English Submitted Surnames

English names are used in English-speaking countries. See also about English names.
usage
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Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Blow English
From a medieval nickname for someone with a pale complexion (from Middle English blowe "pale"). This surname was borne by English composer John Blow (1649-1708) and British fashion editor Isabella Blow (original name Isabella Delves Broughton; 1958-2007); additionally, "Joe Blow" is a name used colloquially (in US, Canadian and Australian English) as representative of the ordinary uncomplicated unsophisticated man, the average man in the street (of which the equivalent in British English is "Joe Bloggs").
Blueberry English
English surname of unexplained origin, probably from the name of a lost or unidentified place.
Bluford English, American (South)
Possibly an English habitational name from a lost or unidentified place. The name occurs in records of the 19th century but is now very rare if not extinct in the British Isles. In the U.S. it is found chiefly in TX and TN.
Blume German, English
Could be from the Jewish surname Blum of from Swedish Blom. It could also be from the English word bloom.
Blunden English
From Middle English blund "blond".
Blunt English
Nickname for a person with fair hair or a light complexion from Old French blunt meaning "blond". It was also used as a nickname for a stupid person from Middle English blunt or blont meaning "dull".
Blyth English
Variant of Blythe
Boatfield English
Occupational name for a person who worked on the deck of a ship.
Bobber English
From the ancient Anglo-Saxon name Baber, a town in the county of Suffolk. A famous bearer of the last name is actor, director, animator, voice actor, and musician Troy Bobber.
Bobe English
Derived from the nickname Boebel
Bock German, Upper German, Jewish, English
Altered spelling of German Böck (see Boeck) or Bach.... [more]
Bocock English (British)
Originates in the north of England. ... [more]
Boden English
Possibly a variant of Baldwin.
Bodin French, English
Derived from Old French personal name Bodin or a variant spelling of Baudouin.
Bodkin English
From the medieval male personal name Bowdekyn, a pet-form of Baldwin.
Boebert English (American)
A notable bearer of this surname is Lauren Opal Boebert (Born on December 15, 1986) who is an American (U.S.A.) politician, businesswoman, and gun rights activist, serving as the U.S. Representative for Colorado’s 3rd congressional district since 2021... [more]
Boeing English (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of German Böing. This was the surname of American industrialist William Boeing (1881-1956) who founded The Boeing Company, a manufacturer of airplanes.
Boekhout English
Probably a habitational name from the village Boekhoute in northern Belgium, close to the border to The Netherlands.
Bogs English
A name given to someone that lives near a bog or swamp. More comonly spelled as Boggs.
Bohart English (Rare)
Meaning unknown.
Boland English
Variant of Bowland and Bolland.
Bold German, English
English: nickname from Middle English bold ‘courageous’, ‘daring’ (Old English b(e)ald, cognate with Old High German bald). In some cases it may derive from an Old English personal name (see Bald)... [more]
Bolding English, German
Patronymic from Bold as a personal name.
Bolen English
Variant of BULLEN.
Boleyn English
Franciscanized form of Bullens, a Dutch surname meaning "son of Baldo" (meaning "strong").
Boliver Welsh, English
Derived from Welsh ap Oliver meaning "son of Oliver".
Bolland French, German, English
From the Ancient Germanic name Bolland. Alternatively it derive from the place name Bowland from the Old English boga meaning "bow" and land meaning "land".
Bollard English, Irish
According to MacLysaght, this surname of Dutch origin which was taken to Ireland early in the 18th century.
Bolling English, German
nickname for someone with close-cropped hair or a large head, Middle English bolling 'pollard', or for a heavy drinker, from Middle English bolling 'excessive drinking'. German (Bölling): from a personal name Baldwin
Bolt English
From Middle English bolt meaning "bolt", "bar" (Old English bolt meaning "arrow"). In part this may have originated as a nickname or byname for a short but powerfully built person, in part as a metonymic occupational name for a maker of bolts... [more]
Bomengen English (American), Norwegian (Rare)
Name created from during immigration from Norway to the United States in either the late 19th or early 20th century meaning, "The farm with the big gate."
Bonde English
Variant of Bond.
Bonds English
Variant of Bond.
Bonecutter English
Likely from someone who's job was to work with deceased people.
Bones English
Derives from bon, "good" in Old French.
Bonneville English (British)
From a place name.
Bonsall English (British)
This is a locational name which originally derived from the village of Bonsall, near Matlock in Derbyshire. The name is Norse-Viking, pre 10th Century and translates as 'Beorns-Halh' - with 'Beorn' being a personal name meaning 'Hero' and 'Halh' a piece of cultivated land - a farm.
Book English (British, Anglicized)
Likely an anglicized form of Buch or Buck.
Booker English
Occupational name for a maker of books, a scribe or a binder of books, from Old English bocere.
Bool English
This surname derives from the Old English pre 7th Century bula, or the Medieval English bulle, bolle, meaning "bull", and was given as a nickname to one with great physical strength.
Boorman English
This surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and may be either a topographical name for someone who lived in a particularly noteworthy or conspicuous cottage, from the Old English bur "bower, cottage, inner room" with mann "man", or a locational name from any of the various places called Bower(s) in Somerset and Essex, which appear variously as Bur, Bure and Bura in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Boot English, Dutch, German
English: metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of boots, from Middle English, Old French bote (of unknown origin).... [more]
Boothby English
From the name of a parish in Lincolnshire, England.
Boothe English
Variant of Booth
Boothroyd English
Possibly from the Old English booth meaning "hut, shack" and royd meaning "clearing (in the woods)".
Boots English, Dutch, German
A variant of Boot meaning "shoemaker" in English or "boatman" in Dutch or German.
Booty English
Means butt. Usually big and round.There are also two of them.
Borchert German, English
Variant of Borchardt (see Burkhard).
Borecki English
Habitational name for someone from a place called Borek or Borki, from bór "pine forest".
Borman Dutch, Low German, English
Dutch and North German: variant of Bormann. ... [more]
Born German, English
A topographical name indicating someone who lived near a stream, from the Old English "burna, burne". Alternatively, it could be contemporarily derived from the modern English word "born". Possible variants include Bourne, Burns and Boren.
Borne English, French, Dutch
1. English: variant spelling of Bourne. ... [more]
Borthwick English (British), Scottish
Denoted someone who came from the hamlet of Borthwick in Scotland.
Bosley English
English habitation surname derived from the Old English personal name Bosa and the Old English leah "clearing, field". It's also possibly a variant of the French surname Beausoleil meaning "beautiful sun" from the French beau 'beautiful, fair' and soleil 'sun'... [more]
Boss English
From an originally French term meaning "hunchback".
Boston English
Habitational name from the town Boston in Lincolnshire, England. The name means "Botwulf’s stone".... [more]
Bostwick English
From an English surname which was from a lost or unidentified place name. The second element is clearly Old English wic "outlying (dairy) farm".
Boteler English
Variant of Butler, from Old French bouteillier “bottler”.
Botting English, Dutch
Patronymic from BOTT, an Old English personal name of unknown origin.
Bottomley English
English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): habitational name from a place in West Yorkshire named Bottomley, from Old English botm ‘broad valley’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.
Boudreau English
English variant of French Beaudreau.
Boulton English
Means "district" characterized by bends from the Old English words boga and land.
Bourn English
Variant of Bourne.
Bowden English
Habitational name from any of several places called Bowden or Bowdon, most of them in England. From Old English boga "bow" and dun "hill", or from Old English personal names Buga or Bucge combined with dun.... [more]
Bowdler Flemish, English
Originally de Boelare it evolved to Bowdler or Bowdle after Baldwin de Boelare came to England in 1105 & was given a lordship over Montgomery, Wales.
Bowe Medieval English, English, Irish (Anglicized)
There are three possible sources of this surname, the first being that it is a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of bows, a vital trade in medieval times before the invention of gunpowder, and a derivative of the Old English boga "bow", from bugan "to bend"... [more]
Bower English, Scottish
Scottish: occupational name for a bow maker, Older Scots bowar, equivalent to English Bowyer. ... [more]
Bowerman English, American
1. English: occupational name for a house servant who attended his master in his private quarters (see Bower). ... [more]
Bowersock English
Likely an Americanized spelling of Bauersack.
Bowker English
A surname of French origin, from the occupational term for 'butcher' (boucher). Some theories have it that it derives from OE 'bocer', meaning a scribe, but the former is more likely and is more widely affirmed.
Bowland English
From any variety of places in England with this name. These places are likely from with Old English boga ‘bow’ (in the sense of a bend in a river) and land ‘land’.
Bowser English
Nickname from the Norman term of address beu sire ‘fine sir’, given either to a fine gentleman or to someone who made frequent use of this term of address.
Bowskill English
From the place name Bowscale.
Bowyer English
English: occupational name for a maker or seller of bows (see Bow), as opposed to an archer. Compare Bowman.
Boye English, German, Dutch, Frisian, Danish
From the Germanic given names Boio or Bogo, which are of uncertain origin... [more]
Boyne English, Irish, Scottish
English: variant of Boon.... [more]
Boynton English
Variant of Boyton, from a place in Lancashire, England.
Boys English
From the Old French word bois, which means "wood," indicates that the original bearer lived near a wooded area, such as a forest.
Bradham English
Means "broad home". From brad "broad", and ham "home"
Bradshaw English
Habitational name from any of the places called Bradshaw, for example in Lancashire and West Yorkshire, from Old English brad "broad" + sceaga "thicket".
Bradstreet English
A notable bearer is Anne Bradstreet, essentially known as America's first famous poet.
Bragg English, Welsh
From a nickname for a cheerful or lively person, derived from Middle English bragge meaning "lively, cheerful, active", also "brave, proud, arrogant".
Brague English
Began being used in the 1700's
Braham English
From the name of a town called Braham, probably derived from Old English brom meaning "broom (a type of plant)" and ham meaning "home, settlement" or hamm meaning "river meadow".
Braithwaite English
Northern English habitational name from any of the places in Cumbria and Yorkshire named Braithwaite, from Old Norse breiðr "broad" + þveit "clearing".
Braley English (American)
A New England variant spelling of Brailey. French: from a diminutive of Brael, from Old French braiel, a belt knotted at the waist to hold up breeches; presumably an occupational name for a maker of such belts... [more]
Bramah English
From a place called either Bramall, or Bramhall formerly Bromale. From old english brom "broom" and halh, "nook, recess"
Bramble English
This surname is taken from the word which refers to a common blackberry (British) or any of several closely related thorny plants in the Rubus genus (US). It also refers to any thorny shrub. The word is derived from Old English bræmbel with a euphonic -b- inserted from the earlier bræmel or brémel, which is then derived from Proto-Germanic *bræmaz meaning "thorny bush."
Branner Danish, German, English
Danish variant of BRANDER and German variant of BRANTNER.
Bransby English (British)
English locational name from the village of Bransby in Lincolnshire. The place name is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Branzbi' and later (1115) as 'Brandesby'. These recordings showing that the derivation is from the Old Norse personal name Brandr meaning "sword" and byr, the whole meaning being "Brand's village" or "homestead"... [more]
Brass English, German
English (Northumberland): variant of Brace.... [more]
Brasse English
Likely derived from the name of the village of Brace in Shropshire, England. The name of the village likely came from the Old English word braec, which was used for small forests and thickets, or the later Old English word braec, which was used for ground broken up for cultivation.
Brathwaite English
Place-name derived from the Old Norse words for a "broad clearing".
Braunershrither German, Dutch, English
This name mean Leather (Tanned) Knight, or a fighter of leather armor, or in Dutch, Leather writer, one who branded print on leather
Braybrooke English
From the name of the Northamptonshire village of Braybrooke, meaning "the broad brook."
Brayson English
Patronymic form of the surname Bray.
Brayton English
Derived from the Old Norse name breithr meaning "broad", or the Old Norse personal name Breithi, combined with the Old English suffix tun meaning "town, farmstead".
Brazil English (Rare), Irish (Anglicized, Rare)
Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Breasail "descendant of Breasal", Breasal being a byname which meant "strife".
Brazos Filipino, English (American)
Means "arms" in Spanish.
Breakspear English
From a medieval nickname for someone who had achieved notable success in jousts or in battle. Nicholas Breakspear (?1100-1159) was the original name of Pope Hadrian IV, the only English pope.
Brearley English
Variation of Brierley possibly originating in Yorkshire, England. A well-known bearer is former English cricketer Mike Brearley.
Breath English, Scottish
From the LA Bret family in Daveham. The Scottish variant is Braid.
Breathe English
English(?) variant of Breath. It comes from the La Bret family in Daveham.
Breece English
Variant of Breese or Preece.
Breed English
Habitational name from any of various minor places, for example Brede in Sussex, named with Old English brǣdu "breadth, broad place" (a derivative of brād "broad").
Breedlove English
Probably from a medieval nickname for a likable or popular person (from Middle English breden "to produce" + love). This surname is borne by Craig Breedlove (1937-), US land-speed record holder.
Breland English
Americanized form of Breler.
Brentley English
Late variant of Brenkley.
Brereton English
From the name of locations in Cheshire and Staffordshire, England. The name is derived from Old English brér "briar" + tún "enclosure, farmstead".
Bresser English
The surname is derived from the old English word brasian, meaning to make out of brass. This would indicate that the original bearer of the name was a brass founder by trade. The name is also derived from the old English Broesian which means to cast in brass and is the occupational name for a worker in brass.
Breton French, English
French and English: ethnic name for a Breton, from Old French bret (oblique case breton) (see Brett).
Brewton English
Variant spelling of the habitational name Bruton, from a place in Somerset, so named with a Celtic river name meaning 'brisk' + Old English tun 'farmstead'.
Breyette English (American)
Of uncertain origin and meaning. First found in the United States around 1880. Self-taught artist Michael Breyette is a bearer of this surname
Brian Irish, English, French
1) Variant spelling of Bryan. ... [more]
Brick Irish (Anglicized), English, German, Jewish
Irish Anglicized form of Gaelic $Ó Bruic] "descendant of Broc", i.e. "badger" (sometimes so translated) or Ó Bric "descendant of Breac", a personal name meaning "freckled"... [more]
Bride Irish, Scottish, English
Further Anglicized from Scottish/Irish MacBride, from the root for Brigid.
Bridge English
Indicating one who lived near a bridge.
Bridgeford English
Meaning "bridge ford".
Bridgford English
Meaning "bridge ford".
Bright English
From a Middle English nickname or personal name, meaning "bright, fair, pretty", from Old English beorht "bright, shining".
Brightwen English
From either of the two Old English given names Beohrtwine (a masculine name which meant "bright friend") or Beohrtwynn (a feminine name which meant "bright joy").
Brindley English
Habitational name from a place in England so named. From Old English berned "burnt" and leah "woodland clearing".
Brinkley English
"From Brinca's Field" or "Field in the forest"
Brinsley English
From a place meaning "brun's clearing" or "brown clearing" with the elements Brun "brown" and leah "meadow, clearing".
Brinson English
Habitational name from Briençun in northern France.
Brinton English
English locational surname, taken from the town of the same name in Norfolk. The name means "settlement belonging to Brun" - the personal name coming from the Old English word for "fire, flame".
Brissenden English
Derived from either of two places in Kent, England called Brissenden (one near Frittenden and the other near Tenterden), both named with the Old English given name Breosa (a byname derived from bresa meaning "gadfly") and Old English denn meaning "woodland pasture (for swine)".
Britnell English
Habitational name from a place called Brinton in Norfolk, England. See Brinton.
Brizendine French, English, Jewish
Derived from a personal name, probably of Celtic origin (Latinized as Britus), which was borne by a 5th century saint, who succeeded St. Martin as bishop of Tours.
Broadhead English, German
1 English (Yorkshire): topographic name for someone who lived by a broad headland, i.e. a spur of a mountain, from Middle English brode ‘broad’ + heved ‘head’.... [more]
Brockett English
From the Old French words broque and brocke.
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