RothackerGerman Either a topographic name based on a field name derived from Middle High German riutenroten "to clear land (for cultivation)" and acker "field"... [more]
RowettEnglish English from a medieval personal name composed of the Germanic elements hrod ‘renown’ + wald ‘rule’, which was introduced into England by Scandinavian settlers in the form Róaldr, and again later by the Normans in the form Rohald or Roald... [more]
RowsonEnglish (British, Anglicized) The ancestors of the Rowson family first reached the shores of England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Their name is derived from the Norman given name Ralph. This name, which also occurs as Ralf, Rolf, and Raoul, is adapted from the Old French given name Raol.... [more]
RozbiewskiPolish (?) Unknown, possibly related to any of the words: rozbież ("crossroads", "outskirts"),... [more]
RozemaFrisian Possibly a contraction of Roelfsema meaning "son of Roelf" or derived from Roos. Also spelled Rosema, Roosma, Rozeman.
RozmanJewish Variant of Rosman. Slovenian (also Rožman): occupational name for a carter or a horse breeder or dealer, from Middle High German ros 'horse' + man 'man'. Compare German Rossmann.
RubinoItalian The surname Rubino derives from the name Rubino, in turn originated from the Latin term "Rubeus" (red) with evident reference to the well-known precious stone. It is thought that originally the surname was attributed to the physical characteristics of having red hair, however, the origin of the surname Rubino from the Hebrew term "Ruben" which meant "son of providence", or even from the apheresis of the name "Cherubino".
RubinovRussian, Jewish Means "son of Rubin" in Russian, though it could also be derived from Russian рубин (rubin) "ruby".
RucciItalian Patronymic from the personal name Ruccio, from a short form of various pet names formed with this suffix, as for example Gasparuccio (from Gaspari) or Baldassaruccio (from Baldasare).
RudolfGerman From a personal name composed of Old High German hrōd "renown" and wolf "wolf", equivalent to English Ralph. This name is also found in Slovenia.
RuelasFrench A last name common in Mexico which is believed to have derived from the French word ruelle (or Portuguese word ruela) meaning lane or alley.
RuleScottish, English Scottish name from the lands of Rule in the parish of Hobkirk, Roxburghshire. The derivation is from the River Rule which flows through the area, and is so called from the ancient Welsh word "rhull" meaning "hasty or rushing".... [more]
RumbleEnglish Descended from the personal name Rumbald/Rombold, which is composed of the Germanic elements hrom "fame, glory" and bald "bold, brave".
RummelGerman Derived from a short form of names containing the element hruom "fame, glory". Alternatively, could be a nickname for a noisemaker, from Middle High German rummeln "to make noise, to move impetuously"... [more]
RumpleGerman It is derived from Rumbald, an Old German personal name.
RumpoleEnglish A different form of Rumbold (from the Norman personal name Rumbald, of Germanic origin and probably meaning literally "fame-bold"). A fictional bearer of the surname is Horace Rumpole, the eccentric QC created by John Mortimer (originally for a 1975 television play).
RumschlagGerman This name is possibly a derivative of the German word for "envelope" which is spelled 'Umschlag'.
RunnerEnglish (American) Probably an altered spelling of German Ronner, annoccupational name for a runner or messenger, a lightly armed mounted soldier. Compare Renner. UK The surname Runner was first found in Lancashire. One of the first records of the family was found in the year 1246 when Alan de Runacres held estates in that shire... [more]
RushIrish Reduced Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Ruis "descendant of Ros", a personal name perhaps derived from ros "wood". In Connacht it has also been used as a translation of Ó Luachra (see Loughrey).
RuthEnglish, German (Swiss) English: from Middle English reuthe ‘pity’ (a derivative of rewen to pity, Old English hreowan) nickname for a charitable person or for a pitiable one. Not related to the given name in this case.... [more]
RutteDutch Derived from the given name Rutger. This surname is borne by the former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte (1967-).
SadozaiPashto, Balochi Means "son of Sado" in Pashto. The Sadozai are a Pashtun sub-tribe of the Popalzai mainly inhabiting Pakistan as well as a Baloch tribe living by the Gulf of Oman in Iran... [more]
SadriPersian From the Persian given name Sadr "chief, leader", from arabic ṣadr, literally "chest (of men)".
SafeyaMuslim • Safeya is derived from the SAD-F-A root which is used in many places in the Quran, This name derives from the Arabic “Ṣafi”, meaning “pure, confidante, best friend”. Safiyya bint Huyayy was a Jewish woman captured from the Banu Nadir tribe at age 17, who became Muhammad's wife... [more]
Saint-JustFrench From Saint Justus of Beauvais, a Catholic Saint. A famous bearer of this name is Louis Antoine de Saint-Just, a figure of the French Revolution who was guillotined.
SajuyigbeYoruba (Americanized, Rare) The Sajuyigbe family, with its roots in the Yoruba tribe, carries a rich and complex history. The family is believed to descend from a line of royals that held significant influence in Yorubaland around the time of the Nok culture... [more]
SakamataJapanese Perhaps from surname of Naoya Sakamata, who was a composer of dark music.
SaketArabic (Maghrebi) An Algerian title meaning "silent" or "quiet", and it is among the titles granted to the Algerians by the French occupation in 1882.
SalvatoreItalian Derived from the Italian masculine given name Salvatore, which in turn was derived from the Italian noun salvatore meaning "saviour, rescuer"... [more]