Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Gülden Dutch, Germanfrom
gulden "golden" derived from vergulden vergolden "to gild" a metonymic occupational name for a craftsman who gilds objects; compare Guldner. From gulden the name of the coin (English guilder) applied as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house name such as In den silvren Gulden ("In the Silver Guilder") or from related verb meaning "to gild" applied as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house name such as De Gulden Hoeve ("The Gilded Farmhouse") or De Gulden Zwaan ("The Gilded Swan").
Gullit Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)Possibly derived from Old Dutch
golt meaning "gold", most likely referring to a person who worked with gold. The former Dutch soccer player Ruud Gullit (1962-; birth name Rudi Dil) is a famous bearer of this name.
Hageman DutchCombination of Middle Dutch
haghe "hedge, enclosure" and #man "man".
Hagen German, Dutch, Danishfrom the ancient Germanic personal name
Hagen a short form of various compound names formed with
hag "enclosure protected place" as the first element.
Harmse Dutch, Low GermanThe surname Harmse is derived from Harms or Harm, a Low-German / Niederdeutsch surname or name. In Plattdeutsch/Low Saxon the word sine is used as a possessive construction, hence Harmse indicates that it is the child of Harms, Harm, or Harmensze... [
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Haverbus Yiddish, DutchFrom Yiddish/Hebrew Haver (חבר) and Baruch (ברוך), thus literally "blessed friend".
Hay English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, FrisianScottish and English: topographic name for someone who lived by an enclosure, Middle English
hay(e),
heye(Old English
(ge)hæg, which after the Norman Conquest became confused with the related Old French term
haye ‘hedge’, of Germanic origin)... [
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Hazard English, French, DutchNickname for an inveterate gambler or a brave or foolhardy man prepared to run risks, from Middle English, Old French
hasard, Middle Dutch
hasaert (derived from Old French) "game of chance", later used metaphorically of other uncertain enterprises... [
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Hecht German, DutchFrom Middle High German
hech(e)t, Middle Dutch
heect,
hecht "pike", generally a nickname for a rapacious and greedy person. In some instances it may have been a metonymic occupational name for a fisher and in others it may be a habitational name from a house distinguished by a sign depicting this fish.
Hee Danish, Norwegian, DutchA Danish habitational name from any of several places named from a word meaning ‘shining’ or ‘clear’, referencing a river.... [
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Heemskerk DutchFrom the name of a small town in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It means "home church" in Dutch. Famous bearers of this surname include Jan Heemskerk (1818-1897) and his son Theo Heemskerk (1852-1932), both of whom were Dutch prime ministers... [
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Hegeman DutchHabitational name for someone from a place called Hegge(n) or ter Hegge(n), derived from a word meaning ‘hedge’.
Helder Dutch, German, Upper German, English1. Dutch and German: from a Germanic personal name
Halidher, composed of the elements
haliò “hero” +
hari,
heri “army”, or from another personal name,
Hildher, composed of the elements
hild “strife”, “battle” + the same second element... [
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Hellwig German, DutchCuriously it started out life in ancient history as the baptismal name, Hell-wig. "luck" & "war;" this name literally translates to, "battle-battle."
Helmeyer German, Dutch, DanishFrom Hel in Norse mythology and Meyer meaning "higher, superior". It means ´blessed´ or ´holy´. The name is mostly found in Germany, but also in the Netherlands and some parts of Denmark.
Hengst German, Dutchmetonymic occupational name for someone who worked with or bred horses or a nickname for a brave strong man from Middle High German and Middle Dutch
hengest "stallion" also "gelding" derived from Old Germanic
hangist "stallion"... [
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Herd DutchComes from Middle Dutch hert, herte ‘hart’, ‘stag’; probably a nickname for someone who was fleet of foot, or a habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a deer; variant of
Heard.
Herold English, Dutch, GermanFrom the given name
Herold. This was the surname of David Herold, one of the conspirators in the Abraham Lincoln assassination plot.
Herrick DutchFrom a Germanic personal name composed of the elements heri, hari 'army' + ric 'power', or from an assimilated form of Henrick, a Dutch form of Henry.
Hick DutchFrom a pet form of a Germanic personal name, such as Icco or Hikke (a Frisian derivative of a compound name with the first element
hild "strife", "battle").
Hilbert English, French, Dutch, GermanEnglish, French, Dutch, and German: from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements hild ‘strife’, ‘battle’ + berht ‘bright’, ‘famous’.
Hilger German, DutchFrom a Germanic personal name composed of the elements hild 'strife', 'battle' + gar, ger 'spear'.
Hinkebein Dutch, GermanNickname for someone with a limp, from Middle Low German hinken meaning "to limp" + bein meaning "leg".
Hoen German, DutchNickname from hoen 'chicken', 'hen', perhaps denoting a silly person.
Hoogenboom DutchTopographic name for someone living by a tall tree, "tall tree", or a habitational name from places called Hoogboom and Hogenboom in the Belgian province of Antwerp, meaning "tall tree".
Hoogendijk DutchDerived from Dutch
hoog meaning "high, elevated" and
dijk meaning "dike, ditch, levee", referring to someone who lived near a high dyke or embankment.
Hoogland DutchA Dutch toponoymic surname meaning 'high land'. A famous bearer of this surname is Duco Hoogland, a Dutch politician.
Hoot Dutch, GermanThe Dutch form is a habitation name for someone who lived in the
hout or "woods" while the German form
hoth is from an occupational name for a maker of hats.
Hosekin DutchOccupational name for a maker or seller of hose (garments for the legs), from Middle Low German hose "hose".
Houtteman Flemish (Dutchified)Flemish. Houtteman. Meaning: Woodsman. Our ancestors were wardens of the woods, protecting them for the king and royal family.
Huck English, DutchFrom the medieval male personal name
Hucke, which was probably descended from the Old English personal name
Ucca or
Hucca, perhaps a shortened form of
Ūhtrǣd, literally "dawn-power".
Huisman DutchDutch cognate of
Houseman. Famous bearers include actor Michiel Huisman (1981-), television host and musician Henny Huisman (1951-) and speed skater Sjoerd Huisman (1986-2013), all from the Netherlands.
Huitema DutchThe name is believed to come from the Dutch word 'hout', meaning wood. Thus, this was a name often given to woodcutters.
Humbert German, Dutch, FrenchFrom a Germanic personal name composed of the elements
hun "Hun, giant" or
hun "bear cub" and
berht "bright, famous". This was particularly popular in the Netherlands and North Germany during the Middle Ages as a result of the fame of a 7th-century St... [
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Hurban English, French, Dutch, German, Sorbian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Hungarian, Romanian, JewishVariant of
Urban.
Huys Dutch, FlemishDerived from
Huis, itself a variant of
Huus and
Huuchs, medieval Dutch genitive forms of the given name
Hugo.
Iwwerks DutchUb Iwerks, born Ubbe Ert Iwwerks, was an American animator, cartoonist and character designer known best for the design of Mickey Mouse.
Jacobi Jewish, English, Dutch, GermanFrom the Latin genitive Jacobi ‘(son) of Jacob’, Latinized form of English Jacobs and Jacobson or North German Jakobs(en) and Jacobs(en).
Janmaat DutchFamous bearer of this surname is Dutch footballer Daryl Janmaat.
Japenga DutchMeans son of Jap "Yap" related to Jacobson in the Netherlands
Jongbloed DutchNickname 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).
Jost Dutch, GermanDutch and German: from a personal name, a derivative of the Breton personal name
Iodoc (see
Joyce), or from the personal name
Just.
Kaag DutchNamed after the Dutch town of Kaag.
Kalk German, DutchOccupational name for a lime burner from Middle High German
kalc and Middle Dutch
calk "lime" (both a loanword from Latin
calx).
Kat Dutch, Frisian, Afrikaans, JewishMeans "Cat" in Dutch, Frisian, and Afrikaans, perhaps originally a nickname for someone who owned a cat or somehow resembled a cat.
Katje DutchIt means 'Little Kate' in Dutch. A fun nickname for anyone
Kellner German, Dutch, Jewish, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Hungarian, FrenchGerman, Dutch and Jewish (Ashkenazic) occupational or status name from the Middle Low German
kelner, the Middle High German
kelnære, the Middle Dutch kel(le)nare
and the German kellner#, all meaning "cellarman"... [
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Kemper German, DutchGerman: status name denoting a peasant farmer or serf, an agent noun derivative of
Kamp ... [
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Kempes German, DutchGerman 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... [
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Kentie Scottish, English, DutchOrigin and meaning unknown. The name Kentie was spread in the Netherlands when a Scottish soldier, Alexander Kenti, settled at Woudrichem, the Netherlands around 1650. Alexander Kenti was born and raised in the Scottish highlands... [
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Kern German, Dutch, Jewishfrom Middle High German
kerne "kernel, seed pip"; Middle Dutch
kern(e) keerne; German
Kern or Yiddish
kern "grain" hence a metonymic occupational name for a farmer or a nickname for a physically small person... [
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Kesler German, Dutch, JewishIt is an occupational name that means coppersmith. In alpine countries the name derived from the definition: the one living in the basin of a valley.
Kessel DutchHabitational name for someone originally from any of the various locations in the Netherlands named Kessel.
Keurig DutchKeurig is derived from a Dutch word meaning "excellence." A more accurate translation from the Dutch is "neat" or "tidy."
Kiel DutchDutch 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.
Kin DutchNickname for someone with a pointed or jutting chin.
Kind English, German, Jewish, DutchGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic) from Middle High German
kint, German
Kind ‘child’, hence a nickname for someone with a childish or naive disposition, or an epithet used to distinguish between a father and his son... [
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Klomp German, Dutchfrom Middle Dutch and Low German
klomp "lump block compact heap ball" used as a nickname for someone with a squat physique or a clumsy or uncouth manner . Dutch metonymic occupational name for a clog maker from Middle Dutch
clompe "clog wooden shoe".
Kluivert Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)Nickname perhaps related to Dutch
kluiven meaning "to gnaw, to bite, to nibble". A notable bearer is Dutch former soccer player Patrick Kluivert (1976-).
Knickerbocker Dutch (Anglicized)Americanized spelling of the Dutch occupational name
Knickerbacker "marble baker", i.e., a baker of children's clay marbles. This lowly occupation became synonymous with the patrician class in NYC through Washington Irving's attribution of his History of New York (1809) to a fictitious author named Diedrich Knickerbocker... [
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Kolk Dutch"Kolk is Dutch for either whirlpool or canyon. Probably the name refers to wild water."
Koonings DutchFrom the Dutch word "koning" meaning "king", thus meaning "of the king".
Kroll German, Dutch, PolishNickname for someone with curly hair, from Middle High German
krol 'curly', Middle Low German
krulle 'ringlet', 'curl', Middle Dutch
croel, crul (apparently a loanword from German)... [
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Kues German, DutchHabitational name from Cues, now part of Bernkastel-Kues in the Rhineland Palatinate.
Kuijt DutchOccupational name for a brewer of beer, derived from Dutch
kuit,
koyt literally meaning "beer". A famous bearer of this name is retired Dutch soccer player Dirk Kuijt (1980-), also known as Dirk Kuyt.
Kul German, DutchDerived from Old High German
kol meaning "coal", perhaps an occupational name for a miner or coal seller.
Kuyt DutchVariant of
Kuijt, notably borne by the Dutch former soccer player Dirk Kuyt (1980-).
Lachtrup DutchMeans 'laughing group' in Dutch. Also occurs in Germany, but mostly in the Netherlands.
Lakeman DutchTopographic name for someone who lived by a lake or pond.
Langhorn English, Danish, DutchNorthern English: probably a habitational name from a minor place in Soulby, Cumbria, called Longthorn, from Old English
lang ‘long’ +
horn ‘projecting headland’, or a topographic name with the same meaning.... [
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Lavender English, DutchOccupational name for a washerman or launderer, Old French, Middle Dutch
lavendier (Late Latin
lavandarius, an agent derivative of
lavanda ‘washing’, ‘things to be washed’)... [
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Leeuwenkamp DutchPossibly from an unknown place name meaning "lion's camp" in Dutch.
Lems DutchIt is said that long ago there was a river in Holland named 'Lems'. Since then the river has dried up, but those who lived around the river were given the surname of 'Lems'.
Liem DutchHabitual surname for Lieme in Eastphalia, which is from
lim meaning "mire".
Lieshout DutchOriginally indicated a person from the village of Lieshout in the province of Noord-Brabant in the Netherlands. It is derived either from Dutch
lies meaning "great manna grass" (a grasslike plant that grows near riverbanks and ponds) or Middle Dutch
lese meaning "track, furrow", combined with
hout meaning "forest".
Linde German, Dutch, Jewish, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishDerived from Middle Hugh German, Dutch
linde or Scandinavian
lind "lime tree". Almost exclusively ornamental in Swedish, otherwise probably habitational. There are also a number of feminine names containing the element
lind, for example
Linda,
Dietlinde and
Gerlinde, and it's possible that the surname is derived from any of those names.
Lindenberg German, Jewish, DutchAs a German and Jewish name, it is derived from any of numerous places called
Lindenberg in Germany, composed of Middle High German
linde meaning "lime tree" and
berg meaning "mountain, hill"... [
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Lindt German, DutchThe Lindt surname comes from an Upper German word "lind," which meant "tender" or "gentle hearted." In some instances, especially in Saxony, the surname evolved from the personal name Lindemuth. In general, the similar phonetic name Linde comes from "Linden," which was a type of tree.... [
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Loop DutchHabitational name from de Loop (meaning "the watercourse"), in the province of Antwerp.
Lucht Dutchnickname from Middle Low German lucht 'clumsy left-handed'. German and Dutch: topographic name from Lucht 'cleared area garden' related to Middle High German liuhten 'to shine be bright'. North German: topographic name from Middle Low German lucht 'elevated spot loft'.
Lucius DutchFrom the personal name
Lucius (Latin
Lucius, an ancient Roman personal name probably derived from
lux "light", genitive
lucis).
Malefeijt DutchA variant spelling of
Malefeyt. This is also actually an archaic spelling (as the sound written as
-eijt will be always be written as
-eit or
-ijt in modern times), but it has (barely) managed to survive into modern times... [
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Malefeyt Dutch (Archaic)Archaic Dutch surname that is now no longer in use (not in this exact spelling, that is): the spelling reflects the surname's origin from older times (as
-eyt is an exclusively archaic spelling that has not survived into modern times like its counterparts
-eit and
-ijt did)... [
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Malefijt DutchModern form of
Malefeyt, which is also the most common form of the surname. In The Netherlands, there were 24 bearers of the surname in 2007.
Malfeyt Dutch, FlemishGenerally a Dutch form (or "dutchization", if you will) of
Malfait, with the spelling reflecting the surname's origin from older times (as
-eyt is an exclusively archaic spelling that has not survived into modern times like its counterparts
-eit and
-ijt did)... [
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Malin English, French, DutchFrom the given name
Malin (English), and from the given name Madalin composed of the Germanic element
madal meaning "council" (French, Dutch).
Mark English, German, DutchTopographic name for someone who lived on a boundary between two districts, from Middle English
merke, Middle High German
marc, Middle Dutch
marke,
merke, all meaning "borderland"... [
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Marsman DutchDerived from Middle Dutch
marsch, mersch (Southern Dutch
meers), meaning "marsh". In some cases, however, it can also be a variant of
Meersman.
Masse DutchDerived from Middle Dutch
masse "clog; cudgel", this name might have been a metonymic occupational name for someone who wielded a club. In some cases, however, it may also have been a patronymic of
Maas.
Mast German, DutchDerived from Middle High German and Middle Dutch
mast "mast (fodder made of acorns and beechnuts); the process of fattening livestock", this used to be an occupational name for a pig farmer or a swineherd... [
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Mast DutchDerived from Middle Dutch
mast "(ship's) mast; pole", this was a nickname for a tall, lanky man.
Mastin French, Flemish, Walloonoccupational name for a household servant or guard from Old French
mastin "watchdog, manservant" (from Latin
mansuetudinus "domestic"). The Old French word had the further sense of a bad-tempered dog and was used as an adjective in the sense of "bad cruel".
Matten FlemishOne possibility of origin is of the French word motte which means a hill or mound. to this were added several tiny suffix of -et, and -ot, to give motet or motton meaning "small motte" or "son of motte" or to describe one who lived for a place- mottier.
Meester Dutch, Flemish, GermanOccupational name for a teacher, lecturer or a master craftsman, or a nickname for someone who had a bossy demeanor, derived from Dutch
meester meaning "master". A famous bearer of this surname is the American actress, singer and model Leighton Meester (1986-).
Messiaen Dutch, FrenchDerived from
Messiaen, the (archaic) Dutch form of the latinate first name
Messianus, which itself is ultimately derived from the Roman praenomen
Messus. The meaning of
Messus is not wholly certain; it may be derived from the Latin verb
meto "to reap, to harvest, to cut, to sever", or from the latinized form of Greek
mesos or
messos "(the) middle, (the) middle one"... [
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Mick German, Dutch, IrishShort form of the given name
Mikolaj or an occupational name from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch
micke "(wheat or rye) bread"... [
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Mier DutchDerived from Dutch
mier "ant", perhaps denoting an industrious person.
Modderman DutchDerived from Middle Dutch
modder "mud", this name used to denote a dustman, a garbage man.
Mol DutchHabitational name for someone from Mol in the Antwerp province, Belgium.