Submitted Surnames on the United States Popularity List

This is a list of submitted surnames in which the name appears on the United States popularity list.
usage
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Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Wanless English
From a medieval nickname for an ineffectual person (from Middle English wanles "hopeless, luckless").
Wann Scottish
WANN. Surname or Family name. Origin Scottish and English: nickname from Middle English wann ‘wan’, ‘pale’ (the meaning of the word in Old English was, conversely, ‘dark’).
Wannebo Norwegian
An alternative spelling of the Norwegian surname Vannebo.
Wannemacher German, Dutch
Occupational name for a maker or seller of baskets, particularly winnowing baskets or fans, derived from Middle High German wanne literally meaning "winnowing basket" and macher meaning "maker"... [more]
Wanton English, Scottish
From Middle English wanton, meaning "unruly", "thoughtless" or "promiscuous".
Wapelhorst Low German
"Wapel" (pronounced VA-pel) is a river in Northern Germany. "Horst" means 'eagle's nest' in modern German but also means 'man of the forest' in Old German.
Waqar Arabic, Urdu
Derived from the given name Waqar.
Wara Finnish (Rare, Expatriate)
Variant of Vaara, mostly used outside of Finland.
Warburton English
From the village and civil parish of Warburton in Greater Manchester (formerly in Cheshire), England, derived from the Old English feminine given name Werburg (itself derived from wǣr meaning "pledge" and burh "fortress") and Old English tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town".
Wardak Pashto
Meaning uncertain. The Wardak are a Pashtun tribe from the Maidan Wardak Province in Afghanistan.
Warden English
Occupational name for a watchman or guard, from Old French wardein meaning "protector, guard". It was also used as a habbitational name for someone from any of the various locations in England named Warden... [more]
Warder English
Weard ora. Place name in Wilshire. Became Wardour ( see castle & village). Became Warder.
Wardlow English, Scottish
Habitational name from Wardlow in Derbyshire from Old English weard "watch" and hlaw "hill".
Wardrop Scottish
Metonymic occupational name for someone who was in charge of the garments worn by a feudal lord and his household, from Norman French warde(r) meaning "to keep or guard" + robe meaning "garment".
Warg Swedish
Taken from Swedish varg "wolf", ultimately derived from Old Norse vargr.
Warhol Rusyn (Anglicized)
Anglicised form of Varhola.
Waris Arabic, Urdu
Derived from the given name Waris.
Warkentin m Russian (Germanized)
Germanised form of Varkentin. In Germany, the gender specification does not apply to the last name.
Warmbier German
Metonymic occupational name for a brewer, derived from Middle Low German warm meaning "warm" and ber meaning "beer".
Warming Danish
Probably originating near the town of Ribe in Southeast Denmark. It appears as both Warming and Varming.... [more]
Warnecke German
North German from a pet form of the personal name Warner, Low German form of Werner.
Warneke German
German variant spelling of Warnecke.
Warnke German
German variant of Warnecke.
Warns German, Dutch
Patronymic form of the Germanic given name Warn (see Warin). Alternatively, a habitational name from various Frisian places likely named using the same or similar elements.
Warrington English
habitational name from Warrington in Lancashire. The placename probably derives from Old English wering, wæring "dam" (a derivative of wer, wær "weir") and tun "farmstead, estate"... [more]
Warrior English
From the given name “warrior” from Old Frenchwerreieor, werrieur ‘warrior’.
Warthen German
German: from a short form of the personal name Wartold, from Old High German wart ‘guardian’.
Warton English
"From the poplar-tree farm"
Wäscher German
Occupational surname for a washer, from Middle High German waschen, weschen "to wash".
Waseem Arabic, Urdu, Dhivehi
From the given name Wasim.
Washburn English
Northern English topographic name for someone living on the banks of the Washburn river in West Yorkshire, so named from the Old English personal name Walc + Old English burna ‘stream’... [more]
Wasim Arabic, Urdu
Derived from the given name Wasim.
Wason Scottish
Variant of Watson.
Wasser German, Jewish
Topographic name from Middle High German wazzer "water".
Wassermann German
German cognate of Waterman 2. occupational name for a water-carrier or a topographic name from Middle High German wazzar "water" and man "man"... [more]
Wassink Dutch
Derived from the personal name Wazo and the suffix -ink denoting origin from a family or place.
Watabe Japanese
From Japanese 渡 (wata) meaning "cross, ferry" and 部 (be) meaning "part, section".
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]
Watase Japanese
Wata means "boat, ferry" and se means "ripple".
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.
Waterworth English
Means "guard of the water".
Watterson Scottish, Northern Irish
From an altered form of the given name Walter.
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
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.
Wayman English
Variant of Wyman and Waitman. Could also be the Americanized version of Wehmann or Weidmann
Wazir Arabic, Pashto, Urdu
Means "minister, vizier" in Arabic.
Waziri Muslim
"Prime minister, Advisor, leader of passion."
Weakly English
Variant spelling of Weekley.
Weale Welsh
A Welsh name, quite rare.
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, English
Derived from Wedale, the original name of the parish of Stow in Scotland, possibly composed of Old English weoh "idol, image; temple, sacred place", weod "weed, herb", or wedd "pledge, contract" combined with dæl "dale, valley"... [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)’.
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.
Weerasinghe Sinhalese
Means "brave lion", derived from Sanskrit वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man, brave" and सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
Weg Dutch, Jewish, German
Means "way, road, path".
Weghorst Dutch, German
Habitational name from a location near Hanover, possibly derived from weg "way, road" and horst "thicket, grove, heap, elevated land" or "nest of a bird of prey, eyrie".
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.
Wehmann German
From Middle Low German wede, "wood forest" combined with man, "man"
Wei Chinese
From Chinese 卫 (wèi) meaning "guard, protect".
Wei Chinese
From Chinese 韦 (wéi) referring to the ancient state of Wei that existed in the pre-Qin period in what is now Henan province.
Weichmann German
From the given name Wigman. Derived from ancient Germanic wig "battle fight" and man "man".
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]
Weidling German (Austrian)
May refer to the district of Weidling, located in the municipality of Klosterneuburg, which is situated in Lower Austria, near Vienna. A notable person with this surname was Helmuth Weidling, a German general of the Wehrmacht during World War II.
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"
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
Welcome English
Derived from several places named Welcombe.
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]
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
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’.
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".
Wenger German, German (Swiss)
The surname Wenger is derived from the Middle High German word "wenger," "meaning "wagoner" or "cartwright."" It was an occupational name given to someone who worked as a wagon maker or driver. Another possible origin is that is derived from the German word, wenge, "meaning field of meadow"
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
Werb German
Name for an artisan or craftsman, from Middle High German werc(h), meaning "work, craft".
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, South African
Patronymic from the given name Wessel.
Wesson English
Variant of Weston.
Westbay English (Rare)
It means "west bay".
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".
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]
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 (Anglicized, ?), English
Possibly an Anglicized form of Westhuis. Alternatively, from a place named Westhouse.
Westhuis Dutch
Means "west house" in Dutch.
Westin Swedish
Variant spelling of Vestin.
Westlake English (Canadian)
Combined of West and Lake.
Westland English
Meaning "west land".
Westling Swedish
Combination of Swedish väst "west" and the common surname suffix -ling. A notable bearer is Prince Daniel (b. 1973), husband of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
Weston Dutch
Diminutive of Westenberg
Westra Dutch, West Frisian
Means "from the west", derived from Dutch west "west, western, westwards" combined with the Frisian habitational suffix -stra.
Westwood English, Scottish
Habitational name from any of numerous places named Westwood, from Old English west "west" and wudu "wood".
Wetherell English
Habitational name from Wetheral (Cumberland)
Wettläufer German
Derived from Middle High German wetteloufer meaning "runner", probably a nickname for a fast runner or someone who rushed around.
Wettstein German (Rare)
North German: variant of Wetzstein, from Middle Low German wetsten "whetstone".
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