JowettEnglish From the medieval male personal name Jowet or the female personal name Jowette, both literally "little Jowe", a pet-form of Julian... [more]
JoysonEnglish Metronymic of the name Joy from the female given name Joia, deriving from the Middle English, Old French "joie, joye" meaning "joy". It may also be a nickname for a person of a cheerful disposition.
JunkinsEnglish Derived from the Middle English given name Jenkin, which was in turn created from a diminutive of the name John, with the suffix "kin," added to the name.
KariFinnish, German (Austrian), Slovene (?), Hungarian, Indian, Marathi As a Finnish name, it is a topographic and ornamental name from kari "small island", "stony rapids", "sandbar", or "rocky place in a field". This name is found throughout Finland.... [more]
KennawayEnglish From the medieval personal name Kenewi, from Old English Cynewīg, literally "royal war", or Cēnwīg, literally "bold war".
KennerkEnglish The surname Kennerk was first found in Westphalia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families in the western region. From the 13th century onwards the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.
KetayEnglish (British) It was first used by the great kin Richard skinner-ketay.He ruled over his land fairly and was well respected by his subjects.
KetayEnglish (British) It was first used by the great king Richard skinner-ketay wh ruled over his land fairly and wisely and his subjects respected and loved him.
KileyIrish, English Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic "O' Cadhla" meaning "son of Cadhla". Cadhla means meaning graceful or beautiful; hence, "descendant(s) of 'the graceful one'".
KilmerGerman Variant of Gilmer, from the medieval personal name Gildemir or Gilmar, composed from the German gīsil, meaning "pledge", "hostage", or "noble offspring" and the Old German mâri meaning “famous”... [more]
KilvertEnglish Probably from an Old Norse personal name Ketilfrith, literally "cauldron peace". The surname was borne by British clergyman and diarist Francis Kilvert (1840-1879).
KindredEnglish From the Anglo-Saxon given name Cenered meaning "bold counsel" from the elements cene, cen (later kene) meaning "bold, brave, proud" and raed meaning "counsel".
KinneGerman From the female given name Kinne, a Silesian diminutive of Kunigunde.
KleisUpper German, Romansh Derived from the given name Kleis, a South German variant of Klaus. The Kleis settled in Romansh-speaking areas after the Napoleonic Wars.
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]
KlorGerman (Austrian) The Klor surname may have evolved from the feminine personal name Klara. Or it may have come from the Middle High German and Middle Low German "Klar," meaning "Pure" or "Beautiful".
KloseGerman, Silesian From a Silesian short form of the given name Nikolaus. A notable bearer is the German former soccer player Miroslav Klose (1978-).
KrumholzJewish, German German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) from Krumbholz ‘bent timber’, ‘mountain pine’, hence probably a metonymic occupational name for a cartwright or wheelwright. As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.
KubitschekGerman Germanized form of Kubíček. This name was borne by Juscelino Kubitschek (1902-1976), the Brazilian president who founded the city of Brasília in 1960, replacing Rio de Janeiro as the capital city of Brazil... [more]
LaanDutch Means "lane, avenue" in Dutch (see Van Der Laan). Alternatively, could be a matronymic from the given name Lane, a Middle Dutch diminutive of Juliana and other names with similar elements.
LarginEnglish (American) The surname Largin origin is English. Largin is not common and it probably came from Larkin, or Lawerson. My mother is from North Carolina I don't know any information about her or her family. My dad's family who I live with is Holders which my name will be soon... [more]
LarkEnglish From the name of the bird, a nickname for a singer or a cheerful person, or perhaps someone who caught and sold larks. Alternatively, could be a shortened form of the personal name Larkin.
LautermilchGerman (Modern) Comes from German words Lauter, meaning 'pure', or 'nothing but', and Milch, meaning 'milk'. This could mean that the people who first used this name were farmers.
LautzGerman abgeleitet vom deutschen Vornamen Lutz (Kurzform von Ludwig)
LedgerEnglish From the given name Leodegar or Legier. Alternatively, could be an occupational name for a stonemason, ultimately derived from Old English lecgan "to put, place, lay (down)".
LehnerGerman Status name for a feudal tenant or vassal, from an agent derivative of Middle High German lehen 'to hold land as a feudal tenant'. variant of Leonhardt.
LeidigGerman From a short form of any of several Germanic personal names composed with the first element liut ‘people’, ‘tribe’. Also a nickname for a disagreeable, cantankerous person, from Middle High German leidic ‘disagreeable’, ‘tiresome’.
LeinenGerman Name means LINEN in German. The first known Leinen was a tailor
LeonardoItalian, Spanish, German Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese from the Germanic personal name Leonhard, formed from the elements leo ‘lion’ + hard, ‘hardy’, ‘brave’, ‘strong’; this was an early medieval saint’s name (see Leonard).
LeverettEnglish Diminutive of Lever, from the Middle English personal name Lefred, Old English Leofræd, composed of the elements leof ‘dear’, ‘beloved’ + red ‘counsel’.
LickertGerman (East Prussian) Derived from the German feminine name Luitgard, and thus ultimately from Old High German liut "people" and garto "garden; enclosure".
LiebGerman From a short form of the various compound Slavic personal names formed with lubo- "love" as the first element.
LiebhartGerman From a Germanic personal name, composed of the elements liub "beloved, dear" and hard "brave, strong".
LiebrechtGerman From a Germanic personal name formed with liut "people, tribe" and berht "shining, famous".
LiemanDutch From a Germanic personal name composed of liut "people", or possibly liob "dear, beloved", combined with man "person, man" (see Liutman, Liefman).