NassauGerman, Dutch, Jewish From the name of the town of Nassau in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (formerly the seat of an independent duchy in the 19th century), derived from Old High German naz meaning "damp, wet" and ouwa meaning "water meadow"... [more]
NasserGerman Someone from any of the places called Nassen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, and Bavaria.
NastGerman Topographic name for someone who lived in a thickly wooded area, or a metonymic occupational name for a woodcutter, from Middle High German nast meaning "branch", a regional variant of ast, resulting from the misdivision of forms such as ein ast meaning "a branch".
NasutionBatak From Mandailing Nan Sakti On or Na Sakti On meaning "the magic one", itself from sakti meaning "mystical, magical" (ultimately of Sanskrit origin). This was a nickname of legendary Mandailing ruler Si Baroar Nan Sakti.
NatsumeJapanese From Japanese 棗 (natsume) meaning "jujube". Natsume was a large village in the former district of Sakai, but the surname could also be from the former name for the area of Ishishimbo.
NatsumeJapanese From Japanese 夏 (Natsu) meaning "summer" and 目 (me) meaning "eye". A famous bearer of this name was Japanese writer Sōseki Natsume (1867-1916).
NatsumiJapanese (Rare) This is occasionally,but rarely used as a last name. Natsu means "Summer",and Mi in this surname means "Look". So the literal meaning of this could be "Look at Summer",or "The Look of Summer"... [more]
Natt och DagOld Swedish, Swedish (Rare) Means "night and day" in Swedish. This is the name of one of the oldest noble families in Sweden. The name is believed to be a reference to the family's coat of arms which consisted of a blue and a golden field, the blue symbolizing night and the gold symbolizing day.
NauGerman A variant of Neu; meaning "ship" or "boat."
NaultFrench From a short form of various medieval personal names derived from Germanic personal names formed with wald 'rule' as the final element, in particular Arnold.
NautaDutch Humanistic Latinization of Schipper, from nauta "sailor, seaman, mariner".
NavalnymUkrainian More common transcription of Navalnyy, due to the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
NavalnyymUkrainian Means "stormy, cloudy" in Ukrainian. Aleksey Navalnyy was a Russian political dissident of partially Ukrainian origin. He died on 16 February 2024. The more common transcription is Navalny.
NavarreFrench The name means "By the sea". Originally a country of its own, located between Spain and France, Navarre became a part of France in 1284 when the Queen of Navarre married King Philip IV of France. After much war, becoming independent once again, and falling into Spanish rule, the Kingdom of Navarre is now split between Spain and France.
NavarreteSpanish From the town of Navarrete in La Rioja, Spain, meaning "the mountain pass of the Navarrans" or "dun mountain pass". It became particularly popular in the province of Jaen through the Castillian conquest of Baeza.
NavonHebrew Means "wise, intelligent" in Hebrew. A notable bearer of this surname was Israeli president Yitzhak Navon (1921-2015).
NawabUrdu, Punjabi From a title traditionally used by Muslim officials in South Asia who acted as local governors and rulers of deputy states. It is ultimately derived from Arabic نائب (na'ib) via Persian.
NawaqanitawaseFijian A surname of Fijian heritage. A famous person with this surname is Mark Nawaqanitawase, an Australian rugby player.
NazimovaRussian, Literature Notable users of the name includes the Russian silent screen star Alla Nazimova (1879-1945) and the heroine of the Russian novel 'Children of the Streets', Nadezhda Nazimova.
NearsEnglish French in origin, it is derived from the word "Noir," which is the equivalent of the English word "Black." It could have referred to a person with dark features, hair, or perhaps even one who was thought to engage in nafarious, or "dark," deeds.
NečasmCzech Nečas roughly means "no time", composed of two words Ne ("no") and čas ("time").... [more]
NeckerGerman Denoted a person who lives near the Neckar River, a major tributary of the Rhine.
NectariaRomanian Feminine version of Nectarie, Greek saint-St.Nectarie from Egina. In Romanian this means "the juice of flowers". Nectaire is probably of the same derivation as the English word "nectar". This is the etymology of nectar (from http://www.etymonline.com/) from negtar > nogalon... [more]
NedelcuRomanian (Modern) Entered Romania around the 16th century via Bulgaria as a popular female given name - Neda/Nedelea etc., attested under the form of Nedelco/Nedelcu in the historical region of Basarabia around 1560, became a surname in the following century... [more]
NederhorstDutch From the name of the village of Nederhorst den Berg in North Holland, the Netherlands. It means "lower height, lower hill" in Dutch, derived from neder "lower" and horst "overgrown elevated place"... [more]
NeeIrish, Scottish reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Niadh ("descendant of Nia") or Ó Niadh ("son of Nia"). Compare McNee.
NeedleEnglish, Jewish (Americanized) English: from Middle English nedle nadle ‘needle’ (Old English nǣdle) hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of needles or in some cases perhaps for a tailor. See also Nadler.... [more]
NeeskensDutch Nickname for a nosy person, from Dutch nees meaning "nose, snout". It could also be derived from a Dutch diminutive of the feminine given name Agnes... [more]
NeesonIrish (Anglicized) Reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Naois "son of Naois", usually Anglicized as Mcneese. Surname made famous by the actor Liam Neeson.
NeffGerman, German (Swiss) From Middle High German neve 'nephew', hence probably a distinguishing name for a close relation or familiar of a prominent personage.
NeggoEstonian Neggo is an Estonian surname, possibly a corruption of "nõgu", meaning "dell".
NegleyGerman (Swiss) Altered spelling of Swiss German Nägele, Naegeli, or Nägeli, variants of Nagel.
NegreteSpanish Possibly from negrete denoting a member of a 15th-century faction based in the mountainous area of Cantabria.
NegroItalian, Spanish, Galician, Portuguese, Jewish Nickname or ethnic name from negro "black" (continuation of Latin niger), denoting someone with dark hair, dark eyes, a dark complexion, someone who wore dark clothes, someone who worked a job in the night, or was otherwise associated with the night.
NegronSpanish, Italian This surname is a most likely variant of the word and name Negro.
NeherGerman An occupational name for a tailor from a deritive of Middle Low German, 'nehen' which means 'to sew' or 'to embroider'
NehruIndian, Hindi From Sanskrit नहर (nahar, nehar) meaning "canal". This name was borne by Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964), the first Prime Minister of India. His earliest recorded ancestor Raj Kaul adopted the name when, upon moving from Kashmir to Delhi, he was granted a jagir (feudal land grant) with a house situated on the banks of a canal... [more]
NeighborEnglish From the Middle English word neighbor, derived from neghebour, which in turn comes from the Old English words neah, meaning "near", and gebur, meaning "a dweller". This may have been used as a nickname for someone who was a 'good neighbor', more likely it evolved from the term of address for someone living nearby.
NeillIrish, Scottish Reduced form of Irish Gaelic Ó Néill or Scottish Gaelic Mac Néill ‘descendant (or son) of Niall’, a personal name of Irish origin, thought to mean ‘champion’. The personal name was adopted by Norsemen in the form Njáll and was brought to England both directly from Ireland by Scandinavian settlers and indirectly (via France) by the Normans... [more]
NeinGerman Unexplained. Perhaps from a short form of a Germanic personal name formed with an element cognate with Old High German niuwi meaning "new".
NeisserGerman German demonym of the town of Neisse (nowadays Nysa, in Poland), itself from the name of the river Neisse (Nysa) which runs through the city.
NejiJapanese (Rare) This surname is used as 子師, combining 子 (shi, su, tsu, ko, -ko, ne) meaning "child, sign of the rat (1st sign of Chinese zodiac)" with 師 (shi, su, nara.u, moromoro) meaning "army, exemplar, expert, master, model, teacher, war."
NelmsEnglish (American) Topographic name for someone who lived near or amid a grove of elm trees, from misdivision of Middle English atten elmes ‘at the elms’
NerenbergJewish Variant of the Ashkenazic Jewish surname Nierenberg, which is derived from Nirnberg, the Yiddish form of Nuremberg (German Nürnberg), hence becoming an Ashkenazic Jewish habitational surname for someone living in that city.
NermanSwedish Possibly a combination of Swedish nedre "lower, southern" and man "man".
NesbittEnglish, Scottish, Irish Habitational name from any of the places in England, Scotland and Ireland called Nesbitt or similar, all derived from Old English nes "headland, promontory" and bita "bit, fragment, morsel" or byht "bight, bend, angle"... [more]
NesheiwatArabic From the name of clan founder Abu Nushaywah, derived from a diminutive of Arabic نشوة (nashwah) meaning "happiness, elation".
NeskyPolish Many Polish immigrants' names were shortened to Nesky, such as Nosrazesky, Wolinsky-a wide variety of names that had the letter N somewhere within and ended in sky or ski became "Nesky." There are also non-Polish Neskys in the U.S.
NessimSpanish, Jewish, Hebrew Hebrew for 'miracles'. Name was originally Bar-Nisim; 'Children of the Miricle'
NestorIrish Derived from the surname Mac Girr an Adhastair (sometimes shortened to Mac an Aghastair), meaning "Short man of the halter." The Mac Girr an Adhastair were associated with the local lords, the Ó Lochlainn family.
NetRomanian Romanian variant of the Latin name Netus, meaning superior, greater.
NethertonEnglish The Netherton surname is derived from the Old English "neothera," meaning "lower," and "tun," meaning "enclosure," or "settlement." It is a habitational name derived from any of several places so named, such as one in Northumberland, and one in Worcestershire.
NetjesDutch Possibly a matronymic from of a diminutive form of Annetje. Coincides with the Dutch word for "tidy, neat" or "decent, proper."
NeubertGerman Derived from the German word “neu,” meaning “new,” and the word “Bert,” which is a shortened form of the Germanic given name “Berthold,” meaning “bright ruler.” So, it means “new bright ruler”.
NeuburgGerman From the name of various places in Germany and Austria.
NeufeldGerman, English Neufeld is a surname of German origin, meaning "new field". It is not seldom in Germany and it is common among German speaking Mennonites from Russia.
NeuhausGerman, Jewish Topographical name for someone who lived in a new house, Middle High German niuwe hus, modern German neu Haus, or a habitational name for someone from any of several places named Neuhaus ('new house') in various parts of Germany and Austria, also in Bohemia.
NeutsFlemish Flemish Dutch, meaning "New Son" lore tells of a son of a foreign given this name after being born in Flanders with no known father
NeuwirthGerman German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a new innkeeper, from Middle High German niuwe ‘new’ + wirt and German neu + Wirt ‘master of a house’, ‘innkeeper’.
NeveFrench Derived from the place name En Nève, derived from a misdivision of Old French en nève "in water".
NevelsDutch Possibly a variant of Nevens. Coincides with Dutch nevel "fog".
NeverGerman Habitational surname denoting someone from the town of Nevern (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), Germany.
NevesPortuguese Means "snows" in Portuguese, derived from either the Marian title Maria das Neves "Mary of the Snows", or from any of several locations named for the title.
NeveuFrench Relationship name from Old French neveu "nephew" also "grandson" used to distinguish the two bearers of the same personal name.
NevilisVenetian (Archaic) An extinct surname. Likely derives from Italian "neve", meaning "snow". This surname was possibly given as a nickname to someone with light hair or fair skin. It could also be a cognate of the French surname Neuville.
NevolinRussian In the old days "Nilly", called the lack of freedom, obedience to the will of another. Such negative names were given then, that they defended the man and drove him from unhappiness.
NewbornEnglish Habitational name from Newbourn in Suffolk or Newburn in Tyne and Wear (formerly part of Northumberland), both named with Old English niwe "new" and burna "stream", perhaps denoting a stream that had changed its course.
NewbyEnglish From the name of various English towns, derived from Old English niwe "new" and Old Norse býr "farm, settlement".
NewfieldEnglish habitational name from any of many places called Newfield especially in northern England and Scotland. Derived from the elements niwe "new" and feld "field"... [more]
NewhamEnglish Habitational name from any of the various places, for example in Northumbria and North Yorkshire, so named from Old English neowe "new" and ham "homestead".
NewhouseEnglish Either a habitational name for someone who lived at a "new house" (from Middle English niwe "new" and hus "new house") or a habitational name from any of various minor places so called especially perhaps Newhouses in Horton Yorkshire near the border with Lancashire... [more]
NeyGerman, English A dialectal form of the common German word neu "new".... [more]
NezNavajo Nez = Tall. One of the most prevalent family names on the Navajo reservation.
NgaEthiopian, Japanese Ethiopian: from the personal name Nega, which is interpreted as "it became morning" in the Amharic language. — Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames, this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.... [more]
NgụyVietnamese Vietnamese form of Wei, from Sino-Vietnamese 魏 (ngụy).
NhâmVietnamese Vietnamese form of Ren, from Sino-Vietnamese 任 (nhâm).
NhanVietnamese Vietnamese form of Yan, from Sino-Vietnamese 顏 (nhan).
NhekKhmer Means "close, together, often, frequently" in Khmer. It may also be from a short form of Chinese 涅槃 (nièpán) meaning "nirvana".
NhữVietnamese Vietnamese form of Ru, from Sino-Vietnamese 汝 (nhữ).
NiChinese From Chinese 倪 (ní) referring to the ancient territory of Ni, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now the Shandong province.
NiangWestern African, Wolof Refers to a member of the Deme, a Wolof clan whose symbol is the donkey.
NiazaiPashto Most likely from Persian نیاز (niyaz) meaning "need, necessity, desire, wish" (see Niaz or Niyaz) combined with Pashto زوی (zoy) meaning "son (of)"... [more]
NibbeGerman Nickname meaning ‘beak’, or from a short form of a Germanic personal name Nippo, composed of Old High German nit ‘hostility’, ‘eagerness’ + boto ‘messenger’.
NibeJapanese Variant transcription or reading of Japanese Kanji 新部 (see Niibe).
NieChinese From Chinese 聂 (niè) referring to either of two ancient fiefs named Nie. One existed in the state of Wei (Wey) in what is now Henan province, while the other was part of the state of Qi in what is now Shandong province.
NiederhäuserGerman, Swiss Habitational name from any of numerous places named Niederhaus or Niederhausen, denoting the lower of two dwellings or settlements or one in a low-lying position.
NiedermeierGerman, German (Austrian) Occupational name for a farmer who had a farm lower than the neighboring one(s). This surname and its variant spellings are common to Austria and the state of Bavaria in Germany.
NiedfeldtGerman Topographic name for a person who lived by a lower area of open land, derived from Middle Low German nider meaning "lower" and feld meaning "open country".
NiehChinese Alternate transcription of Chinese 聂 (see Nie).
NiemanDutch Means "new man", a cognate of German Neumann. Can also derive from Middle Dutch nieman "no one, nobody", a byname for an unknown or otherwise nameless person... [more]
NiesGerman German: from a reduced form of the personal name Dionys (see Dennis), which was stressed on the last syllable; this was a popular personal name as a result of the influence of the French Saint Denis... [more]
NietlingGerman The last name Nietling has its origins in Germany, specifically within the regions of Bavaria and the Rhineland. It is believed to derive from a combination of the Germanic elements "nied," meaning "low" or "beneath," and "ling," which can denote a diminutive or a person associated with a particular place or characteristic... [more]
NietzscheGerman, German (Silesian) Derived from a Silesian diminutive of the given name Nikolaus. A notable bearer was Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), a German philosopher.
NieuwenhuisDutch Means "new house" in Dutch. Indicated that the bearer lived in a new house or lived in a village of the same name
NightshadeLiterature Meaning unknown. Possibly derived from the English word night or just a combination of night and shade. A notable fictional bearer is Enid Nightshade from Jill Murphy's books, The Worst Witch, as well as the television adaptations.
NigulEstonian Nigul is an Estonian surname (and masculine given name); from the given name "Nigul/Nigulas", a variant of "Nicholas".
NihonJapanese (Rare) Means "Japan" in Japanese, though originally from 日本 (nihon), a clipping of 日本晴れ (nihombare) meaning "no clouds in the sky". It is a reference to an event in the Edo Period, of a weather forecaster who was asked for the weather and answered 日本晴れ... [more]
Nihon'yanagiJapanese Means "2 salix trees", from Japanese 二本 (nihon) meaning "2 (cylindrical objects)" and 柳 (yanagi) meaning "salix". This is the name of a few places in Japan (in the city of Goshogawara and the city of Gonohe).
NiinEstonian Niin is an Estonian surname meaning "bast" and "phloem" (the fibrous material from the phloem of a plant, used as fiber in matting, cord, etc.)
NiinistöFinnish Combination of Finnish niini "bast fibre" and the suffix -stö.
NijibayashiJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 虹 (Niji) meaning "Rainbow" and 林 (Bayashi) meaning "Forest". A notable bearer of this surname was academic author Kei Nijibayashi.
NijinoJapanese Made up of the kanji 虹, meaning "rainbow", and 乃 ,meaning "of"。... [more]
NikaidoJapanese (Rare, ?) From japanese kanji 二 (ni) meaning "two", 階 (kai) meaning "floor, storey" combined with 堂 (dō) meaning "temple". The last name is a name of a clan of Japanese samurai that ruled the Iwase District of Mutsu Province during the Sengoku period during the Kamakura era... [more]