JaanaJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 蛇穴 (Jaana) meaning "Jaana", a former village in the former district of Katsujō in the former Japanese province of Yamato in present-day Nara, Japan, or it being a variant reading of 蛇穴 (Saragi) meaning "Saragi", an area in the same place, in the city of Gose in the prefecture of Nara in Japan.
JaanaJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 蛇穴 (Jaana) meaning "snake pit", from 蛇 (ja) meaning "snake; serpant" and 穴 (ana) meaning "hole; pit".
JagoCornish A patronym, Jago is the Cornish for James/Jacob but is most commonly found as a surname. It’s use as a surname dates back to the early 13th Century.... [more]
JaouiJudeo-Spanish Derived from Arabic لبان جاوي (luban jawiyy) referring to a type of balsamic resin used in perfumes and incense (literally meaning "Javanese frankincense").
JaponFilipino, Spanish, French Ethnic name or regional name for someone from Japan or who had connections with Japan.
JardimPortuguese Means "garden" in Portuguese, either a topographic name or a habitational name for someone from any of various places called Jardim.
JardinFrench, English Derived from Old French jardin meaning "enclosure, garden", hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a garden or a metonymic occupational name for someone who worked as a gardener.
JaszczukPolish Derived from Polish jaszczurka, meaning "lizard."
JavertLiterature The name of the policeman in Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables." His name was taken from the word Javert, which means "to pursue relentlessly."... [more]
JessieEnglish Possibly a variant of Jessey, an occupational name for someone making jesses (a short strap fastened around the leg of a bird used in falconry).
JollyEnglish From the English word jolly, which is ultimately from Old French joli# ("merry, happy"). Originally a nickname for someone of a cheerful or attractive disposition.
JongbloedDutch Nickname for a young person, derived from Middle Dutch jonc meaning "young" and bloet meaning "blood". A famous bearer of this surname was the Dutch soccer goalkeeper Jan Jongbloed (1940-2023).
KabuJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 蕪 (Kabu), a clipping of 蕪 (Kabumon) meaning "Kabu Gate", a name of a group of several households, that was in the division of Kami in the area of Noda in the city of Izumi in the prefecture of Kagoshima in Japan, for the Kadowari System that took place in the Edo Period in the former Japanese province of Satsuma in parts of present-day Kagoshima, Japan.... [more]
KaifuJapanese Combination of the kanji 海 (kai, "sea, ocean") and 部 (bu, "division, section"). A famous bearer of this surname is Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu (海部 俊樹; b. 1931).
KakiJapanese From Japanese 柿 (kaki) meaning "persimmon".
KakiiJapanese Kaki means "pomegranate" means "well, pit, mineshaft".
KakuJapanese From Japanese 角 (kaku) meaning "corner".
KalevRussian Russian, from the elements Kal and -ev ("of"), therefore meaning "of Kal." Kal may be a shortened element of a Russian given name or place name.
KalhorhUrdu, Sindhi Originally a nickname for a person who belonged to the Kalhora clan in Sindh, Pakistan. The clan's name is derived from Sindhi ڪلهوڙو (kalhoro), ultimately from ڪَلھو (kalho) meaning "alone".
KampaJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 寒波 (kampa) meaning "cold wave", referring to possibly a person described as having cold vibes or an event that involved cold waves.
KampradGerman, Swedish (Rare) Possibly a variant of the German surname Kamprath meaning ”cogwheel (in a mill)”. A notable bearer is Ingvar Kamprad (1926-2018), a Swedish business magnate and the founder of IKEA... [more]
KampūJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 寒風 (kampū) meaning "cold winter wind", referring to possibly a person described as cold or an event that involved cold wind.
KampūJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 寒風 (Kampū) meaning "Kampū", a former division in the former large village of Kamiminamiaosawa in the former district of Akumi in the former Japanese province of Ugo in parts of present-day Akita and Yamagata in Japan.
KanjaJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 冠者 (Kanja), a variant spelling of 管者 (Kanja) meaning "Kanja", a former division in the district of Chīsagata in the former Japanese province of Shinano in present-day Nagano, Japan.
KannoJapanese From the Japanese 菅 (kan or suga) "sedge" and 野 (no) "field," "area." This name can also be read as Sugano.
KanoJapanese From Japanese 狩 (ka) meaning "hunt, gather" and 野 (no) meaning "field, rice paddy".
KanōJapanese From Japanese 加 (ka) meaning "add, increase" and 納 (nō) meaning "settlement, obtain, reap".
KanzeJapanese (Rare) Derived from Japanese 観世 (Kanze), a clipping of the given name 観世丸 (see Kanzemaru) or a variant reading of 観世 (Miyo), a clipping of the given name 観世丸 (see Miyomaru).
KapelDutch, Dutch (Surinamese) Means "chapel" in Dutch, a habitational name for someone who lived near a chapel (or in a place named after one), or an occupational name for a chaplain.
KaplanGerman, Czech, Jewish Means "chaplain, curate" in German and Czech, ultimately from Latin cappellanus. It is also sometimes used as a Jewish name, from a translation of Hebrew כֹּהֵן (kohen) meaning "priest" (see Cohen).
KarterBreton Breton form of Carter. This was the birth surname of Breton-French explorer Jacques Cartier (1491-1557), who is known for discovering the gulf of St. Lawrence.
KatsavHebrew Occupational name for a butcher, derived from Hebrew קַצָּב (qatzav) meaning "butcher, purveyor of meat". A famous bearer is former Israeli president Moshe Katsav (1945-), born Musa Qassab.
KatzirHebrew Occupational name derived from Hebrew קָצִיר (qatsiyr) meaning ""harvesting, reaping", ultimately from קָצַר (qatsar). A famous bearer was the Israeli president and scientist Ephraim Katzir (1916-2009), born Efraim Katchalski.
KeetonEnglish Habitational name from a place called Ketton in Durham or one in Rutland or from Keaton in Ermington, Devon. The first is named from the Old English personal name Catta or the Old Norse personal name Káti and Old English tūn "settlement"; the second is probably from an old river name or tribal name Cētan (possibly a derivative of Celtic cēd "wood") and Old English ēa "river"; and the last possibly from Cornish kee "hedge, bank" and Old English tūn.
KehlerGerman Habitational name from various places called Kehl, notably the town across the Rhine from Strasbourg. In some cases it may be a variant of Köhler.
KeidarHebrew Keidar is an ancient nickname given to the descendants of Ishmael.
KekkeJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 結解 (kekke), a variant reading of 結解 (ketsuge) meaning "klesha to nirvana".
KekkeJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 結解 (kekke), a variant reading of 結解 (ketsuge) meaning "account settlement", referring to someone who would deal with settlement of accounts.
KeleşTurkish Means "brave, handsome" as well as "bald" or "ugly" in Turkish.
KellnerGerman, Dutch, Jewish, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Hungarian, French Means "waiter, cellarman" in German, ultimately derived from Latin cellarium "pantry, cellar, storeroom". This was an occupational name for a steward, a castle overseer, or a server of wine.
KemmerGerman Kemmer is a surname. The surname Kemmer is an occupational surname. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old German word "kämmerer," which means "chamberlain." A chamberlain was the person in charge of the noble household; to him would fall the duty of ensuring that the castle and court of the noble ran smoothly... [more]
KempesGerman, Dutch German and Dutch variant of Kemp or Kamp. It could also be a habitational name for a person from any of the various places named Kempen on the border between Germany and the Netherlands (for example the town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, close to the Dutch border), a status name for a peasant farmer or serf, or an occupational name for an official calibrator who marked the correct weight and measures for verification, derived from Middle Low German kempen... [more]
KemptonEnglish From the name of a place in Shropshire meaning "Cempa's town" or "warrior town", from a combination of either the Old English word cempa "warrior" or the byname derived from it and tun "farmstead, settlement".
KendrewEnglish Variant of Andrew, possibly influenced by Mcandrew. Notable namesake is Nobel Prize winning chemist John Kendrew (1917-1997).
KensleyEnglish This surname might derive from the surname Kinsley or from the locational surname Kelsey (denoting someone who is from either North or South Kelsey in Lincolnshire).
KentieDutch Origin and meaning unknown. Possibly derived from a Scottish surname such as MacKenzie.
KentonEnglish habitational name from any of various places so named Kenton, for example in Devon, Greater London (formerly Middlesex), Northumberland, and Suffolk... [more]
KerslakeEnglish Topographic name for someone who lived by a stream where cress grew, derived from Old English cærse meaning "watercress" and lacu meaning "stream".
KesselGerman Occupational name for a maker of cooking vessels from Middle High German kezzel meaning "kettle, cauldron, boiler".
KesselDutch Habitational name for someone originally from any of the various locations in the Netherlands named Kessel, ultimately derived from Latin castellum "fortress, stronghold, castle". Could possibly also be a variant of German Kexel.
KesslerGerman, Jewish Means "kettle-maker, tinker", denoting a maker of copper or tin cooking vessels, derived from Middle High German kezzel meaning "kettle, cauldron". In some instances, it could have referred to the shape of a landform.
KevatIndian From Sanskrit केवट (kevaṭ) meaning "boatman". This is used by the Kevat caste who traditionally specialized in rowing boats.
KevilleEnglish Denoted someone from Keevil (recorded in the Domesday book as Chivele), a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, probably derived from Old English c¯f meaning "hollow" and leah meaning "woodland clearing".