Submitted Surnames Starting with C

Chishall English
The name comes from when they lived in Chishall, two parishes in the county of Essex.

Chishiya Japanese
From Japanese 千 (chi) meaning "thousand", 地 (chi) meaning "earth, land", 智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect" 散 (chi) meaning "scatter", 梓 (shi) meaning "Japanese cherry birch", 塩 (shio) meaning "salt", 沙 (shi) meaning "sand", 司 (shi) meaning "to take charge of; to control; to manage", 史 (shi) meaning "history", 四 (shi) meaning "four", 士 (shi) meaning "samurai, warrior", 子 (shi) meaning "child", 市 (shi) meaning "market", 志 (shi) meaning "purpose, will, determination, aspiration, ambition", 氏 (shi) meaning "a family; a clan", 糸 (shi) meaning "thread", 紙 (shi) meaning "paper", 紫 (shi) meaning "purple; violet", 至 (shi) meaning "to reach; to arrive", 詩 (shi) meaning "poetry, poem", 資 (shi) meaning "money; fund; wealth; capital", 汐 (shi) meaning "evening tide; night tides; ebb", 心 (shi) meaning "heart, mind, soul" or 清 (shi) meaning "clear; limpid", and 也 (ya) meaning "also" or 哉 (ya), an exclamation... [more]

Chisholm Scottish
The name of a location in Roxburghshire, Scotland, which itself comes from cisil "gravel" and holm "islet".

Chishti Urdu
From the name of the town of Chisht in present-day Herat province, Afghanistan.

Chisley English

Chisuga Japanese
Chi means "thousand" and suga means "sedge".

Chiswell English
Variant of Chishall.

Chitsawangdee Thai (Rare)
Variant transcription of Thai จิตต์สว่างดี (see Chitsawangdi).

Chitsawangdi Thai (Rare)
From Thai จิตต์ (chit) meaning "mind; heart; soul; spirit; mentality", สว่าง (sawang) meaning "bright; shining", and ดี (di) meaning "good".

Chittsawangdee Thai (Rare)
Variant transcription of Thai จิตต์สว่างดี (see Chitsawangdi).

Chiu Chinese
Alternate transcription of Qiu chiefly used in Taiwan.

Chiura Japanese (Rare)
This surname is used as 千浦, 地浦 or 知浦 with 千 (sen, chi) meaning "thousand," 地 (ji, chi) meaning "earth, ground", 知 (chi, shi.raseru, shi.ru) meaning "know, wisdom" and 浦 (ho, ura) meaning "bay, beach, creek, gulf, inlet, seacoast."... [more]

Chivaaree Thai
From Thai ชีวะ (chiwa) meaning "life" and อารี (ari) meaning "tolerant, liberal, generous; magnanimous"

Chivers Welsh

Chivton English (American)
Portmanteau of Chiovaro and Cranston. First known use in 2023.

Chivu Romanian

Chiwara Japanese
Variant of Chihara.

Chiweshe Shona
Meaning unknown.

Chiya Japanese (Rare)
Means "bloody arrow; arrow of blood" in Japanese.

Chiyoda Japanese

Chiyonofuji Japanese
It means "One thousand years of wisteria."

Chiyota Japanese

Chizaka Japanese
Variant of Chisaka.

Chizaki Japanese
Variant of Chisaki.

Chlo Israeli

Chloey Khmer

Chloros Greek
Meaning "green" in Greek

Chludzinski Polish

Chmakov Russian

Chmakova Russian (Anglicized)

Chng Chinese (Hokkien)

Ch’ng Chinese (Hokkien)

Cho Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Hakka), Chinese (Hokkien)
Cantonese, Hakka and Hokkien romanization of Cao.

Choate English, Dutch
The names of Choate and Chute are believed to have been of common origin and derived from the residence of their first bearers at a place called Chute in Wiltshire, England. Certain historians, however, state that the name of Choate was of Dutch origin and was taken by its first bearers from their residence at a place of that name in the Netherlands.

Chocholi Albanian

Chock English
From English Shock or German Schöck

Chockalingam Indian, Tamil
From a nickname referring to the Hindu god Shiva, composed of the Sanskrit words चोक्का (cokkā) meaning "alluring" and लिङ्गम् (liṅga) meaning "sign, symbol, mark".

Chodankar Indian

Chodecki Polish
This indicates familial origin within the Kuyavian town of Chodecz.

Choem Khmer

Chohan Urdu, Indian, Hindi, Punjabi
Alternate transcription of Chauhan.

Choi Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Cai.

Choice English
Derived from the personal names Josse or Goce, which are derived from the Latin word "gaudere" and is a cognate in origin with the word "joy."

Choirunisa Indonesian

Choisel French

Chojnicki Polish

Chokalingam Indian, Tamil
Variant of Chockalingam. A famous bearer is American actress and comedienne Vera Mindy Chokalingam (1979-), who uses the stage name Mindy Kaling.

Chokshi Indian
From Gujarati čoksi ‘jeweler’, ‘assayer of gold and silver’, from čokəs ‘precise’, ‘circumspect’, a compound of čo- ‘four’, ‘four-way’, ‘all-round’ (Sanskrit čatus- ‘four’) + kəs ‘assaying’ (Sanskrit kạsa ‘rubbing’, ‘touchstone’).

Cholera Indian

Cholerzyński Polish
This indicates familial origin within the Lesser Polish village of Cholerzyn.

Cholevas Greek
Feminine form is Choleva

Chollet French

Chollette French

Cholmely English
The Cholmely family lived in the township of Cholmondley in the parish of Malpas in Cheshire.

Cholmondeley English
An aristocratic surname derived from a place name in Cheshire which means "Ceolmund's grove" in Old English.

Cholymay Micronesian

Chomacki Polish

Chomchuen Thai
Means "congratulations" from Thai ชม (chom) meaning "see, watch, praise, admire" and ชื่น (chuen) meaning "happy, joyful, delighted".

Chon Chinese

Chonenko Ukrainian

Chong Korean
Variant romanization of Jeong.

Chono Japanese
Cho can mean "butterfly" and no means "field, wilderness, plain".

Chönz Romansh
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Conrad.

Choo Korean
Variant romanization of Chu.

Choo Chinese (Hokkien), Chinese (Teochew)
Hokkien and Teochew romanization of Zhu.

Chooi Malaysian

Chopin French
French and English: nickname for a heavy drinker, from Old French chopine, a large liquid measure (from Middle Low German schopen "ladle"). The derived Old French verb chopiner has the sense 'to tipple’, ‘to drink to excess’... [more]

Chopra Indian, Punjabi
Of unknown meaning.

Choquehuanca Spanish (Latin American)

Choquette French
Altered spelling of French Choquet, a Picard form of Old French soquet, which was the term for a tax on wines and foodstuffs, hence a metonymic occupational name for a collector of such taxes.

Chorafas Greek

Chorafopoulos Greek

Choret French (Quebec)
Variant of Chauré.

Choriev Tajik, Uzbek
Masculine form of Chorieva.

Chorieva Tajik, Uzbek
Feminine form of Choriev.

Chorley English

Chornenki French (Quebec)

Chornenkyi Ukrainian

Chosokabe Japanese
Variant transcription of Chousokabe.

Chouchane Arabic (Maghrebi, ?)

Choudary Urdu, Indian, Telugu
Variant of Chaudhary.

Choudhry Indian, Hindi, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Chaudhary.

Choudhuri Indian, Bengali, Odia, Assamese
Variant of Chaudhary.

Choudry Urdu, Punjabi
Urdu and Punjabi form of Chaudhary.

Chougule Marathi
Alternate transcription of Marathi चौगुले (see Chaugule).

Chouhan Indian, Assamese, Bengali, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Chauhan.

Choukri Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Shukri chiefly used in Morocco.

Choules English (British, Rare)
The surname Choules is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a variant of Scholes, itself "a topographical name for someone who lived in a rough hut or shed", from the Northern Middle English 'scale, schole'... [more]

Chouraqui Judeo-Spanish
Means "the one who comes from the east" from Arabic شَرْقِيّ (šarqiyy) meaning "eastern".

Chourey Hindi
chourey surname basically belongs to kurmi caste

Chousokabe Japanese
From Japanese 長 (chou) meaning "chief, head, leader", 宗 (so) meaning "religion", 我 (ka) meaning "ego" and 部 (be) meaning "section".

Chovan Slovak

Chovban Eastern European (Rare)

Chow Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Zhou.

Chowdary Indian, Telugu, Tamil
Variant of Chaudhary used in Southern India.

Chowdhary Indian, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Chaudhary.

Chowdhry Indian, Hindi, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Chaudhary.

Choy Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Cai.

Chrapko Belarusian
Belarusian Latin spelling of Khrapko.

Chraplewski Polish
This indicates familial origin within either of 3 Greater Polish villages named Chraplewo.

Chresta Romansh
Variant of Cresta.

Chrétien French, French (Quebec)
French form of Christian.

Chretien French

Chriqui Judeo-Spanish
Alternate transcription of Chouraqui.

Chris Nigerian

Chrisley English

Chrisma Indonesian

Christ German
From the Latin personal name Christus "Christ" (see Christian). The name Christ (Latin Christus) is from Greek Khristos, a derivative of khriein "to anoint", a calque of Hebrew mashiach "Messiah", which likewise means literally "the anointed".

Christen German (Swiss)
Derived from the given name Christian.

Christenson English
Anglicized form of Christensen

Christer Swedish, Danish
From the given name Christer.

Christiani Indonesian

Christie Scottish
Means "son of Christian" or "son of Christopher".

Christina English, Various
Derived from the name Christina

Christine Eastern African

Christl German
Pet form of the given name Christian.

Christley English

Christman English (Canadian)

Christmas English
Either an occupational name for someone who was responsible for arrangement of festivities for Christmas day, or it might a nickname for someone who was born on Christmas.

Christodoulidis Greek

Christodoulopoulos Greek
Means "descendant of Christ's servant" in Greek.

Christodoulou Greek
Means "son of Christodoulos".

Christoffel Dutch, Afrikaans, German, German (Swiss), Romansh
Derived from the given name Christoffel.

Christoffersson Swedish
Means "son of Christoffer".

Christofi Greek (Cypriot)
From the given name Christofis, a short form of Christophoros.

Christofias Greek

Christoforou Greek (Cypriot)
Means "son of Christophoros".

Christon English

Christophe French
From the given name Christophe.

Christophilou Greek

Christopoulos Greek
Means "son of Christos 1".

Christou Greek
Means "son of Christos 1".

Christoyannopoulos Greek
Means "descendant of John and Christ" in Greek. A notable bearer of this surname is Alexandre Christoyannopoulos.

Christy English

Chriswell English
Likely originated in England. Creswell seems to be the oldest spelling then gradually giving way to Criswell and Chriswell.

Chromczak Polish (Latinized, Rare, ?)
The meaning of the name is: Chromium approval throughput time might.

Chrome Polish, Czech, Slovak
Chrome comes from the Polish word chromy, meaning "lame".

Chronis Greek
From a short form of Greek Polychronis. The word χρόνος (chrónos) itself means "time" in Greek.

Chronowski Polish
This indicates familial origin within either of 5 Lesser Polish villages: Chronów-Kolonia Dolna, Chronów-Kolonia Górna, Chronówek, Chronów in Gmina Orońsko, or Chronów in Gmina Nowy Wiśnicz.

Chrysafis Greek

Chrysafos Greek

Chrysanthe French
From the Greek Χρύσανθος (Chrysanthos), meaning "golden flower". This surname was first given to children found on October 25, the feast day of Saint Chrysanthos.

Chrysanthou Greek (Cypriot)
Means "son of Chrysanthos".

Chrysikakis Greek
The surname comes from the Greek word for gold "χρυσός".

Chrysler German, Jewish
From a German name referring to spinning or related to a Yiddish word, krayzl meaning "spinning top." The name can refer to a potter who spun a wheel to make utensils or to a person with curly hair or someone known for being continually active... [more]

Chrysostomou Greek (Cypriot)
Means "son of Chrysostomos".

Chrysovergis Greek
The one of the "golden rod".From the Greek words for gold: chrysos (χρυσός), and rod: verga (βέργα).

Chryssomallis Greek
Means "golden hair" in Greek.

Chrzanowska f Polish
Feminine form of Chrzanowski.

Chrzanowski Polish
Originally denoted someone who came from a place called Chrzanów or Chrzanowo, both derived from Polish chrzan meaning "horseraddish".

Chu Japanese
Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 中 or 仲 (see Chū).

Chū Japanese
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 中 or 仲 (see Naka 2).

Chua Chinese (Hokkien), Chinese (Teochew)
Hokkien and Teochew romanization of Cai.

Chuah Chinese (Hokkien), Chinese (Teochew)
Hokkien and Teochew romanization of Cai.

Chuahirun Thai

Chuan Chinese

Chuang Chinese

Chubachi Japanese

Chubb English
English (mainly West Country): nickname from Middle English chubbe ‘chub’ a common freshwater fish Leuciscus cephalus. The fish is notable for its short fat shape and sluggish habits and the word was used in early Modern English for a lazy spiritless person a rustic or a simpleton... [more]

Chuckler Indian, Telugu
Telugu occupational name for a leather worker, a job historically considered spiritually polluting and impure in India, where the surname belongs to Dalit, or "Untouchables" - members of the lowest caste.

Chudyk Ukrainian

Chue Hmong
From the clan name Tswb associated with the Chinese character 朱 (zhū) (see Zhu).

Chuenchomying Thai

Chughtai Urdu
From the name of 13th-century Mongol ruler Chagatai Khan, borne by his present-day descendants in South Asia.

Chugunov Russian
From Russian чугун (chugun) meaning "cast iron".

Chugunova Russian
Feminine transcription of Russian Чугунов (see Chugunov).

Chui Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Xu 1.

Chuibekov Slavic (Rare)
The name Chuibekov means "son of Chuib". It originates from Eastern Europe/Russia, and is very rare today. It is most prevalent in Central Asia, especially Kyrgyzstan, where the majority of the population is descended from early Siberians, and first found in Mongolia... [more]

Chujo Japanese

Chukho Circassian (Russified)
Derived from Adyghe цу (c°) meaning "ox, bull, buffalo" and шъхьэ (ŝḥă) meaning "head".

Chukwu Igbo
From the given name Chukwu.

Chulanont Thai
From Thai จุลา (chula) of unknown meaning and นนท์ (non) meaning "fun; joy".

Chumba Eastern African

Chumbley English
Variant of Chumley.

Chumley English
Variant of Cholmondeley.

Chun Korean

Chung Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Zhang.

Chuo Thai
Thai for Cai.

Chuquicondor South American

Churches English

Churchill English
From English, meaning 'church hill'. Denoted one who lived by both a church and a hill. A famous bearer is Sir Winston Churchill, the famed Prime Minister of Britain during WW2.

Churchillo Italian

Churchman English

Churchward Anglo-Saxon
Churchward derives from Old English pre 7th Century 'cyrice' meaning church, plus 'weard', a ward of guardian, originally given as an occupation name to a church custodian.

Churchyard English
It comes from when the family lived in or near the precincts of a church. Churchyard belongs to the large class of Anglo-Saxon topographic surnames, which were given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as "a hill", "stream", "church", or "type of tree".

Churlson English
Means “son of Charles”.

Chuter English

Chutia Indian

Chutney English

Chūtō Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Nukutō.

Chuto Japanese (Rare)
Variant transcription of Chūtō.

Chuu Japanese
Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 中 or 仲 (see Chū).

Chuzhakov Russian
Derived from Russian чужак (chuzhak) meaning "stranger".

Chüzho Chakhesang, Naga

Chviedarovič Belarusian (Rare)
Means "son of Chviedar". A notable bearer is Mikalaj Čarnuševič (1904-1981), the Belarusian poet, prose writer and translator better known by his nickname Mikola Chviedarovič.

Chydenius Finland Swedish
From the name of the Kytyniemi estate in Nykyrko (now Uusikaupunki), Finland.

Chyn Scottish

Chyornykh Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Chernykh.

Chytil Czech
Nickname from the past participle of chytit ‘have caught’.

Chyży Polish (Rare)
Derived from Old Polish adjective "chyży" which means "quick, swift"

Ci Indian

Ciabattino Italian
Italian for "cobbler."

Ciahlo Belarusian (Rare)
Belarusian form of Tyahlo.

Cialieha Belarusian
Derived from цялега (cialieha) meaning "cart, telega".

Ciambra Italian
A habitational name from a place containing the Sicilian element ciambra "room, chamber".

Cian Khmer

Cianci Italian
The surname Cianci is a name for a person of small financial means. The surname Cianfari is derived from the Italian words cianfrone and cianferone, which referred to a type of medieval coin.

Cianfarani Italian

Ciang Chinese, English (American)

Ciani Italian

Ciantar Maltese

Ciappara Maltese

Ciaramitaro Italian
From Sicilian ciaramidaru "roof tile maker, potter", ultimately from Ancient Greek κέραμος (keramos) "potter's clay, pottery, tile".

Ciarlandini Italian (Swiss)

Ciarlante Italian

Ciarlantini Italian

Ciarlariello Italian
From Italian ciarlare "to chatter, to gossip".

Ciatti Italian

Ciatto Italian

Ciavarella Italian
From Sicilian ciavaredda "goat kid", an occupational name for a goatherd, or perhaps a nickname based on the bearer's appearance or behaviour.

Ciavatta Italian
From ciabatta "slippers", a nickname for a cobbler, or someone known for dressing casually.

Ćibarić Croatian
Son of Ćibar

Cibekho Batak

Čičak Croatian
Means ''burdock, thistle''.

Ciccarelli Italian
Derived from the given name Francesco.

Cicchella Italian

Cicchelli English

Cicchelli Italian

Cicchelli Italian

Ciccia Italian

Ciccio Sicilian
Ciccio usually implies the person with given name is as sweet as pie. It also can be lengthened to Francesco.

Cicco Italian
From a diminutive of Francesco.

Ciccone English
A diminutive of Francesco. A famous bearer is American singer Madonna Ciccone (1958-), better known as simply Madonna.

Ciccotosto Italian
From Cicco combined with tosto "hard, tough".

Ciccu Sardinian
Variant of Cicco.

Çiçek Turkish
Means "flower, blossom" in Turkish.

Cicero Italian
From the Italian cicero "pea," "chickpea," or "lentil."

Cicerone Italian
Italian form of Cicero. From the given name Cicerone

Cichela English
Variant of Cicchella.

Cichella Italian
Variant of Cicchella.

Cichy Polish, Slovak, Czech
Meaning "quiet" or "silent".

Ciciriello Italian
Could derive from Ciccio, a nickname for the given name Francesco

Cickeviciuti Lithuanian (Modern)

Cicmil Montenegrin

Cicvara Serbian
Derived from cicvara (цицвара), meaning "gruel", a type of food.

Cid Spanish, Portuguese

Ciechanover Polish, Jewish
Variant of Ciechanower. It is borne by the Israeli biologist Aaron Ciechanover (1947-), who is known for characterising the method that cells use to degrade and recycle proteins using ubiquitin.

Ciechanower Polish, Jewish
Denoted a person who came from one of the places in Poland called Ciechanów, for example the city in the Mazovia province.

Ciechi Italian
Means "blind (people)" in Italian, from Latin caecus "devoid of light, blind; invisible; aimless".

Cielbala Polish

Cienfuegos Asturian (Hispanicized)
Castilianized form of Cinfuegos.

Ciepliński Polish
This indicates familial origin within either of 3 Kuyavian villages: Ciepliny-Budy, Cieplinki, or Ciepliny.

Cieśla Polish
Derived from Polish cieśla "carpenter".

Ciesla Polish (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Cieśla.

Cieślak Polish
Derived from Polish cieśla "carpenter".

Cieslak Polish (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Cieślak.

Cieszyński Polish
Habitational name for a person from the town Cieszyn in southern Poland, derived from a diminutive of the given name Ciechosław.

Cifelli Italian

Çifligu Albanian (Rare)
This surname derives from the Albanian city Çiflig. The word Çiflig comes from the Turkish term for land management in the Ottoman Empire. Albania was under Ottoman rule for almost 500 years and has many cities and surnames that derive from Turkish terms.

Cifrino Italian
Uncommon name originating in Italy. Legend says that it was used for the offspring of a king and one of his maids. Meaning is most likely something like "little nothing".

Çiftçi Turkish
Means "farmer" in Turkish.

Ciftja Albanian

Cifuentes Spanish
Habitational Name Probably From Cifuentes In Guadalajara Named From Spanish Cien ‘Hundred’ (From Latin Centum) + Fuentes ‘Springs’ (From Latin Fontes; See Font ) Because Of The Abundance Of Natural Springs In The Area.

Cigan Slovene
Means "gypsy" in Slovenian.

Ciganskis Latvian
Latvian form of Cygański.

Cigarroa Basque (Hispanicized)
Castilianized form of Zigarroa.

Cigos Czech

Cihangiroğlu Turkish
Means "son of Cihangir".

Çika Albanian

Cikalleshi Albanian

Çil Turkish
Means "freckle, spot, fleck" in Turkish.

Cilento Italian

Cilia Maltese

Čilić Croatian (Rare)

Cilliërs Afrikaans
Brought to South Africa by settlers of French decent some time in the past 300 years. Sometimes also a given name for boys.

Cilme Albanian, Italian

Cilmi Italian

Cilmi Somali

Cimarosa Italian
from "Cima" Top, and "Rosa" A rose or the Color Pink. A famous Bearer of this surname is the Italian composer Domenico Cimarosa(1749-1801).

Çimen Turkish
Means "grass, lawn, turf" in Turkish.

Ciminelli Italian
Diminutive of Cimino

Ciminello Italian
Diminutive of Cimino

Ciminera Italian
from a dialect variant of ciminiera "chimney" hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who built chimneys or worked a furnace oven or kiln with a chimney or a nickname for a tall thin person.

Cimino Italian
Occupational name for a spice dealer, from cimino "cumin", Sicilian ciminu.

Cimirot Croatian

Cimorelli Italian

Cimpoieru Romanian
Occupation surname originating from bagpipe players; Romanian version of Piper

Cin Turkish
Means "jinn" in Turkish, also figuratively meaning "smart, intelligent".

Çınar Turkish
Means "plane tree" in Turkish (genus Platanus), derived from Persian چنار (chenar).

Cinardo Italian
From Italy

Cinco Filipino
From a Hispanicised form of the Hokkien surname Go.

Cindrić Croatian

Cinfuegos Asturian
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous parish of the municipality of Quirós.

Cing Khmer

Cingeswell English
Meaning "Lives at the King's spring"

Cingöz Turkish
Means "wily, sly, cunning" in Turkish.

Cini Maltese

Cinnamond Scottish, Irish, English
Possibly originates from Scottish place name Kininmonth. Probably introduced to Northern Ireland by Scottish settlers where it remains in Ulster. Another origin is the French place name Saint Amand originated from French Huguenots settling in Ireland.

Cintron Spanish
Spanish form for the french "Citroen". Original from Puerto Rico.

Cinwell English
Meaning "Lives at the King's spring"