Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
KidaJapanese From Japanese 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy".
KidamuraJapanese From 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood", 貴 (ki) meaning "valuable", or 喜 (ki) meaning "rejoice", combined with 田 (da) meaning rice paddy, field" and 村 (mura) means "hamlet, village".
KidwellWelsh, English The origins of this surname are uncertain, but it may be derived from Middle English kidel "fish weir", denoting a person who lived by a fish weir or made his living from it, or from an English place called Kiddal, probably meaning "Cydda's corner of land" from the Old English given name Cydda and halh "nook or corner of land".
KielDutch From Middle Dutch kidel, kedel "smock", hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who make such garments or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore one. Also a Dutch habitational name from a place so named in Antwerp or from the German city Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein.
KiełbasińskimPolish Habitational name for a person from the town of Kiełbasiń.
KienbaumGerman, Jewish from Low German kienbaum "Scots pine" originally denoting any species or variety of pine tree. Derived from kien "pine tree" and boum "tree".
KierkegaardDanish Means "farm near the church" from elements kirke meaning "church" and gaard meaning "farm." A famous bearer is Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher, theologian, poet, social critic and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher.
KiesGerman Either from Middle High German kis "gravel, shingle", denoting someone who lives in a gravelly place, or kiesen "to choose". Johann Kies (1713–1781) was a German astronomer and mathematician.
KieslerGerman Topographic name for someone who lived on a patch of gravelly land, derived from Middle High German kisel or Old High German kisil meaning "pebble, gravel".
KiffGerman Topographic name from a Westphalian dialect Kiff "outhouse, tied cottage, shack".
KiharaJapanese From Japanese 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".
KiireJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 喜入 (Kiire) meaning "Kiire", a former village in the former district of Kiire in the former Japanese province of Satsuma in parts of present-day Kagoshima, Japan, or it being a variant spelling of 給黎 (Kiire) meaning "Kiire", the name of the district which the village was located in.
KilburgGerman, Luxembourgish "Kyll castle," from German burg (castle) near the Kyll river in Germany. Also "wedge mountain" in Swedish: kil (wedge) and berg (mountain).
KilcommonIrish Indicated a person who was from Kilcommon, Erris, County Mayo in Ireland. The place name Kilcommon derives from the Gaeltacht phrase Cill Chomáin, meaning "church of St. Comán."
KimigafukuroJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 君ケ袋 (Kimigafukuro) meaning "Kimigafukuro", a former large village in the district of Kami in the former Japanese province of Rikuzen in parts of present-day Miyagi, Japan and Iwate, Japan.
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]
KinderEnglish Habitational name derived from a place in Derbyshire, of unknown etymology.
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’.
KinoJapanese From 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood" and 野 (no) meaning "field, plain, wilderness".
KinoseJapanese Ki means "tree, wood", no could be a possessive particle or it could mean "field, wilderness", and se means "current, ripple".
KinoshitaJapanese From Japanese 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood", an unwritten possessive marker 之 (no), and 下 (shita) meaning "under, below".
KinoueJapanese From Japanese 木 (ki) meaning "tree, wood", an unwritten possessive marker の (no), and 上 (ue) meaning "above, top, upper".
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”.
KiplinEnglish A locational surname that takes its name from the hamlet of Kiplin in the English county of North Yorkshire. In turn, the hamlet is said to derive its name from Old English Cyppelingas, which means "the people of Cyppel", as it consists of the Old English personal name Cyppel with the Old English word ingas meaning "people".
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'.
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".
KirchschlägerGerman (Austrian) Habitational name of several places in Austria named Kirchschlag, all possibly from Middle High German kirche "church" and Schlag "blow, hit".
KirigayaJapanese From 桐 (kiri), referring to the tree known commonly as the empress or foxglove tree, combined with 谷 (ya) meaning "valley," sometimes with the infixation of the historical possessive particle が (ga) (written as ヶ) that is most often used in place names and surnames... [more]
KirigiriPopular Culture This surname is used as 霧切 with 霧 (bu, bou, mu, kiri) meaning "fog, mist" and 切 (sai, setsu, ki.ri, -ki.ri, ki.ru, -ki.ru, ki.re, -ki.re, ki.reru, -ki.reru, -gi.ri, -gi.re) meaning "be sharp, cut(off)."... [more]
KiriharaJapanese From Japanese 桐 (kiri) meaning "paulownia" and 原 (hara) meaning "field, plain".
KirimaJapanese (Rare) Kiri (桐 or 霧) means "paulownia/foxglove tree" or "mist" respectively, ma (間), means "space".
KirimotoJapanese From Japanese 桐 (kiri) meaning "paulownia tree" and 本 (moto) meaning "root, origin, source".
KirimuraJapanese Kiri means "paulownia" and mura means "hamlet, village".
KirinoJapanese Kiri means "paulownia" and no means "field, wilderness, plain".
KirishimaJapanese (Rare) From 桐 (kiri), referring to the tree known commonly as the empress or foxglove tree, 霧 (kiri) meaning "fog, mist" or 切 (kiri) meaning "end, finish; bounds, limits" combined with 島/嶋 (shima) meaning "island."
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]
KirouacFrench (Quebec) From an unidentified place name in Brittany, France, derived from Breton kaer, caer, ker meaning "fortified settlement" and an unknown given name.
KirrinLiterature Used by Enid Blyton in the Famous Five book series (first published 1942) for the main character George Kirrin. It is also used as a place name for the fictional village where she lives and the nearby island.
KirtonEnglish Family name for someone who resides near a church. From Old English kirk meaning "church" and ton meaning "town, settlement".
KiryuinJapanese (?), Popular Culture (?) Either from 桐生 (Kiryu), a place name, combined with 院 (in) meaning "college" or 鬼 (ki, oni) meaning "demon" and 龍 (ryu) meaning "dragon, imperial" combined with 院 (in) meaning "college".
KishinoJapanese From Japanese 岸 (kishi) meaning "beach, shore, bank" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".
KishinyovmRussian (Rare) Means "Chișinau", the capital of Moldova, in Russian. It is a very rare last name.
KishioJapanese Kishi means "bank, shore, beach" and o means "tail".
KishiokaJapanese formed with 岸 (Kishi, Gan) meaning "Beach" and 岡 (Oka, Kō) meaning "Mount; hill; knoll”. So the mean it could be interpreted as “Hill of the Beach” or “Beach Hill”
KishiyamaJapanese From Japanese 岸 (kishi) meaning "beach, shore, bank" and 山 (yama) meaning "mountain, hill".
KiskaddenScottish From the place name Garscadden, which is in modern day Glasgow, Scotland.
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.
KitaniJapanese From the Japanese 木 (ki or moku) "tree," "wood" and 谷 (tani or ya) "valley."
KitanoJapanese From Japanese 北 (kita) meaning "north" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".
KitanokoujiJapanese (Rare) Kitanokouji (北小路) comes from kita (北) means "North", Kouji (小路) means "Alley". This is one of the kuge surnames and this surname is very rare. No notable people or fictional characters bear this surname.
KitaoJapanese From 北 (kita) meaning "north" and 尾 (o) meaning "tail".
KitaokaJapanese From Japanese 北 (kita) meaning "north" and 岡 (oka) meaning "hill, ridge".
KiyosakaJapanese Kiyo means "pure, clean" and saka means "slope, hill".
KiyosakiJapanese Kiyo means "pure" and saki means "cape, promontory, peninsula".
KiyoseJapanese Kiyo means "pure, clean" and se means "ripple".
KiyotaJapanese From the Japanese 清 (kiyo) "clearly," "brightly," "cleanly" and 田 (ta or da) "rice paddy."
KiyouraJapanese Combination of the Kanji 清 (kiyo, "clear, pure, refreshing, clean") and 浦 (ura, "bay, inlet"). A famous bearer of this surname was Japanese Prime Minister Kiyoura Keigo (清浦 奎吾; 1850–1942).
KizewskiPolish Polish, variant of Kiszewski a habitational name for someone from Stara Kiszewa (formerly Kiszewa) in Kościerzyna County in Pomeranian Voivodeship.
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.
KlemGerman, Dutch From a short form of the given name Klemens, or a location named using the personal name.
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]
KlijnDutch Could be a variant of Klein "small, little", or could be derived from Old Dutch kluin (also klyn or kloen) "peat".
KlimaszewskiPolish Name for someone from a place called Klimaszewnica or Klimasze, both derived from Klimasz, a pet form of the given name Klemens.
KlingerGerman Klinger is a German surname meaning ravine or gorge in Old German. The English variant of Klinger is Clinger.
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.
KloostermanDutch Derived from Dutch klooster "cloister, monastery" and man "person, man", given to someone who worked for a monastery or lived near one.
KloppGerman, Dutch Habitational name from a place called Kloppe.
KluczewskimPolish Habititional surname for someone from a village called Kluczewo, derived from klucz, meaning "key."
KluitDutch Means "lump, clod (of earth)" in Dutch.
KnappEnglish Topographic name for someone who lived by a hillock, Middle English "nappe, Old English cnæpp, or habitational name from any of the several minor places named with the word, in particular Knapp in Hampshire and Knepp in Sussex.
KnickGerman German: from Knick “hedge”, “boundary”, hence a topographic name for someone living near a hedge or hedged enclosure or a metonymic occupational name for someone who lays hedges. Hedging is a characteristic feature of the pastureland of Holstein, Mecklenburg, Westphalia, and Lower Saxony.
KnightonEnglish English surname which was derived from a place name composed of the Old English elements cnihta meaning "servant, retainer" (genitive plural of cniht) and tun "enclosure, settlement".
KnipeEnglish Habitational name derived from Old Norse gnípa "steep rock, cliff, overhang".
KnockEnglish Topographic name for someone living by a hill, from Middle English knocke "hill" (Old English cnoc).
KnollEnglish, German, Jewish English and German topographic name for someone living near a hilltop or mountain peak, from Middle English knolle ‘hilltop’, ‘hillock’ (Old English cnoll), Middle High German knol ‘peak’... [more]
KnösSwedish (Rare) Derived from the name of a farm named Knorren or Knörren in Sweden whose name is unexplained but possibly taken from Swedish knusa "to crush, to crumble". Knös coincides with the Swedish word knös meaning "rich person", but the surname existed before the vocabulary word appeared in the Swedish language.
KnottEnglish Either from the Middle English personal name Knut, or denoting a person who lived "at the knot", which is the summit of a rocky hill.
KnowlesIrish As an Irish surname it is an anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Tnúthghail meaning "descendant of Tnúthgal", a given name composed of the elements tnúth "desire, envy" and gal "valor".
KnowltonEnglish Habitational name from either of two places so named, one in Dorset and the other in Kent.
KoelewijnDutch Derived from Dutch koel "cool, cold" and wei "whey", a metonymic occupational name for a dairy farmer. Altered by folk etymology to mean "cool wine". Can also derive from a place name.
KoelschGerman German from the adjective kölsch, denoting someone from Cologne (German Köln).
KoenigsbergJewish Associated with the Polish, then Prussian, then German, now Russian town Königsberg.
KohinataJapanese From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small", 日 (hi) meaning "day, sun" and 向 (na, ta) meaning "approach".
KohlstedtMedieval German (Modern) Likely derived from the German word Kohl, meaning “Cabbage,” and a Variation of the word Stadt, meaning “City, town, and/or place.”
KoivulaFinnish From Finnish koivu meaning "birch" and the suffix -la signifying a place.
KoivupuistoFinnish From the name of a park in Vaasa, meaning "birch park".
KoiwaiJapanese From 小 (ko) meaning "little, small" combined with 岩 (iwa) meaning "stone" and 井 (i) meaning "pit, mineshaft, well" or 祝 (iwai) meaning "blessing, celebrate, congratulations".
KojimaJapanese From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small" or 児 (ko) meaning "young" and 島 (shima) meaning "island".
KolaFinnish From vernacular forms of Ancient Greek Νικόλαος (See Nikolaos). It could also be from Swedish kol "coal", possibly denoting a coal miner, or kota, a type of conical tent.
KołakowskiPolish Name for someone originally from a place called Kołaków, Kołaki or Kołakowo.
KoldenGerman, Norwegian From Middle Low German kolt, kolde ‘cold’, a nickname for an unfriendly person; alternatively, it may be a habitational name, a shortened form of Koldenhof ‘cold farm’ in Mecklenburg (standardized form: Kaltenhof, a frequent place name in northern Germany, East Prussia, Bavaria, and Württemberg).Norwegian: habitational name from a farm called Kolden, from Old Norse kollr ‘rounded mountain top’.
KolkDutch Means "whirlpool, vortex, maelstrom" or "bog pond, watering hole".
KolkmannGerman Kolk is an old German word that means '' man who lives by the river'' and Mann is German for 'man'. The name Kolkmann comes from a man who lived by the North Rhine.