Browse Submitted Surnames

This is a list of submitted surnames in which the usage is English or American.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Radford English
Habitational name from any of the various places so named, for example in Devon, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Hereford and Worcester. Most are named from Old English read "red" + ford "ford", but it is possible that in some cases the first element may be a derivative of Old English ridan "to ride", with the meaning "ford that can be crossed on horseback".
Radley English
From rēadlēah meaning "red clearing". Radley is a village and civil parish in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England.
Rafford Scottish, English
From a village called Rafford in Moray, Scotland. The surname itself is derived from Gaelic rath meaning "fort, dwelling", and ford reffering to a river crossing.
Ragan English
A variant of Reagan.
Ragsdale English
Apparently an English habitational name from Ragdale in Leicestershire, which is probably named from Old English hraca "gully", "narrow pass" + dæl "valley", "dale".
Raider English
Taken from a village called "Rait".
Rain English
Variant of Raine.
Rainbird English
From the Old French male personal name Rainbert, of Germanic origin and meaning literally "counsel-bright" (cf. Raginbert). The modern form of the name has been influenced by English rainbird "plover".
Rainbow English
From the Old French male personal name Rainbaut, of Germanic origin and meaning literally "counsel-brave" (cf. Raginbald)... [more]
Rainwater English (American)
Americanized form of the German family name Reinwasser, possibly a topographic name for someone who lived by a source of fresh water, from Middle High German reine ‘pure’ + wazzer ‘water’.
Raisbeck English
Raisbeck is a hamlet in the civil parish of Orton, in the Eden district, in the county of Cumbria, England. The surname Raisbeck originates from the hamlet. The name of the hamlet derives from Hrridarr, a personal name and beck, a stream or river.
Raish English (American)
Americanized spelling of German Raisch.
Raison English, Scottish, French
From a medieval nickname for an intelligent person (from Old French raison "reason, intelligence").
Raisor English (American), German (Americanized)
Possibly a variant of Rasor, or an Americanized form of German Röser or Reiser.
Raleigh English
English habitation name in Devon meaning "red woodland clearing".
Raley English
Variant of Raleigh.
Rallison English
Rallison came from the Norman given name Radulphus.
Ralls English (Anglicized, Rare)
From old English or Saxon. Originally Rallf ( Raulf) which meant Wolf Council
Ralph English
From a Middle English personal name composed of Germanic rad "counsel, advice" and wolf "wolf". This was first introduced into England by Scandinavian settlers in the Old Norse form Ráðulfr, and was reinforced after the Conquest by the Norman form Ra(d)ulf... [more]
Rambert English
From the Old French male personal name Rainbert (see Rainbird). It was borne by Dame Marie Rambert (original name Cyvia Rabbam, later Miriam Rambach; 1888-1982), a Polish-born British ballet dancer and choreographer.
Rampling English
Originally indicated a person who lived in a thickly wooded area, derived from Latin ramus meaning "branch" (see Ramos). Famous bearers include English actress Charlotte Rampling (1946-) and her father, athlete and British Army officer Godfrey Rampling (1909-2009).
Ramsbottom English
Habitational name from a market town called Ramsbottom in Greater Manchester, England (historically in Lancashire), derived from Old English hramsa meaning "wild garlic" or ramm "ram", and bothm meaning "bottom, bottom valley".
Randle English
English: variant spelling of Randall or Americanized spelling of Randel.
Randolf English
From the given name Randolf
Ranger English, German, French
English: occupational name for a gamekeeper or warden, from Middle English ranger, an agent derivative of range(n) ‘to arrange or dispose’.... [more]
Rannells English
Patronymic from the Middle English personal name Rannulf, Ranel, of continental Germanic origin.
Raphael English, German
From the given name Raphael
Rapson English
Means "son of Rab" or "son of Rap". Both Rab and Rap are diminutives of Robert.
Rasband American (Americanized, Rare)
This name is not a very common family name found in the United States. The first Rasband (Thomas) coming to the U.S. arrived in New Orleans on the ship North Atlantic on 1 November 1850 and arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah on 13 August 1856... [more]
Rasberry English
Possibly a habitational name from Ratsbury in Lynton, Devon.
Rashleigh English
From a location in Devon, derived from Old English "roe buck" + léah "clearing".
Rason English
Variant of Reason.
Rasor English
Probably from Old French rasor, meaning "razor".
Raspberry English
Variant spelling of Rasberry.
Raspberry English
Variant of Rasberry influenced by the name of the fruit but has no connection to it.
Rassmussen English (American, Rare)
Americanized spelling of Danish and Norwegian Rasmussen.
Ratchford English
habitational name from Rochford (Worcestershire) from Old English ræcc ‘hunting dog’ (genitive ræcces) and ford "ford"... [more]
Ratcliff English
Habitational name from any of the places, in various parts of England, called Ratcliff(e), Radcliffe, Redcliff, or Radclive, all of which derive their names from Old English rēad meaning "red" + clif meaning "cliff", "slope", "riverbank".
Rathbone English
Of unknown origin, but might denote a person with short legs. From Olde English rhath, meaning "short, and bon, "legs".
Rau English
From a medieval personal name, a variant of Ralph.
Raven English, Dutch
From a variety of sources all ultimately derived from the name of the bird. Could be a patronymic form of a given name such as Raven, Hraban, or Walraven; from a nickname referring to dark hair or thieving tendencies; or from a toponym derived from a given name.
Ravencroft English (Rare)
Probably a variant of Ravenscroft.
Ravenel English, French
Habitational name from Ravenel in Oise or a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of horseradish, from a diminutive of Old French ravene ‘horseradish’ (Latin raphanus)... [more]
Ravenhill English
From Rauenilde or Ravenild, medieval English forms of the Old Norse given name Hrafnhildr.
Ravenscar English (British)
From a coastal village with the same name, located in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England.
Ravenscroft English, English (British)
Habitational name from a minor place in Cheshire, England. The place name means "Hræfn's croft", from an Old English personal name Hræfn (itself from Old English hræfn meaning "raven", possibly a byname) and Old English croft meaning "enclosed field".
Ravenswood English (American)
Ravenswood is a gothic surname.
Raver English (American)
Americanization of Röver.
Rawlings English
Patronymic formed from the given name Roul.
Rawls English
From the Olde German and Anglo-Saxon personal name Rolf. Originally derived from the Norse-Viking pre 7th Century 'Hrolfr' meaning "Fame-Wolf".
Rayford American
From a Germanic personal name with the elements ric- meaning "powerful" and -frid meaning "peace".
Raymond English, French
From the Norman personal name Raimund, composed of the Germanic elements ragin "advice, counsel" and mund "protection".
Raynard English
Derived from the baptismal name Rainer.
Rayner English
From the given name Rayner
Raynes English (American)
Patronymic version of many Germanic names with the first element starting with "ragin"
Reach Scottish, English
Scottish: Nickname For Someone With Streaks Of Gray Or White Hair From Gaelic Riabhach ‘Brindled Grayish’. English And Scottish: Habitational Name From Either Of Two Places Called Reach In Bedfordshire And Cambridgeshire Recorded As Reche In Medieval Documents From Old English Rǣc ‘Raised Strip Of Land Or Other Linear Feature’ (In The Case Of The Cambridgeshire Name Specifically Referring To Devil's Dyke A Post-Roman Earthwork)... [more]
Reade English
English variant spelling of Read.
Reader English
Modernized form of Reeder.
Reading English
Habitational name from the county seat of Berkshire, which gets its name from Old English Readingas "people of Read(a)", a byname meaning "red".
Reason English
A different form of Raison.
Reaves English
Variant of Reeves.
Rector English
Status name for the director of an institution, in particular the head of a religious house or a college. Also an anglicized form of Richter.
Red English
Variant of Read 1.
Redden English
Location name meaning "clearing or cleared woodland." Communities called Redden include one in Roxburghshire, Scotland and another in Somerset, England. A notable bearer is actor Billy Redden who played the dueling banjoist Lonnie in the 1972 film 'Deliverance.'
Reddick English
Habitational name from Redwick in Gloucestershire, named in Old English with hrēod "reeds" and wīc "outlying settlement".
Redding English
Variant spelling of Reading.
Reddington English
From a place name derived from an uncertain first element (perhaps the Old English given name Rēada) combined with the suffix ing meaning "belonging to" and tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town".
Reddish English
This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Reddish,' a village near Stockport, Cheshire.
Redenbacher English (American)
The name "Redenbacher" appears to be a combination of two parts: "Reden" and "Bacher". Here's what I found about the meanings of these parts:... [more]
Redford English
Variant of Radford. A famous bearer is American actor Robert Redford (1936-).
Redgrave English
From the name of a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England, derived from Old English hrēod meaning "reed" or rēad "red", and græf meaning "pit, ditch" or grāf "grove"... [more]
Redhage English
This surname originated in Germany
Redman English, Irish
Variant of Raymond. Also a nickname for a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion, from Middle English rudde "red" and man "man".
Redmayne English, Irish
Derived from Redmain, a small hamlet in Cumbria, England. It is named with Old English rēad meaning "red" and Welsh main meaning "rock, stone". The name could also be derived from the given name Réamonn, which is an Irish form of Raymond... [more]
Redpath Scottish, English
Habitational name from a place in Berwickshire, probably so called from Old English read ‘red’ + pæð ‘path’. This name is also common in northeastern England.
Redvers English (British)
Variant of Revere originating in Devon.
Redwood English
Name possibly derived from the colour of the bark of trees or the name of the town Reedworth between Durham and Devon
Reedus English, Scottish
An English and Scottish name of uncertain origin. Possibly a reduced form of English Redhouse, a habitational name from any of the numerous places named Redhouse, including over ninety farms.
Reeson English
English (Lincolnshire):: patronymic meaning ‘son of the reeve’ from Middle English reve + son.
Regalado Spanish, Spanish (Philippines), American (Hispanic)
Means "gifted", "pleasant", or "capable".
Register English
Corruption of Rochester.
Reidhead English
The origins of the Reidhead surname are uncertain. In some instances, it was no doubt derived from the Old English word "read," meaning "red," and was a nickname that came to be a surname. Either way, we may conclude that it meant "red-haired" or "ruddy complexioned."
Relph English
From the Old French male personal name Riulf, of Germanic origin and meaning literally "power-wolf" (cf. Riculf).
Rench English
1. English: nickname from Middle English wrench 'trick, wile, deceit' (Old English wrenc), perhaps used for a deceitful person. ... [more]
Rendall Scottish, English
Variant of Randall. Habitational name from Rendall in Orkney. Possibly also an Americanization of Swedish Rendahl.
Renley Jewish (Rare), English (Rare)
Possibly derived from the Old English rinc "man, warrior" or rim 'edge, circular edge' or possibly wraenna 'wren', and leah "field, clearing".
Renn English (British)
The surname Renn was first found in Durham where they held a family seat from early times, and were originally descended from Ralph de Raines who was granted lands by William, Duke of Albany in that shire... [more]
Rennison English
Patronymic surname meaning "son of Renard". Derived as a shortened form of Reynoldson from the Old French personal name Renart with the -son suffix... [more]
Renshaw English, Scottish
A habitational surname from any of the so-called or like-sounding places in the United Kingdom. These include Renishaw in Derbyshire, Ramshaw in Durham, the lost Renshaw in Cheshire and Radshaw in Yorkshire... [more]
Reo English
Meaning unknown.
Reston English
Location name from northern England meaning "brush wood settlement" or place where brush wood, also known as rispe, grew.
Reuben English, Jewish
From the given name Reuben.
Reubens Jewish, English
Derived from the given name Reuben. This surname was borne by American comedian and actor Paul Reubens (1952-2023; birth name Paul Rubenfeld), who created and played the comic fictional character Pee-wee Herman.
Revell English
From a medieval nickname for someone who is full of noisy enthusiasm and energy (from Middle English revel "festivity, tumult").
Revels American
from the surname Revel, a variant of Revell, a Middle English and Old French name referring to festivity
Revere English, French, Judeo-Italian
French: variant of Rivière, Rivoire, or Rivier, topographic name for someone living on the banks of a river, French rivier ‘bank’, or habitational name from any of the many places in France named with this word.... [more]
Rex English, German (Latinized)
English: variant of Ricks. ... [more]
Rexford American
American form of German 'Rexforth' thought to mean "kings crossing".
Rexley English
Supposedly meaning "king's clearing" from Latin rex and Old English leah.
Reynard English
From the given name Reynard.
Reynold English
From the given name Reynold
Reynoldson English
Means "son of Reynold".
Rhine German, French, English, Irish
A habitational name for an individual whom lived within close proximity of the River Rhine (see Rhein). The river name is derived from a Celtic word meaning 'to flow' (Welsh redan, 'flow').... [more]
Rhode American
Comes from the state 'Rhode Island' in America
Rial English
Variant of Royle.
Ribchester English
This name originates from the small village in Lancashire that shares the same name. Interestingly, most people with the name 'Ribchester' are in Lancashire, but a lot are also found in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Rich English
Patronymic derived from a short form of Richard.
Rich English
From a nickname of a wealthy person, ultimately derived from Germanic ric "powerful". A notable fictional bearer is Richie Rich who first appeared as a comic book character in 1953.
Rich English
Derived from the name of a (former) village in Lincolnshire, England named with the Old English element ric "stream, drainage channel".
Riche English, French
English: variant spelling of Rich. ... [more]
Richer French, English, German
From the given name Richer.
Richers English, German
From a Germanic personal name composed of the elements ric ‘power(ful)’ + hari, heri ‘army’. The name was introduced into England by the Normans in the form Richier, but was largely absorbed by the much more common Richard... [more]
Richie English (Rare), Italian
Diminutive form of Richard. It could also have been a nickname for one who was rich or wealthy, or, in Italy, a variant of Ricci... [more]
Richmond English
Habitational name from any of the numerous places so named, in northern France as well as in England. These are named with the Old French elements riche "rich, splendid" and mont "hill"... [more]
Rick English
1 English: variant of Rich 2.... [more]
Ricketson English
It was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Old German name Ricard, meaning "powerful" and "brave."
Rickman English
Means "son of Rick". A famous bearer was American Alan Rickman (1946-2016).
Riddell Scottish, English
Derived from the given name Ridel.
Rideout English
Means "outrider (a municipal or monastic official in the Middle Ages whose job was to ride around the country collecting dues and supervising manors)".
Ridges English
Variant of Ridge.
Ridgeway English
Comes from Middle English 'riggewey', hence a topographic name for someone who lived by such a route or a habitational name from any of various places so named, for example in Cheshire, Derbyshire, Dorset, and Staffordshire.
Ridgway English
Variant spelling of Ridgeway.
Riding English
From Old English rydding "cleared land, assart".
Ridout English
A variant of the other surname Rideout.
Rieley English
Variant of Reilly.
Right English
Variant spelling of Wright 1.
Rilo English
Transferred use of the surname derived from the Old English elements ryge (rye) and lēah (wood, clearing, meadow). See also Riley 1.
Rimes English
Originally denoted one who came from the city of Reims in the Grand Est region of France, or a topographic name for someone who lived in a thickly wooded area, derived from Old French ramel (a diminutive of raim) meaning "branch", ultimately from Latin ramus... [more]
Rinard English (American)
An Americanized version of the German Surname Reinhardt.
Ringer English
From the Norman name Reinger or Rainger derived from the Germanic elements ragin meaning "advice, counsel" and ger meaning "spear"... [more]
Ripp English (American), East Frisian, German
From Ripp, a Frisian pet name for Rippert.
Ripper English
Means "maker, seller or carrier of baskets" (from a derivative of Middle English rip "basket").
Ripple English
From the word ripple. Could mean that they live near a river, lake, brook, stream, or ocean.
Riseborough English
Denoted a person hailing from any of the various places called Risborough, Riseborough or Risbury in England, derived from Old English hrīs meaning "brushwood" and beorg meaning "hill, mound", or from hrīs and burh meaning "fortification"... [more]
Risley English
It means "brushwood clearing".
Ritch English, German, German (Swiss)
1. English: variant spelling of Rich. ... [more]
Ritchard English
Variant spelling of Richard that was altered by the diminutive Ritchie. Or possibly from a surname derived from Richard... [more]
Ritchings French, German, English
This surname has at least three distinct separate origins. ... [more]
Rittman German, English
From Middle High German "riet" and "mann", riet meaning reed.
Rivet French, English
French: from a diminutive of Old French rive ‘(river) bank’, ‘shore’ (see Rives).... [more]
Rivett English, French
English (East Anglia): metonymic occupational name for a metalworker, from Middle English, Old French rivet ‘small nail or bolt’ (from Old French river ‘to fix or secure’, of unknown origin).... [more]
Rivette French, English (American, Rare), English (Canadian, Rare)
Topographic name derived from a diminutive of Old French rive, meaning "(river) bank, shore"; see also Rivet.
Ro English
Possibly a variant of Rowe.
Robards English
Altered form of Roberts. A famous bearer was American actor Jason Robards (1922-2000), as well as his father Jason Robards Sr. (1892-1963) and son Sam Robards (1961-), also noted actors.
Robbs English
This possibly means "Son of Rob(ert)".