Submitted Surnames on the List of Olympic Medalists

This is a list of submitted surnames in which the name appears on the list of Olympic Medalists.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Moura Portuguese
Derived from the Portuguese word "Mouro", which refers to an individual from the Moor people. This is the feminine form of the word, often used in legends of enchanted moor women, which very common in Portugal... [more]
Mozgov m Russian
From Russian мозг (mozg), meaning "brain, mind".
Mu Chinese
Chinese : in the state of Song during the Spring and Autumn period (722–481 bc) there existed a leader who was posthumously given the name of the duke of Mu. His descendants adopted Mu as their surname... [more]
Mu Hui
From the Arabic name Muhammad.
Mu Chinese
From Chinese 穆 (mù) meaning "pure, solemn, honest".
Mucha Polish, Slovak, Czech, Ukrainian
Nickname for an irritating person or someone considered of no importance, from mucha "fly".
Muir Scottish
Topographic name for someone who lived on a moor, from a Scots form of Middle English more moor, fen.
Muirhead Scottish
Derived from many places in southern Scotland with the same name, from northern Middle English muir meaning "moor" and heid meaning "head, end".
Muis Dutch, Indonesian
From Dutch muis meaning "mouse". Could be a nickname denoting someone with mouse-like tendencies, or who caught mice, or a short form of the given name Bartholomeus.
Mukhin Russian
From Russian муха (mukha) meaning "fly".
Mullin Irish
From O'maelin
Munk German, Scandinavian, Dutch, English
From Middle High German münich Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish munk Middle Dutch munc "monk" a nickname for someone thought to resemble a monk or a metonymic occupational name for someone in the service of a monastery... [more]
Murakami Japanese
From the Japanese 村, 邑 or 邨 (mura) meaning "hamlet, town, village" combined with 上 (kami) meaning "upper, top, above" or 神 (kami) meaning "god" or 守 (kami) meaning "guard, protect, defend."
Muramatsu Japanese
From Japanese 村 (mura) meaning "town, village" and 松 (matsu) meaning "pine tree, fir tree".
Murata Japanese
From Japanese 村 (mura) meaning "town, village" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".
Muravyov Russian
Means 'son of Ant'.
Murchison English (American)
May be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic "Mac Mhurchaidh" meaning "Son of Sea Warrior"
Murcia Spanish
Habitational name from the city Murcia.
Murillo Spanish
Habitational name for someone from any of various locations called Murillo, so named from a diminutive of Spanish muro meaning "wall".
Muslim Arabic
From the given name Muslim.
Mykkänen Finnish (Rare)
Finnish rare variant of Mäkinen.
Myklebust Norwegian
Derived from Old Norse Myklibólstaðr meaning "large farm". From mikill "large" and bólstaðr "farm".
Myshkin Russian
Myshkin is the possessive case of the diminutive of the word 'mouse'.
Nabi Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
From the given name Nabi.
Nagai Japanese
From Japanese 長 (naga) meaning "long" or 永 (naga) meaning "eternity" and 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".
Nagaoka Japanese
From Japanese 長 (naga) meaning "long" and 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge".
Nagy Arabic (Egyptian)
Alternate transcription of Naaji chiefly used in Egypt.
Naidangiin Mongolian
Patronymic form of Naidan using the suffix -гийн (-giin).
Nakada Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 田 (ta) meaning "field".
Nakamoto Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".
Nakanishi Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" or 仲 (naka) meaning "relationship, terms" and 西 (nishi) meaning "west".
Nakao Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 尾 (o) meaning "tail, end".
Nakaya Japanese
From Japanese 中 (naka) meaning "middle" and 谷 (ya) meaning "valley".
Nakaya Japanese
From Japanese 仲 (naka) meaning "relation, relationship" and 谷 (ya) meaning "valley".
Nam Korean
From Sino-Korean 南 (nam) meaning "south".
Nan Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 何 (see Nani).
Nan Korean (Rare)
From Sino-Korean 欒 (nan/ran) meaning "orchid".
Ñáñez Spanish
Patronymic from an unidentified personal name, perhaps it's a cognate of Ibáñez.
Narcisse French
From the given name Narcisse.
Nash Circassian
Shapsug name derived from Adyghe нэ (nă) meaning "eye" combined with щэ (š̍ă) meaning "milk" or "crooked, wry, bent".
Nault French
From a short form of various medieval personal names derived from Germanic personal names formed with wald 'rule' as the final element, in particular Arnold.
Navas Spanish
Pural form of Spanish and Asturian-Leonese Nava (see also Naves).... [more]
Nazarov Russian
Means "son of Nazar".
Nazarova Russian
Feminine form of Nazarov.
Ndlovu Southern African, Ndebele, Zulu
Derived from Ndebele or Zulu indlovu meaning "elephant".
Neagu Romanian
From the given name Neagu.
Neill Irish, Scottish
Reduced form of Irish Gaelic Ó Néill or Scottish Gaelic Mac Néill ‘descendant (or son) of Niall’, a personal name of Irish origin, thought to mean ‘champion’. The personal name was adopted by Norsemen in the form Njáll and was brought to England both directly from Ireland by Scandinavian settlers and indirectly (via France) by the Normans... [more]
Neilson English
Means "son of Neil". Often an English respelling of the surnames Nielsen or Nilsen.
Neisser German
German demonym of the town of Neisse (nowadays Nysa, in Poland), itself from the name of the river Neisse (Nysa) which runs through the city.
Nesbitt Scottish, Irish, English
Derives from the hamlets of East Nisbet and West Nisbet, Berwickshire. Some bearers of Nisbet/Nesbitt (and variant) names may originate from the village of Nisbet in Roxburghshire.
Nesterenko Ukrainian
Derived from the given name Nestor.
Neubauer German, Jewish, German (Austrian)
epithet for a settler who was new to an area from Middle High German niuwi "new" and bur "settler resident peasant" (see Bauer ) meaning "neighbor"... [more]
Nevala Finnish
From Finnish word 'neva', which is a marsh type and '-la', a suffix used for places.
Neves Portuguese
Means "snows" in Portuguese, derived from either the Marian title Maria das Neves "Mary of the Snows", or from any of several locations named for the title.
Newhouse English
Either a habitational name for someone who lived at a "new house" (from Middle English niwe "new" and hus "new house") or a habitational name from any of various minor places so called especially perhaps Newhouses in Horton Yorkshire near the border with Lancashire... [more]
Ngozi Igbo
From the given name Ngozi.
Nieuwenhuizen Dutch
Habitational name meaning "new houses".
Nijboer Dutch
Means "new farmer".
Nikulin m Russian
From the given name Nikolay.
Nishi Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west".
Nishida Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".
Nishimoto Japanese
From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west" and 本 (moto) meaning "base, root, origin".
Nistor Romanian
From the given name Nistor.
Nix German
Derived from Middle High German nickes "water sprite, elf, demon".
Nix English, German, Dutch
Means "son of Nick".
Noël French
Means "Christmas".
Nojima Japanese
From Japanese 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness" and 島 or 嶋 (shima) meaning "island".
Nông Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Nong, from Sino-Vietnamese 農 (nông).
Nong Chinese, Vietnamese
From Chinese 农 (nóng) meaning "farming, agriculture, cultivation", also referring to the ancient official position Nong Zheng (農正) meaning "agriculture officer". It is also used as a simplified variant of Vietnamese Nông, which is of the same origin.
Nool Estonian
Nool is an Estonian surname meaning "arrow".
Noonan Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Nuanáin (from Irish Gaelic Ó hIonmhaineáin) meaning "descendant of Ionmhaineán", a diminutive of the given name Ionmhain "beloved, dear". ... [more]
Nord Swedish
Swedish surname meaning "north".
Nord German, French
from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name with the first element nord "north" for example Norbert.
Nordén Swedish
Combination of Swedish nord "north" and the common surname suffix -én.
Nordlander Swedish
Combination of Swedish nord "north" and the common surname suffix -lander (a combination of land "land" and the habitational suffix -er).
Norén Swedish
Combination of Swedish nord "north" or nor "small strait" and the common surname suffix -én.
Norman Swedish
Combination of Swedish norr "north", or in some cases nor "narrow strait of water", and man "man".
Norouzi Persian
From Persian نوروز (nowruz) referring to the Iranian New Year, which is celebrated on the spring equinox.
Nørregaard Danish
An alternate spelling of Nørgaard. Literally meaning north farm in Danish.
Northway English
Habitational name from one or more of the minor places called with Middle English bi northe weie "(place) to the north of the way or road" from the elements norþ "north" and weg "way" including Northway in Monkleigh Widecombe in the Moor and Parkham Norway in Whitestone Narraway in Drewsteignton (all Devon) and Northway in Halse (Somerset)... [more]
Nottet French, Belgian, Flemish
Derived from given names using the French diminutive -otte, such as Ernotte.
Nugent English, Irish, French
An English, Irish (of Norman origin) and French habitational surname derived from any of several places in northern France (such as Nogent-sur-Oise), From Latin novientum and apparently an altered form of a Gaulish name meaning "new settlement".
Numan English, German (Anglicized)
Variant of Neumann. A famous bearer is English musician Gary Numan.
Nunn English
Means someone who is a nun
Nuttall English
English: habitational name from some place named with Old English hnutu ‘nut’ + h(e)alh ‘nook’, ‘recess’. In some cases this may be Nuthall in Nottinghamshire, but the surname is common mainly in Lancashire, and a Lancashire origin is therefore more likely... [more]
Nygaard Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian variant of Nygård.
Oakes English, Irish
English: Topographic name, a plural variant of Oak.... [more]
Obara Japanese
It's written like : 小 (O meaning small) and Bara meaning "Plain". Masakazu Obara's last name is pronounced like this. He is an anime director, he worked on Accel World.
Oberg English
Anglicized form of either Åberg or Öberg.
Oca Castilian
It indicates familial origin within the municipality of Villafranca Montes de Oca (geo coordinates: 42.3882°N 3.3090°W).
Ochs German, Jewish
Means "ox" in German, derived from Middle High German ohse, possibly denoting a strong person or someone who worked with oxen. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
Oda Arabic
Means "Several" in Arabic
Oda Japanese
From the Japanese 小 (o) "small," 尾 (o) "tail" or 織 (o) "fabric," "material," "cloth" and 田 (ta or da) "rice paddy" or 多 (ta or da) "many."... [more]
O'Dea Irish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Deaghaidh, ‘descendant of Deaghadh’, a personal name of uncertain origin... [more]
Odelin French
Not to be confused with the similarly spelled Odelín, which is Spanish rather than French, though they could have similar origins in name.
Odén Swedish
Likely a locational name derived from place names containing the elements od or oden (see Oden).
Odom English
Medieval nickname for someone who had climbed the social ladder by marrying the daughter of a prominent figure in the local community, from Middle English odam ‘son-in-law’ (Old English aðum).
Ōe Japanese
From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 江 (e) meaning "bay, inlet".
Oe Japanese
O means "big, great" and e means "inlet, shore".
Oe Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese 大江 (see Ōe).
Oeltjen German, East Frisian
Patronymic from a pet form of Ulrich.
Officer English (Canadian), English (American, Rare)
Occupational name for the holder of any office, from Anglo-Norman French officer (an agent derivative of Old French office ‘duty’, ‘service’, Latin officium ‘service’, ‘task’).
Ogasawara Japanese
From Japanese 小 (o) meaning "small", 笠 (kasa) meaning "bamboo hat", and 原 (wara) meaning "field".
Ogasawara Japanese
From Japanese 小笠原 (Ogasawara) meaning "Ogasawara", a former village in the former district of Koma in the former Japanese province of Kai in parts of present-day Yamanashi, Japan.
Ogorodnikov Russian
From Russian огородник (ogorodnik) meaning "truck farmer, market gardener".
Oh Japanese (Rare)
Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 奥 (see Ō).
Ōhara Japanese
From Japanese 大 (o) meaning "big, great" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".
Ohara Japanese
From Japanese 小 (o) meaning "small" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".
Ohno Japanese
From 大 (meaning large) and 野 (meaning field).
Okino Japanese
O could mean "big, great" and ki can mean "tree, wood", or it could be spelled as oki meaning "open sea", and no means "field, plain".
Okino Japanese
From Japanese 沖 (oki) meaning "open sea" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".
Ōkubo Japanese
From Japanese 大 (o) meaning "big, great" combined with 久 (ku) meaning "long time ago" and 保 (ho) meaning "protect"... [more]
Okubo Japanese
Alternate transcription of Ōkubo.
Okuno Japanese
From Japanese 奥 (oku) meaning "inside" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".
Oldham English
Habitational name from Oldham in Lancashire. The placename derives from Old English ald "old" and Old Norse holmr "island water meadow" or eald "old" and ham "farmstead" meaning either "old lands" or "old farm".
Oliva Italian, Spanish
Of uncertain origin: derived either from a nickname to those who picked, worked with or sold olives, or from the given name Oliva.
Olivares Spanish
Habitational name from any of several places named Olivares, from the plural of Spanish olivar meaning "olive grove". Compare Portuguese and Galician Oliveira.
Olive French
Given to someone who worked with olives from old french olive "olive" ultimately latin oliva "olive".
Olivera Spanish
Comes from the Latin etymology related to olive trees, olive grees and olives.
Ollivier French
From a variant of the given names Olivier and Oliver.
Olmstead English (British)
Comes from the Old French ermite "hermit" and Old English stede "place".... [more]
Ōnishi Japanese
Alternate transcription of Onishi.
Onishi Japanese
From Japanese 大 (o) meaning "big, great" and 西 (nishi) meaning "west".
Ōno Japanese
From the Japanese 大 (oo) "big" and 野 (no) "field," "area."
Oosterwegel Dutch
From Dutch ooster meaning "eastern, east" and weg meaning "way, path, road". Dutch track and field athlete Emma Oosterwegel (1998-) bears this name.
Orchard English, Scottish
English: topographic name for someone who lived by an orchard, or a metonymic occupational name for a fruit grower, from Middle English orchard.... [more]
Örn Swedish
Means "eagle" in Swedish.
Osaki Japanese
From the Japanese 大 (o) "big" and 崎, 埼, 﨑 or 岬 (saki) "peninsula," "cape" or 嵜 (saki) "steep," "promontory."
Osborn English
From the given name Osborn.
Ōshima Japanese
From Japanese 大 (o) meaning "big, great" and 島 or 嶋 (shima) meaning "island".
Oshima Japanese
Alternate transcription of Ōshima.
Osipov Russian
Means "son of Osip".
Osipova Russian
Feminine form of Osipov.
Osmond English
From the given name Osmond
Österreich German (Austrian)
The German name for Austria, meaning "eastern kingdom".
Oswalt English
From the given name Oswald.
Osypenko Ukrainian
Means "child of Osyp".
Ōta Japanese
From Japanese 大 (o) meaning "big, great" or 太 (o) meaning "plump, fat, thick" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".
Ōtomo Japanese
From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 友 (tomo) meaning "friend".
Otomo Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese 大友 (see Ōtomo).
O’toole Irish
O'Toole, along with Toole, comes from the Irish O Tuathail. This derives from the personal name Tuathal, meaning "ruler of the people", used by many Irish kings and heroes and accordingly incorporated into a surname in a number of distinct areas, among them south Ulster, Mayo and Kildare.
Ouedraogo Western African, Mossi
Derived from the name of the semi-legendary Ouedraogo, who is believed to have founded the Mossi Kingdoms in the 11th century. Means "son of the elephant" in the Mossi language.
Ouellette French (Quebec)
Canadian spelling of French (Norman and Champenois) Ouilet, from a Frenchified form of Willet, a pet form of William.
Ovanesyan Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Հովհաննիսյան (see Hovhannisyan).
Ovechkina Russian
Feminine transcription of Russian Овечкин (see Ovechkin).
Oviedo Spanish, Asturian
Derived from spanish "oveja" meaning sheep.
Oyakawa Japanese
From the Japanese 親 (oya) "parent" and 川 (kawa) "river."
Ozerov Russian
From Russian озеро (ozero) meaning "lake".
Paddock English
Derived from Middle English parrock meaning "paddock, small enclosure", hence a topographic name for a dweller by a paddock or an enclosed meadow. It could also be a nickname for a person who resembled a toad or frog in some way (derived from Middle English paddock meaning "toad, frog"), or denote a person hailing from one of the many places in England that bear this name, for example the town and civil parish of Paddock Wood in Kent.
Page German
Metonymic occupational name for a horse dealer, from Middle Low German page "horse".
Pai Hui
From the Persian name Baiderluden.
Palau Catalan
From palau meaning "palace", "mansion".
Palma Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Portuguese, and southern Italian: habitational name from any of various places named or named with Palma, from Latin palma ‘palm’. ... [more]
Pang Estonian
Pang is an Estonian surname meaning "pail" and "bucket".
Pang Chinese
From Chinese 庞 (páng) referring to the ancient fief of Pang located in what is now either Henan or Shaanxi province.
Pang Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Hakka)
Cantonese and Hakka romanization of Peng.
Pankratov Russian
Means "son of Pankratiy".
Pappin English (Canadian)
Southeastern Ontario, Canada. My dad and uncle are the only two I met. I was told their family background was Metis/Cree.
Pareja Spanish
habitational name from Pareja in Guadalajara province.
Parkin English
From the given name Parkin
Pärson Swedish (Rare)
Variant of Persson. A notable bearer is Swedish alpine skier Anja Pärson (b. 1981).
Parson Swedish (Americanized)
Americanized form of Pehrsson, Pärson, or Persson, all patronymics of Swedish diminutives of Peter.
Parson English
Means "priest, cleric, minister" in English, either an occupational name for someone who worked for a parson, a nickname for someone considered particularly pious, or perhaps given to illegitimate children of a priest.
Parton English
Habitational name from any of various places called Parton; most are named with Old English peretun ‘pear orchard’. A famous bearer of the surname is Dolly Parton.
Pascoe Cornish
Cornish form of Pascal, meaning "easter", with the Cornish patronymic suffix, -o.
Pascua Spanish
From the personal name Pascual. It also means "Easter" in Spanish.
Pashley English
From the an Old English personal name Pæcca, and with the Old English word "le-ah," meaning "clearing in the wood. ''
Patta Italian
Possibly from patta "draw, settlement", perhaps a nickname given to a negotiator. The same term can also mean "heat, warmth of the hearth".
Pavićević Montenegrin
Patronymic, meaning "son of Pavao".
Pavón Spanish
Spanish cognate of Pavone and variant of Pabón from Spanish pavón "peacock" from Latin pavo.
Pavon Spanish (Latin American)
Nickname for a proud man
Payton Irish
Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Peatáin "descendant of Peatán.
Pease English
English: from Middle English pese ‘pea’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of peas, or a nickname for a small and insignificant person. The word was originally a collective singular (Old English peose, pise, from Latin pisa) from which the modern English vocabulary word pea is derived by folk etymology, the singular having been taken as a plural.
Pedraza Spanish
Refers to the blow received from a stone thrown intentionally to wound someone.
Pedroso Portuguese
Its origin is the word "pedra", which means "stone".
Peñalver Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Pendleton English
An Old English name meaning "overhanging settlement".
Peralta Catalan, Spanish, Aragonese
Habitational name from any of the places in Aragon, Catalonia, and Navarre called Peralta, from Latin petra alta "high rock". This name is also established in Italy.
Percy English
Either a nickname from Old French percehaie "pierce hedge" (Old French percer "to pierce, penetrate" and haie "hedge, fence"), perhaps with the sense of someone breaking into an enclosure... [more]
Perdue English, Irish, French
English and Irish from Old French par Dieu ‘by God’, which was adopted in Middle English in a variety of more or less heavily altered forms. The surname represents a nickname from a favorite oath... [more]
Peretti Italian
Patronymic from a pet form of the personal name Pero.
Perrone Italian
Some characteristic forenames: Italian Angelo, Salvatore, Antonio, Pasquale, Vito, Domenic, Cosmo, Gaetano, Pellegrino, Rocco, Sal, Aldo.... [more]
Persakis Greek
Possibly related to περσικός (persikos), itself from the Ancient Greek Περσίς (Persís) meaning “Persia (today Iran)”.
Petri Romanian
Derived from Petre, the Romanian form of Peter.
Petukhov m Russian
Likely from short form of given name Pyotr.
Phénix French (Quebec)
French Canadian variant of Phoenix.
Phenix French (Quebec, Anglicized)
Either (i) an anglicization of French Canadian Phénix, literally "phoenix", probably originally a nickname of now lost import; or (ii) a different form of Fenwick.
Piccinini Italian
Derived from Italian piccino "little, small, tiny".
Pichardo Spanish
Spanish form of the surname Picard
Pico Spanish
meaning beak of a bird, or peak of a mountain in spanish... [more]
Picó Catalan
Probably a nickname from Catalan picó "having a thick upper lip".
Pietrangelo Italian
Derived from the given name Pietrangelo, a variant of Pierangelo, formed from Pietro and Angelo.
Pimenta Portuguese
Means "pepper" in Portuguese, used as an occupational name for someone who grew or sold peppers.
Pinder English (African)
Pinder originated in England as a surname used in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.
Pine English
Originally denoted a person who lived near a pine forest or who sold pine firs for a living.
Place English
Topographic name for someone who lived in or near the main market square.
Playfair English
From a medieval nickname for an enthusiastic competitor in sports and games (from Middle English pleyfere "companion in play, playmate"), or else a different form of Playford (from a Suffolk place-name meaning "ford where sports are held")... [more]
Plum German, Jewish
Variant of Blum.
Plum English, German
From Old Germanic *plūmā "plum", used as a topographic name for someone who lived by a plum tree, a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or sold plums, or perhaps a nickname referring to a plum-coloured birthmark.
Plum English
From Old French plomb "lead (metal)", a metonymic occupational name for a plumber, or someone who dealt in lead.
Polito Italian
Reduced form of Ippolito. Compare French Hypolite, Greek Politis... [more]
Poljak Croatian
Means "Polish". It is a cognate of Polyak.
Pollack Polish
Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of spelling of Polak.
Pollak English, German
A name for someone who came from the place called Poland.
Polyanski Russian
Meaning "From Fields".
Ponce Spanish
Derived from the given name Pontius
Ponce Spanish, English
The Ponce name was carried into England after the migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066.'Ponce' is derived from 'Ponsoby',a place in Cumberland, where the family settled. The Ponce motto is 'Pro rege, lege grege' meaning "For the King, law, and people"
Porta Romansh
Derived from Romansh porta "door".
Porzio Italian
From the given name Porzio.
Postma West Frisian, Dutch
West Frisian variant of the Dutch and North German surname Posthumus, given to a child born after their father’s death. It could also be a variant of the habitational name Post or an occupational name for a mailman or guard, using the Frisian suffix -ma.
Pozo Spanish (Caribbean)
Means "well", as in wishing well