Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
BosinneyCornish Denotes the original bearer came from Bossiney, Cornwall. Bossiney comes from Cornish Bod and Cini, meaning "Cini's dwelling," with Cini being a Cornish name of unknown meaning.... [more]
BosleyEnglish English habitation surname derived from the Old English personal name Bosa and the Old English leah "clearing, field". It's also possibly a variant of the French surname Beausoleil meaning "beautiful sun" from the French beau 'beautiful, fair' and soleil 'sun'... [more]
BoşnakTurkish Means "Bosniak" in Turkish. One of the only major ethnic groups that adopted Islam during the Ottoman Empire. A huge diaspora of Bosniaks live in Turkey and many Turks have Bosniak heritage.
BosneagRomanian means "Bosnian" or a descendant of Bosnia in Romanian
BosneanuRomanian Meaning “Bosnian” or person from Bosnia in Romanian
BošnjakCroatian, Serbian Derived from "Bošnjak", for someone who has their roots in Bosnia. This surname is rare in Bosnian Muslims.
BosoItalian From the medieval personal name Boso, from a Germanic personal name derived from a pejorative nickname meaning ‘leader’, ‘nobleman’, or ‘arrogant person’. Compare Dutch Boos.
BosoyRussian Derived from Russian босой (bosoy) meaning "barefoot". This may have been a nickname for a low-class person.
BossoItalian Derived from Italian bosso "box tree", probably applied as a topographic name but possibly also as a metonymic occupational name for a wood carver or turner.
BostonEnglish Habitational name from the town Boston in Lincolnshire, England. The name means "Botwulf’s stone".... [more]
BoströmSwedish Combination of Swedish bo "dwelling, home" and ström "stream, river".
BostwickEnglish From an English surname which was from a lost or unidentified place name. The second element is clearly Old English wic "outlying (dairy) farm".
BosustowCornish bos Ustoc, dwelling of Ustoc, poss: bos-ysow, corn abode
BoswellFrench (Anglicized) The name Boswell is an Anglicization of the name of a French village: Boseville (Beuzeville). This was a village of 1400 inhabitants near Yvetot, in Normandy. (from 'A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames', by Charles W. Bardsley, New York, 1901)... [more]
BotelhoPortuguese, Portuguese (Brazilian) From the Portuguese word botelho, which can denote a measure of grain, a grain sack, or seaweed, and was probably applied as an occupational name for a grain dealer or a gatherer of kelp or seaweed.
BotkinRussian This was the surname of Evgeniy Botkin ( 1865 - 1918) who was the Russian court physician. He remained loyal to the family of Tsar Nicholas II Romanov when the revolution occurred and followed them into exile in Siberia... [more]
BotticelliItalian Etymology uncertain. It can derive from the Italian word botte meaning "barrel" and from the occupation bottaio meaning "cooper". In the case of Sandro Botticelli it has probably another origin... [more]
BottomleyEnglish English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): habitational name from a place in West Yorkshire named Bottomley, from Old English botm ‘broad valley’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.
BottumAnglo-Saxon One of the oldest Anglo-Saxon names in Britain. It is the name of the families who lived in a broad valley or a hillside near Bootham near Yorkshire
BouaziziArabic (Maghrebi) Means "father of Aziz" in Arabic (chiefly Maghrebi). A notable bearer was Mohamed Bouazizi (1984-2011), a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire... [more]
BoucharebArabic (Maghrebi) Means "father of the moustache" or "father of the drinker" from Arabic أَبُو (ʾabū) meaning "father" and شَارِب (šārib) meaning "moustache" or "drinker".
BoudreauxFrench Variant of Beaudreau. Originated in ancient area known as Languedoc, where the family was established. Comes from having lived in Languedoc, where the name was found since the early Middle Ages.
BouhiredArabic (Maghrebi) Meaning unknown. A notable bearer is Djamila Bouhired (1935-), an Algerian militant and nationalist who opposed the French rule over Algeria.
BouhoucheBerber, Northern African Kabyle name possibly derived from Arabic أَبُو (ʾabū) meaning "father" and حَوْش (ḥawš) meaning "courtyard, enclosure, farm" (chiefly Algerian).
BoujettifNorthern African (Archaic) Meaning, "The family of the son of the Clever Head" or "One Whom Possess a Clever Head." Bou (normally used in the North African Regions of the Maghrib Countries) has 2 possible derivative meanings both originating from the Arabic language, "Son of..." or an Arabic word Tho meaning, "One Who Possess A Quality." Jettif is a variance of Jettef, Jeif or Ji'f which is derived from the ancient Tamazight or Imazighen (popularly known as Berber) and is pronounced "j-ixf" which means Clever, head, or brain."
BoukharoubaArabic (Maghrebi) Meaning unknown, possibly of Kabyle origin. A notable bearer was Algerian revolutionary and President HouariBoumediene (1932-1978), who was born as Mohamed ben Brahim Boukharouba.
BoumedieneArabic (Maghrebi) Means "father of Midian" in Arabic (chiefly Algerian). A notable bearer was Houari Boumediene (1932-1978), born as Mohamed ben Brahim Boukharouba, an Algerian revolutionary who served as the second President of Algeria from 1976-1978.
BounvilayLao From Lao ບຸນ (boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ວິໄລ (vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful".
BounyavongLao From Lao ບຸນ (boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ວົງ (vong) meaning "lineage, family".
BouphaLao Means "flower" in Lao, ultimately from Sanskrit पुष्प (pushpa).
BourasArabic (Maghrebi) Means "father of the head" from Arabic أبو (abu) meaning "father" and رأس (ras) meaning "head, leader, chief".
BourasGreek Derived from Albanian burrë meaning "man, husband".
BourassaIndian Seems to be an Indian name. I am in touch with a relative whose family were Pottawatomi Indians in Oklahoma. This name comes from that reservation.
BourbonFrench The Bourbons were one of the most important ruling houses of Europe . Its members were descended from Louis I, duc de Bourbon from 1327 to 1342, the grandson of the French king Louis IX (ruled 1226-70)... [more]
BourbonFrench habitational name from a village in Allier the site of the (now ruined) castle of Bourbon or from another place called (Le) Bourbon mainly in the southern part of France. The placename is derived from a Celtic and pre-Celtic element borb- denoting a hot spring.
BourgeoisFrench from bourgeois "burgher" (from Old French burgeis from burc "fortified town") a status name for an inhabitant and (usually) freeman of a fortified town (see Bourg)... [more]
BourgetFrench Possibly meaning "from the city, town" or given to wealthy families, (from bourgeois)
BouteflikaArabic (Maghrebi) Possibly means "one who makes things explode" in Algerian Arabic. A famous bearer is Abdelaziz Bouteflika (1937-), who served as president of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.
BoutellaArabic (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.
BoutetFrench from a pet form of the ancient Germanic personal name Boto a short form of any of various names composed with the element bod "messenger"... [more]
BowdenEnglish Habitational name from any of several places called Bowden or Bowdon, most of them in England. From Old English boga "bow" and dun "hill", or from Old English personal names Buga or Bucge combined with dun.... [more]
BowdlerEnglish From Dutch de Boelare meaning "from Boelare", the name of a town in the Netherlands. Alternatively, it could derive from English buddler, an occupational name for someone who washes crushed ore.
BowdoinFrench (Huguenot) Americanized form of French Baudouin or Baudoin. Both the French form of Baldwin. A famous bearer of this surname was James Bowdoin II (1726-1790) Who was the second governor of Massachusetts and political rival of John Hancock.
BoweMedieval English, English, Irish (Anglicized) There are three possible sources of this surname, the first being that it is a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of bows, a vital trade in medieval times before the invention of gunpowder, and a derivative of the Old English boga "bow", from bugan "to bend"... [more]
BowellEnglish Of Norman origin; habitational name from Bouelles, Seine-Maritime, France, which is from Old Norman French "boelle" meaning "enclosure, dwelling".
BowkerEnglish A surname of French origin, from the occupational term for 'butcher' (boucher). Some theories have it that it derives from OE 'bocer', meaning a scribe, but the former is more likely and is more widely affirmed.
BowlandEnglish From any variety of places in England with this name. These places are likely from with Old English boga ‘bow’ (in the sense of a bend in a river) and land ‘land’.
BowneWelsh The Welsh name Bowne is a patronymic surname created from the Welsh personal name Owen 1 or Owain... [more]
BowserEnglish Nickname from the Norman term of address beu sire ‘fine sir’, given either to a fine gentleman or to someone who made frequent use of this term of address.
BoykinsEnglish (American) Americanized form of Dutch Boeijkens: patronymic from the personal name Boye with the diminutive element -ken and genitive -s. Compare the English cognate Boykin and North German Boyken.... [more]
BraafheidDutch, Dutch (Surinamese) Means "braveness" in Dutch, derived from braaf meaning "brave, well-behaved, obedient" and the suffix -heid denoting a condition or state of being. This was originally a nickname for a strong or brave person... [more]
BraaksmaFrisian (Dutchified, Modern, Rare) Topographic name for someone who lived by a piece of wasteland or newly cultivated land, from Frisian, Dutch braak ‘fallow’, ‘waste’ + Frisian ma ‘man’. The suffix -ma indicating that it is of Frisian origin.
BracamontesSpanish Probably a habitational name from the French town of Bracquemont near Dieppe.
BraccoItalian Either a nickname derived from Calabrian braccu meaning "small, chubby", or probably for someone thought to resemble a hunting dog, from Italian bracco literally meaning "hunting dog, bloodhound"... [more]
BrackenIrish From Irish Ó Breacáin meaning "descendant of Breacán", a personal name from a diminutive of breac 'speckled', 'spotted', which was borne by a 6th-century saint who lived at Ballyconnel, County Cavan, and was famous as a healer; St... [more]
BradfieldEnglish habitational name from any of the places in Berkshire Devon Essex Suffolk South Yorkshire and elsewhere named Bradfield from Old English brad "broad" and feld "open country" meaning "wide field".
BradshawEnglish Habitational name from any of the places called Bradshaw, for example in Lancashire and West Yorkshire, from Old English brad "broad" + sceaga "thicket".
BraffAmerican Jewish (from Poland): probably an ornamental name from German brav 'good', 'upright'. Swedish: an old spelling of Brav, possibly a soldier's name.
BragaPortuguese The first man to own this name was a feudal lord on Portugal, near to the region of Coimbra. Could also come from the other surname "Bragança".
BragançaPortuguese From the city of Bragança in Portugal. It's also the name of the Royal House that ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1910.
BragasonIcelandic Patronymic used exclusively by men, derived from the Old Norse name Bragi.
BrägerGerman Habitational name for someone from Bräg in Bavaria.
BragerNorwegian (Rare) From the name of any of the various farmsteads in eastern Norway, which may have derived their name from a river name meaning "roaring", "thundering".
BraggEnglish, Welsh From a nickname for a cheerful or lively person, derived from Middle English bragge meaning "lively, cheerful, active", also "brave, proud, arrogant".
BrahamEnglish From the name of a town called Braham, probably derived from Old English brom meaning "broom (a type of plant)" and ham meaning "home, settlement" or hamm meaning "river meadow".
BraheDanish (Rare), Swedish (Rare) Danish and Swedish noble family with roots in Scania and Halland, southern Sweden (both provinces belonged to Denmark when the family was founded). A notable bearer was Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601).
BraileyEnglish Habitational name for a person from Brayley Barton in Devon, which is derived from the name of the Bray river (a back formation from High Bray which is from Celtic bre meaning "hill" or Old English brǣg "brow") combined with Old English leah "woodland, clearing".
BrailleFrench Braille is a writing system used by people with vision impairment. It was named after its inventor Louis Braille (1809-1852).
BraithwaiteEnglish Northern English habitational name from any of the places in Cumbria and Yorkshire named Braithwaite, from Old Norse breiðr "broad" + þveit "clearing".
BraleyEnglish (American) A New England variant spelling of Brailey. French: from a diminutive of Brael, from Old French braiel, a belt knotted at the waist to hold up breeches; presumably an occupational name for a maker of such belts... [more]
BramahEnglish From a place called either Bramall, or Bramhall formerly Bromale. From old english brom "broom" and halh, "nook, recess"
BrambleEnglish This surname is taken from the word which refers to a common blackberry (British) or any of several closely related thorny plants in the Rubus genus (US). It also refers to any thorny shrub. The word is derived from Old English bræmbel with a euphonic -b- inserted from the earlier bræmel or brémel, which is then derived from Proto-Germanic *bræmaz meaning "thorny bush."
BranaghIrish Anglicisation of Irish Ó Branduibh meaning "descendant of Breathnach", a given name meaning "Welshman". A famous bearer is British actor and filmmaker Sir Kenneth Branagh (1960-).
BrancacciaItalian (Rare) Derived from the medieval Italian given name Brancazia, which is the feminine form of the masculine given name Brancazio. For more information, please see the entry for the patronymic surname Brancazio... [more]
BrancaccioItalian Variant form of Brancazio. There are a few sources that claim that the surname is derived from a place name (which would make it a locational surname), but that claim is incorrect, as all Italian geographical places carrying the name Brancaccio were either established long after the Middle Ages (by which time virtually all Italians already had a hereditary surname) or were named after a person who had Brancaccio for a surname... [more]
BrancaleoneItalian 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]