Submitted Surnames Starting with W

usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Watabe Japanese
From Japanese 渡 (wata) meaning "cross, ferry" and 部 (be) meaning "part, section".
Watabohshi Japanese (Rare)
Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 綿帽子 (see Watabōshi).
Watabōshi Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 綿帽子 (watabōshi) meaning "bridal hood".
Wataboshi Japanese (Rare)
Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 綿帽子 (see Watabōshi).
Wataboushi Japanese (Rare)
Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 綿帽子 (see Watabōshi).
Watanuki Japanese
This surname is used as 渡抜, 渡樌, 渡貫, 綿抜, 綿貫, 四月一日 or 四月朔日 with 渡 (to, wata.su, wata.ru) meaning "cross, deliver, diameter, ferry, ford, import, migrate, transit," 綿 (men, wata) meaning "cotton," 抜 (hai, hatsu, batsu, nu.kasu, nu.karu, nu.ki, nu.ku, -nu.ku, nu.keru) meaning "extract, omit, pilfer, pull out, quote, remove, slip out," 樌 (kan, nuki), an outdated kanji meaning "grove," 貫 (kan, tsuranu.ku, nuki, nu.ku) meaning "brace, penetrate, pierce, kan (obsolete unit of measuring weight - equal to 3.75 kg./8.33 lbs... [more]
Watari Japanese (Rare)
Watari means "ferry, import, deliver". Watari is also a first name and a place name.... [more]
Watariyo Japanese (Rare)
Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 濟陽 (see Watariyō).
Watariyō Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 濟陽 (see Watayō).
Watase Japanese
Wata means "boat, ferry" and se means "ripple".
Watayo Japanese (Rare)
Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 済陽 or 濟陽 (see Watayō).
Watayō Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 濟陽 (Watayō), a variant reading of Japanese 濟陽 (Saiyō), from Chinese 濟陽 (Jìyáng) meaning "Jiyang", a town in the county of Xiayi in the city of Shangqiu in the province of Henan in China.... [more]
Waterfield English
Derived from a town named Vatierville.
Waterford English (Rare)
From a place name derived from the Old Norse words veðra, 'ram' (Swedish vädur, 'ram', See Wetherby) and fjord, 'fjord'.
Waterhouse German
Old German and Dutch locational name meaning “a house by water.”
Waterson English
It is a patronymic of the male given name Water or Walter.
Wathers Irish
The surname originated in Donegal, Ireland. MacConuisce was an Anglicized form of o'hUisce. Uisce translates to water in English. Wathers is a rather uncommon name because it is an untraditional way of spelling Waters... [more]
Watney English
Probably means "person from Watney", an unidentified place in England (the second syllable means "island, area of dry land in a marsh"; cf. Rodney, Whitney)... [more]
Watterson Scottish, Northern Irish
From an altered form of the given name Walter.
Watthana Thai
From Thai วัฒนา (watthana), a variant form of วัฒน (watthan) meaning "culture".
Waud English
From Old English weald meaning "forest".
Waverly English
Meaning, "from Waverley (Surrey)" or "from the brushwood meadow." From either waever meaning "brushwood" or waefre meaning "flickering, unstable, restless, wandering" combined with leah meaning "meadow, clearing."
Wawrzyniak Polish
from the personal name Wawrzyniec
Wawrzyszewski Polish
This indicates familial origin within the Masovian village of Wawrzyszew.
Wax German, Jewish, English
German and Jewish variant and English cognitive of Wachs, from Middle English wax "wax" (from Old English weax).
Waxman English, German (Americanized), Jewish (Americanized)
Occupational name for a seller or gatherer of beeswax from wax "wax" plus Middle English man "man". According to the Oxford English Dictionary wax-man is an obsolete term for an officer of a trade guild who collected contributions from members for wax candles to be used in processions... [more]
Waycaster English
The surname Waycaster is German in origin. It means "roll-eater," and was likely derived from a derisive nickname on a baker.
Waynewright English
Variant spelling of Wainwright.
Waywood English
Name for someone who lives in Wetwood (near Eccleshall) or Wetwood (near Meerbrook). ... [more]
Wazir Arabic, Pashto, Urdu
Means "minister, vizier" in Arabic.
Waziri Muslim
"Prime minister, Advisor, leader of passion."
Wazowski Polish Pop Culture
The name of the main character in Pixar’s Monster’s Inc. In Polish, it would be pronounced as vazz-OV-skee, instead now replacing all the letter W to make the V sound.
Weakly English
Variant spelling of Weekley.
Weale Welsh
A Welsh name, quite rare.
Weaponsworth English
Means maker of weapons
Weare English (British)
Derived from the Old English wer, meaning a "weir, dam, fishing-trap". This was used as an occupational surname for fishermen. Originated in Devon, England.... [more]
Weatherford English
Topographic name or a habitational name from a lost or unidentified place.
Webbe English (Rare)
Variant of "Webb", meaning weaver.
Wechter German
Variant spelling of German Wächter
Weddell Scottish
Derived from Wedale, the original name of the parish of Stow in Scotland. A famous bearer is James Weddell, a Scottish navigator and seal hunter who sailed a record 7.69 degrees south of the Antarctic Circle... [more]
Wedderburn Scottish
From the name of a location in Berwickshire, Scotland, which is derived from wedder “wether” and Old English burn “stream”.
Wedmore English (British)
Habitational name from Wedmore in Somerset, recorded in the 9th century as Wethmor, possibly meaning ‘marsh (Old English mor) used for hunting (w?the)’.
Wedon English
Variant of Weedon
Wędrogowski Polish
This indicates familial origin within the Masovian village of Wędrogów.
Wee Chinese (Hokkien)
Hokkien romanization of Huang.
Weedon English
From places called Weedon
Weekley English
Originally meant "person from Weekley", Northamptonshire ("wood or clearing by a Romano-British settlement"). British philologist Ernest Weekley (1865-1954) bore this surname.
Weekusk Cree
Weekusk ( last name ) meaning “Sweetgrass” in cree.... [more]
Weerakoon Sinhalese
Derived from Sanskrit वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man, brave" combined with Sinhala කෝන් (kon) meaning "king" (of Tamil origin).
Weerarathna Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරරත්න (see Weeraratne).
Weerarathne Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරරත්න (see Weeraratne).
Weeraratna Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරරත්න (see Weeraratne).
Weeraratne Sinhalese
Derived from Sanskrit वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man, brave" and रत्न (ratna) meaning "jewel, treasure".
Weerasekara Sinhalese
Derived from Sanskrit वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man, brave" and शेखर (shekhara) meaning "crest, peak, top".
Weerasekare Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරසේකර (see Weerasekara).
Weerasekera Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරසේකර (see Weerasekara).
Weerasingha Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරසිංහ (see Weerasinghe).
Weerasinghe Sinhalese
Means "brave lion", derived from Sanskrit वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man, brave" and सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
Weerasooriya Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhalese වීරසූරිය (see Weerasuriya).
Weerasuriya Sinhalese
Derived from Sanskrit वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man, brave" and सूर्य (surya) meaning "sun".
Weerawansa Sinhalese
Derived from Sanskrit वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man, brave" and वंश (vansa) meaning "lineage, clan, family".
Weerawansha Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරවංශ (see Weerawansa).
Weerawardana Sinhalese
Derived from Sanskrit वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man, brave" and वर्धन (vardhana) meaning "increasing, growing".
Weerawardane Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරවර්ධන (see Weerawardana).
Weerawardena Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරවර්ධන (see Weerawardana).
Weerawardene Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරවර්ධන (see Weerawardana).
Weerawardhana Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරවර්ධන (see Weerawardana).
Weerawardhane Sinhalese
Alternate transcription of Sinhala වීරවර්ධන (see Weerawardana).
Weg Dutch
Proper non: Way/road/path
Węglarz Polish
Means "Charcoal burner". Uncommon, mostly popular in voivodship of Małopolska (Lesser Poland) in places like Szczawnica, Kraków or Mszana Dolna.
Węgrzyn Polish
Means "Hungarian" in Polish.
Wei Chinese
From Chinese 卫 (wèi) meaning "guard, protect".
Weichmann German
From the given name Wigman. Derived from ancient Germanic wig "battle fight" and man "man".
Weichselbraun German (Austrian)
From Weichsel, "sour cherry" in German and Braun, "brown" in German
Weide German
Either a topographic name for someone who lived by a conspicuous willow or by a group of willow trees from Middle High German wide "willow"... [more]
Weidemann Medieval German, German (Austrian), Norwegian
Weidemann is a German family name and comes from the Middle High German terms for hunter or woad farmer.... [more]
Weidmann German
Name meaning, "hunter".
Weigel German
Derived from the given name Wigand.
Weiher German
Meaning:... [more]
Weil German, Jewish
South German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of various places so named in Baden, Bavaria, and Württemberg, from Latin villa ‘country house’, ‘estate’ (later used of a group of houses forming a settlement).
Weiler German, Jewish
Habitational name from any of several places so named in southern Germany. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Weil.
Weimar German
Habitational name from any of several places called Weimar in Hesse and Thuringia.... [more]
Wein German, Yiddish, Hungarian
Means "grape, vine, wine" in German and Yiddish (װײַנ). According to Nelly Weiss, Wein-style family names originated from signboards (house sign, house shield) in Jewish communities. Wein may also be related the German verb weinen meaning "to cry"... [more]
Weinbach German, Jewish
From the name of a commune in Hesse, Germany.
Weinberg German, Jewish
Weinberg means "Vineyard" in german.
Weinbrenner German
Occupational name for a distiller of brandy, literally 'wine burner'.
Weinel German
From the name Wino.
Weingartner German
Derived from German weingärtner meaning "wine maker, vintner", which itself is derived from German weingarten meaning "vineyard". The latter is a composite word consisting of German wein "wine" combined with German garten "garden"... [more]
Weinheimer German
German: habitational name for someone from any of the places named Weinheim, for example in Baden and Hessen.
Weininger German (Swiss), Jewish
Denoted a person from Weiningen, a municipality in the Canton of Zürich, Switzerland. It is also a Jewish ornamental name derived from German wein meaning "wine" and the suffix -inger.
Weinkauf German
From "wein kaufen" meaning "buy wine" or "wine-buyer"
Weinland German
Topographic name for someone who lived in a wine-producing area from Middle High German win "wine" and land "land" or a habitational name from a place so named.
Weinmann German, Jewish
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) occupational name for a viticulturalist or wine merchant, Middle High German winman, German Weinmann.
Weinreich German
from the name "Winrich"... [more]
Weinstein Jewish
Means "wine stone" from German wein meaning "wine" and stein meaning "stone". It originally referred to the potassium bitartrate crystals produced from the process of fermenting grape juice.
Weinstock German, Jewish
English variant of the German surname Wenstock, an occupational name for a producer or seller of wine, from German Weinstock "grapevine" (also compare Wein).... [more]
Weintraub German, Jewish
This surname translates into English as “grape”.
Weintraub German, Jewish
from Middle High German wintrub "grape" derived from wein "wine" and traub "grape" hence either a metonymic occupational name for a vintner or a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by a sign depicting a bunch of grapes.
Weir Scottish, English
Topographic name for someone who lived by a dam or weir on a river.
Weir Irish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Mhaoir "son of the steward or keeper".
Weir Irish
Anglicized form, based on an erroneous translation (as if from Gaelic cora "weir", "stepping stones"), of various Gaelic names such as Ó Corra (see Corr) and Ó Comhraidhe (see Curry).
Weis German
Variant of Weiss.
Weise German
Means "wise, prudent" in German. Notable bearers include Christian Weise (1642-1708), a German writer.
Weisenburger German, Jewish
Habitational name for someone from any of numerous places named Weissenburg "white fortress".
Weiser German
Variant of Weise.
Weisfeld German, Jewish
topographic name from a field name composed of Middle High German wiz "white" and feld "open country". Cognate of Whitfield.
Weishaupt German
Nickname for someone with white hair from Middle High German wiz "white" and houbit "head". German cognate of Whitehead.
Weishuhn German
Derived from Middle High German wiz meaning "white" and huon meaning "hen, fowl", hence a metonymic occupational name for a poultry farmer or dealer, or perhaps in some instances a nickname.
Weisman German, German (Austrian), Jewish
A German surname meaning "white man"
Weißmüller German
from Middle High German wiz "white" and mulin "miller" an occupational name for a miller who produced white flour which was produced as early as the 14th century.
Weissmuller German
Translates to "White Miller".
Weisz Jewish
Hungarian spelling of Weiss.
Weixel German
German: variant spelling of Weichsel, a topographic name for someone who lived near a sour cherry tree (St. Luce cherry), from Middle High German wīhsel (modern German Weichsel(n), pronounced ‘Weiksel’.
Welborn English
Habitational name from Welborne in Norfolk, Welbourn in Lincolnshire, or Welburn in North Yorkshire, all named with Old English wella ‘spring’ + burna ‘stream’.
Welburn English
English surname meaning "From the Spring brook"
Welby English (British, Rare)
Lincolnshire family name
Weld English
Meant "one who lives in or near a forest (or in a deforested upland area)", from Middle English wold "forest" or "cleared upland". A famous bearer is American actress Tuesday Weld (1943-).
Weldin English
Variant of Weldon.
Weldon English
Weldon is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The Weldon family lived in Northamptonshire, at Weldon.... [more]
Welfing German
Name given to our family by our relative, a German king.
Welford English
English surname meaning "Lives by the spring by the ford"
Welk German (East Prussian)
Nickname from Middle High German welc, meaning "soft and mild". The name was first recorded in South Holland, however many of the bearers of the name trace its roots back to East Germany. A famous bearer of this name was Lawrence Welk, an American musician and host of the Lawrence Welk Show.
Welker German
Variant of Walker.
Well English
Topographic name for someone who lived near a spring or stream, Middle English well(e) (Old English well(a)).
Welland English (British, Rare)
From the name of the place, derived from Old English wig - war and landa - territory, land.
Wellborn English
Related to Wellburn
Wellborne English
Related to Wellborn
Welle German
Topographic name for someone who lived by a spring or stream, Middle Low German welle.
Weller English, German
Either from the Olde English term for a person who extracted salt from seawater, or from the English and German "well(e)," meaning "someone who lived by a spring or stream."... [more]
Welles English
Variant of Wells.
Wellington English
Habitational name from any of the three places named Wellington, in Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Somerset. All are most probably named with an unattested Old English personal name Weola + -ing- (implying association with) + tun ‘settlement’.
Wellman English
From German Welle meaning "wave" and man, meaning "man", referring to someone who lived by a stream.
Wellspeak French (Anglicized)
Anglicized version of Beauparlant.
Welsch German
From Middle High German welsch, walsch "person from a Romance country (especially Italy), foreigner", hence an ethnic name or in some cases perhaps a nickname for someone who had trading or other connections with the Romance countries.
Welsh Irish
Variant of Walsh.
Welsh Scottish, English
Ethnic name for someone from Wales or a speaker of the Welsh language. Compare Walsh and Wallace.
Welti German (Swiss)
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Walter.
Welton English
Habitational name from any of various places named Welton, for example in Cumbria, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and East Yorkshire, from Old English well(a) ‘spring’, ‘stream’ + tun ‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’.
Weltraum German
A German surname meaning "outer space".
Welty German (Swiss)
From a Swiss German diminutive of the German given name Walther. A literary bearer was the American writer Eudora Welty (1909-2001).
Wemyss Scottish
From the lands of Wemyss in Fife, which is derived from Gaelic uaimheis "cave place".
Wen Chinese
From Chinese 温 (wēn) meaning "warm", also referring to any of several territories that were called Wen, namely an ancient state that existed during the Zhou dynasty.
Wences Slavic
Based on Wenceslaus or Wenceslas, latinized forms of name of Slavic rulers in various forms such as Václav, Wacław, Więcesław, Vyacheslav, Vjenceslav, etc. Derived from the Slavic words veli/vyache/więce/više ("great(er), large(r)"), and slava ("glory, fame")... [more]
Wend German
Variant of Wendt.
Wendelin German
From the given name Wendelin.
Wendler Medieval German
derived from a German word meaning to wander or wanderer
Wendover English
From a town in England, from Brittonic “winn”, meaning ‘white’, and “dwfr”, meaning ‘gate’.
Wendt German, Danish
Ethnic name for a Wend, Middle High German wind(e). The Wends (also known as Sorbians) once occupied a large area of northeastern Germany (extending as far west as Lüneburg, with an area called Wendland), and many German place names and surnames are of Wendish origin... [more]
Weng Chinese
From Chinese 翁 (wēng) meaning "elderly man".
Wenig German
From the German word “wenig”, meaning little.
Wenn English
Surname from Norfolk, England
Wennerström Swedish
Combination of the place name element wenner, which is probably derived from the name of Lake Vänern, and Swedish ström "stream".
Wensley English
Habitational name from Wensleydale in North Yorkshire.
Wentworth English
Habitational name from places in Cambridgeshire and South Yorkshire called Wentworth, probably from the Old English byname Wintra meaning ‘winter’ + Old English worð ‘enclosure’... [more]
Wentz German (Rare)
Originally a pet form of the given names Werner and Wenceslaw. Meaning "guard" or "army".
Wentzel German
Variant spelling of Wetzel.
Wenz German
Variant of Wentz
Wenzel German
Variant of Wentzel or from the given name Wenzel
Wepener South African, German
South African, German decent/history
Werb German
Name for an artisan or craftsman, from Middle High German werc(h), meaning "work, craft".
Werdum German
Werdum is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.
Wernersson Swedish
Means "son of Werner".
Wernik Polish (Rare)
A diminutive surname created from the initial sound of a personal name, place or thing and diminutive ik suffix added to create a surname. The ik suffix may be commemorative also, meaning a significant event has occured regarding the person or family... [more]
Wero Spanish (Latin American), Maori
Maori: Means "to cast a spear"... [more]
Wertheimer German, Jewish
Habitational name for someone from Wertheim.
Wertz German
From a pet form of the personal name Werner.
Weseloh German
German habitational name from a place so named near Hannover.
Wesner German
Habitational name for someone from any of several places named Wessen.
Wesolowski Polish
Meaning Happy men
Wessel Frisian, Dutch
From the given name Wessel.
Wessels Dutch
Derived from the given name Wessel.
Wesson English
Variant of Weston.
Westbay English (Rare)
It means "west bay".
Westbroek Dutch
Dutch form of Westbrook.
Westbury English
English British surname originating as a place name. There are several Westbury villages, parishes and even Manors across England that have given the name Westbury to people who take up residence in or come from those places... [more]
Westdyke English
Name given to someone who lived on the west side of a dyke.
Westen English, Scottish
Habitational name from any of numerous places named Weston, from Old English west 'west' + tun 'enclosure', 'settlement'. English: variant of Whetstone.
Westendorf German
A habitational surname that means 'West Village' in German.
Wester German
From Middle High German wëster ‘westerly’, hence a topographic name for someone who lived to the west of a settlement, or a regional name for one who had migrated from further west.
Westergaard Danish
Danish variant of Westergård.
Westergård Swedish, Finnish
From Swedish väster meaning "west, western" combined with gård meaning "farm, yard, estate".
Westergren Swedish
Combination of Swedish väster "western" and gren "branch".
Westerly English
The name is originated from a term meaning 'winds from the West'. The name could be given to someone who is born in the west.
Westerman English
Topographical surname for someone who lived west of a settlement or someone who had moved to the west, from Old English westerne meaning "western" and mann meaning "man, person".
Westermann Low German
From Middle Low German wester meaning "westerly" and man meaning "man", making it a topographic surname for someone who lived west of a settlement or a regional surname for someone who had moved to the west... [more]
Westernmeir German
Of German decent.
Westgate English
Topographic name for someone who lived near a west gate in a city, or a habitual surname for someone from Westgate. It is derived from Middle English west meaning "west" and gate "gate" (or "street" in northern and eastern areas; from Old Norse gata).
Westhouse Dutch
West of the House, originating from the name VeistHuis