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.
Virtue English
Used as a name for someone who had played the part of Virtue in a medieval mystery play, or as a nickname for someone noted for their virtuousness or (sarcastically) for someone who parades their supposed moral superiority.
Virtuoso English (American), Spanish, Italian
This Italian surname could possibly be connected to those whose ancestors were involved in playing a musical instrument or somehow connected to the musical instrument industry.
Vise English
Topographic name for someone who lived by a boundary, Old French devise.
Visitor English
Likely from someone who was a stranger in a place.
Viveash English
English surname of uncertain origin. May be Anglo-Norman from French vivace meaning "lively, vigorous", however its pronunciation has led to its connection to various places in southern England called Five Ash Trees.
Vivian English
Derived from the given name Vivian.
Vivis English (Rare)
Found in the 1891, 1901 & 1911 British census, other Ancestry.co.uk records & FreeBMD. Could derive from Vivas from Spanish Catalan
Voky English
Variant of Vokey.
Von Asheburg English
The last name of Bridget Von Asheburg.
Vox English
Variant of Fox
Vyner English
Variant of Viner.
Vyvyan English
From the name Vyvyan.
Wackerman English (American), German
From the Americanized spelling of German Wackermann, a variant of Wacker, with the addition of Middle High German man, meaning ‘man’.
Waddington English
Habitational name from any of various places called Waddington. One near Clitheroe in Lancashire and another in Lincolnshire (Wadintune in Domesday Book) were originally named in Old English as the "settlement" (Old English tūn) associated with Wada.
Wadley English
From a place in England named with Old English wad "woad" or the given name Wada combined with Old English leah "woodland clearing".
Wadlow English
Habitational name from a lost place, Wadlow in Toddington.
Wadsworth English
Location name from Yorkshire meaning "Wæddi's enclosure or settlement" with Wæddi being an old English personal name of unknown meaning plus the location element -worth. Notable bearer is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) for whom the middle name was his mother's maiden name.
Wainscott English
Meaning unknown. From Middle English Waynescot. The surname presumably arose from a nickname for someone who imported or used oak timber.
Wainwright English
Occupational name for a maker or repairer of wagons.
Wait English
Variant spelling of Waite.
Waite English
Occupational name for a watchman, Anglo-Norman French waite (cf. Wachter).
Waitman English
Possibly from Middle English hwæt, "active, bold, brave" and mann "man"
Waits English
Patronymic form of Waite.
Waitt English
Variant spelling of Waite.
Wake English, Scottish
From the Old Norse byname Vakr meaning "wakeful", "vigilant" (from vaka meaning "to remain awake"), or perhaps from a cognate Old English Waca (attested in place names such as Wakeford, Wakeham, and Wakeley).
Wakeham English, Cornish
A locational surname for someone who lived in one of three places called Wakeham in various parts of England, including Cornwall and/or Devon.
Wakeley English
Habitational name from Wakeley in Hertfordshire, named from the Old English byname Waca, meaning ‘watchful’ (see Wake) + Old English leah ‘woodland clearing’.
Wakelin English
From the Anglo-Norman male personal name Walquelin, literally "little Walho", a Germanic nickname meaning literally "foreigner".
Wakely English
Damp meadow
Walbridge English
English (Dorset): habitational name, probably from Wool Bridge in East Stoke, Dorset.
Walcott English
habitational name from any of several places called Walcott Walcot or Walcote for example in Lincolnshire Leicestershire Norfolk Oxfordshire and Wiltshire all named in Old English wealh "foreigner Briton serf" (genitive plural wala) and cot "cottage hut shelter" (plural cotu) meaning "the cottage where the (Welsh-speaking) Britons lived".
Wald German, English
Topographic name for someone who lived in or near a forest (Old High German wald, northern Middle English wald).
Waldrip English, Scottish
The name is derived from the Old Norman warderobe, a name given to an official of the wardrobe, and was most likely first borne by someone who held this distinguished
Waldron Medieval German, Old Norman, Scottish Gaelic, English (British)
Derived from the German compound wala-hran, literally "wall raven", but originally meaning "strong bird". Also derived from the Gaelic wealdærn, meaning "forest dwelling", thought to be derived from the Sussex village of Waldron... [more]
Wales English (Modern), Scottish
English and Scottish patronymic from Wale.
Walin English (American)
Americanized form of the Swedish surname Wallin.
Walk English
Variant of Walker.
Walkington English
Habitational name from a place in East Yorkshire named Walkington, from an unattested Old English personal name Walca + -ing- denoting association with + tūn.
Wallas English
A variant of Wallace.
Wallen English
Originated from the Old English words "waellan" or "weallan," which mean "to boil" or "to bubble." It is thought that the name may have been used to describe someone who lived near a boiling spring or a bubbling brook.
Walliams English
Very rare form of Williams.... [more]
Wallington American
From the surname of two girls from Rebel Starzz.
Wallwork English (British)
Anglo-Saxon name originating from Lancashire, first recorded in Worsley in 1278. May originate from the Old Warke area in Worsley, shown as "Le Wallwerke" in old documents. The surname Walworth may be related.
Walmer English
Habitational name from Walmer in Kent, so named from Old English wala (plural of walh "Briton") + mere "pool", or from Walmore Common in Gloucestershire.
Walpole English
Originally indicated a person from either of two places by this name in Norfolk and Suffolk (see Walpole). Famous bearers of the surname include Robert Walpole (1676-1745), the first Prime Minister of Great Britain, and his youngest son, the writer Horace Walpole (1717-1797)... [more]
Walshingham English
From the Anglo-Saxon words ham, meaning "house".
Walworth English
Habitational name from Walworth in Heighington (Durham) and Walworth in Newington (Surrey) both named with Old English wealh "foreigner Briton serf" (genitive plural wala) and worþ "enclosure".
Walwyn English
Either (i) from the Old English personal name Wealdwine, literally "power-friend"; or (ii) perhaps from the medieval personal name Walwain, the Anglo-Norman form of Old French Gauvain (cf... [more]
Wanderlust English (American)
Wanderlust derived from Artemis G.J. Wanderlust (birth name: Joseph E Yoder) in the year 2021, as an ornamental surname representing both:... [more]
Wanless English
From a medieval nickname for an ineffectual person (from Middle English wanles "hopeless, luckless").
Wannell English
English surname which was derived from a medieval nickname, from Middle English wann "wan, pale" (see Wann) and a diminutive suffix.... [more]
Wanton English, Scottish
From Middle English wanton, meaning "unruly", "thoughtless" or "promiscuous".
Warburton English
From the village and civil parish of Warburton in Greater Manchester (formerly in Cheshire), England, derived from the Old English feminine given name Werburg (itself derived from wǣr meaning "pledge" and burh "fortress") and Old English tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town".
Warden English
Occupational name for a watchman or guard, from Old French wardein meaning "protector, guard". It was also used as a habbitational name for someone from any of the various locations in England named Warden... [more]
Warder English
Weard ora. Place name in Wilshire. Became Wardour ( see castle & village). Became Warder.
Wardlow English, Scottish
Habitational name from Wardlow in Derbyshire from Old English weard "watch" and hlaw "hill".
Warrington English
habitational name from Warrington in Lancashire. The placename probably derives from Old English wering, wæring "dam" (a derivative of wer, wær "weir") and tun "farmstead, estate"... [more]
Warrior English
From the given name “warrior” from Old Frenchwerreieor, werrieur ‘warrior’.
Warron English
Variant of Warren.
Warton English
"From the poplar-tree farm"
Washburn English
Northern English topographic name for someone living on the banks of the Washburn river in West Yorkshire, so named from the Old English personal name Walc + Old English burna ‘stream’... [more]
Wastie English
Derived from “gehaeg” meaning “hedge” in Old English which was later changed to Weysthagh then Wastie
Waterfield English
Derived from a town named Vatierville.
Waterford English (Rare)
From a place name derived from the Old Norse words veðra, 'ram' (Swedish vädur, 'ram', See Wetherby) and fjord, 'fjord'.
Waterson English
It is a patronymic of the male given name Water or Walter.
Watney English
Probably means "person from Watney", an unidentified place in England (the second syllable means "island, area of dry land in a marsh"; cf. Rodney, Whitney)... [more]
Waud English
From Old English weald meaning "forest".
Waverly English
Meaning, "from Waverley (Surrey)" or "from the brushwood meadow." From either waever meaning "brushwood" or waefre meaning "flickering, unstable, restless, wandering" combined with leah meaning "meadow, clearing."
Wax German, Jewish, English
German and Jewish variant and English cognitive of Wachs, from Middle English wax "wax" (from Old English weax).
Waxman English, German (Americanized), Jewish (Americanized)
Occupational name for a seller or gatherer of beeswax from wax "wax" plus Middle English man "man". According to the Oxford English Dictionary wax-man is an obsolete term for an officer of a trade guild who collected contributions from members for wax candles to be used in processions... [more]
Waycaster English
The surname Waycaster is German in origin. It means "roll-eater," and was likely derived from a derisive nickname on a baker.
Wayman English
Variant of Wyman and Waitman. Could also be the Americanized version of Wehmann or Weidmann
Waynewright English
Variant spelling of Wainwright.
Waywood English
Name for someone who lives in Wetwood (near Eccleshall) or Wetwood (near Meerbrook). ... [more]
Weakly English
Variant spelling of Weekley.
Weaponsworth English
Means maker of weapons
Weare English (British)
Derived from the Old English wer, meaning a "weir, dam, fishing-trap". This was used as an occupational surname for fishermen. Originated in Devon, England.... [more]
Weatherford English
Topographic name or a habitational name from a lost or unidentified place.
Webbe English (Rare)
Variant of "Webb", meaning weaver.
Wedmore English (British)
Habitational name from Wedmore in Somerset, recorded in the 9th century as Wethmor, possibly meaning ‘marsh (Old English mor) used for hunting (w?the)’.
Wedon English
Variant of Weedon
Weedon English
From places called Weedon
Weekley English
Originally meant "person from Weekley", Northamptonshire ("wood or clearing by a Romano-British settlement"). British philologist Ernest Weekley (1865-1954) bore this surname.
Weir Scottish, English
Topographic name for someone who lived by a dam or weir on a river.
Welborn English
Habitational name from Welborne in Norfolk, Welbourn in Lincolnshire, or Welburn in North Yorkshire, all named with Old English wella ‘spring’ + burna ‘stream’.
Welburn English
English surname meaning "From the Spring brook"
Welby English (British, Rare)
Lincolnshire family name
Welcome English
Derived from several places named Welcombe.
Weld English
Meant "one who lives in or near a forest (or in a deforested upland area)", from Middle English wold "forest" or "cleared upland". A famous bearer is American actress Tuesday Weld (1943-).
Weldin English
Variant of Weldon.
Weldon English
Weldon is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The Weldon family lived in Northamptonshire, at Weldon.... [more]
Welford English
English surname meaning "Lives by the spring by the ford"
Well English
Topographic name for someone who lived near a spring or stream, Middle English well(e) (Old English well(a)).
Welland English (British, Rare)
From the name of the place, derived from Old English wig - war and landa - territory, land.
Wellborn English
Related to Wellburn
Wellborne English
Related to Wellborn
Weller English, German
Either from the Olde English term for a person who extracted salt from seawater, or from the English and German "well(e)," meaning "someone who lived by a spring or stream."... [more]
Welles English
Variant of Wells.
Wellington English
Habitational name from any of the three places named Wellington, in Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Somerset. All are most probably named with an unattested Old English personal name Weola + -ing- (implying association with) + tun ‘settlement’.
Wellman English
From German Welle meaning "wave" and man, meaning "man", referring to someone who lived by a stream.
Welsh Scottish, English
Ethnic name for someone from Wales or a speaker of the Welsh language. Compare Walsh and Wallace.
Welton English
Habitational name from any of various places named Welton, for example in Cumbria, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and East Yorkshire, from Old English well(a) ‘spring’, ‘stream’ + tun ‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’.
Wendover English
From a town in England, from Brittonic “winn”, meaning ‘white’, and “dwfr”, meaning ‘gate’.
Wenn English
Surname from Norfolk, England
Wensley English
Habitational name from Wensleydale in North Yorkshire.
Wentworth English
Habitational name from places in Cambridgeshire and South Yorkshire called Wentworth, probably from the Old English byname Wintra meaning ‘winter’ + Old English worð ‘enclosure’... [more]
Wesson English
Variant of Weston.
Westbay English (Rare)
It means "west bay".
Westbury English
English British surname originating as a place name. There are several Westbury villages, parishes and even Manors across England that have given the name Westbury to people who take up residence in or come from those places... [more]
Westdyke English
Name given to someone who lived on the west side of a dyke.
Westen English, Scottish
Habitational name from any of numerous places named Weston, from Old English west 'west' + tun 'enclosure', 'settlement'. English: variant of Whetstone.
Westerly English
The name is originated from a term meaning 'winds from the West'. The name could be given to someone who is born in the west.
Westerman English
Topographical surname for someone who lived west of a settlement or someone who had moved to the west, from Old English westerne meaning "western" and mann meaning "man, person".
Westgate English
Topographic name for someone who lived near a west gate in a city, or a habitual surname for someone from Westgate. It is derived from Middle English west meaning "west" and gate "gate" (or "street" in northern and eastern areas; from Old Norse gata).
Westhouse Dutch (Anglicized, ?), English
Possibly an Anglicized form of Westhuis. Alternatively, from a place named Westhouse.
Westlake English (Canadian)
Combined of West and Lake.
Westland English
Meaning "west land".
Westmeir English
Not avaliable.
Westrop English (British)
Viking name local to Somerset and several counties in the North East of England. Approximate meaning "place to the west of the village with the church".
Westwood English, Scottish
Habitational name from any of numerous places named Westwood, from Old English west "west" and wudu "wood".
Wetherell English
Habitational name from Wetheral (Cumberland)
Weton English
Variant of Weeton
Wey English
Variant of Way.
Whaley English
From the name of the village of Whaley and the town of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire, or the village of Whalley in Lancashire, England. It is derived from Old English wælla meaning "spring, stream" and leah meaning "woodland clearing".
Whalley English
Variant form of Whaley. A famous bearer is the English actress Joanne Whalley (1961-).
Wharton English
Derived from an Olde English pre 7th Century river name Woefer.
Whately English
Old English location or occupational surname meaning "from the wheat meadow".
Whatley English
From any of the various places in England named with Old English hwæte "wheat" and leah "woodland clearing".
Wheeldon English
Habitational name from a place in Derbyshire named Wheeldon, from Old English hweol ‘wheel’ (referring perhaps to a rounded shape) + dun ‘hill’, or from Whielden in Buckinghamshire, which is named with hweol + denu ‘valley’.
Wheelwright English
Occupational name for someone who made or fitted wheels and wheeled vehicles, from Old English hwēol and wyrhta. Also compare Wheeler.
Whent English
Topographical for someone who lived by a cross road, or perhaps a very sharp bend in the road. The derivation being from the Olde English pre 7th century word "wendan," meaning to wander.
Whetzel American
Altered spelling of German Wetzel.
Whineray English
Means "person from Whinneray", Cumbria, or "person who lives in a nook of land growing with gorse" (in either case from Old Norse hvin "whin, gorse" + vrá "nook of land"). It was borne by New Zealand rugby player Sir Wilson Whineray (1935-2012).
Whippet English
Possibly used as a nickname from the early 17th century English word whippet, meaning "to move briskly". A type of sighthound bears this name.
Whipple English
English surname of uncertain meaning. It might be a shortened form of “whippletree”; an early name for the dogwood. It may also be a variation of Whipp – an early surname for someone who carried out judicial punishments.
Whisman English
Variation of Wisman or Wiseman.
Whistler English
An English occupational surname, meaning "one who whistles."
Whitacre English (American)
Variant of Whitaker. A notable bearer is Eric Whitacre (1970-), an American composer.
Whitby English
English surname which was from either of two place names, that of a port in North Yorkshire (which comes from the Old Norse elements hvítr "white" (or Hvíti, a byname derived from it) combined with býr "farm") or a place in Cheshire (from Old English hwit "white" (i.e., "stone-built") and burh "fortress").
Whitcomb English (British)
means wide valley