RayaGalician, Spanish Possibly a habitational name from Raya in Galicia or in Albacete and Murcia provinces. Possibly a topographic name from Spanish raya meaning "line", denoting the boundary between two countries or provinces.
RaylGerman Variant of Rehl, which it's meaning is probably a habitational name from Rehl in Rhineland or Rehlen in East Prussia.
RéalFrench This can derive from several different sources: southern French réal "royal", a word which was applied to someone either as a nickname (presumably given to people perceived as being regal) or as an occupational name (given to a person in the service of the king); or the French place name Réal, in which case this is a habitational name taken from any of various places which were named for having been part of a royal domain (also compare Reau, Reaux).
RealSpanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Galician Either a habitational name from any of numerous places called Real; those in Galicia (Spain) and Portugal being named from real "royal" or as variant of Rial while those in southern Spain and Catalonia are named in part from real meaning "encampment rural property" (Arabic raḥāl "farmhouse cabin")... [more]
ReckGerman Nickname from Middle High German recke ‘outlaw’ or ‘fighter’. North German and Westphalian: from Middle Low German recke ‘marsh’, ‘waterlogged ground’, hence a topographic name, or a habitational name from a place named with this term.
RennEnglish (British) The surname Renn was first found in Durham where they held a family seat from early times, and were originally descended from Ralph de Raines who was granted lands by William, Duke of Albany in that shire... [more]
RensDutch From the personal name Rens, a reduced form of Laurens. Could also derive from a given name containing the element regin "advice, counsel", such as Reinoud.
RhysWelsh In addition to being used as a given name, it occurs as a surname both alone and in combination with other surnames. Related patronymic forms of the surname are Price, Prys, Pris and Preece. A notable bearer is John Rhys-Davies.
RianIrish (Anglicized, Rare, ?) An alternate spelling and pronunciation of Ó Riain, due to French influences after the progenitors of the family moved to France from Ireland.
RichEnglish From a nickname of a wealthy person, in some cases given ironically for a pauper, ultimately derived from Germanic ric "powerful". A notable fictional bearer is Richie Rich who first appeared as a comic book character in 1953.
RichEnglish Derived from the name of a (former) village in Lincolnshire, England named with the Old English element ric "stream, drainage channel".
RiisScandinavian Nickname from ris 'twigs', 'scrub', or a habitational name from any of several places so named in Denmark. Norwegian: habitational name from any of five farmsteads named Ris, from Old Norse hrís 'brushwood'.
RittGerman Either a topographic name from Old High German ritta meaning "reeds" or a habitational name from a place near Kassel, Germany. Alternately it may also be a variant of Ried.
RitzGerman From a short form of the personal name Rizo, itself derived in part from Richard and in part from Heinrich (see Henry).
RockEnglish Topographic name for someone who lived near a notable crag or outcrop, from Middle English rokke "rock" (see Roach), or a habitational name from a place named with this word, as for example Rock in Northumberland.
RoddEnglish Locational name for someone "at the rod" of land, from Middle English rodde. Also could come from the given name Rod, or the parish of Rodd in Herefordshire, England.
RoheLow German The surname ROHE is from a short form of a Germanic formed with Middle High German Rouen 'to roar' or old High German ruin 'Care' , 'intent' (See roch).
RohiEstonian Rohi is an Estonian surname meaning "grass" or "pasturage".
RohrGerman, Jewish Topographic name for someone who lived in an area thickly grown with reeds, from Middle High German ror. Also a habitational name from one of the several places named with this word.
RohtEstonian Roht is an Estonian surname meaning "veld".
RollUpper German, German, English German: from Middle High German rolle, rulle ‘roll’, ‘list’, possibly applied as a metonymic occupational name for a scribe.... [more]
RongChinese From Chinese 荣 (róng) referring to the ancient fief of Rong, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Henan province.
RongChinese From Chinese 容 (róng) referring to a Zhou dynasty title used by officials who were in charge of managing rituals, music, and ceremonies. Alternately it may be derived from the name of the ancient state of Rong (location and time period unknown).
RonkEstonian Ronk is an Estonian surname meaning "raven".
RoosEstonian, Swedish, Danish, Dutch, German (Swiss), Low German Means "rose" in Estonian and Dutch. Swedish and Danish variant of Ros, also meaning "rose". This could be a locational name for someone living near roses, an occupational name for someone who grew roses, or a nickname for someone with reddish skin.
RootEnglish A nickname for a cheerful person, from Middle English rote "glad, cheerful".
RootDutch From Dutch root, a derivative of roten "to ret", a topographic name for someone who lived by a retting place, a place where flax is soaked in tubs of water until the stems rot to release the linen fibers.
RootEnglish From Middle English and Old French rote, an early medieval stringed instrument similar to a guitar that was played by turning wheels like a hurdy-gurdy.
RostGerman From a nickname for a red-haired person, from Middle High German rost meaning ‘rust’.
RostGerman A metonymic occupational name for a limeburner or blacksmith, from Middle High German, Middle Low German rōst meaning ‘grate, grill’ or Middle High German rōst(e) meaning ‘fire, embers, pyre, grate’ (typically one for burning lime).
RotaItalian Means "wheel" in Italian, from various place names.
RottGerman As far as I've researched the name dates back to a man by the name of Count Palatine Kuno von Rott (~1083). After he got land from the Pfalzfrafs which seem to be a nobile family line.... [more]
RõukEstonian Rõuk is an Estonian surname derived from the word "rõuk", a type of traditional stack made for the collection and drying of hay, cereals, or straw, often made with a wooden frame.
RuddEnglish From a nickname for someone with a ruddy complexion, ultimately derived from Old English rudu "redness, ruddy complexion". A famous bearer of the name is British-American actor Paul Rudd (1969-).
RudeNorwegian, German German: From a pet form of a personal name formed with Old High German hrōd "fame", for example Rudolf or Rüdiger... [more]
RügaEstonian Rüga is an Estonian surname derived from "rügama" meaning to "toil" and "rügaja" meaning "toiler".
RugeGerman Nickname from Middle High German ruowe, ruge ‘quiet’, ‘calm’ or Low German rug ‘rough’, ‘crude’.... [more]
RuggEnglish Nickname for a person associated with the color red, whether through hair color, clothing, or complexion. Accordingly, the name is derived from the Old French word ruge, meaning red.
RughGerman A variant of the Alsacian German (and probably Swiss before that) Ruch. Also a variant of the Danish Rügh (not related as far as is known)
RuheGerman Variant of Ruge. (Rühe) is also a nickname from Rüde ‘hound.’ Habitational name from places named Rühen, Rüden, Rhüden in northern Germany.
RuhrGerman Name given to a person who lived near the Ruhr River in Germany.
RuleScottish, English Scottish name from the lands of Rule in the parish of Hobkirk, Roxburghshire. The derivation is from the River Rule which flows through the area, and is so called from the ancient Welsh word "rhull" meaning "hasty or rushing".... [more]
RushIrish Reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Ruis "descendant of Ros", a personal name perhaps derived from ros "wood". In Connacht it has also been used as a translation of Ó Luachra (see Loughrey).
RuthEnglish, German (Swiss) English: from Middle English reuthe ‘pity’ (a derivative of rewen to pity, Old English hreowan) nickname for a charitable person or for a pitiable one. Not related to the given name in this case.... [more]
RutzLow German Derived from Middle Low German rūtze or ruce "cobbler".
RuusEstonian Ruus is an Estonian surname possibly derived from "kruus" meaning "mug", "shingle" and "ballast". Possibly derived from "rüüs" meaning "frilled".
RüütEstonian Rüüt is an Estonian surname meaning "golden plover" (Pluvialis apricaria).
RuutEstonian Ruut is an Estonian surname meaning "square".
RyenNorwegian Habitational name from any of more than ten farmsteads, originally named with Old Norse rugr ‘rye’ + vin ‘meadow’.
RyeoKorean The surname traces its roots from China. It is commonly found in Korea among its Chinese community and is a transliteration of Chinese surname meaning pitch-pipe
RyleEnglish Habitational name from Royle in Lancashire (see Royle).
SacoItalian There are several possible derivations for the Saco surname: the Saco name evolved from an old Tuscan personal name, Saccus; it came from the word "sacco" meaning "a sack," and was an occupational name for a maker of sacks or bags; it was a habitational name taken on from the place named Sacco in Salerno province.
SadaJapanese From 佐 (sa) meaning "assist" and 田 (ta) meaning "rice paddy, field".
SädeEstonian Säde is an Estonian surname (and feminine given name) meaning "spark".
SaleEnglish, French English: from Middle English sale ‘hall’, a topographic name for someone living at a hall or manor house, or a metonymic occupational name for someone employed at a hall or manor house. ... [more]
SaleSardinian Derived from Sardinian sale "salt", this name denoted a producer or seller of salt.
SalmDutch Denoted a person from any of various places called Salm. It could also derive from Dutch zalm meaning "salmon", referring to someone who lived near a sign depicting them, or to someone who fished for salmon.
SaltEnglish From the name of a town in Staffordshire, derived from Old English sealt "salt" due to its historical mining for salt and alabaster. In some cases, an occupational name for a maker or seller of salt, of the same origin (see Salter).
SaluEstonian Salu is an Estonian surname meaning "grove".
SangEstonian Sang is an Estonian surname meaning "handle" or "bail".
SangChinese From Chinese 桑 (sāng) referring either to the ancient city of Qiong Sang, which existed in what is now Shandong province, or the ancient state of Sang, which existed in what is now Henan province and was annexed by the state of Qin.
SanxSpanish A variation of the surname Sáenz, derived from the popular medieval given name Sancho. This given name was originally derived from the Latin name Sanctius a derivative of the Latin word 'sanctus', meaning 'holy'... [more]
SaraSami Probably derived from Finnish saari "island", though some claim that it is taken from the given name Sara.
SelaHebrew Means "rock" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a city, the capital of Edom. Famous bearer is the Israeli model, actress and television presenter Rotem Sela (born 1983)
SelfEnglish East Anglian surname, from the medieval English masculine name Saulf which was derived from the Old English elements sǣ "sea" and wulf "wolf".
SelgEstonian Selg is an Estonian surname meaning "back", "spine" and "back of".