RenchEnglish 1. English: nickname from Middle English wrench 'trick, wile, deceit' (Old English wrenc), perhaps used for a deceitful person. ... [more]
RendaItalian Derived from the short form of a variant of Latin Laurentius (compare Renza), or perhaps from a feminine variant of Germanic Rando... [more]
RheinGerman From the German name for the River Rhine, denoting somebody whom lived within close proximity to the river. The river name itself comes from a Celtic word meaning 'to flow' (Welsh redan, 'run, flow').
RhettDutch Anglicized form of Dutch de Raedt, derived from raet "advice, counsel". Compare Raad.
RhineGerman, French, English, Irish A habitational name for an individual whom lived within close proximity of the River Rhine (see Rhein). The river name is derived from a Celtic word meaning 'to flow' (Welsh redan, 'flow').... [more]
RhodeAmerican Comes from the state 'Rhode Island' in America
RimesEnglish Originally denoted one who came from the city of Reims in the Grand Est region of France, or a topographic name for someone who lived in a thickly wooded area, derived from Old French ramel (a diminutive of raim) meaning "branch", ultimately from Latin ramus... [more]
RivetFrench, English French: from a diminutive of Old French rive ‘(river) bank’, ‘shore’ (see Rives).... [more]
RīwaiMaori This name is a translation of the name Levi. The name also means potato as a general word for potatoes when its spelled without the letter "ī". This was the surname of founding mother Kiti Karaka Rīwai (1870-1927)... [more]
RizalFilipino, Tagalog, Cebuano From Spanish ricial meaning "green field" or "rice field". A notable bearer was José Rizal (1861-1896), a Filipino nationalist and national hero.
RoestDutch Habitational name derived from Old Dutch roest "reed bed, rush forest". Alternatively, from Dutch roest "rust", a nickname for a red-haired person.
RohmeGerman From the Germanic personal name Ruom (Old High German hruom ‘fame’), a short form of Ruombald and similar personal names containing this element.
RolloScottish From a Latinized form, common in early medieval documents, of the personal name Rou(l), the usual Norman form of Rolf.
RollsEnglish Possibly derived from the Latin word rotus, meaning "wheel". It would indicate one who built wheels as a living. A famous bearer was American inventor and entrepreneur Charles Rolls (1877-1910), founder of the Rolls-Royce Ltd along with Henry Royce (1863-1933).
RomasGreek Meaning the Roman, held by a family originating from the Greek community of Sicily.
RoserGerman German: topographic name for "someone who lived at a place where wild roses grew" (see Rose 1), with the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.German (Röser): habitational name from places called Rös, Roes, or Rösa in Bavaria, Rhineland, and Saxony, or a variant of Rosser.Swiss German (Röser): from a short form of a Germanic personal name based on hrod "renown".English: "unexplained".
RouenFrench From the other broad category of surnames that was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. ... Ruen is a place-name from in Rouen, the capital of Normandy... [more]
RougeFrench Nickname for someone with a ruddy complexion.
RoughEnglish A topographic name referring to a dwelling with uncultivated ground, ultimately deriving from Olde English ruh meaning "rough".
RouthEnglish From the village and civil parish of Routh in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England (recorded in the Domesday book as Rutha). The place name may derive from Old Norse hrúedhr meaning "rough shaly ground"... [more]
RöverGerman This surname was originally used as a derogative nickname for an unscrupulous individual, from Middle Low German rover meaning "pirate, robber."
RoverEnglish, German (Anglicized) This surname is derived from Middle English roof (from Old English hrof) combined with the agent suffix (i)er, which denotes someone who does/works with something. Thus, the surname was originally used for a constructor or repairer of roofs.... [more]
RubinFrench, German, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak Metonymic occupational name for a jeweler, from Middle High German rubn Old French rubi Slovenian and Croatian rubin Czech and Slovak rubín "ruby"... [more]
RucciItalian Patronymic from the personal name Ruccio, from a short form of various pet names formed with this suffix, as for example Gasparuccio (from Gaspari) or Baldassaruccio (from Baldasare).
RuffySwiss From a either of two places so named in Marne only one of which (in Vertus) still exists. Known bearers of this surname include the Swiss politician Eugène Ruffy (1854-1919), and Swiss politician Victor Ruffy (1823-1869).
RugbyEnglish From Rugby, Warwickshire. Originally named *Rocheberie, from Old English *Hrocaburg, 'Hroca's fort', the name was altered due to influence fort Danish settlers, with the second element being replaced with Old Norse byr, 'farm'.... [more]
RummoEstonian Rummo is an Estonian surname, derived from "rumm" ("rum").
RunaiJapanese Japanese: written 船井 'boat' and 'well'
RundsGermanic (Rare) The Runds surname most likely originated near the Rhine river. It comes from the Proto-Celtic word, rūnā, meaning mystery/mystic. The coat of arms dates back to the middle ages and consists of a black shield with three gold crescent moons... [more]
RungeGerman From the old word "runga", meaning stick or whip
RünneEstonian Rünne is an Estonian surname meaning both "attack" and "to make inroads into something".
RusbyScottish, English Alternative spelling of Busby, a parish in Renfrewshire. A name well represented in the Penistone, and Cawthorne districts of the West Riding of Yorkshire.
RuschLow German Derived from Middle Low German rusch "quick, rash, hasty; unkempt", this was a nickname for a quick or unkempt, unrefined person.
RybakPolish, Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Jewish Means "fisherman" in some Slavic languages. Derived from the word ryba "fish". A famous bearer is Byelarusian-Norwegian artist Alexander Rybak (b. 1986) who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009.
SàbatCatalan From a nickname or personal name bestowed on someone born on a Saturday, which was considered a good omen (Late Latin sabbatum, Greek sabbaton, from Hebrew shabat "Sabbath").
SabatJewish Jewish (Ashkenazi) ornamental name from German Sabbat "Sabbath".
SabatFrench Nickname for a noisy, rowdy person, from Middle French sab(b)at "noise", "racket".
SadatGerman (Rare) The last name Sadat means "master" and "gentleman," and is originally a religious last name which was popular in the west, more precisely in Germany.