MadigaIndian, Telugu Telugu occupational name for a leather worker, a job historically considered polluting and impure in India, where the surname belongs to Dalit, or "Untouchables" - members of the lowest caste.
MadutlelaSepedi Madutlela is a South African surname of the Pedi speaking people.
MaebaraJapanese Maebara is an uncommon Japanese surname that has more than one meaning, depending on the characters used to write it. The first and most common spelling is with the characters for "Before" (前) and "Original" (原)... [more]
MagdalitaTagalog Means "to entreat, to beseech, to implore" in Tagalog.
MagindaraCebuano Magindara is a name of a demigoddess who turned into a mermaid, it is also the name of mythical creatures in the Philippines that are man-eating mermaids. It's a Central Bikol word for "mermaid".
MaharanaIndian, Odia Derived from the Sanskrit title महाराणा (maharana) meaning "king of kings", from महा (maha) meaning "great" and राणा (rana) meaning "king".
MahinaItalian, Polish In Italian, it is likely derived from "màcina," which refers to a millstone or grindstone. This suggests the surname may have been given to individuals who worked as millers or lived near a place with such a feature... [more]
MaiaPortuguese Habitational name from any of several places named Maia, especially one in Porto.
MaiaBasque From the name of a village in Navarre, Spain, called Amaiur in Basque, derived from amai "end, boundary, limit" (compare the given name Amaia).
MaiàCatalan Habitational name from Maià de Montcal, a village in Girona, or any of several other places named with Maià, which is of pre-Roman origin.
MaiharaJapanese A Japanese surname formed from the kanji characters 舞 (Mai, "dance") and 原 (Hara, "field" or "plain"). The meaning could be interpreted as "dancing field/plains" or "field/plain of dance".
MakitaJapanese I'm not sure how the surname is usually written, but 真 (Ma) means "Genuine, Real, Sincere" and 北 (Kita) means "North". On the other hand, 牧 (Maki) means "Shepard, Tend cattle" and 田 (Ta) means "Rice Field, Rice Paddy"... [more]
MalatestaItalian Means "bad head" in Italian, a nickname for a stubborn or perhaps malicious person. It could have also indicated the bearer had a misshapen head. ... [more]
MalayaRussian, Ukrainian From Russian малый (maliy) or Ukrainian малий (malyy) both meaning "small, little", used as a nickname for a small child or a person who was thin or short in stature. Alternately, it may have come from Tatar малай (malay) meaning "boy, son" or "apprentice".
MamiyaJapanese From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "true, genuine" or 茉 (ma) meaning "Arabian jasmine, white jasmine" combined with 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace".
ManeraItalian Either a habitational name from any of two places called Manera in the Italian provinces of Cuneo and Como, a nickname and perhaps a metonymic occupational name (from the dialect word manèra meaning "executioner's axe, cleaver" or from Italian manero "well-behaved, skilled"), or derived from the given name Mainiero (ultimately from Frankish Maginhari, composed of the Ancient Germanic elements magin "strength, might" and hari, heri "army").
MañozkaBasque It indicates familial origin within the eponymous palace in the municipality of Etxebarria.
ManresaCatalan This indicates familial origin within either of 2 eponymous localities: the municipality or the neighborhood in the municipality of Badalona.
MansillaSpanish Spanish: habitational name from Mansilla a place in La Rioja province.
MantillaSpanish Spanish: from mantilla ‘mantilla’, ‘scarf worn over the head and shoulders’, presumably an occupational name for a maker of mantillas or a descriptive name for someone who habitually wore such a garment.
MaokaJapanese From 真 (ma) meaning "truth, reality, genuine" combined with 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, knoll".
MaquedaSpanish This indicates familial origin within either of 2 eponymous localities: the Manchego municipality or the neighborhood of the Andalusian municipality of Málaga.
MartaOld Celtic (Latinized, Archaic) It is a small animal from the variety of mammals living in Spain and is prized for its skin has great finesse. Also known like Beech Marten (Stone Marten or White Breasted Marten).
MassaItalian A habitational name from any of the various places named Massa (for example, Massa Lubrense or Massa di Somma, both in the Metropolitan City of Naples, or Massa d’Albe in the Province of L'Aquila), which were all named from the medieval Latin word massa, meaning ‘holding’ or ‘estate’.
MassaraItalian, Greek Either a feminine form of Massaro or from the equivalent occupational or status name in medieval Greek, (massaras meaning ‘peasant’ or ‘share cropper’) which is from the word massaria meaning ‘small farm’.
MasudaJapanese From Japanese 増 (masu) meaning "increase", 益 (masu) meaning "benefit", 舛 (masu) meaning "oppose, to go against" (kun reading), 桝 (masu) meaning "box seat, measure" or 升 (masu) meaning "box" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".
MatassaItalian Means "hank, skein, coil" in Italian and Sicilian, derived from Ancient Greek μέταξα (metaxa) via Latin mataxa "raw silk; thick string, thread", an occupational name for a silk merchant (compare Metaxas)... [more]
MathemaNdebele The Mathema people mostly inhabit the Northern Matebeleland in Zimbabwe, however their clan names are linked and related of those other Nguni clans. These are as follows: ... [more]
MatsukataJapanese From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine" and 方 (kata) meaning "direction".
MatsukawaJapanese From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".
MatsukuraJapanese Matsu means "pine tree" and kura means "storehouse".
MatsunagaJapanese From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 永 (naga) meaning "eternity".
MatsunawaJapanese From 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree" and 縄 (nawa) meaning "rope".
MatsupaUkrainian (Anglicized, ?) Ukrainian; although may also have found in other forms in other countries such as Galicia (Western Ukraine), Poland and Hungary; due to the changing borders and occupation of land at various points in history.
MattaItalian Probably derived from a feminine form of Matto, though other theories include Logudorese Sardinian matta "belly, paunch, entrails" and southern Sardinian matta "plant, tree" (compare Mata).
M'balaCentral African Derived from the given name Mbala. This surname is borne by French comedian, actor and political activist Dieudonné M'bala M'bala (1966-).
MbenguzanaHlubi (?), African Hlubi word referring to an old cat with grey beard but in this instance it means grey-bearded leopard. Originates from one of the Nkwali tribe's early head?king Lusulengwe(Leopard's face)