KilburgGerman, Luxembourgish "Kyll castle," from German burg (castle) near the Kyll river in Germany. Also "wedge mountain" in Swedish: kil (wedge) and berg (mountain).
KileNorwegian (Rare) Habitational name from any of thirteen farmsteads named Kile from, ultimately derived from Old Norse kíll "wedge" and, by extension, "narrow bay inlet".
KileyIrish, English Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic "O' Cadhla" meaning "son of Cadhla". Cadhla means meaning graceful or beautiful; hence, "descendant(s) of 'the graceful one'".
KilgallenIrish Kilgallen comes from the Irish name Mac Giolla Chaillin, meaning the son of a servant or devotee of St. Caillin.
KilgoreScottish Habitational name for someone from Kilgour in Fife, named with the Gaelic coille "wood" and gobhar, gabhar "goat".
KilmerGerman Variant of Gilmer, from the medieval personal name Gildemir or Gilmar, composed from the German gīsil, meaning "pledge", "hostage", or "noble offspring" and the Old German mâri meaning “famous”... [more]
KilpEstonian Kilp is an Estonian surname meaning both "shield" and "shell".
KilpatrickScottish Scottish: habitational name from Gaelic cill Padraig "church of (Saint) Patrick".
KilroyEnglish "Kilroy was here" was a phrase widely written up on walls by American service personnel in the UK during World War II. The identity of the probably mythical Kilroy has been much debated (one theory is that he was a shipyard inspector of Quincy, Massachusetts, who chalked the phrase on material he had checked).
KimmelGerman, Jewish Derived from Middle High German kumin and German kümmel meaning "caraway" (related to Latin cuminum, a word of Oriental origin, like the plant itself), hence a metonymic occupational name for a spicer, literally a supplier of caraway seeds... [more]
KimmichGerman The surname hence a metonymic occupational name for a spicer.
KimotoJapanese Derived from the Japanese kanji 木 (ki) or 樹 (ki) both meaning "tree, wood, plant" combined with 本 (moto) or 元 (moto) both meaning "base, root, origin".... [more]
KincaidScottish Scottish habitational name from a place near Lennoxtown, north of Glasgow, which is first recorded in 1238 as Kincaith and in 1250 as Kincathe... [more]
KindGerman, Jewish, Dutch From Middle High German kint, German Kind "child", hence a nickname for someone with a childish or naive disposition, or an epithet used to distinguish between a father and his son. In some cases it may be a short form of any of various names ending in -kind, a patronymic ending of Jewish surnames.
KindEnglish Nickname from Middle English kynde meaning "kind, type, nature" or "disposition", possibly used in the sense of "legitimate".
KindemEnglish 1 English: habitational name from a place in Derbyshire, of unknown etymology (probably a pre-English hill name, but the form is obscure).... [more]
KinderEnglish Habitational name derived from a place in Derbyshire, of unknown etymology.
KinderknechtGerman Occupational name for a servant in charge of the children at a manor, derived from kinder (plural of kind) meaning "child" and knecht meaning "servant".
KindermannGerman, Jewish occupational name for a schoolteacher literally "children man", from the elements kind "child" and man "man".
KindredEnglish From the Anglo-Saxon given name Cenered meaning "bold counsel" from the elements cene, cen (later kene) meaning "bold, brave, proud" and raed meaning "counsel".
KingsburyEnglish Habitational surname derived from several places in England with the same name, for example in northwest London (formerly Middlesex), Somerset, and Warwickshire. These are mostly named in Old English as cyninges burh meaning "the king’s stronghold", but the last mentioned is cynesburh meaning "stronghold of Cyne" (cyne is a short form of any of various compound names with cyne- meaning "royal" as the first element).
KingsfordEnglish English habitational name from any of various places named Kingsford, for example in Essex, Devon, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. The name ostensibly means ‘the king’s ford’, but the one in Worcestershire is named as Ceningaford ‘ford of Cena’s people’.
KinkleGerman Derived from the Middle High German word "kunkel," which meant "spindle." It is thus supposed that the first bearers of this surname were spindle makers in occupation.
KinoJapanese From 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood" and 野 (no) meaning "field, plain, wilderness".
KinoshitaJapanese From Japanese 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood", an unwritten possessive marker 之 (no), and 下 (shita) meaning "under, below".
KinsellaIrish From Gaelic Uí Ceinnsealaigh meaning "descendant of Cinnsealach", a given name probably meaning "chief warrior".
KinslowEnglish habitational name from Kingslow in Worfield (Shropshire). The placename means "king's tumulus" from Old English cyning "king" (genitive cyninges) and hlaw "tumulus burial mound hill".
KioJapanese From Japanese 木 (ki) meaning “tree, wood”, 城 (ki) meaning “castle, city”, combined with 大 (o) meaning “big, great, vast, high”, or 小 (o) meaning “small”.
KippingGerman German: habitational name from a place named with Middle High German kip ‘point’, ‘peak’ or from Kippingen in the Rhineland.
KippsGerman Topographical name for someone living on a hill, from Kippe 'edge', 'brink'.
KippsEnglish From Middle English Kipp, perhaps a byname for a fat man, from an unattested Old English form Cyppe, which according to Reaney is from the Germanic root kupp 'to swell'.
KircherGerman from Middle High German kirchner "minister, sexton patron" hence an occupational name for a priest or a church assistant.
KirchhoffGerman An old Norse origin surname. Combination of Norse word Kirkr and Hoff means 'garden'.
KirchmannGerman From Middle High German kirihha "church" and man "man" hence an occupational name for someone working in the service of the church or possibly a topographic name for someone living near a church... [more]
KirchoferGerman German topographic name for someone living near a churchyard, or habitational name for the proprietor or tenant of a farm named as "Church Farm", from Middle High German kirche "church" + hof "farmstead", "manor farm".
KirklandEnglish, Scottish Derived from the Scottish 'kirk', meaning church, and land. This name denoted one who lived near or tended to the land belonging to or surrounding a church. A famous /fictional/ bearer is Arthur Kirkland, a main character in the highly popular anime/webmanga Axis Powers Hetalia... [more]
KirkmanEnglish A name originally found in both Scotland and England. From Kirk- meaning "church" and -man for someone who lived near or worked at a church.
KirouacFrench (Quebec) From an unidentified place name in Brittany, France, derived from Breton kaer, caer, ker meaning "fortified settlement" and an unknown given name.
KirschenmannGerman from Middle High German kirsche "cherry" and man "man" an occupational name for a grower or seller of cherries or a topographic name.
KirschnerGerman (Silesian) From the German word "kirchenære." The other occupation is that of a furrier and, in this case, the name is derived from the word "kuerschner."
KirtzGerman Patronymic form of Gero or Gier, pet forms of names containing the Old High German elements ger "spear" or giri "desire, greed".
KirwanIrish From Gaelic Ó Ciardhubháin meaning "descendant of Ciardhubhán", a given name composed of the elements ciar "dark" and dubh "black" combined with a diminutive suffix.
KissackManx Manx and Derry Irish form of "McIsaac"
KisselGerman From a pet form of the Germanic personal name Gisulf.
KissingerGerman HouseofNames.com: The Kissinger surname derives from the Old High German word "kisil," meaning "pebble," or "gravel." The name may have been a topographic name for someone who lived in an area of pebbles or gravel; or it may have evolved from any of several places named with this word.
KitchenerEnglish Variant spelling of Kitchen. A notable bearer was the Anglo-Irish senior British Army officer and colonial administrator Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener (1850-1916).
KitcherEnglish (British) This name derives from the Old English word "Cyta", and describes 'the cat' or perhaps more specifically a wild cat. This name may also refer to someone who worked in a Kitchen.
KitchingEnglish The surname is thought to have originally been an occupational name for a cook, deriving from the Old English word cycen.
KiteEnglish From the name of the bird of prey, derived from Middle English kete "kite, bittern".
KiteEnglish Habitational name derived from Old English cyte "cottage, hut".
KitleyEnglish Derived from a place name in Devonshire, England, and was first recorded in the form of Kitelhey in 1305.... [more]
KitzmillerEnglish (American) Americanized form of German Kitzmüller, literally ‘kid miller’ ( see Kitz + Muller ), a nickname for a miller who kept goats; alternatively, the first element may be from a personal name formed with the Germanic element Gid-, cognate with Old English gidd ‘song’.
KiyonoJapanese From Japanese 清 (kiyo) meaning "clear, pure, clean" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".
KiyotaJapanese From the Japanese 清 (kiyo) "clearly," "brightly," "cleanly" and 田 (ta or da) "rice paddy."
KizewskiPolish Polish, variant of Kiszewski a habitational name for someone from Stara Kiszewa (formerly Kiszewa) in Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship.
KjellbergSwedish, Norwegian (Rare) Combination of Old Norse kelda or Swedish källa both meaning "spring, source (of water)", and berg "mountain".
KlaverDutch Means "clover" in Dutch, a topographic name for someone who lived by a field of clovers or a sign depicting them, or an occupational name for a clover farmer.
KļaviņšLatvian Derived from the word kļava meaning "maple".
KleberGerman, English (American) Derived from German kleben "to bind, to stick", hence an occupational name for someone who applied clay daub or whitewash on buildings.
KleffnerGerman Topographic name from Middle Low German clef, cleff "cliff", "precipice".
KleffnerGerman Nickname for a prattler or gossip, from Middle High German, Middle Low German kleffer(er).
KleiberGerman Derived from an agent Middle High German kleben "to stick or bind" an occupational name for a builder working with clay or in Swabia for someone who applied whitewash. in Bavaria and Austria an occupational name for a shingle maker from Middle High German klieben "to split (wood or stone)".
KleindienstGerman Originally an occupational name for a farmhand or laborer, who was second in line to a more highly paid class of servant. Derived from German klein meaning "small, little" and dienst meaning "service, duty".
KleinknechtGerman A combining of the German word klein "small" and knecht "servant", originally an occupational name for a secondary hired hand. A famous historic figure who bore this surname was Jakob Friedrich Kleinknecht (8 April 1722 in Ulm - 11 August 1794 in Ansbach), a German composer of many works of chamber music and symphonies, flutist and Kapellmeister (chapel master).
KleisUpper German, Romansh Derived from the given name Kleis, a South German variant of Klaus. The Kleis settled in Romansh-speaking areas after the Napoleonic Wars.
KlemmGerman Either from Middle High German klem "narrow, tight", a nickname for miserly person, or from the related klemme "constriction; narrows", a habitational name for someone who lived in a narrow area... [more]
KlempnerGerman, Jewish Means "plumber, tinsmith" in German, derived from Middle Low German klampe "clamp".
KlepperGerman Derived from Middle High German kleppern "to clatter, chatter; to gossip", a nickname for a talkative or gossipy person.
KlepperGerman A metonymic name for someone who bred or kept horses, from Middle High German klepper "knight’s horse", possibly derived from kleppen "to strike rapidly, to ring sharply" in reference to bells on their harness... [more]
KlingDutch Occupational surname meaning "blade" in Dutch, referring to a person who made knives. A Dutch cognate of Messer.
KlingbeilGerman From Middle High German klingen "to ring or sound" and bīl "axe", literally "sound the axe", an occupational nickname for a journeyman, carpenter, shipwright (or any occupation involving the use of an axe)... [more]
KlingemannGerman Occupational surname for a knife maker, literally meaning "knife maker, weapons smith". It is derived from German klinge meaning "blade".
KlingerGerman Klinger is a German surname meaning ravine or gorge in Old German. The English variant of Klinger is Clinger.
KlobučarSlovene, Croatian, Serbian Occupational name derived from Serbian, Croatian and Slovene klobučar meaning "hatter" (a derivative of klobuk meaning "hat"), originally indicating a person who made, sold or repaired hats.
KlokDutch From Middle Dutch clocke "bell", an occupational name for someone who made or rang bells, or perhaps for a clockmaker. Compare Van Der Klok and Kloek.
KlompDutch, Low German Means both "lump, block, compact heap" and "clog, wooden shoe" in Dutch, often an occupational name for someone who made such shoes. It could also be a nickname for a stocky or clumsy person, or a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a clog.
KloosterEstonian Klooster is an Estonian surname meaning "cloister" and "abbey". Borrowed from Middle Low German "klôster"; ultimately from Medieval Latin "claustrum".
KloostermanDutch Derived from Dutch klooster "cloister, monastery" and man "person, man", given to someone who worked for a monastery or lived near one.
KlopferGerman, Jewish (Ashkenazi) Derived from Middle High German klopfen "to knock, pound, hammer", an occupational name for a clothmaker, metalworker, miner, or hunter. As a Jewish name, it can refer to a shulklopfer, someone who knocks to call people to synagogue.
KloppGerman, Dutch Habitational name from a place called Kloppe.
KloseGerman, Silesian From a Silesian short form of the given name Nikolaus. A notable bearer is the German former soccer player Miroslav Klose (1978-).
KlostermannGerman Combination of "kloster" meaning "monastery," and common German suffix Mann.
KloudaCzech From Kloud, a vernacular short form of the Latin personal name Claudius (see Claud).
KluczyńskimPolish Derived from Polish klucz meaning "key". A notable bearer was John C. Kluczynski (1896-1975), an American veteran who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
KlugGerman (Austrian) First recorded in the early 14th century in present-day Austria (southeastern region of the Holy Roman Empire at that time). The surname was derived from the ancient Germanic word kluoc meaning "noble" or "refined".... [more]
KlutzGerman The ancient and distinguished German surname Klutz is derived from the old Germanic term "Klotz," meaning "awkward, clumsy." The name was most likely initially bestowed as a nickname, either on someone who was clumsy or in an ironic way on someone who was exceptionally graceful.