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
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Nankervis Cornish, English (Australian)
From the name of a place in St Enoder parish in Cornwall, derived from Cornish nans "valley" and an uncertain second element, possibly *cerwys, an unattested plural of carow "stag".... [more]
Nansen Danish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare)
Patronymic name derived from an unknown given name.
Nanthavong Lao
From Lao ນັນທະ (nantha) meaning "pleasure, delight" and ວົງ (vong) meaning "lineage, family".
Nantz German
From a pet form of a Germanic compound name formed with Nant- (for example, Nantwig, Nantger); its meaning is reflected in Middle High German nenden 'to dare'.
Napier Scottish, English
Scottish occupational name for a producer or seller of table linen or for a naperer, the servant in charge of the linen in use in a great house from the Middle English, Old French nap(p)ier, an agent derivative of Old French nappe ‘table cloth’ (Latin mappa)... [more]
Napierala Polish
Nickname for an insistent person, from a derivative of napierac ‘advance’, ‘press’, ‘urge’.
Napierkowski Polish
Habitational name for someone from a place called Napierki in Olsztyn voivodeship.
Nápoles Spanish, Portuguese, Spanish (Caribbean)
Spanish and Portuguese cognate of Napoli; habitational name from the Italian city of Naples, which is called Nápoles in Spanish and Portuguese.
Napolitano Italian
Originally indicated a person from Napoli (Naples) in Italy.
Napora Polish
Nickname for an interfering person, Polish napora, derivative of napierać meaning ‘to insist on somebody doing something’.
Napper English
1 English: occupational name for a naperer, the servant in charge of the linen in use in a great house, Middle English, Old French nap(p)ier. Compare Scottish Napier .... [more]
Naputi Chamorro
Chamorro name for "giving" (na') "pain" (puti).
Naqvi Urdu
Derived from Arabic نقي (naqi) meaning "pure, clean". This is the name of a Shi'ite clan found primarily in Iran, Iraq and South Asia, named after 9th-century imam Ali al-Hadi (also known as al-Naqi).
Nara Japanese
This surname is used as 楢, 奈良 or 那良 with 楢 (shuu, yuu, nara) meaning "oak", 奈 (dai, na, nai, ikan, karanashi) meaning "Nara, what?", 那 (na, da, nani, nanzo, ikan) meaning "what?" and 良 (ryou, i.i, -i.i, yo.i, -yo.i, ra) meaning "good, pleasing, skilled."... [more]
Naranjo Spanish
Topographic name for someone who lived by an orange grove, from Spanish naranjo ‘orange tree’ (from naranja ‘orange’, Arabic nāránjya), or a habitational name from a place named Naranjo in A Coruña and Códoba provinces... [more]
Narayan Indian, Nepali, Fijian, Hindi
From the given name Narayan.
Narayanan Indian, Tamil, Malayalam
From the given name Narayanan. A famous bearer was Kocheril Raman Narayanan (1921–2005), the 10th President of India.
Narciso Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Narciso.
Narcisse French
From the given name Narcisse.
Nard French
From Nard a short form of Bernard. French cognitive of Nardi.
Narewski Polish
Possibly derived from the name of the river Narew. Surname associated with the Wieniawa coat of arms which dates back as early as the XIV century.
Narita Japanese
From 成 (nari) meaning "become", and 田 (ta) meaning "rice paddy".
Narita Japanese
From Japanese 成 (nari) meaning "become" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".
Narr German
Nickname for a foolish or silly person, from Middle High German narr ‘fool’, ‘jester’.
Narramore English
Earliest progenitor is Reginald Bynorthemore, living 1318 inbetween Bovey Tracy and Moretonhampstead, in Dartmoor, Devonshire, England. By the 16th century, the surname was being used interchangeably as Narramore/Northmore within the same generation, as in the case of Walter Narramore/Northmore... [more]
Narva Estonian
Narva is an Estonian surname taken from the city of the same name in Ida-Viru County.
Nary Old Irish
An anglicized form of the Gaelic surname O Naraigh. This surname is derived from the personal name Narach which means modest.
Nascimento Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means "birth, nativity" in Portuguese, from Late Latin nascimentum, a derivative of Latin nasci "to be born". This was originally a religious byname. It was also an epithet of the Virgin Mary (Maria do Nascimento), and was used as a given name for children born on Christmas.
Naseem Arabic, Urdu, Dhivehi
Derived from the given name Nasim.
Naseer Arabic, Urdu, Dhivehi
From the given name Nasir.
Nasers German
Habitational, derived from any of several places called Nesse in Oldenburg and Friesland.
Nash Circassian
Shapsug name derived from Adyghe нэ (nă) meaning "eye" combined with щэ (š̍ă) meaning "milk" or "crooked, wry, bent".
Nasim Arabic, Bengali, Urdu
From the given name Nasim.
Nasir Arabic, Urdu, Dhivehi
Derived from the given name Nasir.
Nasiri Persian
From the given name Nasir.
Näslund Swedish
Combination of Swedish näs "isthmus, narrow neck of land" and lund "grove".
Nasr Arabic
Derived from the given name Nasr.
Nasrallah Arabic
From the given name Nasrullah.
Nasri Arabic, Persian
Derived from Arabic نَصْر (naṣr) meaning “triumph, victory”.
Nassar Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic ناصر, نصير (see Nasser).
Nassau German, Dutch, Jewish
From the name of the town of Nassau in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (formerly the seat of an independent duchy in the 19th century), derived from Old High German naz meaning "damp, wet" and ouwa meaning "water meadow"... [more]
Nasser Arabic
From the given name Nasir.
Nasser German
Someone from any of the places called Nassen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, and Bavaria.
Nasseri Persian
From the given name Nasser.
Nassim Arabic
Derived from the given name Nasim.
Nassir Arabic
Derived from the given name Nasir.
Nassiri Persian, Arabic (Maghrebi)
From the given name Nasir.
Nast German
Topographic name for someone who lived in a thickly wooded area, or a metonymic occupational name for a woodcutter, from Middle High German nast meaning "branch", a regional variant of ast, resulting from the misdivision of forms such as ein ast meaning "a branch".
Nasuti Italian
From Italian nasuto "nosey, big-nosed".
Nata Russian
From the given name Nata.
Natal Portuguese, Spanish
From the personal name Natal (from Latin Natalis), bestowed on someone born at Christmas or with reference to the Marian epithet María del Natal.
Natalino Italian
From the given name Natalino.
Natalio Spanish
From the given name Natalio.
Natan Hebrew
From the given name Natan.
Nate English
From the given name Nate.
Nater German (Swiss)
Derived from Middle High German nâtaere "tailor; furrier".
Nates English, Jewish
It's probably from the given name Nate, the origin is said to be Jewish*, but the ancestors immigrated to English speaking countries.
Nath Indian, Assamese, Hindi, Bengali, Odia, Punjabi
From Sanskrit नाथ (natha) meaning "lord, owner, protector".
Nathan English
From the given name Nathan.
Nathaniël Dutch
From the given name Nathaniël.
Nation English
Most probably a variant of Nathan, altered by folk etymology under the influence of the English vocabulary word nation
Natividad Spanish
From the personal name Natividad "nativity, Christmas", from Latin nativitas "birth", genitive nativitatis, usually bestowed with reference to the Marian epithet María de la Natividad... [more]
Nau German
A variant of Neu; meaning "ship" or "boat."
Naughton Irish
Reduced form of McNaughton.
Naughton English
Habitational name from a place in Suffolk, named in Old English with nafola meaning "navel" + tūn meaning "enclosure", "settlement", i.e. "settlement in the navel or depression".
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.
Naumann German
Possibly a variant of Neumann.
Naumenko Ukrainian
Derived from the given name Naum.
Navarra Italian, Spanish
Means Navarre in Italian and Spanish; which was also the female equivalent to Navarro.
Navarre French
The name means "By the sea". Originally a country of its own, located between Spain and France, Navarre became a part of France in 1284 when the Queen of Navarre married King Philip IV of France. After much war, becoming independent once again, and falling into Spanish rule, the Kingdom of Navarre is now split between Spain and France.
Navarrete Spanish
From the town of Navarrete in La Rioja, Spain, meaning "the mountain pass of the Navarrans" or "dun mountain pass". It became particularly popular in the province of Jaen through the Castillian conquest of Baeza.
Navas Spanish
Pural form of Spanish and Asturian-Leonese Nava (see also Naves).... [more]
Naveed Persian, Arabic
From the given name Navid.
Navid Persian, Arabic
From the given name Navid.
Navidad Spanish
Derived from the personal name Noel. It means "Christmas" in Spanish.
Nawa Japanese
From Japanese 名 (na) meaning "name, reputation" and 和 (wa) meaning "harmony, peace".
Nawab Urdu, Punjabi
From a title traditionally used by Muslim officials in South Asia who acted as local governors and rulers of deputy states. It is ultimately derived from Arabic نائب (na'ib) via Persian.
Nawaz Urdu
From the given name Nawaz.
Nay Romansh
Derived from the given name Donatus.
Nay German
Northern German variant of Nee.
Naya Japanese (Rare)
Variant reading of Japanese Kanji 納 (see Osame).
Nayak Indian, Odia, Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Konkani, Nepali
From a title derived from Sanskrit नायक (nayaka) meaning "hero, leader".
Naydenov Bulgarian
Means "son of Nayden".
Nayeem Bengali
From the given name Nayeem.
Naz Urdu
From Persian ناز (naz) meaning "comfort, luxury, affection".
Nazaire French
From the given name Nazaire.
Nazarenko Ukrainian
From the given name Nazar.
Nazareth Hebrew
From the Hebrew for "To guard."
Nazarov Russian
Means "son of Nazar".
Nazarova Russian
Feminine form of Nazarov.
Nazeer Urdu
From the given name Nazir 1.
Nazeri Persian
From Persian ناظر (nâzer) meaning "watcher, observer".
Nazim Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Derived from the given name Nazim.
Nazir Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi
From the given name Nazir 1.
Ndlovu Southern African, Ndebele, Zulu
Derived from Ndebele or Zulu indlovu meaning "elephant".
Ndreu Albanian
From the given name Ndreu.
Nead English
1. English: possibly a metonymic nickname for a needy person, from Middle English ne(e)d ‘need’. ... [more]
Neagu Romanian
From the given name Neagu.
Neale English, Scottish, Irish
English, Scottish, and Irish variant of Neal.
Nears English
French in origin, it is derived from the word "Noir," which is the equivalent of the English word "Black." It could have referred to a person with dark features, hair, or perhaps even one who was thought to engage in nafarious, or "dark," deeds.
Neary Irish
Anglicized form of Gaelic O Naradhaigh "descendant of Naradhach" a byname meaning "modest".
Neave English
Variant of Neeve
Neaves English
Variant of Neeve
Nedd English
Variant of Nidd.
Nedelcu Romanian (Modern)
Entered Romania around the 16th century via Bulgaria as a popular female given name - Neda/Nedelea etc., attested under the form of Nedelco/Nedelcu in the historical region of Basarabia around 1560, became a surname in the following century... [more]
Nedry English (American)
It was the most popular in the United States in 1897-1990.
Nee Irish, Scottish
reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Niadh ("descendant of Nia") or Ó Niadh ("son of Nia"). Compare McNee.
Needham English
From a place name derived from Old English ned meaning "need, constraint" and ham meaning "home, estate, settlement".
Neel English
A variant of Neal
Neeley Irish
Reduced form of Mcneely.
Neeser German (Swiss)
Derived from the given name Agnes.
Neeson Irish, Dutch, German
Irish: reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Naois ‘son of Naois’, usually Anglicized as Mcneese. Can also be an altered form of Dutch or German Niesen... [more]
Neeves English
Variant of Neeve
Neff German, German (Swiss)
From Middle High German neve 'nephew', hence probably a distinguishing name for a close relation or familiar of a prominent personage.
Negley German (Swiss)
Altered spelling of Swiss German Nägele, Naegeli, or Nägeli, variants of Nagel.
Negre Catalan
Nickname or ethnic name from negre "black" (Latin niger), denoting someone with dark hair or a dark complexion.
Negro Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Jewish
Nickname or ethnic name from negro "black" (Latin niger), denoting someone with dark hair or a dark complexion.
Negro Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Jewish
From a medieval continuation of the Latin personal name Niger.
Negro Italian, Spanish, Galician, Portuguese, Jewish
Nickname or ethnic name from negro "black" (continuation of Latin niger), denoting someone with dark hair, dark eyes, a dark complexion, someone who wore dark clothes, someone who worked a job in the night, or was otherwise associated with the night.
Negron Spanish, Italian
This surname is a most likely variant of the word and name Negro.
Negru Romanian
Nickname or ethnic name from negru "black" (Latin niger), denoting someone with dark hair or a dark complexion.
Neher German
An occupational name for a tailor from a deritive of Middle Low German, 'nehen' which means 'to sew' or 'to embroider'
Nei Estonian
Nei is an Estonian surname possiby derived from "neid", meaning "girl" or "maiden".
Neidhardt German
From the Germanic given name Nithart, which is derived from Germanic nit meaning "ambition, hatred" and hard meaning "hardy, brave, strong".
Neidhart German, German (Swiss)
German and Swiss German variant of Neidhardt.
Neighbor English
From the Middle English word neighbor, derived from neghebour, which in turn comes from the Old English words neah, meaning "near", and gebur, meaning "a dweller". This may have been used as a nickname for someone who was a 'good neighbor', more likely it evolved from the term of address for someone living nearby.
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.
Nein German
Unexplained. Perhaps from a short form of a Germanic personal name formed with an element cognate with Old High German niuwi meaning "new".
Nejad Persian
Means "lineage, race" in Persian (an archaic word), typically used as a suffix for compound surnames.
Nelke Estonian
Nelke is an Estonian surname meaning "pink", "dianthus" and "carnation".
Nelms English (American)
Topographic name for someone who lived near or amid a grove of elm trees, from misdivision of Middle English atten elmes ‘at the elms’
Nelsen Danish
Means "son of Nels".
Nemanič Slovene (Modern, Archaic)
Derived from the Serbian surname Nemanja, as related to the Medieval Nemanjič Dynasty, just as the given name Nemanja is.
Nemati Persian
From the given name Nemat.
Nemirovsky Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate of Nemirov
Nemo English
A different form of Nimmo (a Scottish name of unknown origin).
Nemoto Japanese
Ne means "root" and moto means "root, source, origin".
Nenninger German
Habitational name for someone from Nenningen in Württemberg.
Neo Chinese (Hokkien), Chinese (Teochew)
Hokkien and Teochew romanization of Liang chiefly used in Singapore.
Nepal Nepali
Name for someone from the village of Nepa in western-central Nepal.
Nerby English, Norwegian, Swedish (Rare)
From Old Norse neðri "lowest" and býr "farm".
Nerenberg Jewish
Variant of the Ashkenazic Jewish surname Nierenberg, which is derived from Nirnberg, the Yiddish form of Nuremberg (German Nürnberg), hence becoming an Ashkenazic Jewish habitational surname for someone living in that city.
Nerger German (Silesian)
My family name, Nerger, is listed in the "Deutsches Namenlexicon" by Hans Bahlow. The meaning, given in the lexicon, is "ernahrer" or provider.
Nerio Italian
From the given name Nerio.
Nery Portuguese
Derivation of the Scottish surname Macnair.
Nerz German
From the German word Nerz meaning "Mink".
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.
Nesky Polish
Many Polish immigrants' names were shortened to Nesky, such as Nosrazesky, Wolinsky-a wide variety of names that had the letter N somewhere within and ended in sky or ski became "Nesky." There are also non-Polish Neskys in the U.S.
Nessim Spanish, Jewish, Hebrew
Hebrew for 'miracles'. Name was originally Bar-Nisim; 'Children of the Miricle'
Nesterenko Ukrainian
Derived from the given name Nestor.
Nestle German
Variant of Nestler.
Nestler German
Derived from the middle high German word nesteler meaning "maker of string or thread".
Nestor English
Transferred use of given name Nestor
Nestor Irish
Derived from the surname Mac Girr an Adhastair (sometimes shortened to Mac an Aghastair), meaning "Short man of the halter." The Mac Girr an Adhastair were associated with the local lords, the Ó Lochlainn family.
Net Romanian
Romanian variant of the Latin name Netus, meaning superior, greater.
Netherland English
Indicates origin from The Netherlands.
Netherton English
The Netherton surname is derived from the Old English "neothera," meaning "lower," and "tun," meaning "enclosure," or "settlement." It is a habitational name derived from any of several places so named, such as one in Northumberland, and one in Worcestershire.
Netley English
Means "wet" and "open woodland" in Old English.
Nett Romansh
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Nicola 1.
Nett German, German (Swiss)
Derived from Early New High German net(t) "clean; pure; unadulterated".
Nett Irish
Variant of McNett.
Netterville Irish
Of Anglo-Norman origin, probably a habitational name from an unidentified place in France.
Nettesheim German
"nice home"
Netting English
As Needham the derivation is from the Olde English pre 7th century elements 'ned' meaning need, with 'ham', a homestead or village, the name indicating a place that provided a poor living.
Nettuno Italian
From the given name Nettuno.
Neu German (Modern)
The name Neu is a common German last name.
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]
Neubaum German
topographic name meaning "new tree" or a habitational name from a place so named. Derived from the elements niuwi "new" boum "tree".
Neuber German
Contracted form of Neubauer.
Neuberger German
German surname meaning 'new mountaineer'
Neubert German
Derived from the German word “neu,” meaning “new,” and the word “Bert,” which is a shortened form of the Germanic given name “Berthold,” meaning “bright ruler.” So, it means “new bright ruler”.
Neuburg German
From the name of various places in Germany and Austria.
Neuenfeldt German
Habitational name for someone from places so named in Brandenburg and Pomerania, or from places in Lower Saxony or Westphalia called Neuenfelde.
Neuer German
Inflicted form of Neu meaning "new man" see Neumann
Neufeld German, English
Neufeld is a surname of German origin, meaning "new field". It is not seldom in Germany and it is common among German speaking Mennonites from Russia.
Neuhaus German, Jewish
Topographical name for someone who lived in a new house, Middle High German niuwe hus, modern German neu Haus, or a habitational name for someone from any of several places named Neuhaus ('new house') in various parts of Germany and Austria, also in Bohemia.
Neuhauser German, German (Austrian)
Means "new house" in German.
Neujahr German
nickname for someone who owed feudal dues at the New Year, or sometimes a name given to someone born on that day
Neukirch German, German (Swiss)
Derived from the Middle High German niuwe meaning "new" and kirch meaning "church".
Neumeyer German
German: distinguishing name for a newly appointed steward or tenant farmer, or one who was a newcomer to an area, from Middle High German niuwe ‘new’ + meier ‘steward’, ‘tenant farmer’ ( see Meyer 1)... [more]
Neuser German (Rare)
Person who had ancestors that lived in Germany near Dusseldorf in the town called Neuss.
Neustädter German
Habitational name for someone from any of many places in Germany and Austria called Neustadt.
Neuwirth German
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a new innkeeper, from Middle High German niuwe ‘new’ + wirt and German neu + Wirt ‘master of a house’, ‘innkeeper’.
Nevala Finnish
From Finnish word 'neva', which is a marsh type and '-la', a suffix used for places.
Neve English
Variant of Neeve
Nevel German
1 German: variant of Nebel .... [more]
Nevels English, Scottish
(1) Variant of Neville (2) Possibly variant of Dutch Nevens, which is derived from Neve, from Middle English, Old Norse, Middle Dutch neve ‘nephew’, presumably denoting the nephew of some great personage.
Never German
Habitational surname denoting someone from the town of Nevern (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), Germany.
Neveu French
Relationship name from Old French neveu "nephew" also "grandson" used to distinguish the two bearers of the same personal name.
Nevil English
"Variant of the name Neville"
Nevins Irish
Variant of Nevin 2.
New English
Nickname for a newcomer to an area, from Middle English newe meaning "new".
Newark English
A habitational name taken on from a place name, such as Newark in Cambridgeshire or Newark on Trent in Nottinghamshire.
Newberg Jewish (Americanized)
Americanized form of Neuberg, an ornamental Jewish name meaning "new mountain" in German.
Newborn English
Habitational name from Newbourn in Suffolk or Newburn in Tyne and Wear (formerly part of Northumberland), both named with Old English niwe "new" and burna "stream", perhaps denoting a stream that had changed its course.
Newbrough English (British)
Newbrough surname is thought to be a habitational, taken on from a place name such as from Newbrough in Northumberland, which is derived from the Old English words niwe, meaning "new," and burh, meaning "fortification."
Newby English
Means "person from Newby", Newby being a combination of the Middle English elements newe "new" and by "farm, settlement" (ultimately from Old Norse býr "farm"). British travel writer Eric Newby (1919-2006) bore this surname.
Newcomer English (American)
Nickname for a person who was new to a town or location, from Old English niwe meaning "new" and cumen meaning "to come".
Newey English
Topographic name for someone who lived at a "new enclosure", from Middle English newe "new" and haga "enclousire".
Newham English
Habitational name from any of the various places, for example in Northumbria and North Yorkshire, so named from Old English neowe "new" and ham "homestead".
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]
Newlin English, Irish
An Irish surname meaning "By the the spring"
Newquist English
Americansized form of Swedish Nyquist.
Ney German, English
A dialectal form of the common German word neu "new".... [more]
Nez Navajo
Nez = Tall. One of the most prevalent family names on the Navajo reservation.
Neziri Albanian
Derived from the given name Nezir.
Neztsosie Navajo
From nééz, “tall” in Navajo and tsʼósí, “slim” in Navajo
Ngai Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Wei.
Ngai Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Ni.
Nghiêm Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Yan, from Sino-Vietnamese 嚴 (nghiêm).
Nghiem Vietnamese
Simplified variant of Nghiêm.
Ngoy Central African
Means "lion" in Baluba cultures, identifying someone from a warrior or hunting family.
Nguon Khmer
Meaning uncertain, possibly of Chinese origin.
Nhâm Vietnamese
Vietnamese for Ren.
Nhâm Vietnamese
Vietnamese form of Ren, from Sino-Vietnamese 任 (nhâm).
Nhan Vietnamese
Vietnamese: unexplained.
Nhek Khmer
Means "close, together, often, frequently" in Khmer. It may also be from a short form of Chinese 涅槃 (nièpán) meaning "nirvana".
Nhiều Vietnamese
Vietnamese for Rao.
Nhim Khmer
Meaning uncertain.
Ni Chinese
From Chinese 倪 (ní) referring to the ancient territory of Ni, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now the Shandong province.
Niang Western African, Wolof
Refers to a member of the Deme, a Wolof clan whose symbol is the donkey.