MERRIDEWEnglish A different form of MEREDITH (from the Welsh personal name Meredydd, perhaps literally "lord of splendour"). It occurs in Wilkie Collins' 'The Moonstone' (1868) belonging to Mrs Merridew, widowed sister to Sir John Verinder.
MERVYNEnglish (i) from the medieval personal name Merewine, literally "fame-friend"; (ii) from the Old English personal names Mǣrwynn, literally "famous joy", and Merefinn, from Old Norse Mora-Finnr; (iii) from the Welsh personal name MERFYN, literally probably "marrow-eminent"
MESSAMEnglish (British) originates from a place called Measham in the county of Leicestershire. The placename is first recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, as Messeham, and in the Pipe Rolls of the county of 1182 as Meisham... [more]
METCALFEEnglish An occupational name from Northern England, from Old English mete, 'food' and calf, 'calf', i.e calfs being fattened for consumption in late summer. Thus, making this surname an occupational name for either a slaughterer or herdsman... [more]
METHENYEnglish Originated from the village name of Methley in Yorkshire.
MIDDLETONEnglish, Scottish Habitational name from any of the places so called. In over thirty instances from many different areas, the name is from Old English midel "middle" + tun "enclosure","settlement".
MILKEnglish Probably from Middle English milk ‘milk’, applied as a metonymic occupational name for a producer or seller of milk.In some instances, probably a translation of German Milch, a variant of Slavic Milich or of Dutch Mielke (a pet form of Miele), or a shortening of Slavic Milkovich.
MILLScottish, English Scottish and English: topographic name for someone who lived near a mill, Middle English mille, milne (Old English myl(e)n, from Latin molina, a derivative of molere ‘to grind’)... [more]
MILLAYEnglish This surname is thought to be a respelling of Millais, which may come from the French surname Millet, a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of millet or panic grass (derived from a diminutive form of Old French mil which is then derived from Latin milium meaning "millet").... [more]
MILLSAPEnglish (American), English Judging by the name and how it sounds, I guess it's occupational. This is the name of a town in Texas, named after Fuller Millsap.
MILLWOODEnglish, Anglo-Saxon The name was originally given to a miller or the keeper of a mill. The surname Millwood is derived from the Old English word mylenweard.
MILMANEnglish From the old English word mylen meaning "mill" and mann meaning "man", which in this sense means a worker
MILNEREnglish, Scottish Northern English (mainly Yorkshire) and Scottish: variant of MILLER, retaining the -n- of the Middle English word, which was a result of Scandinavian linguistic influence, as in Old Norse mylnari.
MIMSEnglish (British) Habitational name from Mimms (North and South Mimms) in Hertfordshire, most probably derived from an ancient British tribal name, Mimmas.
MINDENGerman, English Habitational name from any of various places so named, for example in Westphalia (German) or Shropshire (English).
MINEREnglish English occupational name for someone who built mines, either for the excavation of coal and other minerals, or as a technique in the medieval art of siege warfare. The word represents an agent derivative of Middle English, Old French mine ‘mine’ (a word of Celtic origin, cognate with Gaelic mein ‘ore’, ‘mine’).
MOBERLEYEnglish English habitational name from Mobberley in Cheshire, named in Old English as ‘clearing with a fortified site where assemblies are held’, from (ge)mot ‘meeting’, ‘assembly’ + burh ‘enclosure’, ‘fortification’ + leah ‘wood’, ‘clearing’.
MOCKFORDEnglish Mockford comes from "Mocca's ford", with Mocca being an Old English name of uncertain origin. An alternative theory is that it comes from "Motholfr's ford" from the Old Norse meaning "renown-wolf". Either way, Mockford was once a place in Sussex, near Rottingdean, and it is from there that most branches of the name originate.
MOHLERGerman, English The Mohler surname is derived from the Low German word möhl which means mill. Thus the name originally denoted someone who live or worked near a mill. Variant of MÜLLER.
MOLTENEnglish The surname Molten refers to one who melts lead.
MONARCHEnglish Origin unidentified. Perhaps a translation of French Monarque, Monarc, a nickname for a high-handed or haughty person, from Old French monarque 'monarch'.
MONEYMAKEREnglish (American) Translated form of German Geldmacher or Geldschläger, occupational names for a coiner.
MONEYPENNYEnglish Probably from a medieval nickname for a rich person or a miser. A fictional bearer is Miss Moneypenny, secretary to M (the head of MI6) in the James Bond novels of Ian Fleming and in the films based on them.
MONKEnglish Nickname for someone of monkish habits or appearance, or an occupational name for a servant employed at a monastery, from Middle English munk, monk "monk" (Old English munuc, munec, from Late Latin monachus, Greek monakhos "solitary", a derivative of monos "alone").
MONTFORDEnglish As a Shropshire name believed to mean "from a communal ford or water crossing" while the Norfolk origin is "from Munda's ford," Munda being an old English personal name meaning "protector, guardian," as seen in names such as EDMUND.
MONTGOMERIEScottish, English Variation of MONTGOMERY. A famous bearer was Margaret Montgomerie Boswell (1738 to 1789), wife of author James Boswell.
MONTYFrench, English Topographic name for a mountain dweller, from Old French mont 'mountain' (Latin mons, montis).
MOODYEnglish, Irish Either from Middle English modie "angry, haughty, impetuous", or Old English modig "brave, proud".
MOORCOCKEnglish From a medieval nickname for someone thought to resemble a moorcock (the male of the red grouse). It is borne by British author Michael Moorcock (1939-).
MORALEEEnglish, French First found in Norfolk where they were seated from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings.
MORANTEnglish, French From the Old French personal name Morant, perhaps from a nickname meaning "steadfast", or alternatively of Germanic origin and meaning literally "courage-raven". A known bearer was the British-born Australian soldier and poet Breaker Morant, original name Edwin Henry Murrant (?1864-1902).
MORDAUNTEnglish Recorded as Mordant, Mordaunt (English), Mordagne, Mordant (French) and apparently Mordanti in Italy, this is a surname of French origins. According to the famous Victorian etymologist Canon Charles Bardsley writing in the year 1880, the name was originally Norman, and was brought to England by a follower of Duke William of Normandy, when he conquered England in 1066... [more]
MORDENEnglish Parish in Surrey; one mile from Mitcham. "Moor Hollow" in Old English.
MOREDOCKEnglish From the fact that boats get moored at a dock.
MOREHOUSEEnglish Habitational name from any of various places, for example Moorhouse in West Yorkshire, named from Old English mōr meaning "marsh", "fen" + hūs meaning "house".
MOREYIrish, English Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Mórdha, and in English (of Norman origin), from the Old French given name Mory, a short form of AMAURY (see EMERY).
MORTEnglish Perhaps from a Norman nickname based on Old French mort "dead", possibly referring to someone with a deathly pallor or otherwise sepulchral appearance.
MOSLEYEnglish Habitational name from any of several places called Mos(e)ley in central, western, and northwestern England. The obvious derivation is from Old English mos ‘peat bog’ + leah ‘woodland clearing’, but the one in southern Birmingham (Museleie in Domesday Book) had as its first element Old English mus ‘mouse’, while one in Staffordshire (Molesleie in Domesday Book) had the genitive case of the Old English byname Moll.
MOSSMANEnglish This interesting name is a variant of the surname Moss which is either topographical for someone who lived by a peat bog, from the Old English pre 7th Century 'mos' or a habitational name from a place named with this word, for example Mosedale in Cumbria or Moseley in West Yorkshire.
MOTLEYEnglish This surname may come from a nickname for someone wearing parti-coloured clothes (from Anglo-French motteley, which may come from Old English mot meaning "speck").
MOXONEnglish Means "son of Magge", a pet-form of MARGARET, a female personal name which came into English via French from Late Latin Margarita, literally "pearl".
MOYESEnglish From the medieval personal name Moise, a vernacular variant of MOSES (the biblical name of the Hebrew prophet who led the Children of Israel out of captivity).
MUDDEnglish Either (i) "person who lives in a muddy area"; (ii) from the medieval female personal name Mudd, a variant of MAUD (variously Mahalt, Mauld, Malt, vernacular versions of Anglo-Norman MATILDA); or (iii) from the Old English personal name Mōd or Mōda, a shortened form of various compound names beginning with mōd "courage".
MUDGEEnglish A location surname for someone who lives or dwells near the swamps. A famous bearer of this surname is Angela Mudge, a champion fell runner and trail runner from Scotland.
MULLISEnglish As either Mulles and Mullis, the surname first found in Parish Registers in Cornwall Co. by 1548 in Michaelstow. Manorial tenement rolls trace that particular family to 1483. Between 1337 and 1453 random tenants were recorded between Tintagel and Altarnun as Molys and Mollys... [more]
MUSTONEnglish Habitational name from places so named, from Old English mus "mouse", or must, "muddy stream or place" combined with tun "enclosure, settlement". Another explanation could be that the first element is derived from an old Scandinavian personal name, Músi (of unknown meaning), combined with tun.
NANKERVISCornish, English (Australian) From the name of a place in St Enoder parish in Cornwall, derived from Cornish nans "valley" and an uncertain second element, possibly *cerwys, an unattested plural of carow "stag".... [more]
NAPIERScottish, English Scottish occupational name for a producer or seller of table linen or for a naperer, the servant in charge of the linen in use in a great house from the Middle English, Old French nap(p)ier, an agent derivative of Old French nappe ‘table cloth’ (Latin mappa)... [more]
NARAMOREnglish, Welsh Naramor, also Narramore or Naramore, is a corruption of Northmore, and has Welsh/English background. "More North"
NARRAMOREEnglish Earliest progenitor is Reginald Bynorthemore, living 1318 inbetween Bovey Tracy and Moretonhampstead, in Dartmoor, Devonshire, England. By the 16th century, the surname was being used interchangeably as Narramore/Northmore within the same generation, as in the case of Walter Narramore/Northmore... [more]
NASMITHScottish, English This surname is derived from an occupation, "nail-smith", but may also mean "knife-smith".
NATESEnglish, Jewish It's probably from the given name NATE, the origin is said to be Jewish*, but the ancestors immigrated to English speaking countries.
NAUGHTONEnglish Habitational name from a place in Suffolk, named in Old English with nafola meaning "navel" + tūn meaning "enclosure", "settlement", i.e. "settlement in the navel or depression".
NEARSEnglish French in origin, it is derived from the word "Noir," which is the equivalent of the English word "Black." It could have referred to a person with dark features, hair, or perhaps even one who was thought to engage in nafarious, or "dark," deeds.
NEEVEEnglish, Scottish An English surname, of Norman origin, meaning the nephew. One who was in care of their uncle. A surname first recorded in Perthshire.
NEIGHBOREnglish From the Middle English word neighbor, derived from neghebour, which in turn comes from the Old English words neah, meaning "near", and gebur, meaning "a dweller". This may have been used as a nickname for someone who was a 'good neighbor', more likely it evolved from the term of address for someone living nearby.
NESBITTScottish, Irish, English Derives from the hamlets of East Nisbet and West Nisbet, Berwickshire. Some bearers of Nisbet/Nesbitt (and variant) names may originate from the village of Nisbet in Roxburghshire.
NEUFELDGerman, English Neufeld is a surname of German origin, meaning "new field". It is not seldom in Germany and it is common among German speaking Mennonites from Russia.
NEVELSEnglish, Scottish (1) Variant of NEVILLE (2) Possibly variant of Dutch Nevens, which is derived from Neve, from Middle English, Old Norse, Middle Dutch neve ‘nephew’, presumably denoting the nephew of some great personage.
NEWEnglish Nickname for a newcomer to an area, from Middle English newe meaning "new".
NEWARKEnglish A habitational name taken on from a place name, such as Newark in Cambridgeshire or Newark on Trent in Nottinghamshire.
NEWBORNEnglish Habitational name from Newbourn in Suffolk or Newburn in Tyne and Wear (formerly part of Northumberland), both named with Old English niwe "new" and burna "stream", perhaps denoting a stream that had changed its course.
NEWBROUGHEnglish (British) Newbrough surname is thought to be a habitational, taken on from a place name such as from Newbrough in Northumberland, which is derived from the Old English words niwe, meaning "new," and burh, meaning "fortification."
NEWBYEnglish Means "person from Newby", Newby being a combination of the Middle English elements newe "new" and by "farm, settlement" (ultimately from Old Norse býr "farm"). British travel writer Eric Newby (1919-2006) bore this surname.
NEWCOMEREnglish (American) Nickname for a person who was new to a town or location, from Old English niwe meaning "new" and cumen meaning "to come".
NEWEYEnglish Topographic name for someone who lived at a "new enclosure", from Middle English newe "new" and haga "enclousire".
NEWHAMEnglish Habitational name from any of the various places, for example in Northumbria and North Yorkshire, so named from Old English neowe "new" and ham "homestead".
NIGHTINGALEEnglish Nickname for someone with a good voice, from Middle English nighti(n)gale, Old English nihtegal, from niht "night" and galan "sing" (cf. NACHTIGALL).
NOAREnglish This surname is thought to be derived from nore which could mean "shore, cliff." This could denote that someone might have lived in a shore or cliff. It may also be used as a surname for someone who lived in the now 'diminished' village of Nore in Surrey.
NOBLEEnglish, Scottish, Irish, French Nickname from Middle English, Old French noble "high-born, distinguished, illustrious" (Latin nobilis), denoting someone of lofty birth or character, or perhaps also ironically someone of low station... [more]
NOONEnglish Either (i) from a medieval nickname for someone of a sunny disposition (noon being the sunniest part of the day); or (ii) from Irish Gaelic Ó Nuadháin "descendant of Nuadhán", a personal name based on Nuadha, the name of various Celtic gods (cf... [more]
NORELLSwedish, English Swedish ornamental name composed of norr "north" or nor "small strait" and the popular surname suffix -ell, from Latin adjectival suffix -elius. ... [more]
NORRELLEnglish, German (?) A locational surname from the Germanic (Old English/Old Norse) term for the north. It either refers to someone who lived in a location called Northwell, lived north of a well, spring or stream (Old English weall)... [more]
NORRINGTONEnglish Norrington is the name given to a person from the eponymous place.
NORSWORTHYEnglish Habitational name from Norseworthy in Walkhampton, Devon.
NORTHCOTTEnglish Derived from the Old English words "norð," meaning "north," and "cot," meaning a "cottage," or "shelter."
NOTTINGHAMEnglish (British) A habitational name from the city of Nottingham in the East Midlands. Comes from the Old English name, meaning "homestead (ham) of Snot’s people". The initial S- was lost in the 12th century, due to the influence of Anglo-Norman French.... [more]
NOYEnglish Either (i) from the medieval male personal name Noye, the English form of the Hebrew name Noach "Noah"; or (ii) an invented Jewish name based on Hebrew noy "decoration, adornment".
NUGENTEnglish, Irish, French An English, Irish (of Norman origin) and French habitational surname derived from any of several places in northern France (such as Nogent-sur-Oise), From Latin novientum and apparently an altered form of a Gaulish name meaning "new settlement".
NUTEAnglo-Saxon, English Derived from the given name CNUTE. Alternatively, it may be of nickname origin, from the Old English word hnutu, which meant brown, and would have been given to someone with a brown complexion.
NUTTALLEnglish English: habitational name from some place named with Old English hnutu ‘nut’ + h(e)alh ‘nook’, ‘recess’. In some cases this may be Nuthall in Nottinghamshire, but the surname is common mainly in Lancashire, and a Lancashire origin is therefore more likely... [more]
NUTTEREnglish Means either (i) "scribe, clerk" (from Middle English notere, ultimately from Latin notārius); or (ii) "person who keeps or tends oxen" (from a derivative of Middle English nowt "ox")... [more]