Submitted Surnames with "river" in Meaning

Aa Norwegian
Derived from aa, an obsolete spelling of Norwegian å "small river, stream".

Aaby Norwegian, Danish
From a place called Aaby or Åby, from Old Norse á "small river, stream" and býr "farm".

Aadland Norwegian
Derived from a place called Ådland, from Old Norse Árland "land by the river".

Aamodt Norwegian
Combination of aa, an obsolete spelling of Norwegian å "small river, stream" and møte "meeting".

Aarhus Norwegian
Derived from any of the farms so named, from Old Norse á "river" and hús "house, farmstead".

Aberdeen Scottish, English
Habitational name denoting someone from the Scottish city Aberdeen, derived from Scottish Gaelic aber "river mouth" and the name of the river Don.

Aberline English (Australian, Rare, ?)
Possibly from a place name derived from Gaelic aber meaning "(river) mouth" and an uncertain second element.

Abernathy Scottish
A different form of Abernethy, which originally meant "person from Abernethy", Perth and Kinross ("confluence of the (river) Nethy"). This was one of the surnames of the Scots who settled in northern Ireland during the ‘plantation’ in the 17th century, and it was brought to the U.S. as the name of a Southern plantation owner.

Abukawa Japanese
From Japanese 虻 (abu) meaning "horsefly" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Abukumagawa Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 阿武隈川 (Abukumagawa) meaning "Abukuma River", a river that flows through the prefectures of Fukushima and Miyagi in Japan.

Ådahl Swedish, Finland Swedish
Combination of Swedish å meaning "river, stream, creek" (Old Norse á) and dal meaning "dale, valley" (Old Norse dalr).

Agawa Japanese
阿 (A) means "nook, flatter, corner" and 川 (kawa) meaning "stream, river".... [more]

Akagawa Japanese
From Japanese 赤 (aka) meaning "red" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Akawa Japanese
A means "second, Asia" and kawa means "river, stream".

Akutagawa Japanese
Akuta (芥) means "mustard", kawa (川) means "river", kawa changes to gawa due to rendaku. Notable bearers of this surname are Ryuunosuke Akutagawa (芥川龍之介), a Japanese writer and Ryuunosuke Akutagawa from Bungou Stray dogs who shares the same name.

Alford English, Scottish
Habitational name from any of several places in England, derived from Old English ford "ford, river crossing" and an uncertain first element, possibly eald "old", or the given name Ealdgyð.

Alfvén Swedish (Rare)
Perhaps derived from Swedish älv "river".

Alton English
From a place name meaning "town at the source of the river" in Old English.

Amagawa Japanese
From the Japanese 天 (ama or ten) "heaven," 塰 (ama) the title of a Noh play or 余 (ama) "complimentary" and 川 or 河 (gawa or kawa) "river."

Åman Swedish
Combination of Swedish å "creek, river, big stream" and man "man".

Ångström Swedish
Combination of Swedish ånga "steam" and ström "river, current, stream". A notable bearer was Swedish physicist Anders Ångström (1814-1874), one of the founders of the science of spectroscopy... [more]

Arakawa Japanese
From 荒 (ara) meaning "rough, wild, violent" or 新 (ara) meaning "new" combined with 川/河 (kawa) meaning "river, stream."

Arantzibia Basque (Rare)
Derived from Basque arantza "thorn, buckthorn" and ibi "ford, river crossing"

Asakawa Japanese
From Japanese 浅 (asa) meaning "shallow" and 川 or 河 (kawa) meaning "river".

Aven Norwegian
From the name of a farm, itself derived from Norwegian ave "mud, pool, dam; ebb, eddy in a river".

Avon English
From the toponym Avon, meaning "river". Alternatively, from the given name Avine, a pet form of Avis.

Ayukawa Japanese
From 鮎 (ayu) meaning "trout" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river."

Azusagawa Japanese (Rare)
Azusa (梓) means "catalpa", gawa/kawa (川) means "river", kawa changes to gawa due to rendaku. Sakuta Azusagawa (梓川 咲太) and his sister Kaede (梓川 花楓) from Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai are notable fictional characters who bear this surname.

Baigorri Basque
From the name of a commune in Bayonne, France, derived from Basque ibai "river" and gorri "red" or "bare, naked".

Beauford English
Variation of Buford. It is derived from the French word "beau", meaning "beautiful", and "ford", an Old English word meaning "river crossing".

Belrio Spanish
From the Spanish word meaning "beautiful river".

Berlin German, English
Habitational name from the city in Germany, the name of which is of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from an Old Slavic stem berl- meaning swamp or from a West Slavic word meaning "river lake".

Blackford English
Derived from the words blæc "black" or blac "pale, shining, white" and ford "river crossing".

Boström Swedish
Combination of Swedish bo "dwelling, home" and ström "stream, river".

Braham English
From the name of a town called Braham, probably derived from Old English brom meaning "broom (a type of plant)" and ham meaning "home, settlement" or hamm meaning "river meadow".

Brandybuck Literature
Brandybuck is the surname of Meriadoc, a young Hobbit in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings." Possibly derived from the Brandywine River, which in turn is derived from Sindarin Baranduin, "Brown River"... [more]

Çay Turkish
Means "river, brook, creek" in Turkish.

Cherrington English
Habitational name from any of several places in England called Cherington or Cherrington... [more]

Cricks American
"living near a river." Comes from a similar origin of Rios

Demegawa Japanese
From Japanese 出 (de) "out", 目 (me) "eye" and 川 (kawa) "river".

Deriu Italian
Means "of the river" in Sardinian.

Donchenko Ukrainian
Means "from Donyetsk" or "from the River Don".

Donskikh Russian
Derived from the name of the Don river, derived from an Aryan root meaning "river".

Dowdell English
Habitational name from a lost Ovedale or Uvedale which gave rise to the 14th-century surname de Uvedale alias de Ovedale connected with the manor of D'Ovesdale in Litlington, Cambridgeshire, first recorded as “manor of Overdale, otherwise Dowdale” in 1408... [more]

Durieux French
Derived from Old French riu meaning "river, stream", originally used to indicate someone who lived by a stream.

Edo Japanese
E means "river, inlet" and to means "wisteria".

Ejiri Japanese
江 (E) means "inlet, river" and 尻 (jiri) means "behind, rear".

Elfving Swedish
Possibly a combination of an obsolete spelling of Swedish älv "river" and the suffix -ing (ultimately from Proto-Germanic -ingaz) meaning "coming from, belonging to, descending from"... [more]

Emajõe Estonian
Emajõe is an Estonian surname meaning "mother river" (a genitive form of "ema jõgi"). The Emajõgi is a 100km river flowing through Estonia.

Eno Japanese
E means "river, inlet" and no means "field, plain, wilderness "

Errey English
This uncommon and intriguing name is of Old Norse origin, and is found chiefly in the north western counties of England, reflecting the dense settlement of Scandinavian peoples in those areas. The surname is locational, from places such as Aira Beck or Aira Force near Ullswater in Cumberland, or some other minor or unrecorded place also named with the Old Norse term "eyrara", meaning "gravel-bank stream river”.

Esaka Japanese
E means "river, inlet" and saka means "slope, hill".

Esaki Japanese
E means "river, inlet" and saki means "cape, peninsula".

Esawa Japanese
E means "river, inlet" and sawa means "swamp, marsh".

Esprontzeda Basque
From the name of a town and municipality in Navarre, Spain, possibly derived from Basque (h)aitz "rock, stone", bera "place below, river bank", on "good" and etxe "house, building".

Esumi Japanese
E means "river, inlet" and sumi mean "residence, dwelling, abide" or "nook, corner".

Eto Japanese
江 (E) means "River, Inlet" and 藤 (To) means "Wisteria".

Ewell English
Habitation name from the town of Ewell in Surrey or from Temple Ewell or Ewell Manor, both in Kent or Ewell Minnis near Dover. Originally from Old English Aewill meaning "river source" or "spring".

Fawcett English
Habitational name from Fawcett, Westmorland, or Facit, Lancashire, both derived from Old English fāh "multicoloured, variegated, colourful" and sīde "side, hill slope"... [more]

Fiume Italian
From Italian meaning "river".

Fjellström Swedish
Combination of Swedish fjäll "mountain, fell" and ström "stream, river".

Flodgaard Danish
Danish name element gård "farmstead, yard" combined with prefix flod meaning "river".

Flodqvist Swedish
Combination of Swedish flod "river" and kvist "twig, branch".

Fujikawa Japanese
From Japanese 藤 (fuji) meaning "wisteria" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Fukae Japanese
Fuka means "deep" and e means "inlet, river".

Fukawa Japanese
From Japanese 府 (fu) meaning "prefecture" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Fumetsugawa Japanese (Rare)
From japanese kanji 不滅 (fumetsu) meaning "immortal, indestructible, undying" and 河 or 川 (gawa/kawa) both meaning "river".

Garibai Basque
From the name of a neighborhood in the municipality of Oñati, Spain, probably derived from Basque gari "wheat" and ibai "river". Alternatively, the first element could be garo "fern" or garai "high, tall, prominent".

Guadalajara Spanish
habitational name from Guadalajara in Castile named with Arabic wādī-al-ḥijāra (واد الحجرة o وادي الحجرة) "river of the stones".

Ha Korean
From Sino-Korean 河 (ha) meaning "river, stream".

Häggström Swedish
Combination of Swedish hägg "bird cherry" and ström "stream, small river".

Hagström Swedish
Combination of Swedish hage "enclosure, garden" and ström "stream, small river".

Hallström Swedish
Combination of Swedish hall "hall, stone, rock" and ström "stream, small river".

Hamakawa Japanese
From the Japanese 浜 or 濱 (hama) "beach" and 川 or 河 (kawa) "river."

Hanakawa Japanese
From 花 (hana) meaning "flower" and 川 (kawa) meaning "stream, river".

Hanford English
Habitational name from any of several places called Hanford, Handforth, or Hannaford, derived from either Old Welsh hen "old" and ford "road, way", or from Old English ford "ford, river crossing" combined with the given name Hanna.

Harukawa Japanese
harukawa means "spring river". the kanji used are 春(haru) meaning "spring (the season)" and 河 (kawa) meaning "river" . you could also use 川 (kawa) as the second kanji, but using 河 looks better.

Hayakawa Japanese
From Japanese 早 (haya) meaning "early, fast" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Hedström Swedish
Combination of Swedish hed "heath, moor" and ström "stream, river".

Hendaia Basque (Rare)
From the name of a commune (Hendaye in French) in southwestern France, of uncertain etymology. Possibly from Basque handi "big, large, great" and ibi "ford" or ibai "river", though this structure would not be grammatically correct... [more]

Hikawa Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 氷 (hi) meaning "ice" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Hirakawa Japanese
From Japanese 平 (hira 2) meaning "level, even, peaceful" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Hirokawa Japanese
From Japanese 広 or 廣 (hiro) meaning "broad, wide, spacious" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Hirukawa Japanese
From Japanese 蛭 (hiru) meaning "leech" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Hishikawa Japanese
From 菱 (hishi, ryou) meaning "diamond (shape), rhombus, water chestnut, caltrop" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river".

Horie Japanese
From Japanese 堀 (hori) meaning "ditch, moat, canal" and 江 (e) meaning "bay, river, inlet".

Horikawa Japanese
From Japanese 堀 (hori) meaning "ditch, moat, canal" and 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river, stream".

Hoshikawa Japanese
From Japanese 星 (hoshi) meaning "star" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Hosokawa Japanese
From Japanese 細 (hoso) meaning "thin, fine, slender" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Huckabee English
This surname originated as a habitational name, derived from Huccaby in Devon, England; this place name is derived from two Old English elements: the first, woh, meaning "crooked"; the second, byge, meaning "river bend".... [more]

Huckaby English
Means "person from Huccaby", Devon (perhaps "crooked river-bend"), or "person from Uckerby", Yorkshire ("Úkyrri's or Útkári's farmstead").

Hungerford English
From the name of a settlement in Berkshire, England, derived from Old English hungor "hunger, famine" and ford "ford, river crossing".

Ibaiguren Basque (Rare)
Means "river's edge", derived from Basque ibai "river" and guren "edge, bank".

Ichikawa Japanese
From Japanese 市 (ichi) meaning "market" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Ichinoe Japanese
From 一 (ichi, kazu) meaning "one", 之 (no) meaning "of", and 江 (e) meaning "river, bay, inlet". This is not spelled the same as the town named Ichinohe.

Idreius Celtic
“Like the ocean; Unpredictable.”... [more]

Igawa Japanese
From Japanese 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Iikawa Japanese
Ii means "cooked grains" and kawa means "river, stream".

Ikawa Japanese
From Japanese 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Ikenoue Japanese
Ike means "river", no is a possessive particle and ue means "upper, top".

Imagawa Japanese
From Japanese 今 (ima) meaning "present" and 川 (gawa) meaning "river".

Imakawa Japanese
Ima means "now, present" and kawa means "river, stream".

Irie Japanese
From Japanese 入 (iri) meaning "entry, input" and 江 (e) meaning "river, inlet". 入江 (irie) means "cove, creek".

Irmak Turkish
Means "river" in Turkish.

Isogawa Japanese
From Japanese 五十 (iso) meaning "fifty" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Itzstein German
Topographic surname that originated from broad regions around the river Itz in Thuringia, Germany. The word "Stein" (German word for stone) historically was also used to describe castles on a hill or at a river, thus a possible meaning of the name is "castle at the river Itz".

Izaba Basque
From the name of a municipality in Navarre, Spain, of uncertain etymology. Proposed origins include Basque iz "water" combined with aba, which could mean "river, mouth, confluence" and/or be a variant of -aga "place of, abundance of".

Izumikawa Japanese
Izumi means "fountain" and means "river".

Jõeleht Estonian
Jõeleht is an Estonian surname meaning "river foliage".

Jõeloo Estonian
Jõeloo is an Estonians surname derived from "jõelooge", meaning a "river meander".

Jõemaa Estonian
Jõemaa is an Estonian surname meaning "river land".

Jõerüüt Estonian
Jõerüüt is an Estonian surname meaning "river plover" (Pluvialis).

Jõesaar Estonian
Jõesaar is an Estonian surname meaning "river island".

Jõesuu Estonian
Jõesuu is an Estonian surname meaning "mouth of the river".

Jõevee Estonian
Jõevee is an Estonian surname meaning "river water".

Jõgi Estonian
Means "river" in Estonian.

Jõgiaas Estonian
Jõgiaas is an Estonian surname meaning "river meadow".

Jõgila Estonian
Jõgila is an Estonian surname meaning "river area".

Jõgioja Estonian
Jõgioja is an Estonian surname meaning "river creek".

Jõgisaar Estonian
Jõgisaar is an Estonian surname meaning "river island".

Jõgisalu Estonian
Jõgisalu is an Estonian surname meaning "river grove".

Jõgisoo Estonian
Jõgisoo is an Estonian surname meaning "river swamp/marsh".

Kadekawa Japanese
From 嘉 (ka) meaning "excellent, auspicious, praise", 手 (te) meaning "hand", and 川 (kawa) meaning "stream, river". Other kanji combinations can be used.

Kadokawa Japanese
From 門 (kado) meaning "gate" and 川 (kawa) meaning "stream, river".

Kagawa Japanese
From Japanese 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance" or 賀 (ka) meaning "congratulate, greet, celebrate" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Kalchytskyy m Ukrainian
Likely meaning "lives nearby River Kalchyk", from Кальчик (Kal'chyk).

Kallas Estonian
Means "shore, bank (of a river), seashore" in Estonian.

Karakawa Japanese
Kara means "larch" and kawa means "river, stream".

Kawabata Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 畑 (hata) meaning "farm, cropfield".

Kawabata Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river, stream" and 端 (hata) meaning "edge, end, tip".

Kawabe Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river, stream" and 辺 (be) meaning "area, place, vicinity".

Kawachi Japanese
From 川 or 河 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" combined with 内 (dai, nai, uchi, chi) meaning "among, between, home, house, inside, within."

Kawada Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".

Kawaei Japanese
From 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 栄 (ei) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper".... [more]

Kawagoe Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 越 (koeru) meaning "pass, cross, go through".

Kawahara Japanese
From Japanese 川 or 河 (kawa) meaning "river" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".

Kawahata Japanese
Kawa means "river, stream" and hata means "field".

Kawahigashi Japanese
From 河 or 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 東 (higashi) meaning "east".

Kawai Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".

Kawajiri Japanese
Kawa means "river, stream" and jiri comes from shiri meaning "rear, behind".

Kawakame Japanese (Rare)
Kawa means "river" and kame means "turtoise, turtle".

Kawakatsu Japanese
Kawa means "river, stream" and katsu means "victory".

Kawakita Japanese
川 (Kawa) means "River" and 北 (Kita) means "North".

Kawamata Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 又 (mata) meaning "again, once more".

Kawamata Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 俣 (mata) meaning "fork, crotch".

Kawamoto Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".

Kawamura Japanese
From Japanese 川 or 河 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

Kawanaka Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 中 (naka) meaning "middle".

Kawanichi Japanese
Kawa means "river, stream" and nichi means "sun, day".

Kawanishi Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 西 (nishi) meaning "west".

Kawano Japanese
From the Japanese 川 or 河 (kawa or gawa) meaning "river, stream" and 野 (no) meaning "field, plain, wilderness."

Kawaragi Japanese
From 河 (ka) meaning "river, stream", 原 (wara) meaning "field, plain", and 木 (gi) meaning "tree, wood".

Kawase Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river, stream" and 瀬 (se) meaning "ripple, rapids, current".

Kawashima Japanese
From Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream, brook" and 島 (shima) or 嶋 (shima) both meaning "island".

Kawashita Japanese
Kawa means "river, stream" and shita means "under, below".

Kawasugi Japanese
Kawa means "river, stream" and sugi means "cedar".

Kawatani Japanese
Kawa means "river, stream" and tani means "valley".

Kawato Japanese
From 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 戸 (do) meaning "door".

Kawauchi Japanese
From Japanese 河 (kawa) or 川 (kawa) meaning "river" combined with 内 (uchi) meaning "inside".

Kawazu Japanese (Rare)
Kawa (川, 河) means "river", tsu (津) means "port". Tsu changes to zu/dzu because of rendaku

Keeton English
Habitational name from a place called Ketton in Durham or one in Rutland or from Keaton in Ermington, Devon. The first is named from the Old English personal name Catta or the Old Norse personal name Káti and Old English tūn "settlement"; the second is probably from an old river name or tribal name Cētan (possibly a derivative of Celtic cēd "wood") and Old English ēa "river"; and the last possibly from Cornish kee "hedge, bank" and Old English tūn.

Kikawa Japanese
From 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood" and 川 (kawa) meaning "stream, river".

Kikkawa Japanese
From 吉 (kik) meaning "good luck, fortune" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Kinugawa Japanese
From 絹 (kinu) meaning "silk" combined with 川 or 河 (gawa) meaning "stream, river".

Kinukawa Japanese
From 絹 (kinu) meaning "silk" combined with 川 or 河 (kawa) meaning "stream, river".

Kishikawa Japanese
From Japanese 岸 (kishi) meaning "beach, shore, bank" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Kitakawa Japanese
Kita means "north" and kawa means "river, stream".

Kitashirakawa Japanese
From Japanese 北 (kita) meaning "north", 白 (shira) meaning "white" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Kobayakawa Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small", 早 (baya) meaning "fast" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river".

Kochiyama Japanese
From 河 (ko) meaning "river, stream", 内 (chi) meaning "inside" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain".

Kokawa Japanese
Ko means "small" and kawa means "river".

Konagawa Japanese
The Japanese surname "Konagawa" (小長川) consists of three kanji characters: "小" meaning "small," "長" meaning "long," and "川" meaning "river." So, "Konagawa" could be interpreted as "small long river." However, as with many Japanese surnames, there may be variations in meaning and interpretation depending on the family's history and region.

Kōno Japanese
From Japanese 河 (kō) meaning "river" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Kuivjõgi Estonian
Kuivjõgi is an Estonian surname meaning "dry river".

Kujikawa Japanese
From Japanese 久 (ku) meaning "long time ago", 慈 (ji) meaning "mercy", and 川 (kawa) meaning "river".

Kurigawa Japanese
The Surname "Kurigawa/Kurikawa" translates to "Chestnut River"

Kurokawa Japanese
From Japanese 黒 (kuro) meaning "black" combined with 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river."

Lapčević Serbian
Serbo-Croatian surname meaning "river" or "white". Likely from the river Elbe in Germany, which is called Labe and Laba in Slavic languages. Lab also having the meaning "white" in archaic Slavic (like the bird labud - swan).

Lawford English
From any of several places in England called Lawford, derived from the personal name Lealla (cognate with Old High German Lallo), and ford "ford, river crossing".

Lbov Russian
Derived either from Russian лоб (lob) meaning "forehead" or from the name of the Elbe river meaning "river".

Lear English
Means (i) "person from Leire", Leicestershire ("place on the river Leire", a river-name that may also be the ancestor of Leicestershire); or (ii) "person from Lear", any of several variously spelled places in northern France with a name based on Germanic lār "clearing"... [more]

Lester English
Habitational name from Leicester which is recorded as Ligeraceastre in the 10th century. The placename derives from an Old English folk name Legore "the dwellers by the river Legor (a lost river name)" and Old English ceaster "city Roman fortification" (from Latin castrum) "camp fortress".

Luoma Finnish
A name derived from the Finnish topographic word luomi, meaning "creek" or "small river". Common in central and western Finland.

Maegawa Japanese
A variant of Maekawa.... [more]

Mampuzha Malayalam, Indian (Christian)
Meaning: "Mango Tree River"; based on location in India.

Mansfield English
Means "open land by the River Maun", from the Celtic river name combined with the Old English word feld "field".

Matsugawa Japanese
Variant of Matsukawa, meaning "pine tree river".

Matsukawa Japanese
From Japanese 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Michikawa Japanese
From 道 (michi) meaning "path, road" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Midorikawa Japanese
From Japanese 緑 (midori) meaning "green" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Mikawa Japanese
From Japanese 三 (mi) meaning "three" or 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Minakawa Japanese
From Japanese 皆 (mina) meaning "all, every" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Minamoto Japanese
From 源 (minamoto) meaning "fountainhead, river source; source, origin," derived from a combination of 水 (mi), the combining form of mizu meaning "water," and 元/本 (moto) meaning "source, origin" with the addition of the Old Japanese possessive particle na.... [more]

Mitford English
From the name of a village in Northumberland, England, derived from either Old English midd "middle" or (ge)myþe "confluence, stream junction, river mouth" combined with ford "ford, river crossing".

Mizoe Japanese
From 溝 (mizo) meaning "gully, drain, ditch, trench, gap, gutter" and 江 (e) meaning "river, inlet, bay".

Mizukawa Japanese
From Japanese 水 (mizu) meaning "water" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Munekawa Japanese
From 宗 (mune) meaning "origin, religion, sect" and 川 (kawa) means "stream, river".

Murakawa Japanese
From Japanese 村 (mura) meaning "town, village" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Mycroft English
From Old English ġemȳþ "mouth (of a river)" + croft meaning "enclosed field", originally denoting somebody who lives at the mouth of a river.... [more]

Nabrotzky German (East Prussian)
The story I was told was:... [more]

Nagae Japanese
From Japanese 長 (naga 3) meaning "long, chief" or 永 (naga) meaning "perpetual, eternal" and 江 (e) meaning "bay, river, inlet".

Nagakawa Japanese
Naga means "long, chief" and kawa means "river, stream".

Nahar Arabic
Means “river” or “canal”. It is likely that individuals with this last name come from a family with a history or connection to water or irrigation systems.

Nairn Scottish
Means "person from Nairn", Highland region ("(place at the mouth of the river) Nairn", a Celtic river-name perhaps meaning "penetrating one").

Nakatsutsumi Japanese
Naka means "middle" and tsutsumi means "enbankment, river, bank, dike".

Namikawa Japanese
From Japanese 波 (nami) meaning "wave" and 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) both meaning "river, stream".

Nasukawa Japanese
From 那 (na) meaning "what", 須 (su) meaning "mandatory, necessary, moment", and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Natsugawa Japanese
Variant of Natsukawa, meaning "summer river".

Natsukawa Japanese
This name means Summer River. From natsu "summer" and kawa "river".

N’dri Western African (Rare)
The meaning behind N’Dri is “ Nearby the river “

Niva Sami, Finnish
From Finnish niva "small rapid in a river", ultimately derived from Northern Sami njavvi "small river, small rapid".

Nokawa Japanese
From 野 (no) meaning "plain, field" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream."

Ōga Japanese (Rare)
This surname is used as 淡河, 王賀 or 相賀 with 淡 (tan, awa.i) meaning "faint, fleeting, pale, thin," 河 (ka, kawa) meaning "river," 王 (ou, -nou) meaning "king, magnate, rule," 相 (shou, sou, ai-, ou) meaning "aspect, councillor, each other, inter-, minister of state, mutual, phase, physiognomy, together" and 賀 (ga) meaning "congratulations, joy."... [more]

Oikawa Japanese
From Japanese 及 (oi) meaning "reach out, exert, cause" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Ōkawa Japanese
From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Okawa Japanese
From the Japanese 大 (o) "big" and 川 or 河 (kawa) "river."

Ōkawara Japanese
From Japanese 大 (o) meaning "big, great", 河 (ka) meaning "river, stream" and 原 (wara) meaning "field, plain".

Okie Japanese
Oki means "open sea" and e means "inlet, river".

Okise Japanese
Oki means "open sea" and se means "river".

Ōkōchi Japanese
From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 河内 (kōchi) meaning "plain in a river basin".

Okukawa Japanese (Rare)
Oku means "interior,secluded,further out" and kawa means "river". Minako Okukawa is a fictional character from Yuri!!! On Ice and it's also the name of a company.

O'Mulvenna Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Maoilmheana, meaning "descendant of Maoilmheana" a personal name meaning "chieftain of the main river."

Ookouchi Japanese
From Japanese 大 (oo) meaning "big", 河 (kou) meaning "river" and 内 (chi) meaning "inside".

Oregon English (American, Rare)
From the state of Oregon. Meaning “River of the west”

Öström Swedish
Combination of Swedish ö "island" and ström "stream, river".

Oudshoorn Dutch
From the name of a former village in South Holland, Netherlands, derived from Out, a Middle Dutch diminutive of the given name Otgar, and hoorn "horn; corner, protruding bend (of a river)"... [more]

Overson English
Derived from the Old French name Overson, meaning "dweller by the river-banks". The name was probably brought to England in the wake of the Norman conquest of 1066.

Oxford English
Habitational name from the city of Oxford in Oxfordshire. The placename derives from Old English oxa "ox" and ford "ford, river crossing".

Oyakawa Japanese
From the Japanese 親 (oya) "parent" and 川 (kawa) "river."

Ọyáwálé Yoruba, Nigerian
Means "the river goddess came home" in Yoruba.

Passafiume Italian
From Italian passa fiume meaning "(one who) crosses the river", an occupational name for a ferryman.

Pickenpaugh German
The surname Pickenpaugh is an Americanized version of the German name Beckenbach, meaning "from the river basin"... [more]

Poortvliet Dutch
From the name of the village and former municipality called Poortvliet in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands, derived from Middle Dutch port meaning "port, harbour, storage yard, city" and vliet meaning "brook, stream, river, creek, inlet"... [more]

Pridonov Russian
The surname Pridonov is derived from a nickname. It contains an indication of the place of residence of the ancestor: "at the Don, i.e. on the Don River". The river named Don flows not only in the European part of Russia, but also in Scotland (the city of Aberdon is located on it) and in France (a tributary of the Vilena).

Rekov Russian
From Russian река (reka) meaning "river".

Rivette French, English (American, Rare), English (Canadian, Rare)
Topographic name derived from a diminutive of Old French rive, meaning "(river) bank, shore"; see also Rivet.

Riviere French, French (Quebec), French (Acadian)
Possibly from the French word meaning "river"

Rurikawa Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 瑠璃 (ruri) meaning "lapis lazuli" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river".

Saarejõe Estonian
Saarejõe is an Estonian surname meaning "island river".

Sagawa Japanese
From Japanese 佐 (sa) meaning "help, aid" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Sakagawa Japanese
From Japanese 坂 or 阪 (saka) meaning "slope" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Sakakawa Japanese
Saka means "slope, hill" and kawa means "river, stream".

Sasakawa Japanese
From Japanese 笹 (sasa) meaning "bamboo grass" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Sekawa Japanese
From Japanese 瀬 (se) meaning "rapids, current" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Sekewael Indonesian
The last name Sekewael is an original name from one of the island in Maluku. That one island name is "Negeri Oma." The meaning of Sekewael is "The Guardian of the River" because in "Negeri Oma" any body want to use the river of the water they have to ask for permission by Sekewael family... [more]

Sekikawa Japanese
From Japanese 関 (seki) meaning "frontier pass" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Selander Swedish
Combination of Swedish sel "stretch of calm water in a river or stream" and the common surname suffix -ander (originally from Greek aner "man"). The first element, sel, is also a common place name element in Northern Sweden and it's possible that this name is both ornamental and locational in origin.

Shereshevsky Russian, Jewish
Name for someone originally from the city of Sharashova in Belarus, probably derived Russian шерешь (sheresh) meaning "frozen mud, ice (on a river)".

Shibakawa Japanese
From Japanese 芝 (shiba) meaning "turf, lawn, sod" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river".

Shimokawa Japanese
From Japanese 下 (shimo) meaning "below, down, under" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Shinakawa Japanese
Shina means "family, department, section" and kawa means "river, stream".

Shinazugawa Japanese (Rare)
Means "immortal river; never dying river; river with no deaths" in Japanese.

Shioe Japanese
From 潮 (shio) meaning "salt" and 江 (e) meaning "inlet, river".

Shiokawa Japanese
From Japanese 塩 (shio) meaning "salt" combined with 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Shore English
From the Old English word scora meaning "the land along the edge of an ocean, sea, lake, or river; a coast."

Sillajõe Estonian
Sillajõe is an Estonian surname meaning "river bridge".

Sjöström Swedish
Ornamental name composed of Swedish sjö "lake, sea" and ström "stream, small river".

Strathairn Scottish
From Strathearn, the name of a large valley of the River Earn in Scotland, derived from Gaelic srath meaning "river valley, grassland" combined with the river's name. A famous bearer is American actor David Strathairn (1949-).

Suekawa Japanese
Sue means "posterity, close, end, powder, tip" and kawa means "river, stream".

Sunagawa Japanese
From Japanese 砂 (suna) meaning "sand" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Suzukawa Japanese
Suzu means "bell, chime" and kawa means "river, stream".

Tachikawa Japanese
Tachi means "stand" and kawa means "river, stream".

Tagalog Filipino
Of uncertain etymology. It could be from Filipino prefix taga- "native of" combined either from alog "ford" or ilog "river". It could also be from Tagal, a name of some tribes in Borneo or Sumatra... [more]

Tagawa Japanese (Rare)
Tagawa means "ricefield river"

Takatsutsumi Japanese
Taka means "high, tall, expensive" and tsutsumi means "river, bank, enbankment, dike".

Takekawa Japanese
Take means "bamboo" and kawa means "stream, river".

Takigawa Japanese
From Japanese 滝 or 瀧 (taki) meaning "waterfall, rapids" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Takikawa Japanese
Taki means "waterfall" and kawa means "river, stream".

Tamagawa Japanese
From Japanese 玉 (tama) meaning "gem, jewel, ball" and 川 (kawa) or 河 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Tamakawa Japanese
Tama means "jewel square" and kawa means "river".

Tanie Japanese
Tani means "valley" and e means "inlet, river".

Tanigawa Japanese
From Japanese 谷 (tani) meaning "valley" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Tanikawa Japanese
From the Japanese 谷 (tani) meaning "valley" and 川 or 河 (kawa) meaning "stream, river."

Telford English
From the words taelf meaning "plateau" and ford meaning "river crossing"... [more]

Teshigawara Japanese
From Japanese 勅 (te) meaning "imperial order", 使 (shi) meaning "messenger, envoy", 河 (ga) meaning "river", and 原 (wara) meaning "field".

Tokugawa Japanese
From 徳 (toku) meaning "virtue" and 川 (kawa) meaning "stream, river".

Tomikawa Japanese
From 富/冨 (tomi) meaning "riches, wealth, fortune" combined with 川/河 (kawa) meaning "river."

Torriente Spanish (Latin American, Rare)
Cuban name likely meaning "river".

Toyokawa Japanese
From Japanese 豊 (toyo) meaning "bountiful, luxuriant" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Trafford English
Habitational name derived from either Trafford, Lancashire (an Anglo-French variant of Stratford), from Bridge Mickle and Wimbolds Trafford, Cheshire (derived from Old English trog "trough, valley" and ford "river crossing"), or from the now-lost settlement of Trafford in Northamptonshire (derived from Old English traeppe "trap, fish trap" and ford).

Traun German
Derived from the Celtic word dru meaning "river". Traun is a river in the Austrian state of Upper Austria as well as a city located on the north bank of that river and borders Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, to the east.

Tsugawa Japanese
From 津 (tsu) meaning "ferry, port, harbor" and 川 (kawa) meaning "stream, river".

Tsunekawa Japanese
From Japanese 恒 (tsune) meaning "constant, persistent" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Tsutsumi Japanese
From the Japanese 堤 (tsutsumi) "river, embankment, riverbank."

Tweedel English
Tweedel is Scottish for "the dell on the tweed river"

Twining English
From the name of the village of Twyning in Gloucestershire, derived from Old English betweonan meaning "between" and eam meaning "river".

Udagawa Japanese
From Japanese 宇 (u) meaning "eaves, roof, house", 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Uekawa Japanese
From Japanese 上 (ue) meaning "above, top, upper" and 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream".

Ugalde Basque
Habitational name meaning "waterside, by the river" or "flood, deluge" in Basque, derived from ur "water" and -alde "side, near".

Ülejõe Estonian
Ülejõe is an Estonian surname meaning "across the river".

Umekawa Japanese
Ume means "plum" and kawa means "stream, river".

Ungvári Hungarian
Originally denoted a person from the city of Uzhhorod in Ukraine (formerly part of Hungary), meaning "castle on the River Uzh". In Hungarian it is called Ungvár.

Utagawa Japanese
Uta means "song" and Gawa comes from Kawa, meaning "river".

Utakawa Japanese
Uta means "song" and kawa means "river, stream".

Vahejõe Estonian
Vahejõe is an Estonian surname meaning "mid/dividing river".

Van Der Aa Dutch, Flemish
Means "from the Aa" in Dutch, a common name for rivers and streams derived from Old Germanic *ahwō "stream, river; water".

Van Der Loop Dutch
From Dutch loop "course, duration; river course", a topographical name for someone who lived by a waterway, in particular a waterway called De Loop in North Brabant.

Van Gestel Dutch
Means "from Gestel" in Dutch, a settlement in North Brabant, Netherlands derived from either gestel "height between two river valleys" or gestel "guest house, inn" (compare Gastel).

Van Ooijen Dutch
Means "from Ooijen" in Dutch, the name of a hamlet in Limburg, Netherlands, as well as several other settlements derived from Middle Dutch ooy "floodplain, wetland, meadow in the bend of a river".

Van Reenen Dutch, South African
Means "from Rhenen", the name of a city in Utrecht, Netherlands. Possibly derived from Proto-Germanic *hraini "clean, pure", or from Rijn "the Rhine (river)" combined with Old Dutch hem "home, settlement".