RakhmaninovRussian From a nickname derived from Russian рахманный (rakhmannyy) meaning "lazy". A notable bearer was Russian composer, pianist and conductor Sergei Rakhmaninov (1873-1943).
RallisGreek A surname held by the descendants of a Frankish-Byzantine noble named Raoul. The Rallis family (also spelled Ralli, Ralles or Rallet in Romanian) is the name of an old Greek Phanariote family, whose members played important political role in the history of modern Greece, Danubian Principalities and later in the United Kingdom... [more]
RantzauGerman, Theatre This is the surname used in 'I Rantzau' (The Rantzau Family), an opera in four acts by Pietro Mascagni (1892), based on a libretto by Guido Menasci and Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti, based on the play Les Rantzau (1873) by French writers Erckmann and Chatrian, after their novel (1882) Les Deux Frères (The Two Brothers).
RivabellaItalian Derived from the Italian word riva meaning "bank (shore, riverbank, lakebank)" (from Latin ripa) and bella meaning "beautiful"... [more]
RosemeyerGerman Derived from the Middle High German rose meaning "rose" and meier meaning "(tenant) farmer steward". This is a German nickname and distinguishing name for a farmer who grew or liked roses.
RosenbaumGerman, Czech Habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a rosebush, Middle High German rōsenboum.
RosierFrench French for "rose tree" or "rose bush". A common surname in Francophone areas. It is also the name of a fallen angel who was considered the patron demon of tainted love and seduction.
RowleyEnglish Anglo Saxon Name- locational, comes from several places in England such as in Devonshire, Yorkshire, County Durham and Staffordshire. It means ' rough wood or clearing', from the Old English 'run' meaning rough and 'leah', meaning clearing in a wood.
SarakatsanisGreek Derived from the Greek Σαρακατσάνοι (Sarakatsanoi) referred to an ethnic Greek population subgroup who were traditionally transhumant shepherds, native to Greece, with a smaller presence in neighbouring Bulgaria, southern Albania, and North Macedonia... [more]
SchlatterUpper German Topographic name from Middle High German slâte "reedy place", or a habitational name from any of several places named Schlatt, from the same word.
SchmalGerman Derived from the Middle High German and Middle Low German word smal meaning "small, slight, thin". It was originally used as a nickname.
SeligmanGerman, Jewish Derived from the given name Selig with the German suffix -man meaning "man" and it's originally a patronymic. The surname Seligman is originated in the Rhineland.
SmuldersDutch Occupational name derived from Dutch des mulders meaning "son of the miller". A famous bearer is Canadian-American actress Cobie Smulders (1982-).
StaafSwedish Derived from various place names beginning with stav- or staf-, often meaning "boundary marker" when used in place names. Other meanings are possible. Also found occasionally as a soldier's name pre-20th century... [more]
StrachanScottish, Caribbean Scottish habitational name from a place in the parish of Banchory, Kincardineshire, which is first recorded in 1153 in the form Strateyhan, and is perhaps named from Gaelic srath ‘valley’ + eachain, genitive case of eachan ‘foal’.
SubercaseauxFrench, Spanish (Latin American) The Subercaseaux family is a Chilean family of French descent. They became well known during the 19th century due to their wealth amassed in Norte Chico. They have played a very significant role in Chilean mining, winemaking, politics and arts.
SzokolyiHungarian Derived from Szokolya, a village in Pest county, Hungary. It is located in the largest basin of the Börzsöny Hills. The Morgó Brook runs across the village.
TewksburyEnglish Derived from Tewkesbury, a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is named with the Old English given name Teodec and burg meaning "fortification".
TofteNorwegian Named after the village of Tofte in the Halstoy district of Norway. The town of Tofte, Minnesota, United States, was founded by Norwegian immigrants with the surname.
TouréWestern African Probably derived from tùùré meaning "elephant" in the Soninké language.
TozziItalian 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]
TraunGerman Derived from the Celtic word dru meaning "river". Traun is a river in the Austrian state of Upper Austria as well as a city located on the north bank of that river and borders Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, to the east.
TysoeEnglish Denoted the bearer was from the parish of Tysoe, Warwickshire, England. The name of the parish is derived from Old English Tīges hōh, meaning "spur of land belonging to the god Tiw." (Tiw was the Old English name for the Roman deity Mars, and also inspired the name of Tuesday.)
ValléeFrench topographic name for someone who lived in a valley from Old French valee "valley" (from Latin vallis) or a habitational name from (La) Vallée the name of several places in various parts of France... [more]
VasilakosGreek Patronymic from the Greek given name Vasilios and the suffix άκος (-akos) which is particularly associated with the Mani Peninsula in southwestern Peloponnese.
VirileItalian It comes fron the Italian adjective virile that means 'manly, masculine' ultimately from Latin vir
ViscontiItalian Derived from visconte, itself from the Medieval vice comes, a title of rank meaning "deputy of a count". The Visconti of Milan are a noble Italian family. They rose to power in Milan during the Middle Ages where they ruled from 1277 to 1447, initially as Lords then as Dukes, and several collateral branches still exist... [more]
VivarSpanish, History From the village of Vivar, later renamed Vivar del Cid, nowadays part of Quintanilla Vivar located near Burgos, Castile and León, Spain.... [more]
WeinGerman, Yiddish, Hungarian Means "grape, vine, wine" in German and Yiddish (װײַנ). According to Nelly Weiss, Wein-style family names originated from signboards (house sign, house shield) in Jewish communities. Wein may also be related the German verb weinen meaning "to cry"... [more]
WeiseGerman Means "wise, prudent" in German. Notable bearers include Christian Weise (1642-1708), a German writer.
WiesnerGerman German: habitational name for someone from a place called Wiesen, or topographic name for someone who lived by a meadow, a derivative of Middle High German wise ‘meadow’.
WoodruffEnglish, Caribbean Topographic name for someone who lived on a patch of land where woodruff grew, Anglo-Saxon wudurofe composed of wudu "wood" with a second element of unknown origin.
YabukiJapanese (Rare) Derived from the Japanese kanji 矢 (ya) meaning "arrow" and 吹 (buki), from 吹き (buki), the joining continuative form of 吹く (fuku) meaning "to blow". It can also derive from 藪 (yabu) meaning "thicket; grove; copse" and 亀 (ki) meaning "tortoise, turtle"... [more]
YajimaJapanese Derived from Japanese 矢 (ya) meaning "arrow" or 谷 (ya) meaning "valley, lowland, plain" combined with 島 or 嶋 (shima) meaning "island".... [more]
ZacharJewish, Hungarian, Russian, Slovak, Belarusian Derived from the Hebrew word זָכַר (zakhar) meaning "to remember". As a surname it can also derive from the given name Zakhar (Zechariah) that shares this etymology.
ZucchinoItalian Derived from zucchino meaning "zucchini, courgette" (Cucurbita pepo). It is also related to those surnames derived from zucca meaning "pumpkin" and to those derived from zuccone meaning "dumb, stubborn".
ZuccoliItalian Derived from the Italian word zucca meaning "pumpkin", originally referred to someone who used to grow or trade pumpkins.