AhnKorean Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 안 (see An).
AiChinese From Chinese 艾 (ài) referring to the ancient state of Ai, which existed during the Shang dynasty in what is now Jiangxi province. Alternately it may be derived from the name of Xia dynasty official Ru Ai (汝艾) or Ai Kong (艾孔), a minister from the state of Qi.
AoChinese From Chinese 敖 (áo) referring to Tai Ao, a legendary teacher who mentored the mythological emperor Zhuanxu.
AounArabic (Mashriqi), Arabic (Maghrebi) Derived from a French-influenced variant of a given name based on the Arabic noun عون (aun) meaning "help, aid". This surname is more commonly used by Maronite Christians in Lebanon. A notable bearer is the former Lebanese president Michel Aoun (1933-).
ArranoBasque Derived from the Basque word "Arranoa", meaning eagle.
AstGerman German and Ashkenazic Jewish: from German Ast ‘knot (in wood)’ hence a nickname for a tough or awkward individual or a metonymic occupational name for a lumberjack. ... [more]
ÂuVietnamese Vietnamese form of Ou, from Sino-Vietnamese 區 (âu).
BaeKorean Korean form of Pei, from Sino-Korean 裴 (bae).
BaekKorean Korean form of Bai, from Sino-Korean 白 (baek).
BahFula (Anglicized) A surname of Fulani origin found all over Western Africa. French speaking African countries typically spell this surname as Ba or Bâ.
BaoChinese From Chinese 鲍 (bào) referring to an area called Bao that existed in the Qi state during the Zhou dynasty.
BaoChinese From Chinese 包 (bāo) referring to Shen Baoxu, an official from the Chu state that existed during the Zhou dynasty.
BarHebrew From Aramaic בְּרָא (b'rā) meaning "son, child" or Hebrew בָּר (bar) meaning "grain, cereal".
BarkSwedish Perhaps derived from a place name containing either Old Swedish *barke "throat", Old Swedish biork "birch tree" or Swedish bark "bark (covering of the trunk of a tree)"
BeauFrench Nickname for a handsome man (perhaps also ironically for an ugly one) from Old French beubel "beautiful, handsome" (from Late Latin bellus)... [more]
BeiChinese From Chinese 贝 (bèi) referring to the ancient fief of Bei, which was part of the state of Jin during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Hebei province.
BeilGerman Means "axe, hatchet" in German, an occupational name for someone who made or used axes, such as a carpenter.
BhaerGerman Likely a variant of German Baer, meaning "bear". A notable bearer is character Friedrich Bhaer, Jo's husband in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
BiChinese From Chinese 毕 (bì) referring to the ancient fief of Bi, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Shaanxi province.
BianChinese From Chinese 边 (biān) referring to the ancient state of Bian, which existed during the Shang dynasty in what is now Henan province.
BianChinese From Chinese 卞 (biàn) referring to the ancient fief of Bian, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Shandong province.
BierceEnglish, Welsh English variant and Welsh form of Pierce. A famous bearer was the American author, journalist and poet Ambrose Bierce (1842-c. 1914), who wrote The Devil's Dictionary and other works... [more]
BiggsEnglish Derived from the ancient word, "bigga", meaning large.
BildtSwedish (Rare) Bildt is a Danish-Swedish-Norwegian noble family originating from Jutland in Denmark and now domiciled in Bohus county in southwest Sweden. The Norwegian branch of the family died out in the beginning of the 18th century... [more]
BjörnSwedish Means "bear" in Swedish. Either taken directly from the given name (see Björn) or from a nickname for a big, hairy person. It may also be derived from a place named with the element björn.
BlaauwDutch, South African Archaic spelling of Dutch blauw "blue", a nickname referring to the bearer’s eye colour, clothes, or possibly a pale and sickly complexion. It could also be an occupational name for someone who made blue dye, or bluing for laundry.
BlattGerman, Jewish Ornamental name derived from German blatt and Yiddish blat meaning "leaf", or a topographic name for someone who lived at a farm on a ledge on a mountainside, derived from Middle High German blate meaning "flat surface, ledge, plateau".
BlayFrench From Old French bloi 'blond', or a habitational name from a placename, perhaps by metanalysis from Blois in Loir-et-Cher, France. Usually someone with the lastname 'Blay' is a gentle or merry person.
BlesseEnglish (British), Filipino, Indian, French The last name Blesse was first discovered in Oxfordshire and held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. In the Philippines, Blesse means "a blessing in the family." In India, Blesse means "bless you."
BlissMedieval English, Medieval English (Anglicized) Originally a nickname for a cheerful person, derived from the Old English blisse, meaning "gladness" or "joy." Another origin of the surname is habitional, coming from from the village of Blay in Calvados (modern-day Normandy), spelled as Bleis in 1077, or from the village of Stoke Bliss in Worcestershire, first known as Stoke de Blez, named after the Norman family de Blez.... [more]
BloemDutch Means "flower, bloom" or "flour (of wheat, corn)" in Dutch. Could be a nickname for a pretty or cheerful person, a metonymic occupational name for a florist, gardener, baker or miller, or a habitational name for a person who lived near flowers or a sign depicting them... [more]
BloggEnglish The name is most likely Anglo-Saxon or early medieval English in origin. ... [more]
BlokDutch Means "block" in Dutch. This could be a nickname for someone with a heavy build, a metonymic occupational name for someone who used a block of wood in their work, such as a shoemaker, a milliner, or an executioner, or a toponymic surname for someone living on an enclosed piece of land.
BloodEnglish Derived from the Old English byname Blīþa (meaning "happy, blithe").
BloomEnglish Metonymic occupational name for an iron worker, from Middle English blome ‘ingot (of iron)’.
BloughEnglish Anglo-Saxon form of German “Blauch.” The name means “one who plays a horn.”
BluhmGerman German alternate spelling of the Italian surname, Blum meaning flower.
BlumeGerman, English Could be from the Jewish surname Blum of from Swedish Blom. It could also be from the English word bloom.
BluntEnglish Nickname for a person with fair hair or a light complexion from Old French blunt meaning "blond". It was also used as a nickname for a stupid person from Middle English blunt or blont meaning "dull".
BoisFrench, French (Quebec) Derived from French bois "wood, forest", this name used to denote someone who lived near a forest.
BolDutch From Dutch bol "ball, sphere" or "bun, roll, round piece of bread or pastry", possibly an occupational name for a baker, a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a ball or globe, or a nickname for a bald man, or perhaps a ball player.
BolDutch Derived from the given name Baldo, a short form of names beginning with the element bald "bold, brave”.
BookeAmerican American variant of the German name Buche meaning "beech" in reference to the beech tree. Notable bearer is the actor Sorrell Booke (1930-1994).
BoomDutch From Old Dutch bom "tree", a nickname for someone tall or robust, or a toponymic surname for someone who lived by a notable tree. It could also be an occupational name for someone who operated a boom barrier
BootEnglish Metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of boots, ultimately from Old French bote "boot, high-sided leather shoe".
BootGerman, Dutch Metonymic occupational name for a boat builder, sailor, or a ship’s carpenter, from Dutch boot "boat, ship".
BorgMaltese From Maltese borġ meaning "castle, citadel, tower".
BornGerman, English A topographical name indicating someone who lived near a stream, from the Old English "burna, burne". Alternatively, it could be contemporarily derived from the modern English word "born". Possible variants include Bourne, Burns 1 and Boren.
BrotAlsatian Derived from German Brot "bread", this surname was given to someone who sold or baked bread.
BroughEnglish Habitational name derived from any place called Brough, named with Old English burh "fortress" (compare English and Irish Burke).
BrühlGerman, Jewish Topographic name for someone who lived by a swampy area, derived from Middle High German brüel and Middle Low German brul meaning "swampy land with brushwood". It may also be a habitational name from various places named Brühl in Germany.
BrunsFrench Bruns was first found in Poitou where this noble family held a family seat since ancient times. The Bruns surname derives from the French word "brun," meaning "brown"; possibly a nickname for someone who habitually dressed in the color brown.
BrushScottish (Rare) Quite literally means "brush". Might derive from the Scottish Gaelic word bhrus which means "brush", or the Latin root br which means "explained". Was a nickname for those described to 'look like a brush'(i.e. hair that sticks up, thin with a big head, etc.)
BuijsDutch Patronymic form of Boso. Alternatively, could derive from Dutch buis "gambeson, jacket" as a nickname for someone who made or wore jackets, or from buis "herring buss, fishing boat" as a nickname for a fisherman.
BuisDutch Means "buss, fishing vessel" in Dutch, a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman. Alternatively, a variant of the patronymic surname Buijs.
BunKhmer Possibly from a word derived from Thai บุญ (bun) meaning "merit".
BunceNorman Meaning "good" person in old french. Also means "bain"(exeptionaly tall) in old english
BurlEnglish Old English occupational name originally meaning "cup bearer" or "butler" for one who dispensed wine and had charge of the cellar. Eventually the name came to mean the chief servant of a royal or noble household and was replaced by the French language inspired named 'Butler,' akin to the world "bottler".
BurrEnglish, Scottish, German Nickname for a person who is difficult to shake off, derived from Middle English burr meaning "bur" (a seedhead that sticks to clothing). It could also be a derivation from Old English bur meaning "small dwelling, building", or a German topographic name derived from burre meaning "mound, hill"... [more]
ByuJapanese Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 別府 (see Byū).
ByuhJapanese Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 別府 (see Byū).
ByuuJapanese Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 別府 (see Byū).
CaanScottish, German, Jewish Altered spelling of Jewish Cohen, or probably denoted a person from the city of Aberdeen in Scotland. Famous bearers of this surname include American actor James Caan (1940-2022), as well as his son Scott Caan (1976-), also a noted actor.
CamVietnamese Vietnamese form of Gan, from Sino-Vietnamese 甘 (cam).
CấnVietnamese Vietnamese form of Gen, from Sino-Vietnamese 艮 (gèn).
CanTurkish Means "soul, life, being" in Turkish, ultimately of Persian origin.
CaneEnglish From the English word meaning "cane, reed", a nickname for someone tall and thin, or perhaps an occupational name for someone who gathered reeds.
CaoVietnamese Vietnamese form of Gao, from Sino-Vietnamese 高 (cao).
CapeFrench, English (British) French and English: metonymic occupational name for a maker of capes and cloaks, or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore a cloak or cape, from Middle English and Old Norman French cape ‘cape’, ‘cloak’, ‘hooded cloak’ (in French also ‘hood’ or ‘hat’), from Late Latin cappa, capa, probably a derivative of caput ‘head’ (see Capp)... [more]
CariotoItalian It means “deer” and originates from Italy the surname is considerably rare the total number is still unknown
CatsDutch, Jewish Habitational name for a person from the village of Kats in Zeeland, Holland, or a nickname for someone who in some way resembled a cat, derived from Middle Dutch catte literally meaning "cat"... [more]
CaveNorman, French, English A name of various possible origins. As a Norman French name Cave can mean "bald" from cauf or it can mean "worker in a wine cellar" or "one who dwelt in or near a cave". As an English name Cave refers to a Yorkshire river whose fast current inspired the name meaning "swift".
ÇayTurkish Means "river, brook, creek" in Turkish.
CenChinese From Chinese 岑 (cén) referring to the ancient fief of Cen, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Shaanxi province.
ChửVietnamese Vietnamese form of Chu, from Sino-Vietnamese 褚 (chử).
ChaKorean Cha is a relatively uncommon family name in Korea. The Yeonan Cha clan is the only clan. The founding ancestor was Cha Hyo-jeon, son of Ryoo Cha-dal (류차달) (10th century AD). Most of the clan's members live in Gyeongsang, Hwanghae, and P'yŏngan provinces... [more]
ChaiChinese Alternate transcription of Chinese 翟 (see Zhai).
ChubbEnglish English (mainly West Country): nickname from Middle English chubbe ‘chub’ a common freshwater fish Leuciscus cephalus. The fish is notable for its short fat shape and sluggish habits and the word was used in early Modern English for a lazy spiritless person a rustic or a simpleton... [more]
ChuuJapanese Variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 中 or 仲 (see Chū).
CinTurkish Means "jinn" in Turkish, also figuratively meaning "smart, intelligent".
ClagueManx Shortened Anglicization of either Gaelic Mac Luathóg "son of Luathóg", itself derived from a diminutive of Gaelic luath, Manx leah "swift", or from Gaelic Mac Laoghóg "son of Laoghóg", which is derived from a diminutive of Gaelic laogh and Manx lheiy "calf".
ClaineScottish, Irish Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Gille Eathain, a patronymic name meaning "son of the servant of Saint John."
CleaveEnglish From an English topographical name meaning "cliff".
CleavesEnglish Originates from the Old English cleof, meaning “cliff,” indicating a topographic connection to steep landscapes. It emerged during the Middle Ages as hereditary surnames became common, reflecting the geographical features of the areas where people lived.
ClercFrench Occupational or status name for a member of a minor religious order or for a scholar Old French clerc from Late Latin clericus from Greek klerikos a derivative of kleros "inheritance legacy" with reference to the priestly tribe of Levites (see Levy ) "whose inheritance was the Lord"... [more]
CliffEnglish habitational name from any of numerous places called Cliff(e), Cle(e)ve, or Clive, from Old English clif "slope, bank, cliff", or a topographic name from the same word... [more]
CliftEnglish Topographic name for someone who lived by a crevice in rock, derived from Middle English clift meaning "cleft". The American actor Montgomery Clift (1920-1966) was a famous bearer of this name.
ClossGerman The surname Closs is of Germanic origin, likely derived from the Low German word kloss or kloß, meaning “dumpling” or “ball”, possibly used as a nickname for someone with a round shape or associated with food preparation... [more]
CoatesEnglish Name for a cottager or a person who lived in a humble dwelling, derived from Old English cote meaning "cottage, hut". It could also be used as a habitational name for someone from any of numerous locations with this name.
CollCatalan Topographic name from Catalan coll meaning "hill, mountain pass", ultimately from Latin collum.
ComteFrench Nickname for someone who worked for a count or for someone acting haughty from Old French contecunte "count"... [more]
CraneEnglish From Middle English crane "crane (bird)", a nickname for a tall, thin man with long legs. The term included the heron until the introduction of a separate word for the latter in the 14th century... [more]
CressGerman, Jewish, Belarusian A variant of the German surname Kress. From the Middle High German "kresse" meaning "gudgeon" (a type of fish) or the Old High German "krassig", meaning "greedy". Can also be from an altered form of the names Erasmus or Christian, or the Latin spelling of the Cyrillic "КРЕСС".
CreusCatalan Means "crosses" in Catalan, the plural of creu. Also compare Spanish Cruces. A famous bearer of this surname is the Spanish footballer Xavi Hernández Creus (1980-).
CricksAmerican "living near a river." Comes from a similar origin of Rios
CristEnglish From Old English Crīst meaning "Christ, the Messiah" (see Christos 1). May have been a nickname for someone who played the part of Christ in a pageant, or a short form of a given name containing it as an element, such as Christian or Christopher.
CruijffDutch Referred to a person with curly locks of hair, derived from Middle Dutch cruuf, cruve literally meaning "curl, lock", ultimately from Latin curvus. A famous bearer was the Dutch soccer player Johan Cruijff (1947-2016), as well as his son Jordi Cruijff (1974-), also a noted soccer player; both are better known as Johan Cruyff and Jordi Cruyff respectively.
CruyffDutch Variant of Cruijff. This name was borne by Johan Cruyff (1947-2016) and his son Jordi Cruyff (1974-), both Dutch soccer players.
CùVietnamese Vietnamese form of Qu, from Sino-Vietnamese 瞿 (cù).
CuiChinese From Chinese 崔 (cuī) referring to a place called Cui that existed in what is now Shandong province.
CzakPolish From Old Polish czakać meaning "to wait", or from the short form of a personal name such as Czabor or Czasław.
CzechPolish, English From the ethnonym meaning "Czech", or from the short form of a personal name such as Czesław. The English surname is borrowed from the Polish surname, or from Czech or Slovak Čech.
DaftEnglish This is an English surname which was especially associated with the Midland counties of the country. It derived from the Old English word of the pre-7th century "gedaeft" meaning "meek" or "mild", and as such it was a pre-Medieval personal name of some kind of popularity.