GengChinese From Chinese 耿 (gěng) referring to the ancient city of Geng, which existed during the Shang dynasty in what is now Henan province. Alternately it may come from the name of an ancient state that existed during the Spring and Autumn period in present-day Shanxi province.
GereEnglish Variant of Geer, Gehr or Geary, all related to the Old High German element gēr (Old English gār, Old Norse geirr) meaning "spear, arrow". A famous bearer is American actor Richard Gere (b... [more]
GielMedieval English From a medieval personal name of which the original form was Latin Aegidius, from Greek aigidion ‘kid’, ‘young goat’. Compare English Giles.... [more]
GishGerman From a shortened form of the Germanic personal name Gisulf, literally "hostage wolf". It was borne by American actress Lillian Gish (?1893-1993), original name Lillian de Guiche.
GongChinese From Chinese 龚 (gōng) referring to the ancient state of Gong (written as 共), which existed during the Shang dynasty possibly in what is now Henan province. This name was adopted in place of 共 by future descendants to flee persecution.
GoñiBasque This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Navarrese municipality.
GoosGerman, Flemish, Dutch Either a metonymic occupational name for a breeder or keeper of geese, from Middle Low German gōs and Middle Dutch goes "goose", or a short form of an Old German personal name containing Gote "Goth" or got "god", particularly Goswin or Gozewijn (a compound name with the second element wini "friend").
GóraPolish A Polish and Jewish name that means; ‘mountain’, ‘hill’, hence a topographic name for someone who lived on a hillside or in a mountainous district, or perhaps a nickname for a large person
GotōJapanese From Japanese 後 (go) meaning "behind, back" and 藤 (tō) meaning "wisteria".
GötzGerman Originally a hypocorism of Gottfried, which is derived from an Old High German given name. Variants include the surnames Getz and Goetz, as well as the given name Götz.
GrünGerman, Jewish from Middle High German gruoni "green fresh raw" hence a nickname for someone who habitually dressed in green a topographic name for someone who lived in a green and leafy place or a habitational name for someone from a place called with this word such as GrunaGrunau in Silesia... [more]
GummEnglish From a nickname or byname from Middle English gome, Old English guma "man".
GunnScottish This ancient Scottish surname is of Norwegian origin derived from the Old Norse personal name Gunnr. This surname, in most cases originated in Caithness, Scotland's most northerly county.
GuroFilipino, Maranao From Maranao goro meaning "teacher, instructor", ultimately from Sanskrit गुरु (guru).
GustGerman German: from a short form of the personal name Jodocus, which is either a Latinized form of a Breton name, Iodoc, borne by a 7th-century Breton saint (compare Jost and Joyce) or from a reduced form of the personal name Augustus.... [more]
GutaBosnian Possibly a mispronunciation of the Bosnian word for the verb "gutati" (to swallow) or "guta" (swallowing).
GuziHungarian As far as known, Guzi means 'friend' but as far as other meanings go, it is unknown. Due to its origin, the last name has two factions of distant family that pronounce it differently- One as "Guh-Zee" as the more uncommon pronunciation that actually follows the origin, and "Goo-Zee" as it is commonly pronounced in English.
GwakKorean Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 곽 (see Kwak).
GwanKorean From Sino-Korean 官 (Gwan) meaning "Tube".
HaabEstonian Haab is an Estonian surname meaning "aspen".
HaagGermanic (Archaic) 'The German surname Haag, like many surnames, was taken from some geographical feature near the dwelling place of its first bearer. Coming from the Old Norse haga, or some local variation of the word, the name means "one who lives near a hedged or fenced enclosure."... [more]
HaakEstonian Haak is an Estonian surname meaning "hook" and "fastener".
HäälEstonian Hääl is an Estonian surname meaning "voice".
HaamHmong A Hmong clan surname, which is sometimes anglicized as Ham or Hang. It may be a variant form of the Chinese surname Hang.
HadjArabic (Maghrebi) From Arabic حاج (ḥājj) meaning "pilgrim", referring to the Islamic hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia (chiefly Maghrebi).
HadoJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 波 (ha) meaning "wavelength" and 動 (do, dou, dō) meaning "motion, change, confusion"
HagaJapanese Ha means "Fragrance,Aroma" and Ga means "Congratulations". It's mostly in the northeastern Japan, and most likely comes from the place name in Tochigi Prefecture.
HagaJapanese From Japanese 芳 (ha) meaning "fragrant, reputable, satisfactory" and 賀 (ka) meaning "congratulate, greet, celebrate".
HäggSwedish From Swedish hägg meaning "prunus padus", but also known as "hackberry, bird cherry". It is a type of small tree native to northern Asia and Europe.
HaguEstonian Hagu is an Estonian surname meaning "brush".
HahmGerman Metonymic occupational name for a sealer of weights and measures, from Middle High German hāme ‘(standard) measure’.
HareIrish (Anglicized), English (American) Irish (Ulster): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hÍr, meaning ‘long-lasting’. In Ireland this name is found in County Armagh; it has also long been established in Scotland.... [more]
HariJapanese From Japanese 播 (hari) meaning "scatter; spread; disseminate", referring to cultivated land.... [more]
HaudEstonian Haud is an Estonian surname meaning "grave" and "tomb".
HaugNorwegian Ultimately derived from Old Norse haugr "mound".
HaugEstonian Haug is an Estonian surname meaning "pike (fish)".
HausGerman Topographic and occupational name for someone who lived and worked in a great house, from Middle High German, Middle Low German hus "house" (see House).
HeldGerman The German word for "hero", ultimately derived from Middle High German helt.... [more]
HelkEstonian Helk is an Estonian surname meaning "lustre" and "sparkle".
HeloSyrian, Lebanese Helo is Americanized from the name Helou which means "sweet". Origin around year 1717 from El Helou. Tribal name from Helou Massive a mountain in the Syrian, later Lebanon country. Mentioned in the narratives of the first Crusade.
HeppEstonian Hepp is an Estonian surname meaning "lively".
HerdDutch Comes from Middle Dutch hert, herte ‘hart’, ‘stag’; probably a nickname for someone who was fleet of foot, or a habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a deer; variant of Heard.
HessGerman (?) It is arguably both tribal and residential, originating from the pre 10th century A.D. It is believed to have originally described people who came from the region known as Hesse. The translation of this name is the 'hooded people'
HickEnglish From the medieval personal name Hicke. The substitution of H- as the initial resulted from the inability of the English to cope with the velar Norman R-.
HickDutch From a pet form of a Germanic personal name, such as Icco or Hikke (a Frisian derivative of a compound name with the first element hild "strife", "battle").
HimeJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 姫 (Hime) meaning "Hime", a former large village in the former district of Muro in the former Japanese province of Kii in parts of present-day Wakayama, Japan and Mie, Japan.... [more]
HimeJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 姫 (Hime) meaning "Hime", a former village in the district of Kani in the former Japanese province of Mino in parts of present-day Gifu, Japan.... [more]
HindEnglish, Scottish English (central and northern): nickname for a gentle or timid person, from Middle English, Old English hind ‘female deer’.... [more]
HineEnglish occupational name from Middle English Old English hine "servant member of a household" also "farm laborer" (such as a herdsman or shepherd)... [more]
HongChinese, Korean From Chinese 洪 (hóng) meaning "flood" or "vast, wide".
HoodEnglish, Scottish, Irish English and Scottish: metonymic occupational name for a maker of hoods or a nickname for someone who wore a distinctive hood, from Middle English hod(de), hood, hud ‘hood’. Some early examples with prepositions seem to be topographic names, referring to a place where there was a hood-shaped hill or a natural shelter or overhang, providing protection from the elements... [more]
HoopEstonian Hoop is an Estonian surname meaning "strike" or "blow (hit)".
HootDutch, German The Dutch form is a habitation name for someone who lived in the hout or "woods" while the German form hoth is from an occupational name for a maker of hats.
HotzGerman (Swiss), German Of debated origin and meaning; theories include a habitional name for someone from the Hotzenwald, a derivation from any given name containing the Germanic name element hadu "battle, combat" and a derivation from the verb hotzen "to swing, to sway, to tremble".
HoyaSpanish is a habitational (local) name, taken on from any of several place names, such as from Hoyos in Cáceres province, or Hoyos in Ávila province. These place names come from the Spanish words "hoyo," meaning "pit," or "hole."
HoytEnglish Generally a topographical name for someone who lived on a hill or other high ground. As such Hoyt is related to words such as heights or high. Hoyt is also possibly a nickname for a tall, thin person where the original meaning is said to be "long stick".
HsinTaiwanese Alternate romanization of Xin chiefly used in Taiwan.
HuckEnglish, Dutch From the medieval male personal name Hucke, which was probably descended from the Old English personal name Ucca or Hucca, perhaps a shortened form of Ūhtrǣd, literally "dawn-power".
HugoFrench Victor Hugo was a French poet, novelist, and dramatist of the Romantic movement. He was also the writer of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' and 'Les Misérables'.
HuikEstonian Huik is an Estonian surname meaning "crake".