WoodsonEnglish From a location in Yorkshire, England earlier spelled Woodsome and meaning "from the houses in the wood" or possibly a patronymic meaning "descendant of a wood cutter or forester."
WoolgarEnglish From the medieval male personal name Wolgar (from Old English Wulfgār, literally "wolf-spear").
WoolleyEnglish A habitational name from any of various places so-called. Most, including those in Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, and West Yorkshire in England, are derived from the Old English wulf, meaning "wolf", and leah, meaning "wood" or "clearing"... [more]
WoolnoughEnglish From the medieval male personal name Wolnoth or Wolnaugh (from Old English Wulfnōth, literally "wolf-daring").
WorkmanEnglish Ostensibly an occupational name for a laborer, derived from Middle English work and man. According to a gloss, the term was used in the Middle Ages to denote an ambidextrous person, and the surname may also be a nickname in this sense.
WorsleyEnglish Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational surname from either of the places called Worsley in Lancashire and in Worcestershire. The place in Lancashire was recorded as "Werkesleia" in 1196, and means Weorchaeth's wood or glade, derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century personal name "Weorchaeth", from weorc, work, fortification, and leah, a wood, or clearing in a wood... [more]
WorthEnglish From the Old English WORÞ, meaning "enclosure".
WorthingtonEnglish Habitational name from places in Lancashire and Leicestershire named Worthington; both may have originally been named in Old English as Wurðingtun "settlement (Old English tun) associated with Wurð", but it is also possible that the first element was Old English worðign, a derivative of worð ‘enclosure’.
WrayeEnglish Variant of the habitational name Wray or Ray, from any of various minor places in northern England named Wray, Wrea, or Wreay, from Old Norse vrá ‘nook’, ‘corner’, ‘recess’.
WrenEnglish Nickname from the bird, Middle English wrenne, probably in reference to its small size.
WriothesleyEnglish (British) Name is of unknown origin, deriving from older Wrotteslega, who were a family that held estates in Staffordshire in the late 1100s. Possibly a combination of wrot "snout" and leah "meadow, cleaning", suggesting it's origin as a pig farm.
WurðingtunEnglish Habitational name from places in Lancashire and Leicestershire named Worthington; both may have originally been named in Old English as Wurðingtun "settlement (Old English tun) associated with Wurð", but it is also possible that the first element was Old English worðign, a derivative of worð ‘enclosure’.
WycherleyEnglish Derived from a place name apparently meaning "elm-wood clearing" from Old English wice and leah. A famous bearer was the dramatist William Wycherley (1640-1715).
WyethEnglish May come either from the Old English word "withig" meaning "willow" or from Guyat, a pet form of the Old French given name Guy. Probably unrelated to Wyatt.
WyldeEnglish (British) It is a nickname for a person who was of wild or undisciplined character. Looking back even further, the name was originally derived from the Old English word "wilde," meaning "untamed" or "uncivilized."... [more]
WymerEnglish Either (i) from the medieval male personal name Wymer (from Old English Wīgmǣr, literally "war-famous"); or (ii) from the Old Breton male personal name Wiumarch, literally "worthy-horse".
WymoreEnglish From a town called Waymore in England, possibly abandoned. Combining Old English wic meaning "dwelling place," and mor meaning "moor."
WynWelsh, English English: from the Old English personal name and byname Wine meaning ‘friend’, in part a short form of various compound names with this first element. Welsh: variant of Gwynn.
WynnEnglish From Old English wine "friend", which could be used as a byname or personal name (see Wine).
WynnmanEnglish (British) as Wimbledon is said to be rooted in words that mean "Wynnman's Hill," I searched and the closest results indicated that 'Wynnman' must mean 'Heir of Wynn'
XavierEnglish, French Derived from the Basque place name Etxaberri meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries.
YabsleyEnglish It is believed to be a derived spelling of Abboldesi, a place now more commonly known as Abbotsley or Abbotsleigh. However, the original surname had nothing to do with "Abbots" in any spelling, and derives from to the Olde English pre 7th Century personal name "Eadbeald" meaning "Prosperity-bold".
YappEnglish (British) Derives from Old English ġēap meaning "crooked, bent" and could either refer to a cunning person or someone with crooked features (e.g. curved nose). Famous bearers of this name include English botanist Richard Henry Yapp and Sir Stanley Graham Yapp, Labour politician and first leader of West Midlands County Council.
YarbroughEnglish Habitational name derived from Yarborough or Yarburgh in Lincolnshire, England, both composed of Old English eorþe "earth, ground, dirt" and burg "fortress, citadel, stronghold".
YardleyEnglish Habitational name for someone from any of the various locations in England named Yardley, derived from Old English gierd meaning "branch, twig, pole, stick" and leah meaning "wood, clearing".
YardyEnglish The most likely origin of this surname is that it was used to denote someone who held a piece of land known as a "yarde", from the Middle English word "yerd".
YarwoodEnglish habitational name from Yarwood Heath in Rostherne Cheshire earlier Yarwode. The placename derives from Old English earn "eagle" or gear "yair enclosure for catching fish" and wudu "wood".
YeatsEnglish Scottish and northern English variant spelling of Yates.
YelleyEnglish (British) The surname Yelley was first found in Oxfordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed... [more]
YellmanEnglish Yellman comes from the English words yell and man creating Yellman. The last name Yellman was also given to a person who consistently yelled a lot.
YellowEnglish Nickname for someone who has yellow hair; wore yellow clothing or has a yellow complexion
YewdaleEnglish Derived from Yewdale, which is the name of a village near the town of Skelmersdale in Lancashire. Its name means "valley of yew trees", as it is derived from Middle English ew meaning "yew tree" combined with Middle English dale meaning "dale, valley".... [more]
YoungerEnglish, American English (mainly Borders) from Middle English yonger ‘younger’, hence a distinguishing name for, for example, the younger of two bearers of the same personal name. In one case, at least, however, the name is known to have been borne by an immigrant Fleming, and was probably an Americanized form of Middle Dutch jongheer ‘young nobleman’ (see Jonker)... [more]
YounghusbandEnglish Combination of Middle English yong ”young” and husbonda ”farmer”.
ZacharyEnglish A reference to Sacheverell, a location in Normandy. May also refer to the given name Zacharias, meaning "to remember God," or "the Lord recalled."
ZacherEnglish A reference to Sacheverell, a location in Normandy. May also refer to the given name Zacharias, meaning "to remember God," or "the Lord recalled."
ZachryEnglish A reference to Sacheverell, a location in Normandy. May also refer to the given name Zacharias, meaning "to remember God," or "the Lord recalled."
ZackertEnglish, German An Americanization of the German surnames Zacher and Zachert. It comes from a vernacular form of the personal name Zacharias.
ZaleEnglish, Polish (Anglicized) Possibly from a Polish surname, the meaning of which is uncertain (it may have been a variant of the surname Zalas which originally indicated one who lived "on the other side of the wood", from za "beyond" and las "forest").
ZalickEnglish Comes from the Greek surname Tsalikis.
ZaneEnglish Meaning unknown. It could be a Americanization of the German surname Zahn. Zane 1 is also used as a given name.
ZechesEnglish The surname Zeches was first found in Silesia, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. The name would later be associated with noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs.
ZuillEnglish, Scottish From the town of Zuill, Scotland. The "Z" pronounced as "Y" comes from ancient yogh representing a variety of sounds. The name itself is of unknown origin.