WoodruffEnglish, Caribbean Topographic name for someone who lived on a patch of land where woodruff grew, Anglo-Saxon wudurofe composed of wudu "wood" with a second element of unknown origin.
WurdemannGerman (Rare) This is a German surname, also spelled WÜRDEMANN (original) and often rendered as WUERDEMANN in English. It come from the German "würde", "dignity" or "honor" and "mann", meaning "man" or "person".... [more]
WursterGerman Derived from German Wurst (Middle High German wurst) "sausage" and thus either denoted a butcher who specialized in the production of sausages, or was used as a nickname for a plump person or someone who was particularly fond of sausages.
WycherleyEnglish Derived from a place name apparently meaning "elm-wood clearing" from Old English wice and leah. A famous bearer was the dramatist William Wycherley (1640-1715).
XinChinese From the name of a state of Xin that existed during the Xia dynasty. King Qi (2197–2188 bc) granted this state to one of his sons, whose descendants adopted a modified form of the character for Xin as their surname.
XūwángChinese A Chinese surname taken from combining 須 (xū) meaning "must, necessary" with 王 (wáng) meaning "king, monarch". It is the Chinese reading of the Japanese surname Suō.
XyoojHmong This name is possible from a location since Chinese during the 18th century gave Hmong surnames based on the location the Hmong were in. It's a possible clan surname.
YabukiJapanese (Rare) Derived from the Japanese kanji 矢 (ya) meaning "arrow" and 吹 (buki), from 吹き (buki), the joining continuative form of 吹く (fuku) meaning "to blow". It can also derive from 藪 (yabu) meaning "thicket; grove; copse" and 亀 (ki) meaning "tortoise, turtle"... [more]
YagnikIndian/Gujarati/Sanskrit (Modern) Means "one who performs sacrifices". Derived from the Sanskrit word yajña (pronounced yagna or yagya) meaning "sacrifice" or "sacraficial fire".
YakoAfrican, Swahili, Xhosa Derived from bantu yakho meaning "yours" or "yours alone" in Xhosa. It is implying a sense of possession or ownership. This surname may have an association with someone or something that belongs to them exclusively.
YakumoJapanese (Rare) This surname combines 八 (hachi, ya, ya'.tsu, ya.tsu, you) meaning "eight", 耶 (ja, ya, ka) meaning "question mark" or 家 (ka, ke, ie, uchi, ya) meaning "expert, family, home, house, performer, professional" with 雲 (un, kumo, -gumo) meaning "cloud."... [more]
YakushimaruJapanese A notable bearer is Hiroko Yakushimaru, a singer and actress. ... [more]
YamabiJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 山 (yama) meaning "mountain" and 火 (bi), the joining form of 火 (hi) meaning "fire". It is a reference to an event when the leader of the Morioka Domain came to the mountains and the residents warmed him up by starting a fire using flint... [more]
YamahaJapanese (Rare) This Japanese surname is more found in Brazil than Japan, because of Japanese immigrants who immigrated from Japan to Brazil. Notable bearer of this surname: Torakusu Yamaha (Japanese entrepreneur who was the founder of the Yamaha Corporation).
YasuhikoJapanese Yasu means "peace, even, level, cheap, inexpensive, relax" and hiko means "prince".
YasuhiroJapanese From Japanese 安 (yasu) meaning "peace, quiet" combined with 央 (hiro) meaning "centre, middle". Other Kanji combinations are possible.... [more]
YasuraJapanese Yasu means "cheap, relax, peace" and ra means "good".
YasuraokaJapanese (Rare) 安 (Yasu) means "Cheap, Low, Inexpensive, Rested, Peaceful, Relax".良 (Ra) means "Good, Excellent", and 岡 (Oka) means "Ridge, Hill". A notable bearer is Akio Yasuraoka, he was a composer in his earlier days.
YelleyEnglish (British) The surname Yelley was first found in Oxfordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed... [more]
YellmanEnglish Yellman comes from the English words yell and man creating Yellman. The last name Yellman was also given to a person who consistently yelled a lot.
YelnatsLiterature Invented by Louis Sacher for his novel "Holes". The name was created because it is Stanley spelled backwards. Stanley Yelnats IV is the main character in the novel.
YlvisåkerNorwegian (Rare) Meaning unknown. Famous bearers of this name are the Norwegian comedy duo "Ylvis" consisting of brothers Vegard (b. 1979) and Bård Ylvisåker (b. 1982).
YoichiJapanese (Rare) This surname is used as 与市 with 与 (yo, ata.eru, azuka.ru, kumi.suru, tomoni) meaning "bestow, participate in, give, award, impart, provide, cause, gift, godsend" and 市 (shi, ichi) meaning "city, market, town."... [more]
YokomuraJapanese 横 (Yoko) means "Beside" and 村 (Mura) means "Village, Hamlet". Check the source if needed.
YokotaniJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 横 (yoko) meaning "next to, beside" combined with 谷 (tani) "valley".
YokoteJapanese Yoko ("Beside") + Te , this is the Japanese word for hand. This surname means "Beside a Hand". Michiko Yokote is an example. She wrote the Pichi Pichi Pitch manga and did screenwriting for Masamune-kun's Revenge.
YomohiroJapanese (Rare) This is a very rare surname with the kanji of all four directions: (東西北南) "east, west, north, south", in that order. Yomo literally means "four directions" and hiro means "extension".
YomtovHebrew (Modern) Means "good day", derived from Hebrew יום (yom) means "day" and טוב (tov) means "good".
YonagaJapanese From Japanese 夜長 (yonaga) meaning "a long night".
YoshitomiJapanese From 吉 (yoshi, kichi, kitsu) meaning "good luck, fortunate" and 富 (tomi) meaning "wealth, abundance".
YoshiyasuJapanese From Japanese 吉 (yoshi), an alternative spelling of 吉し (yoshi) meaning "good luck" and 安 (yasu) meaning "peaceful, tranquil, safe, simple, ammonium".
YoungerEnglish, American English (mainly Borders) from Middle English yonger ‘younger’, hence a distinguishing name for, for example, the younger of two bearers of the same personal name. In one case, at least, however, the name is known to have been borne by an immigrant Fleming, and was probably an Americanized form of Middle Dutch jongheer ‘young nobleman’ (see Jonker)... [more]