KovaleskiBelarusian Habitational name for someone from any of several places called Kovali in Belarus, or perhaps Kavoliai in Lithuania, named with a derivative of kavalj meaning "smith".
KowalewskiPolish, Jewish Habitational name for someone from places called Kowalew or Kowalewo, named with kowal "smith" or an occupational name for a blacksmith.
KowalikPolish Means "nuthatch" in Polish, or derived from a diminutive of Kowal.
KowalkowskiPolish habitational name for someone from any of several places called Kowalki or Kowaliki, named with kowalik
KoyleOld Irish The surname Koyle was first found in Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
KozakPolish, Czech, Slovak, Sorbian, Ukrainian Ethnic name for a Cossack, a member of a people descended from a group of runaway serfs who set up a semi-independent military republic in Ukraine in the 15th and 16th centuries.
KozakJewish Nickname from Yiddish kozak from a Ukrainian loanword meaning "warrior", "brave man".
KozickiPolish A habitational name for someone from several places called Kozice, named with Koza 'nanny goat'.... [more]
KozikowskiEnglish Habitational name for someone from Koziki in Masovian and Podlaskie voivodeships.
KozubCzech, Polish, Slovak Either denoted a fireplace maker or a saddler depending on the origin, either meaning "fireplace, hearth" in Czech and Slovak or "saddle" in Polish.
KrabbeGerman, Dutch, Danish Means "crab, shrimp", either a metonymic occupational name for someone who caught or sold shellfish, or a nickname based on someone’s way of walking.
KrasniqiAlbanian The name "Krasniqi" is of Albanian linguistic origin. The exact historical origin and meaning of the surname "Krasniqi" can vary, but it's believed to be related to the Albanian word "kërsenik" or "kërseniku," which means "blackbird" or "thrush."
KrčmarCroatian Derived from Croatian krčmar meaning "innkeeper, tavern owner, barkeeper", which is ultimately derived from Croatian krčma meaning "inn, tavern, pub".... [more]
KrebsbachGerman From a place name meaning "crab stream" in German.
KreiselGerman, Jewish Jewish family name and originally a nickname for an active or disorganized person, derived from German kreisel meaning "spinning top, top", ultimately from kreis "circle". Alternatively, it could've be used as a nickname for a person with curly hair in the context of "spiral" or "curl".
KrengelGerman, Jewish An occupational name for a pastry chef from Middle High German krengel German kringel "(cake) ring doughnut". As a Jewish name this may also have been adopted as artificial name.
KressGerman From Middle High German kresse "gudgeon", hence probably a nickname for someone thought to resemble the fish in some way or an occupational name for a fisherman.
KressGerman From Old High German krassig, gratag "greedy".
KretschmerGerman Means "innkeeper, tavernkeeper, pubkeeper", derived from Proto-Slavic *kъrčьmařь.
KretzerGerman Occupational name for a basketmaker or a peddler, from an agent derivative of Middle High German kretze 'basket'.
KreulGerman From Middle Low German krouwel "hook, claw; three-pronged fork, trident, meat hook", a metonymic name for someone who made such tools, or a nickname for someone who used them.
KreutzGerman Topographical name for someone who lived near a cross set up by the roadside, in a marketplace, or as a field or boundary marker, from Middle High German kriuz(e) 'cross'.
KreutzerGerman Variant of Kreutz otherwise it indicated that the bearer of the surname lived in Kreitz near Neuss in Germany
KriegerGerman Noun to kriegen, kämpfen meaning "to fight (with words)". Describes a person who likes to argue. A wrangler, a quarreler, a brawler. Literal translation "warrior", from the German noun krieg "war" and the suffix -er.
KriegshauserGerman Probably a habitational name for someone from an unidentified place called Kriegshaus, literally "war house".
KriesGerman From Middle High German kriese "cherry" hence an occupation for someone who sold soft fruits or a locational surname for some who lived by a cherry tree.
KrishIndian Shortened form of Krishna or of any other name beginning with Krishna (such as Krishnan, Krishnaswami, Krishnamurthy, etc.), used in the U.S. by families from southern India. It is not in use in India.
KrishnamurthyIndian Hindu name from Sanskrit kṛṣnamūrti meaning ‘manifestation of the god Krishna’, from krisna ‘black’ (epithet of an incarnation of the god Vishnu) + murti ‘image’, ‘manifestation’... [more]
KrochmalPolish, Yiddish, Hebrew Krochmal (Yiddish: קראָכמאַל, Hebrew, קרוכמל/קרוכמאל) is a rare Ashkenazi-Jewish-Polish surname meaning "laundry starch" (a starch solution in water used to whiten and stiffen fabric)... [more]
KroesDutch, Low German Means "chalice, cup, jug" in Dutch, an occupational name for someone who made drinking vessels, such as a potter. Could also be a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a cup.
KrollGerman, Dutch Nickname for someone with curly hair, from Middle High German krol "curly", Middle Low German krulle "ringlet, curl", Middle Dutch croel, crul.
KronbergGerman, Swedish German habitational name from any of the places called Kronberg near Frankfurt in Hesse and in Bavaria from the elements krone "crown" and berg "mountain, hill". Swedish ornamental name from kron "crown" and berg "mountain hill".
KronenGerman From German Krone 'crown', probably as an ornamental name. Or a nickname for a slender, long-legged individual, from a dialect form of Kranich.
KronenbergGerman, German (Swiss) Habitational name from a place called Kronenberg (there is one near Wuppertal) or possibly from any of the places called Kronberg (see Kronberg ) from German Krone "crown" and German Berg "mountain, hill".
KruglovmRussian From Russian круг (krug) "circle" or круглый (kruglyy) "circular, round".
KruisDutch, Flemish Means "cross" in Dutch, a habitational name for someone who lived near a crossroads, a sign depicting a cross, or a place where people were executed. Could also denote someone who made crosses, either the religious symbol or the instrument of torture.
KrukowskiPolish Name for someone from any of various places called Kruki, Kruków or Krukowo, all derived from Polish kruk meaning "raven".
KrullEstonian Krull is an Estonian surname possibly derived from "kull" meaning "hawk".
KrumbachGerman, German (Austrian) From the name of various places in Austria and Germany, for example the town of Krumbach in the state of Bavaria.
KrumholzJewish, German German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) from Krumbholz ‘bent timber’, ‘mountain pine’, hence probably a metonymic occupational name for a cartwright or wheelwright. As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.
KrummGerman From a nickname, which in turn is from the Middle High German word krum, meaning "crooked" or "deformed".
KrzyżanowskiPolish habitational name for someone from Krzyżanów in Piotrków or Płock voivodeships, Krzyżanowo in Płock or Poznań voivodeships, or various places in Poland called Krzyżanowice, all named with krzyż ‘cross’.
KrzyżewskiPolish Derived from the name of any of the villages called Krzyżewo in Poland. A notable bearer is American basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski (b. 1947).
KsiazekPolish Nickname meaning ‘little priest’ or possibly a patronymic for an illegitimate son of a priest, from ksiadz ‘priest’ + the diminutive suffix -ek.nickname meaning ‘little prince’, from a diminutive of ksia?ze ‘prince’.
KüblerGerman, German (Swiss) Derived from Middle High German kübel "tub vat barrel", this is an occupational surname referring to a cooper.
KubotaJapanese From the Japanese 久 (ku) meaning "long time ago" combined with 保 (ho) "protect, defend, guard" or 窪 (kubo) meaning "hollow" that is then combined with and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy."
KuboyamaJapanese From Japanese 久 (ku) meaning "long time ago", 保 (ho) meaning "protect" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain".
KubuEstonian Kubu is an Estonian surname meaning a "bundle" or "truss".
KuchlerGerman (Rare) Often confused with Küchler a name for a cookie baker, Kuchler is a noble name for an old german family. Kuchler is origined in a city named Kuchl at the border of todays german bavaria... [more]
KühlGerman, Low German The spelling Kühl results from a folk-etymological association with High German kühl ‘cool’ (Middle High German küel(e), a nickname from Middle High German küel ‘cool’, ‘calm’... [more]
KuhlmanGerman Nickname from Middle High German küel ‘cool’, ‘calm.’
KukowskiPolish Habitational name for someone from a place called Kukowo in Wlolawek voivodeship or Kuków in Bielsko-Biala voivodeship, named with kuk, the cry of the cuckoo.
KukuCrimean Tatar Emir-Üsein Kuku (1976-) is a Crimean Tatar human rights activist and political prisoner in Russia.
KülaEstonian Küla is an Estonian surname meaning "village".
KulakRussian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish Means "fist". Was also used to describe Ukrainian farmers who went against the Soviet government in the early 30s.
KupferGerman, Jewish German (Küpfer) and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a worker or trader in copper, Middle High German kupfer, German Kupfer ‘copper’... [more]
KupkaCzech, Polish, Ukrainian, Slovak, Sorbian, Jewish Nickname or topographic name from the Polish, Ukrainian, Czech and Sorbian word kupka, a diminutive of kupa meaning "heap, pile", in Upper Sorbian also "lump".... [more]
KuppEstonian Kupp is an Estonian surname meaning "pip".