History Submitted Surnames

These names are used primarily to refer to historical persons. They are not commonly used by other people.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Celsius Swedish (Archaic), History
Latinized form of Högen "the mound" (Latin: celsus), the name of a vicarage in Ovanåker parish, Sweden. Celsius is a unit of measurement for temperature named for Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744).
Collodi Italian, History
From a part of the municipality of Pescia in the Tuscany region of central Italy, of unknown etymology. This was the surname of the pen name of the Italian author Carlo Lorenzini (1826-1890) who wrote the fairy tale novel The Adventures of Pinocchio.
Copernicus History
Nicolaus Copernicus is a mathematician and astronomer who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center of the universe... [more]
Da Palestrina Italian, History
Means "of Palestrina" in Italian, an Italian commune near Rome, derived from an Italian form of Latin Praenesteus or Praeneste, both of uncertain meaning. a famous bearer of the surname was the Italian late Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594).
De La Salle Medieval French, History (Ecclesiastical, Rare)
Means "of the room" in French. It is borne by a saint who is the founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.
De Rais History
Denoted a person from the historical subregion of France, once a part of the Duchy of Brittany, Pays de Retz, historically called Rais, Rays, or Raiz during the Middle Ages. Gilles de Rais (1405-1440) was a knight and lord from Brittany, known for his confession as a serial killer of children.
Doukaina f History, Late Greek
Feminine form of Doukas. Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina was a Byzantine Empress by marriage to the Byzantine Emperor Alexios III Angelos.
Dragases Greek, History, Serbian (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Serbian surname Dragaš. This was the surname of the last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos, who took her mother's surname, Helena Dragaš, as his second last name
Dürer German, History
In the case of the German painter Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), this was a variant of the German surname Türer, a German translation of Hungarian Ajtósi, meaning "doormaker", to adapt to the local Nuremberg dialect... [more]
Eugenikos Greek (Latinized), History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinized form of Evgenikos. Mark of Ephesus, born Manuel Eugenikos, was a Hesychast theologian of the late Palaiologan period of the Byzantine Empire.
Evgenikos Greek, History (Ecclesiastical)
Means "polite" in Greek, denoting a kind person.
FitzEmpress History, Anglo-Norman
Means "son of the empress" in Anglo-Norman French. The three sons of Empress Matilda (1102-1167) were known as Henry FitzEmpress (King Henry II of England), Geoffrey FitzEmpress, Count of Nantes, and William FitzEmpress, Count of Poitou.
Goebbels German, History
Originally an occupational name for a brewer. Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.
Himmler German, History
Derived from German Himmel "heaven, sky". This was a topographic name for someone living at a high altitude. ... [more]
Horcicky Czech, History
Derived from Czech hořčice, meaning "white mustard". This surname was the original Czech form of Jacobus Sinapius.
Maimonides Jewish (Hellenized), Judeo-Arabic, History
Hellenized form of Ben Maimon. Moses ben Maimon was a Sephardic rabbi and philosopher, commonly known as Maimonides.
Melanchthon History
Means "black earth", derived from Greek μελανός (melanos), the genitive of the adjective μέλας (melas) meaning "black, dark", and χθών (chthon) meaning "land, earth, soil"... [more]
Nostradamus History, French (Latinized)
Latinized form of de Nostredame. This surname was borne by the French physician and writer Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), famous for his collection of prophecies Les Prophéties (1555) allegedly predicting the apocalypse and danger from the Arab world.
Quandt German, History
From Middle Low German quant "prankster, joker". ... [more]
Ritschel German, History
Derived from Old High German hruod "fame". This was the maiden name of Magda Goebbels who was the wife of Paul Joseph Goebbels. Her husband was Nazi Germany's propaganda minister between the years 1933 and 1945... [more]
Sinapius History
Derived from Latin sināpi, meaning "white mustard". This was the latinized surname of a Bohemian pharmacist and possible maker of the Voynich Manuscript, Jacobus Horcicky.
Sphrantzes Greek (Latinized, Rare), History (Rare)
Possibly a Latinized form of Frantzis. George Sphrantzes was a late Byzantine Greek historian and Imperial courtier.
Vivar Spanish, History
From the village of Vivar, later renamed Vivar del Cid, nowadays part of Quintanilla Vivar located near Burgos, Castile and León, Spain.... [more]