Irish (Anglicized)
Anglicised form of Ó Maol Aodha, though Ó Máille and Ó Maolmhuaidh can also be possibilities... [more]

Mogi Japanese
From 茂 (mo) meaning "lush" and 木 (gi) meaning "tree, wood".... [more]

Monique French
A notable bearer is Kylie Monique, a singer.

Monteith Scottish
From the name of the district of Menteith in south Perthshire, Scotland, derived from Gaelic monadh meaning "hill pasture" combined with the Scottish river name Teith. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor and musician Cory Monteith (1982-2013), who played Finn Hudson on the American television series Glee (2009-2015).

Mukaichi Japanese
From 向 (muka) meaning "towards", 井 (i) meaning "mineshaft, well, pit", and 地 (chi) meaning "earth, ground, land, destinations".... [more]

Mull Scottish
Scottish, Irish, or English: Probably comes from the Scots language, as the Scots word for "headland" or comes from the geographical term, which is an Anglicization of the Gaelic Maol, a term for a rounded hill, summit, or mountain bare of trees... [more]

Mustaine English
meaning unknown. though we all no singer/guitarist for the metal band megadeth. Dave Mustaine!

Muziki Swahili
From Swahili meaning "music". Possibly an occupational name for a musician.

Muzyka Belarusian, Russian, Ukrainian
Derived either from Belarusian музыка (muzyka) or Ukrainian музика (muzyka), both possibly derived from German Musiker meaning "musician".

Nadori Moroccan
Habitational name from the Rifian city or province of Nador. A famous bearer is singer Rachid Nadori.

Nakarada Norwegian
From the Norwegian composer Alexander Nakarada, who is the founder of SerpentSound Studios. His main focus is to make it easier for all creative people around the globe to get good music for their work.

Nancarrow Cornish
Means "person from Nancarrow", Cornwall (either "valley frequented by deer" or "rough valley"). It was borne by US composer Conlon Nancarrow (1912-1997).

Nobunaga Japanese
Nobu means "trust, believe" and naga means "long, cheif".... [more]

Novello Italian
From the nickname and personal name Novello, from Italian meaning 'new, young'. A famous bearer of this name is Welsh actor and musician Ivor Novello (1893-1951).

Novoselić Croatian
Derived from nov, meaning "new", and selo, meaning "village", so the possible meaning is "the one who's new to the village".... [more]

Numan English, German (Anglicized)
Variant of Neumann. A famous bearer is English musician Gary Numan.

Offenbach German, Jewish
From the name of the city of Offenbach am Main in Hesse, Germany. A famous bearer was the German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880).

Oku Japanese
From Japanese 奥 (oku) meaning "inside; inner depths". It is a reference to an event in the Northern and Southern Courts Period, of 3 sons of Takase who became heroes for the south. The emperor of Japan awarded each of the sons a new surname; Oku for the eldest son, Naka for the middle son, and Kuchi for the youngest son.... [more]

Olympiou Greek (Cypriot)
Means "son of Olympios". A famous bearer is the Greek Cypriot singer Despina Olympiou.

Panou Greek
Means "son of Panos". A famous bearer is the Greek composer Akis Panou (1933-2000)

Pastorius German (Latinized)
Derived from Latin pastor "shepherd", a Latinized form of German surname Schäfer. This surname is no longer found in Germany. Jaco Pastorius (1951-1987), full name John Francis Anthony Pastorius III, was the most influential American jazz bassist, composer, and producer... [more]

Petras Various
Possibly from the name Petros. Famous bearer of this surname is the German singer Kim Petras (born 1992)

Polnareff French
Most known by famous French singer Michel Polnareff, and fictional Jojo's Bizarre Adventure character Jean-Pierre Polnareff (who is named after the singer).

Presbitero Filipino
Borrowed from Spanish presbítero meaning "presbyter", an elder or priest in various Christian Churches. A notable bearer of this name is Filipino singer Thaddeus Presbitero Durano Jr... [more]

Presley Scottish
From Persley, a small Scottish hamlet on the River Don, Aberdeenshire, now a suburb of the much larger city of Aberdeen, named perhaps with the Pictish word *pres-, meaning 'bushes' or 'undergrowth'.... [more]

Rakhmaninov Russian
From a nickname derived from Russian рахманный (rakhmannyy) meaning "lazy". A notable bearer was Russian composer, pianist and conductor Sergei Rakhmaninov (1873-1943).

Richie English (Rare), Italian
Diminutive form of Richard. It could also have been a nickname for one who was rich or wealthy, or, in Italy, a variant of Ricci... [more]

Rimes English
Originally denoted one who came from the city of Reims in the Grand Est region of France, or a topographic name for someone who lived in a thickly wooded area, derived from Old French ramel (a diminutive of raim) meaning "branch", ultimately from Latin ramus... [more]

Rossdale Jewish
Anglicized variant of German-Jewish Rosenthal.... [more]

Rozvadovs'kyy m Ukrainian
Bohdan Rozvadovs'kyy, better known as SadSvit, is a popular singer in Ukraine.

Ruffin English
From the medieval French male personal name Ruffin, from Latin Rufinus, a derivative of Rufus (literally "red-haired one")... [more]

Rushen English
Originally denoted a person who lived near a marsh, noted for its rushes (see Rush). A famous bearer of this surname is the American singer Patrice Rushen (b. 1954).

Rutter English
Either (i) "player of the rote (a medieval stringed instrument played by plucking)"; or (ii) from a medieval nickname for a dishonest or untrustworthy person (from Old French routier "robber, mugger")... [more]

Saenger German, Jewish
Occupational name for a chorister or a nickname for someone who liked singing, from Middle High German senger, German Sänger meaning "singer".

Sakamata Japanese
Perhaps from surname of Naoya Sakamata, who was a composer of dark music.

Scaggs English
Variant of Skaggs both of English origin and unknown meaning. Famous bearer is singer Boz Scaggs (1944-) of the Steve Miller Band and the band Toto.

Sean English
The stage Surname of English singer Jay Sean (born Kamaljit Singh Jhooti)

Sheriff English, Scottish
Occupational name for a sheriff, derived from Middle English schiref, shreeve, shryve literally meaning "sheriff", or from Old English scir meaning "shire, administrative district" and (ge)refa meaning "reeve"... [more]

Shimotsuki Japanese (Rare, ?)
霜 (Shimo) means "hoar, frost" and 月 (tsuki) means "month, noon". This is the traditional Japanese word for "November". ... [more]

Shostakovich Russian
Last name of the Russian composer Dimitri Shostakovich.

Sibelius Finland Swedish
Latinization of Swedish Sibbe, the name of an estate in Eastern Uusimaa, Finland. A notable bearer was Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957).

Singer German
variant of Sänger, in the sense of ‘poet’

Spivak Ukrainian
Means "singer" in Ukrainian.

Spohr German
Occupational name for a maker of spurs, from Middle High German spor ‘spur’, or a topographic name, from Middle High German spor ‘spoor’, ‘animal tracks’.... [more]

Sprout English
This name is derived from the name of an ancestor, meaning "the son of Sprot".... [more]

Squier English (Modern)
Variant of Squire.... [more]

Starkey English, German
From a diminutive of Stark. This surname is borne by the English musician Sir Richard Starkey (1940-), also known as Ringo Starr.

Strauss German, Jewish
From the German word strauß, meaning "ostrich." In its use as a Jewish surname, it comes from the symbol of the building or family that the bearer occupied or worked for in the Frankfurter Judengasse... [more]

Streisand German, Jewish
Possibly an ornamental name, literally meaning "scattersand" in German. This surname is borne by the American singer and actress Barbra Streisand (1942-).

Strider English
Likely an anglicized variation of the Dutch term "Strijder" or German term "Streiter," this surname represents an occupational designation for a soldier or a descriptive term for someone with a combative demeanor.... [more]

Sugar German (Rare)
Sugar is the surname of talented storyteller, writer, and composer Rebecca Rae Sugar (creator of animated series Steven Universe).

Suwabe Japanese
A notable bearer is Junichi Suwabe, a singer and voice actor.

Swayze German (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Schweitzer. A famous bearer was American actor and singer Patrick Swayze (1952-2009).

Tegnér Swedish
Derived from the name of Tegnaby parish in Småland, Sweden. The name was originally spelled Tegnérus, but was later shortened to Tegnér. Notable bearers include Alice Tegnér (1864-1943), composer of many Swedish hymns and children's songs, and Esaias Tegnér (1782-1846), bishop and writer.

Tisdale English
Variant spelling of Teasdale. Famous bearers or this name include the actress and singer Ashley Tisdale (1985-), basketball player and bass guitarist Wayman Tisdale (1964-2009) and the engraver, miniature painter and cartoonist Elkanah Tisdale (1768-1835), all Americans.

Tjeknavorian Armenian
Derived from Armenian ճգնավոր (čgnavor) "hermit, anchorite, ascetic". The famous bearer of the name is Iranian Armenian composer and conductor Loris Tjeknavorian (1937-).

Tokarev Russian
Patronymic name derived from Russian токарь (tokar) meaning "turner". A turner was a person who used a lathe to create small objects from wood or bone. A notable bearer of this name was the Russian-American singer and songwriter Willi Tokarev (1934-2019).

Toussaint French
Derived from the given name Toussaint, which in turn is derived from Toussaint, the French name for the Christian feast day All Saints' Day (celebrated on November 1st every year)... [more]

Tovey English
From the Old Norse male personal name Tófi, a shortened form of various compound names beginning with Thorf- or Thorv- (e.g. Þórvaldr), based on the name of the thunder god Þórr... [more]

Townshend English
Variant of Townsend. This surname is borne by the English musician Pete Townshend (1945-).

Tozzi Italian
Derived from the Italian adjective tozzo meaning "squat; stocky" and also "chunk; hunk", both from Latin túndere meaning "to dent" or from Slavic stotz meaning "stump".... [more]

Tromp Dutch
Occupational name for a musician derived from trompet "trumpet, horn", or possibly Middle Dutch tromme "drum".

Turton English
From Turton, an historical area in Lancashire, England (now part of Greater Manchester); it was originally a township in the former civil parish of Bolton le Moors. It is derived from the Old Norse given name Þórr (see Thor) and Old English tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town"... [more]

Ulvaeus Swedish (Rare)
Allegedly a latinization of Ulfsäter, a combination of Swedish ulv "wolf" and säter "mountain pasture". Björn Ulvaeus (b. 1945) is a Swedish songwriter, composer and former member of ABBA.

van Beethoven Flemish
Means "from the beet fields", a variant of Beethoven. A famous bearer of this name was German Clasical composer Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827).

Van Halen Dutch
Habitational name for a person from the villages Hoog en Laaghalen in the Dutch province of Drenthe or Halen near Hasselt in Belgian Limburg. Famous bearers include Dutch-born American musicians Eddie Van Halen (1955-2020) and his brother Alex Van Halen (1953-) of the rock band Van Halen... [more]

Vreeswijk Dutch
Habitational name from a former village and municipality in the province Utrecht, Netherlands, derived from Old Dutch Frieso "Frisian" and wic "village, town"... [more]

Vulović Serbian
Vulović is the last name of Roki Vulović, a Serbian nationalist singer who lives in Bosnia.

Wajima Japanese
A variant of Washima.... [more]

Weingartner German
Derived from German weingärtner meaning "wine maker, vintner", which itself is derived from German weingarten meaning "vineyard". The latter is a composite word consisting of German wein "wine" combined with German garten "garden"... [more]

Welk German (East Prussian)
Nickname from Middle High German welc, meaning "soft and mild". The name was first recorded in South Holland, however many of the bearers of the name trace its roots back to East Germany. A famous bearer of this name was Lawrence Welk, an American musician and host of the Lawrence Welk Show.

Whitacre English (American)
Variant of Whitaker. A notable bearer is Eric Whitacre (1970-), an American composer.

Winehouse Jewish, German
Anglicized variant of German and Yiddish 'Weinhaus'. From German wein, 'vine, grapevine' and haus 'house, building, home', likely indicating a house with a vineyard. ... [more]

Winstead English
Perhaps derived from the town of Wanstead in Greater London, England (recorded in the Domesday Book as Wenesteda), named with Old English wænn meaning "wagon" and stede meaning "place, site", but it is more likely derived from the village of Winestead in East Yorkshire, England, named from Old English wefa meaning "wife" and hamstede meaning "homestead"... [more]

Yakushimaru Japanese
A notable bearer is Hiroko Yakushimaru, a singer and actress. ... [more]

Yasuraoka Japanese (Rare)
安 (yasu) means "cheap, low, inexpensive, rested, peaceful, relax".良 (ra) means "good, excellent", and 岡 (oka) means "ridge, hill"... [more]

Zachow German
Meaning unknown. A notable bearer of this name is Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, a organist, musician, and composer who lived from 1663 to 1712. Zachow, Wisconsin is an unincorporated community named after a local landowner, William Zachow.

Zarubina Russian
Famous bearer: Olga Zarubina (Ольга Зарубина), Soviet/Russian singer. ... [more]

Zdunich Polish
Polish name of unknown meaning or origin. A notable bearer of this name is American actor/singer/artist/songwriter Terrance Zdunich.

Zervas Greek
Meaning unknown. The surname is borne by American rapper, singer and composer Arizona Zervas.