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).
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]
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]
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]
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]