Origin and popularity of the name KING
Origin
King : 1: English: nickname from Middle English king ‘king’ (Old English cyning cyng) perhaps acquired by someone with kingly qualities or as a pageant name by someone who had acted the part of a king or had been chosen as the master of ceremonies or ‘king’ of an event such as a tournament festival or folk ritual. In North America the surname King has absorbed several European cognates and equivalents with the same meaning for example German König (see Koenig) and Küng French Roy Slovenian Croatian or Serbian Kralj Polish Krol. It is also very common among African Americans. It is also found as an artificial Jewish surname.2: English: occasionally from the Middle English personal name King originally an Old English nickname from the vocabulary word cyning cyng ‘king’.3: Irish: adopted for a variety of names containing the syllable rí (which means ‘king’ in Irish).4: Native American: loose translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name such as Cheyenne Vehoeso ‘Little Chief’ which is from a diminutive of veho ‘chief’. See also Chief.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 金 possibly based on the Foochow dialect spoken in Fuzhou in Fujian province see Jin 1.6: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 景 荊 敬 and 經 also variant Romanization of the surnames 井 see Jing 1-4 and 6.7: Chinese: possibly from Cantonese form of the Chinese name 敬 (meaning ‘esteem respect’) a monosyllabic personal name or part of a disyllabic personal name of some early Chinese immigrants in the US.
Absalom : English and Welsh (mainly southern): from the Old Testament Hebrew personal name Abshalom ‘father of peace’. In the Middle Ages this was occasionally used as a personal name in France from where it was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest. During the 17th century through the influence of the King James Bible and due to the popularity of the Biblical story of Absalom the adored but rebellious son of King David in the King James Bible (II Samuel 13-19) Absalom became the standard vernacular English form of the personal name and hence the source of this surname.
Adusumilli : Indian (Andhra Pradesh): surname borne by members of the warrior Kamma caste deriving from the name of a minor Kamma king who ruled some time after 1400 AD. Part of the name (adusu) means ‘mire’ and it is possible that it derives from the marshy area to the east and west of the Godavari river where these people settled very early.
Agarwal : Indian (northern states): Bania and Jain habitational name from the placenames Agroha or Agar + the Hindi or Punjabi adjectival suffix -wāl (equivalent to -er in English) i.e. ‘person from Agroha’. Agroha (in Hissar district formerly in the Punjab now in Haryana) is said to have been named as the capital city of Agar Sen a legendary Vaishya king whom the Agarwals claim as their ancestor. Alternatively the placename in question may be Agar a city forty miles northeast of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. The Agarwals are one of the most prominent mercantile communities of northern India.
Agenor : Haitian (Agénor): from the personal name Agénor French form of classical Greek Agēnōr meaning ‘manly heroic’ (from agan ‘very’ and anēr ‘man’). According to Greek legend this was the name of a Phoenician king of Tyre who lived in the third millenium BC.
Agnew : 1: Scottish and English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Agneaux in La Manche France. A family called Agnew was granted the hereditary post of sheriff of Galloway by King David II (1329–1371).2: English (of Norman origin): from Anglo-Norman French aignel aignau ‘lamb’ (Old French agneau agnelle).3: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Gnímh ‘descendant of Gníomh’ a byname meaning ‘action’ or ‘activity’. The Ó Gnímhs were hereditary poets to a branch of the O'Neills; in this family the traditional pronunciation is with the stress on the second syllable.4: American shortened and altered form of Greek Anagnostopoulos.
Ai : 1: Japanese: usually written 阿井 with characters used phonetically. The meaning could be ‘meeting’. In North America it may also be a shortened form of some other name.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 艾 referring to ‘Chinese mugwort’ a type of plant used in traditional Chinese medical treatment: (i) perhaps from the second element of Ru Ai (汝艾) the name of an official who lived during the reign of Shao Kang the 6th king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) from the first element of the placename Ai Ling (艾陵) the name of a hill (located in Shandong province) the fief of Ai Kong (艾孔) an official in the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) from the placename Ai (艾) the name of a fief (located in Jiangxi province) which was granted to an official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iv) adopted as a surname by the Qu Jin (去斤) Qu Ai (去艾) and Ai Jin (艾斤) families from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (v) from Ai (艾) the name of an ancient state (possibly in present-day Jiangxi province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 愛 meaning ‘love’ in Chinese: (i) said to be traced back to Ai Xie Wu (愛邪勿) prime minister of the state of Huihu (known as Uyghur Empire or Uyghur Khaganate) who was endowed with the surname Ai (愛) by Emperor Wuzong of Tang (814–846 AD). (ii) a Han Chinese surname for some members of the Aisin Gioro family from the Manchu ethnic group known as the royal family of the Qing dynasty (1616 – 1911 AD). (iii) a surname from minority ethnic groups in Taiwan.
Albin : 1: English French and German: from the personal name Albin (from Latin Albinus a derivative of albus ‘white’). In England this is generally a variant of Alban. The usual spelling of the French name is Aubin. The personal name was especially popular in Austria Lombardy and Savoy where it absorbed the ancient Germanic name Albuin (which is composed of the elements alb ‘elf’ + win ‘friend’; compare Alvin). This was the name of the Lombard leader (died 572) who made himself king of northern Italy and also of various Christian saints including a bishop of Brixen (Bressanone) in South Tyrol.2: Galician (Albín): habitational name from any of the four places called Albín in Galicia (Spain) from Latin (villa) Albini.
Alfred : English French German West Indian (mainly Haiti) and African (mainly Tanzania): from the Middle English personal name Alfred Elfred Old English Ælfrǣd ‘elf counsel’. This owed its popularity as a personal name in England to the fame of the West Saxon king Alfred the Great (849–899) who defeated the Danes keeping them out of Wessex and whose court was a great center of learning and culture.
Amon : 1: German: variant of Ammon.2: Altered form of Auman a surname of German origin.3: Slovenian and Croatian: medieval occupational or status name derived from Middle High German amman ‘official’ (see Ammann). Compare Aman and Oman.4: French: variant of Hamon.5: African (mainly Ivory Coast; also Tanzania Uganda etc.) and Filipino: probably from the personal name Amon which is of Biblical Hebrew origin borne by a king of Judah.
An : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 安 meaning ‘peace safe’ or ‘calm’ in Chinese: (i) borne by descendants of immigrants from an ancient state called An Xi (安息) also known as the Parthian Empire (located in present-day northeastern Iran). Traditional accounts record that the legendary emperor Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC) had a grandson named An who moved to the far west to establish An Xi losing contact with the Middle Kingdom. In 147 AD An Shigao (安世高) prince of the Parthian Empire (An Xi) came to China to preach Buddhism. Later some immigrants from the Parthian Empire (An Xi) adopted their tribal name An as their surname. (ii) adopted as a surname by the An Chi (安遲) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iii) from one of the ‘Nine Sogdian Surnames’ also known as ‘Nine Surnames of Zhaowu’ because their ancestors came from Zhaowu an ancient city in present-day Gansu province in northwestern China. During the Sui and Tang dynasties (581–987 AD) there were nine Sogdian states in Central Asia one of which was called An (安) in Chinese. Between 649 and 655 AD these states submitted to Emperor Gaozong of Tang (628–83 AD). (iv) possibly from An (安) the name of an ancient fief (located in Shanxi province).2: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 晏 see Yan 5.3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 洪 see Hong 1.4: Korean: written 안 in Chinese characters 安 meaning ‘peace’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname An. Some sources indicate that there are 109 An clans but only six can be documented. All had one common founding ancestor named Yi Wŏn (李 瑗) who migrated from Tang China to the Shilla Kingdom in 807 AD. Yi had three sons who helped the Shilla king Kyŏngmun (861–75) to repel Japanese invaders. As a token of royal appreciation these three sons were enfeoffed with land and granted the surname An (安). It is now quite a common Korean surname and can be found throughout the peninsula. Compare Ahn 1.5: Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 安 (see 1 above).6: Vietnamese (Ân): from the Chinese surname 殷 (see Yin 1).
Angus : Scottish and Irish: habitational name from the county and earldom of Angus in Scotland or from the Gaelic personal name Aonghus said to be composed of Celtic aon ‘one’ + gus ‘choice’. This was borne by an early Celtic deity and prominent mythological figure and a famous 8th-century Pictish king.
Antenor : Haitian (Anténor): from the personal name Anténor French form of classical Greek Antēnōr borne in Greek mythology by a counselor to King Priam of Troy. The name seems to be derived from the Greek words anti ‘against’ and anēr ‘man’.
Ao : Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 敖 meaning both ‘rambling’ and ‘deposed king without posthumous titles’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the personal name of Tai Ao (太敖) teacher of the legendary king Zhuanxu (traditional dates: 2514–2437 BC). (ii) it is said that the surname is also borne by descendants of deposed kings of the former state of Chu with no posthumous titles during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).
Arthur : 1: Scottish Irish English German and French: from the ancient Celtic personal name Arthur. The origin of the name is disputed but it may be derived from the Latin name Artorius or it may derive from an old Celtic word meaning ‘bear’ (compare Gaelic art Welsh arth both of which mean ‘bear’). It has been in regular use as a personal name in Britain since the early Middle Ages owing its popularity in large part to the legendary exploits of King Arthur which gave rise to a prolific literature in Welsh French English German and other languages. In many cases this is a shortened form of Scottish or Irish McArthur the patronymic Mac- often being dropped in the 17th 18th and 19th centuries under English influence.2: West African (Ghana): Anglicized form of the Akan (Fante) name Atta.
Assaf : 1: Jewish (Israeli): from the Biblical name Asaph ‘he collected/gathered’ borne by a counselor of King David and King Solomon to whom authorship of twelve of the Psalms is attributed (1 Chronicles 16:4–5; Psalms 50 73–83).2: Arabic (mainly Egypt and the Levant): from the personal name Āṣaf of Hebrew origin (see 1 above). As the name of Suleiman's (i.e. Solomon's) grand wazir it came to be used proverbially as a name for any wise counselor. This surname is found among both Muslims and Christians.
Audrey : English:: 1: (of Norman origin): habitational name from Audrieu in Calvados France recorded as Aldreium in 1108.2: from the Middle English female personal name Aldrith which sometimes became Audrey by a 15th-century pronunciation change of /ald/ to /aud/. It derives from one of three Old English female personal names Æthelthrȳth ‘noble strength’ Ælfthrȳth ‘elf strength’ and Ealhthrȳth ‘temple strength’. The most popular was Æthelthrȳth commonly Latinized as Etheldreda and appearing in various Middle English forms such as Atheldrith(e) Aildrith Aldreth Etheldred and Eldrid(e). It was borne by a Christian saint Saint Etheldred (later known also as Saint Audrey) Queen of Northumbria daughter of Anna king of East Anglia. She was the founder and first abbess of the monastery at Ely in about 672 and her continuing cult after the Norman Conquest was probably responsible for the survival of the personal name well into the 14th century.
Awdry : 1: from Audrieu (Calvados) which is recorded as Aldreium in 1108. The first known bearer of this name in England William de Aldrie was executed for treason in 1095 and there appears to be no other medieval evidence for the surname in Wilts where William's lands were. Nevertheless the post-medieval evidence for Awdry in Wilts and for Audrey in adjacent counties has been tentatively assigned to this etymology partly because the same surname (and perhaps the same family as William) occurs continuously elsewhere (in Durham from the 12th to the 14th centuries) and partly because a Robert Audrey is recorded in Oxon in 1279. Alternatively the Wilts Berks Oxon and Gloucs surnames derive from the relationship name identified in (2). Odry is an occasional post-medieval variant which as Odery survived sporadically in England until the 1881 census but has now become extinct. 2: from the Middle English female personal name Aldrith which sometimes became Audrey by a 15th-century pronunciation change of /ald/ to /aud/. It derives from one of three Old English female personal names Æðelþrȳð Ælfþrȳð and Ealhþrȳð. The first element in these is æðel ‘noble’ ælf ‘elf sprite’ or ealh ‘shrine temple’ and the second element is þrȳð ‘strength force’. The most popular was Æðelþrȳð commonly latinized as Etheldreda and appearing in various Middle English forms such as Atheldrith(e) Aildrith Aldreth Etheldred and Eldrid(e). It was borne by Saint Etheldred (later known also as Saint Audrey) Queen of Northumbria daughter of Anna king of East Anglia. She was the founder and first abbess of the monastery at Ely in about 672 and her continuing cult after the Norman Conquest was probably responsible for the survival of the personal name well into the 14th century especially in E Anglia. Common Middle English forms like Aldreth and Eldrid probably contributed to Aldred whose main location is E Anglia Eldred which is common in E England and possibly Eldrett. It may be the source of Audrey and Awdry in SW England see (1). 3: from French Auduroy ‘(son) of (someone surnamed) Duroy or Durey’ which itself signified ‘(son) of (someone nicknamed) the king’ (Old French le roi or le rei). Auduroy perhaps through its variant Audurey may have become shortened to Audry and confused with a different surname French Audri from the Old French male personal name Audri Continental Germanic Aldric.
Ba : 1: West African (mainly Senegal and Mauritania): Fulani name from the Mandinka adjective ba(a) ‘big great’. Compare Bah 1 see also Balde 1.2: Muslim: abstracted as a surname from bā a dialect form of Arabic Abu ‘father’ used in compound surnames such as Bā Wazīr and Bā Ṭarafi.3: Vietnamese (Bá): from the Chinese surname 柏 see Bai 2.4: Chinese: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 巴: (i) said to be borne by descendants of Fu Xi a legendary king who lived prior to the Xia dynasty (i.e. before 2070 BC). (ii) from Ba (巴) the name of an ancient state (located in Sichuan province around the city of Chongqing) which was annihilated during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) when Manchus and Mongolians came from the north to China several hundred years ago many of them adopted the surname Ba.5: Amerindian (mainly Guatemala; also Bá): Mayan name from ba(h) ‘gopher’.
Bai : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 白 meaning ‘white’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Bai Yi (白乙) style name of Bai Yi Bing (白乙丙) an official in the state of Qin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) from the personal name Bai (白) the name of a son of Duke Wen of Qin(the 17th ruler of the state of Qin died 716 BC). (iii) said to be borne by descendants of Bai Fu (白阜) an official during the reign of the legendary Yan Di the ‘Yan Emperor’. (iv) said to be borne by descendants of a legendary king Bai Xu Shi (白胥氏) who lived prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (v) from the placename Bai (白) the name of a fief (located in Henan province) that was granted to Sheng (also known as Bai Gong Sheng (白公勝) or Duke of Bai) son of King Hui of Chu (died 432 BC). (vi) from the placename Bai Zhou (白州) (located in Bobai in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region) during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD). (vii) traced back to several minority ethnic groups in ancient China.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 柏 meaning ‘cypress’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by descendants of the legendary king Bai Huang Shi (柏皇氏) who lived prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) from Bai (柏) the name of an ancient state (located in Henan province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Chu the name of the state was adopted as a surname.3: Korean: variant of Pae.4: Vietnamese: unexplained.
Baldwin : 1: English and North German: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements bald ‘bold brave’ + wine ‘friend’ which was extremely popular among the Normans and in Flanders in the early Middle Ages. It was the personal name of the Crusader who in 1100 became the first Christian king of Jerusalem and of four more Crusader kings of Jerusalem. It was also borne by Baldwin Count of Flanders (1172–1205) leader of the Fourth Crusade who became first Latin Emperor of Constantinople (1204). In North America this surname has absorbed Dutch forms such as Boudewijn.2: Irish: surname adopted in Donegal by bearers of the Gaelic surname Ó Maolagáin (see Milligan) due to association of Gaelic maol ‘bald hairless’ with English bald.
Balogun : West African (Nigeria): Yoruba name from balógun title of a leading warrior second in command to a king etymologically baba ní ogun literally ‘father in or at war’.
Baltazar : 1: Spanish Portuguese Catalan and German; Hungarian and Slovak (Baltazár): from the Biblical personal names Balthazar and Belshazzar which were originally distinct but by medieval times had come to be regarded as variants of a single name. The first is from Aramaic Balshatzar Babylonian Baal tas-assar ‘may Baal preserve his life’ the second from Babylonian Baal shar-uzzur ‘may Baal protect the king’. The latter was borne by the Chaldean king for whom the Hebrew prophet Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall (Daniel 5). The main reason for the popularity of Balthazar as a personal name in medieval Europe was that according to legend it was the name of one of the three Magi from the East who attended Christ's birth. His supposed relics were venerated at first in Milan but after 1164 in Cologne. This surname is most common in Mexico.2: Altered form of Italian Baldassarre or one of its variants or cognates.
Bambrough : English (Durham and Northumberland): habitational name from Bamburgh in Northumberland named with the Old English female personal name Bebba + burh ‘fortified place’. According to the 9th-century Historia Brittonum the place was named after the wife of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia (c.593–616).
Ban : 1: Croatian Slovenian and Serbian; Hungarian and Slovak (Bán): nickname from Hungarian bán South Slavic ban or Slovak bán ‘governor’. Hungarian Bán was also used as a personal name. Historically the word ban is found mostly as a Croatian status name for a regional military or administrative leader. The surname possibly denoted a person in the service of a ban or one who came from a land under the authority of a ban. As a surname of Hungarian origin Ban is also common in Romania.2: Slovenian: from a short form of the personal name Urban.3: Polish: from a pet form of the personal name Benedykt an equivalent of Latin Benedictus (see Benedict).4: German: variant of Bann.5: Japanese: written 伴 ‘comrade’. It is found mostly in eastern Japan. Some families pronounce the same character as Tomo.6: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 班 meaning ‘squad’ or ‘theatrical troupe’ in Chinese: from the second character of the personal name Dou Ban (斗班) which was the personal name of a prince a grandson of king Ruo Ao (died c.764 BC) of the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).7: Chinese: Hokkien or Taiwanese form of the Chinese surname 萬 see Wan 1.8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 馮 possibly based on its Hokkien or Teochew pronunciation see Feng 1.9: Korean: variant of Pan 9.10: Vietnamese (Bàn): from the Chinese surname 盤 see Pan 2.
Bana : 1: Italian: from the feminine form of Bano.2: Hungarian: from a pet form of the old personal name Bán (see Ban).3: Czech (Báňa): nickname from báň ‘arch’ figuratively ‘prison’.4: Slovak (Baňa Báňa): topographic name or metonymic occupational name from báň ‘clearing in woodland’ or baňa ‘mine’ also ‘potter's oven’.5: Indian (Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh): Jat name apparently derived from the Hindi and Sanskrit word bana ‘arrow’. This was an epithet applied to the mythical hero Banasur who in Hindu belief was an excellent archer a thousand-armed devotee of Shiva and one of the hundred sons of the powerful monkey king Bali.6: African (mainly Cameroon Niger and Nigeria): unexplained.
Banerjee : Indian (West Bengal) and Bangladeshi: Brahmin name the first syllable of which Ban- is a shortened form of the village name Bandoghat. The final element -jee is an altered form of jhā a much shortened form of Sanskrit upādhyāya ‘teacher’. Thus Banerjee means ‘teacher from Bandoghat’. In Bengali names formed with -jee the first element usually denotes a village founded by Ballal(a) Sen(a) a legendary 12th-century king of Bengal. A Sanskritized form of this name is Bandyopadhyay. Vandyopadhyaya apparently a variant of this was coined quite recently as if from the elements vandya ‘venerable’ + upādhyāya ‘teacher’.
Banna : 1: Bangladeshi and Indian (Rajasthan): Rajput name from Marwari banna a term used to denote courtiers close to (but not related to) the king. It was originally a caste name of the Mair or Mer tribe of the Rajputana who eventually acquired Rajput (warrior) status along with material prosperity due to their close relationship with royalty.2: Muslim: from Egyptian Arabic banna ‘bricklayer mason’. Compare Albanna.
Barry : 1: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Beargha ‘descendant of Beargh’ a byname meaning ‘plunderer’.2: Irish and Manx: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Báire ‘descendant of Báire’ a short form of either of two Gaelic personal names Bairrfhionn or Fionnbharr both meaning ‘fair-topped’. This may also be the source of the Manx name Barry whose family's main seat was Ballavarry in Kirk Andreas.3: English Welsh and Irish (of Norman origin): habitational name which according to the Anglo-Norman chronicler Gerald de Barry (Giraldus Cambrensis) refers to the Island of Barry opposite the town of Barry (Glamorgan) owned by the Barry family by gift of William the Conqueror. In Ireland the surname mostly goes back to another member of the family Philip de Barry who took part in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. His son William de Barry was granted baronies in South Munster by King John and his principal seat was Castlelyons (Cork). Derivation from one of the French hamlets called Barri is unlikely since they all occur in southern France far from spheres of Norman influence.4: English: nickname from Old French barré Anglo-Norman French barri ‘striped’ probably in reference to striped clothing or to a piece of horizontally striped cloth worn around the helmet for identification in battle. The term barry came to be used in heraldry for a field horizontally divided by strips of alternating color.5: Scottish: variant of Barrie.6: French: topographic name from Occitan barri ‘part of a town outside its walls’ or a habitational name from any of hamlets called Barri in southern France named with the same word. Compare Bary 2 and Dubarry.7: Altered form of French Baril and Barré (see Barre 3 and 4). Compare Barrie 3 Bary 3 and Berry 7.8: Walloon and northern French: habitational name from Barry in Wallonia (Belgium). This surname is also found in the Flemish part of Belgium. Compare Bary 1.9: West African (mainly Guinea and Burkina Faso): from the name of the Barry clan of the Fulani people of unexplained etymology.
Barsky : 1: Ukrainian and Jewish (from Ukraine): habitational name for someone from the city of Bar now in Ukraine. In the 16th century this was an important frontier fortress of the Polish Empire against the Turks and the Tartars which in the 18th century became the center of a confederation. Its original name was Rów; it was given its present name in honor of the Italian city of Bari by Bona Sforza Duchess of Bari wife of King Zygmunt Stary (Sigismund the Old).2: Altered form of Polish Barski a cognate of 1 above.
Bator : Hungarian (Bátor) and Polish: nickname from Hungarian bátor ‘bold brave’. In some cases the Hungarian surname may be from the old personal name Bátor (which is from the same vocabulary word). The Transylvanian Báthori dynasty of the 16th–17th centuries was named for one of the family's estates the village of Bátor. One of its rulers István Báthori (Stefan Batory in Polish) became king of Poland hence the spread of the name into Poland.
Bello : 1: Spanish and Italian: from bello ‘handsome’ (from Late Latin bellus) hence a nickname for a handsome man or perhaps in some instances ironically for an ugly one. In medieval Italy the word was also applied as an omen or well-wishing name.2: Catalan (Belló): shortened form of Abelló (see Abello).3: Galician: variant of Vello from a personal name which is either a variant of Vela or a derivative of Latin vetulus a diminutive of vetus ‘old’.4: Assyrian/Chaldean: from Belos the Greek name of a mythical Assyrian king.5: West African (mainly Nigeria also Niger and Benin): Hausa and Yoruba name of Fulani origin an altered form of Ballo.
Ben : 1: Native American (mainly Navajo) and African American: adoption of the English personal name Ben (short form of Benjamin) as a surname.2: Italian (also Del Ben): from a dialect form of the adverb bene ‘well’. This form without the preposition is found only in Belluno province in particular in Taibon Agordino.3: Indian (Gujarat): from Gujarati ben ‘sister’ from Sanskrit bhaginī a title often attached to their personal name by Gujarati women. It is not a true surname but is sometimes used as a surname by women who do not have a surname.4: Muslim: abstracted as a surname from Arabic ben ‘son of’ from ibn ‘son’. This word was used especially during the medieval period to form patronymics that then came to function like a surname.5: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 賁 meaning ‘rush’ in Chinese: (i) said to be traced back to the personal name Xian Ben Fu (縣賁父) a carriage drive during the reign of Duke Zhuang of Lu (706–662 BC). (ii) from the second element of Hu Ben (虎賁) the name of an official post in charge of guarding the king or the royal palace. (iii) from the first element of Ben Hun (賁渾) the name of a branch minority ethnic group in ancient western China.
Bertram : German English (mainly in southeastern Scotland of Norman origin) French and Danish: from the ancient Germanic personal name Bertram composed of the elements berht ‘bright famous’ + hramn ‘raven’. The raven was the bird of Odin king of the gods in ancient Germanic mythology. The personal name was common in France throughout the Middle Ages (especially in the form Bertrand) where its popularity was increased by the fame of the troubadour Bertrand de Born (c. 1140–1214). The name was taken to England by the Normans in the forms Bertran(d) Bertram and Bartram.
Bethencourt : French (northern; Béthencourt) and Spanish (of French origin; Canary Islands): variant of Bettencourt. This surname is most common in the Canary Islands where it was brought to by the first conqueror of this islands Jean de Béthencourt (1362–1425) a French knight in the service of Castile who became king of the Canary Islands and his nephew and successor Maciot de Béthencourt. Elsewhere in the Spanish speaking world the most common form of this surname is Betancourt. — Note: The population figure published by the US Census Bureau for this surname in the year 2000 is 107.
Bi : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 畢 originally denoting a kind of hand-net used in hunting or meaning ‘to complete’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Bi (畢) the name of a fief (located in present-day Shaanxi province) which was granted to Bi Gong Gao (畢公高 or Duke of Bi) the 15th son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). (ii) adopted as a surname by the Chu Lian (出連) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 秘 (also pronounced as Bei or Mi in Mandarin in some local regions) meaning ‘secret’ in Chinese: surname traced back to some powerful clans in the Qiang minority ethnic group in ancient western China.3: Chinese: Teochew form of the surname 米 see Mai 1. This pronunciation is found in eastern Guangdong province from where some people migrated to Singapore Malaysia and Thailand.4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 費 (also pronounced as Fei in Mandarin pinyin). See Fei 1.5: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 閉 meaning ‘close’ in Chinese: surname mainly found among the Zhuang ethnic group (located in present-day Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region) said to be adopted by migrants from the present-day Shangdong province.6: Vietnamese (Bì): from the Chinese surname 皮 see Pi 2.7: In some cases also West African (Ghana): Akan name perhaps from a personal name based on Twi (or a related dialect of the Akan language) bi ‘another’.
Bin : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 賓 meaning ‘distinguished guest’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by the descendants of King Huan of Zhou (died 697 BC). (ii) said to be borne by the descendants of an official in the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) said to be traced back to Sun Luan Bin (孫欒賓) a grandson of the Marquis Jing of Jin (ruler of the state of Jin reigned 858–841 BC).2: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 卞 and 邊 see Bian 1 and 2.3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 袁 see Yuan 1.4: Cambodian: written ប៊ិន of Chinese origin (compare 1 above).5: French: from a shortened pet form of the personal name Robin.
Bird : 1: English and Scottish: nickname for a young or a small and slender person from Middle English brid bird burd (Old English bird brid perhaps also byrd) ‘bird young bird’ also ‘young man young woman child’.2: Irish: Anglicized form of a number of Irish names erroneously thought to contain the element éan ‘bird’ in particular Ó hÉinigh (see Heagney) Ó hÉanna (see Heaney) Ó hÉanacháin (see Heneghan) and Mac an Déaghanaigh (see McEneaney).3: Americanized form (translation into English) of various European surnames meaning ‘bird’ as for example German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Vogel French Loiseau Czech Ptáček (see Ptacek) and Pták Polish Ptak.4: Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on a word such as Lakota Sioux ziŋtkala meaning ‘bird’. The importance of the birds particularly eagles (see Eagle 4) and hawks (see Hawk 4) to Native Americans is reflected in their traditional personal names many of which were adopted as surnames (translated into English) e.g. Black Bird (see Blackbird) King Bird (see Kingbird) and Red Bird (see Redbird).
Boris : 1: Slovak: from the personal name Boris which is often taken as a shortening of the Slavic personal name Borislav composed of the elements bor ‘to fight’ (from Old Slavic boriti se) + slav ‘glory’ or ‘famous’ (from Old Slavic slava ‘glory’) but more probably it is an altered form of the Old Bulgarian personal name Bogoris (a byname from Turkic bogori ‘small’) borne by the king of the Bulgars (sometimes known as Boris) who was converted to Christianity in 864. The name Boris was later also borne by a Russian prince murdered in 1015 whose baptismal name was Roman and who is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church.2: Altered form of Polish Ukrainian and Rusyn Borys a cognate of 1 above.3: Slovak (Boriš): from a short form of any of various Slavic compound personal names containing the element bor ‘to fight’ e.g. Borislav (see 1 above). The homonymous Sorbian cognates Boriš (Upper Sorbian) and Bóriš (Lower Sorbian) are found in Germanized and Americanized forms only (see Borisch and Borish).4: Hungarian: from Boris a pet form of the female personal name Borbála or in some cases possibly from the male personal name Barabás.
Bourgoin : French:: 1: variant of Bourgouin (and in North America an altered form of this) a habitational name for someone from Burgundy (Old French Bourgogne) a region of eastern France having Dijon as its center. The area was invaded by the Burgundii an ancient Germanic tribe from whom it takes its name in about AD 480. The duchy of Burgundy created in 877 by Charles II King of the Western Franks was extremely powerful in the later Middle Ages especially under Philip the Bold (1342–1404; duke from 1363). Compare Bourgoyne and Bourguignon.2: variant of Bourguin from the ancient Germanic personal name Burgwin composed of the elements burg ‘protection’ and win ‘friend’.
Bronte : 1: Irish: altered form of Brunty see Prunty. The change in spelling to Brontë in the Bronte literary family (Charlotte Emily and Anne) was made by their father Patrick Brunty for reasons unknown. It may have been an affectation in imitation of the Duke of Brontë a title conferred on Admiral Lord Nelson in 1799 by Ferdinand King of Sicily. Bronte is the name of a place in Sicily literally meaning ‘thunder’. Nelson generally signed himself Nelson and Brontë.2: English (Sussex) and Irish: variant of Brunt.
Bu : 1: Norwegian: habitational name from a farm named with Old Norse bú ‘farmstead; livestock’ or búth ‘small house hut’.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 卜 meaning ‘astrologer fortune-teller diviner’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the post names Bu Ren (卜人) or Bu Shi (卜筮) the title of astrologers who performed divination in ancient China. (ii) borne by descendants of the younger brother of Tai Kang (the 3rd king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC)). (iii) borne by descendants of Teng Shuxiu a son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). (iv) adopted as a surname by the Xu Bu (須卜) family from the Huns during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 步 meaning ‘steps’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Bu (步) the name of a fief (located in Shanxi province) granted to an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) adopted as the surname by the Bu Lu Gen (步鹿根) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 布 meaning ‘cloth’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Bu Zi (布子) an official who lived in the state of Zhao during the Warring States period (475–221 BC) who was noted for his gift of choosing strong horses. (ii) shortened form of the Chinese surname Gu-Bu (姑布). (iii) a surname of the king of the state of Kucha(or Kuche) a Buddhist kingdom in northwestern China during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD). (iv) borne by descendants of some refugees at the end of the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) who fled to southern China and changed their original surnames to Bu (布) in a wish for a good life with good clothing.5: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 補 meaning ‘supplement’ in Chinese: from Bu (補) the name of an ancient state (possibly located in present-day Henan province) annexed by the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).6: Chinese: Teochew form of the surname 巫 see Wu 4.
Burggraf : German: occupational or status name for the highest ranking judge of a castle and its adjacent territory or the governor of a town from Middle High German burc ‘castle’ + grāve ‘highest (territorial) judge’ such a person being appointed by the king.
Burgoyne : English (of Norman origin): habitational name for someone from Burgundy (Middle English Burgoin Old French Bourgogne Latin Burgundia) a region of eastern France having Dijon as its center. The area was invaded by the Burgundii an ancient Germanic tribe from whom it takes its name in about AD 480. The duchy of Burgundy created in 877 by Charles II King of the West Franks was extremely powerful in the later Middle Ages especially under Philip the Bold (1342–1404 duke from 1363).
Butler : 1: English: from a word that originally denoted a wine steward usually the chief servant of a medieval household from Norman French butuiller (Old French bouteillier Latin buticularius from buticula ‘bottle’). In the large households of royalty and the most powerful nobility the title came to denote an officer of high rank and responsibility only nominally concerned with the supply of wine if at all. As well as being widespread in England this is also the surname of an important Irish family descended from Theobald FitzWalter who was appointed Chief Butler of Ireland by King Henry II in 1177. It is Gaelicized as de Buitléir.2: English: occasionally perhaps an occupational name from Middle English boteler ‘maker of bottles (usually of leather)’ a derivative of Middle English botel Old French bo(u)teille ‘bottle’ and synonymous with Botelmaker.3: Americanized form of French Bouthillier (see Bouteiller).4: Americanized form of German Buttler 2 a cognate of 1 above or of Buttlar (see Buttler 3).5: Jewish (from Poland and Ukraine): occupational name for a bottle maker from Yiddish butl ‘bottle’ + the agent suffix -er.
Byrne : 1: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Broin ‘descendant of Bran’ a personal name based on bran ‘raven’. Bran was the name of a son of the King of Leinster who died at Cologne in 1052 and also of the hero of an 8th century voyage tale.2: Irish: in some cases possibly from Ó Birn ‘descendant of Biorn’ Irish form of the Old Norse personal name Bjǫrn.3: English: variant of Berne (see Barnes) and Burn (see Bourne).
Cadmus : Dutch: apparently a humanistic surname taken from the Latin form of classical Greek Kadmos the name of the son of the Phoenician King Agenor founder of Thebes the person reputed to have introduced the alphabet to the Greeks a mythological representation of the acquisition of the alphabet from the Phoenicians. This surname is not recorded in the Netherlands; it was apparently adopted in North America.
Cai : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 蔡 originally referring to ‘the tortoise used in ancient rituals of divination’ in Chinese: from the placename Cai (蔡) a fief (originally located in Shangcai in Henan province) which was granted to Du also known as Cai Shu (蔡叔) son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). Later Cai Shu plotted rebellions and was eventually sent into exile. But his son Hu also known as Cai Zhong (蔡仲) was a revered man and was granted the fief of Cai (蔡) which later became a state during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Chu in 447 BC the name of the state was adopted as a surname.2: Catalan (Girona and Alicante; Caí): possibly from the Biblical personal name Caín ‘Cain’.3: Spanish: unexplained.4: Italian (Tuscany): from old Tuscan cai ‘house’ applied as a topographic name a habitational name from any place called with this word.5: Vietnamese (Cái): from the Chinese surname 盖 see Gai 1.
Callahan : Irish (Munster): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Ceallacháin ‘descendant of Ceallachán’ a diminutive of the personal name Ceallach probably meaning ‘bright-headed’ from cen ‘head’ + lach ‘light’. This name was borne by a 10th-century king of Munster from whom many present-day bearers of the surname claim descent.
Camara : 1: Spanish (Cámara) and Portuguese (Câmara): from Spanish cámara Portuguese câmara ‘(main) room’ (from Latin camera) hence an occupational name for a courtier or servant who had access to the private living quarters of a king or noble.2: West African (mainly Guinea Senegal Mali and Ivory Coast): from the name of the Kamara clan of the Mandinka and closely related Soninke peoples; see Kamara 1.
Cao : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 曹 meaning ‘government department’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name of Cao An (曹安) the founder of the state of Zhu (located in Zouxian in Shandong province). After the state was annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) Cao (曹) was adopted as a surname. (ii) from Cao (曹) the name of a state (located in Dingtao in Shandong province) granted to Zhenduo the 13th son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). After the state was annexed by the state of Song Cao (曹) was adopted as a surname. (iii) from one of the 'Nine Sogdian Surnames’ also known as ‘nine surnames of Zhaowu’ because their ancestors came from Zhaowu an ancient city in present-day Gansu province in northwestern China. During the Sui and Tang dynasties (581–987 AD) there were nine Sogdian states in Central Asia one of which was called Cao (曹) in Chinese. Between 649 and 655 AD these states submitted to Emperor Gaozong of Tang (628–683 AD). At this time descendants of people from the state of Cao (曹) acquired the surname Cao (曹).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 操 meaning ‘conduct behavior’ in ancient Chinese: possibly from names of official posts.3: Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 高 see Gao 1.4: Portuguese (Cão) and Galician: equivalent of Spanish Cano.
Carolina : 1: African American: probably an adoption of the name of the US states as a surname (compare Maryland 2 and Missouri); however compare also West Indian name in 2 below. The Carolinas (i.e. North Carolina and South Carolina) at that time a British colony received their name (originally Carolana) in honor of the king Charles I of England who in 1629 granted a patent for the lands south of 36 degrees and north of 31 degrees.2: West Indian (Dutch Caribbean): from the female personal name Carolina feminine form of Carolus. It is one of the surnames (compare Martina) that reflect the partially mother-oriented name culture of the formerly enslaved people in the West Indies.
Cassandra : Italian (southern mainly Caserta): from a personal name based on classical Greek Kassandra the name of a mythological prophet daughter of the king of Troy which is often associated with a person who predicts misfortune and goes unheard. In Tuscany the term also became a nickname for a corpulent woman under the influence of Italian cassa ‘trunk’ ‘crate’.
Castaldo : Italian: status name or nickname from castaldo (Lombard gastald(us)) the title of an official originally an administrator in the service of the king later of the estates of the dukes and counts of Lombardy or of the church.
Cen : Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 岑 referring to ‘small high hills’ or ‘precipice’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Cen (岑) the name of a fief (located in Hancheng in present-day Shaanxi province) which was granted to Qu nephew of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC) by King Wu of Zhou (c. 1087–1043 BC). (ii) for some families this surname can be traced back to certain minority ethnic groups in ancient southern China.
Cerda : 1: Spanish and Portuguese: from cerda ‘bristle hair’ (from Late Latin cirra) apparently a nickname for someone with a prominent tuft of hair. One of the sons of King Alfonso X (1221–84) was known as Fernando de la Cerda.2: Catalan (Cerdà): habitational name cerdà for someone from La Cerdanya a Catalan district in the Pyrenees which is situated partly in Spain and partly in France. Compare Serda.
Chae : Korean: written 제 in Chinese characters 諸 meaning ‘all’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname Chae. There are two Chae clans: the Ch’ilwŏn and the Ŭisŏng the Ch’ilwŏn clan being the larger. Ancestors of this family were originally named Chaegal (諸葛) in Korea. According to the Chaegal clan genealogy the founding ancestor was a twentieth-generation descendant of a Chinese government official Chae Kal-lyang (諸葛 亮) a character who plays an important role in the epic tale of the Three Kingdoms. This descendant migrated to the Shilla kingdom some time in the early 9th century. He and his descendants lived in the southern tip of the Korean peninsula for four centuries. It is said that during the reign of the Koryŏ king Kojong (1213–59) two brothers split the Chaegal surname: the younger brother Yŏng (瑩) took the surname Kal (葛) and the elder brother Hong (泓) took the surname Chae (諸). In Korea most members of the Chae clan live in southern Kyŏngsang and Chŏlla provinces. Compare Chai 5 Chay 2 and Che 5.
Chang : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 常 which means ‘lasting forever’: (i) said to be borne by descendants of Chang Yi (常儀) and Chang Xian (常先) officials during the reign of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). (ii) from Chang (常) the name of a fief (located in present-day Tengxian in Shandong province) that was granted to the grandson of Kang Shu the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou (c. 1087–1043 BC) and founder of the state of Wey (located around present-day Hebei and Xinxiang in Henan province). (iii) from Chang (常) a fief (located in present-day Changzhou in Jiangsu province) that was granted to descendants of the kings of the state of Wu (located mainly in present-day Jiangsu and Anhui provinces) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (v) adopted in place of another Chinese surname 恒 (Heng in Mandarin pinyin meaning ‘lasting permanent’) which could be traced back to Duke Si of Heng an official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). People with this surname changed it to Chang (常) during the reign of the emperor Zhao Heng (趙恒 known as Emperor Zhenzong of Song 968–1022) in the Northern Song dynasty because their surname 恒 happened to coincide with the personal name of the emperor which was taboo in ancient China.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 昌 which means ‘prosperity’: it is said to be from the name of Chang Yi (昌意) son of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 暢 which means ‘fluent uninhibited’: the surname is borne by descendants of a noble family who lived in the state of Qi (located mainly in Shandong province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surnames 張 章 and 仉 see Zhang 1-3.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曾 see Zeng.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 臧 see Zang.7: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 程 see Cheng 1.8: Chinese: Hakka form of the surname 鄭 see Zheng 1.9: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 陳 possibly based on its Cantonese pronunciation see Chen 1.10: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 江 蔣 and 姜 see Jiang 1-3.11: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 莊 see Zhuang.12: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鐘 see Zhong 1.13: Korean: written 장 in Chinese characters 張 meaning ‘to extend’ 蔣 denoting a type of plant in ancient Chinese but now used only as a surname 章 meaning ‘chapter’ or ‘sentence’ and 莊 meaning ‘serious’. All of the 33 Korean Chang clans had their origins in China and all but three use the same Chinese character for their surname namely 張. This is one of the ten most common surnames in Korea. (i) The Chinese character 張 is borne by the descendants of Chang Chŏng-p’il (張 貞弼) the son of a Chinese military official who together with his father fled from political instability in China in 888 AD. He ultimately settled in An-dong County North Kyŏngsang Province. (ii) The Chinese character 蔣 is borne by descendants of Chang Sŏ (蔣 壻) a Chinese Song Dynasty general who immigrated to Korea in the 12th century AD. Chang Sŏ settled in the Asan area of Ch’ungch’ŏng South Province. (iii) The Chinese character 章 is borne by the descendants of Chang Chong-haeng (章 宗行) a late 12th-century immigrant from China. The family settled in and around Kŏch’ang County in South Kyŏngsang Province. (iv) The Chinese character 莊 is borne by the descendants of Chang Suk (莊 俶) who settled in the Kŭmch’ŏn district of modern Seoul in the early fifteenth century. Another Chang family clan seat was established in the Chŏnju area in the late nineteenth century by Chang Sŏk-hwang (莊 錫滉). One of the ancestors of this Chang family was the Taoist philosopher Chuang Tzu. 莊 is a comparatively rare surname. Compare Jang 5.14: Southeast Asian (Hmong): variant of Cha 5; in Chinese characters it is written 張 (see 4 above).
Chao : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 巢 meaning ‘nest’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by descendants of You Chao Shi (有巢氏) a legendary ancient king. (ii) from Chao (巢) the name of an ancient state (located in Anhui province) which existed from the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC) to the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) the name of the state was adopted as a surname.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 晁 a variant written form of another ancient Chinese character 朝 meaning ‘morning’ in ancient Chinese: (i) adopted in place of another Chinese surname Chao (朝) traced back to the personal name Chao (朝) personal name of son of King Jing of Zhou (died 520 BC). (ii) from the personal name Chao (朝) style name of Shi Chao (史朝) an official in the state of Wey during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 鈔 meaning ‘bank note’ in mordern Chinese a surname traced back to Khitan and Jurchen minority ethnic groups in ancient northern China.4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曹 see Cao 1.5: Chinese: alternative variant of Zhao.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 周 see Zhou 1.7: Southeast Asian (Iu Mien): from the name of the Chao clan of the Iu Mien people from Laos. Compare Saechao.8: Portuguese (Chão) and Galician: topographic name from a common field name derived from Latin planus ‘level even flat’.
Charlery : from Charleroi now in Hainault Belgium. This city was founded in 1666 when the Netherlands were under Spanish rule and is named after Charles II king of Spain (Charles-Roy). It was in French hands 1693–8 and 1714–45. The surname must have been adopted by or foisted on Black slaves in the French West Indies during one of these periods mainly on Saint Lucia and Martinique.
Chatha : Indian (Punjab) also Pakistani: Jat name from the personal name Chatha which was borne by a grandson of King Prithvi Raj Chauhan (died 1192 AD). The personal name is perhaps derived from the dialect word chhatha meaning ‘the sixth one’ i.e. ‘sixth child’. It may also be a habitational name from any of several villages so called in particular in Gurdaspur district of Punjab.
Chatterjee : Indian (West Bengal) and Bangladeshi: Brahmin name from Chatta the name of a village + jhā ‘teacher’ (a greatly shortened form of Sanskrit upādhyāya) i.e. ‘teacher from the village of Chatta’. In Bengali surnames formed with -jee the initial element is believed to indicate a village granted by Ballal Sen an ancient king of Bengal to an ancestor of bearers of the surname.
Cheng : 1: Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 程 meaning ‘measurement’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from Cheng (程) the name of a state (probably located in Henan province) granted to Xiu Fu by King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC). (ii) from the placename Cheng (程) the name of a fief (located in Shaanxi province) granted to descendants of the Xun (荀) family in the state of Jin (located mainly in present-day Shanxi province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 成 meaning ‘accomplish’ or ‘become’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Cheng (郕) the name of a fief (located in present-day Henan province) granted to Shu Wu son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). His descendants adopted the name of the fiefdom as their surname and simplified it to 成 by dropping the second component of the Chinese character 郕. (ii) from the placename Cheng (郕) the name of a fief (located in present-day Shandong province) granted to Ji Dai by King Wu of Zhou (c. 1087–1043 BC). His descendants simplified the name of the fiefdom 郕 to 成 and adopted it as their surname. (iii) from Cheng Hu (成虎) style name of the son of Ruo Ao who was a high official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). His descendants inherited 成 part of his name as their surname. (iv) for some families the surname also originated from the Tu Ge tribe of the Huns resident in northwestern China. (vi) for other families the surname also originated in the indigenous tribes in ancient southern China.3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 承 meaning 'support bear' in Chinese: from Cheng Shu Cheng (成叔承) an official in the state of Wey during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).4: Chinese: Cantonese and alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 鄭 see Zheng.5: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 井 see Jing 3.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 岑 see Cen.7: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鐘 probably based on its Teochew Hokkien and Taiwanese pronunciation. See Zhong 1.8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 莊 probably based on its Teochew Hokkien and Taiwanese pronunciation. See Zhuang.9: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曾 see Zeng.10: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 陳 see Chen 1.11: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 張 see Zhang 1.12: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 清 see Qing 4.13: Southeast Asian (Hmong): from the name of the Cheng clan of the Hmong people in Laos China and Vietnam; in Chinese characters it is written 陳 (see Chen 1).
Cho : 1: Korean: written 조 in Chinese characters 趙 and 曺. There are only these two Chinese characters for the surname Cho. (i) Some records indicate a total of 210 different Cho clans which use the Chinese character 趙 but only fifteen can be documented with confidence. Each of these claims a different founding ancestor. Most of them trace their origins to the beginning of the Koryŏ kingdom (early 10th century). (ii) Only one clan the Ch’angnyŏng Cho uses the Chinese character 曺. The founder of this clan's name was Cho Kye-ryong (曺 繼龍). According to legend there was a certain scholar named Yi Kwang-ok whose daughter very much wanted to marry. A monk visited her and told her to go to Hwawang Mountain to pray at the dragon pond. The maiden did so and upon her return found herself to be pregnant. In a dream a young man with a crown and a jade belt appeared to her. A few months later in the 48th year of the reign of the Shilla King Chinp’yŏng (AD 626) she gave birth to a little boy under whose arm the Chinese character for Cho appeared in red. The king understanding the boy to be special named him Cho Kyeryong and married him to his daughter the princess. So began the Ch’angnyŏng Cho clan. Compare Jo 1 Joe 3 and Joh 1.2: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 祖 see Zu 1.3: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 左 see Zuo 1.4: Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surname 卓 see Zhuo 1.5: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 曹 see Cao 1.6: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 楚 see Chu 1.7: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鄒 see Zou.8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 巢 see Chao 1.9: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 周 see Zhou 1.10: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 趙 see Zhao 1.
Choe : 1: Korean (Ch’oe): written 최 in Chinese characters 崔 meaning ‘high’ or ‘precipitous’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname Ch’oe. Of the 326 Ch’oe clans listed in some sources only 43 distinct clans can be documented. The oldest Choi clan the Kyŏngju Choi was established some eight hundred years later by Choi Chi-wŏn (崔 致遠) a famous tenth century Korean official. Ch’oe is the fourth most common surname in Korea. The common Romanization Choi (see Choi 7) represents a French transliteration of the surname which is actually pronounced more like Ch’wae. The first Ch’oe Sobŏldori was one of the six elders of pre-Shilla Korea; he received his surname from the Shilla King Yuri Isagŭm in AD 32.2: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曹 see Cao 1.3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 徐 see Xu 1.
Chon : 1: Korean (Chŏn): written 전 in Chinese characters 全 meaning ‘complete’ or ‘perfect’. There are actually three Chinese characters for the surname Chŏn. (i) Some sources number the clans which use the most common character 全 as high as 178 but only seventeen have been documented. All of these descend from a common ancestor Chŏn Sŏp (全 聶). The founding king of the Koguryŏ kingdom (37 BC–AD 668) had three sons the youngest of whom went south and established what would later become one of Koguryŏ's rival kingdoms Paekche. This son took with him ten servants one of whom was Chŏn Sŏp. (ii) Five clans use the second most common Chinese character for their surname. These clans descended from different ancestors at least two of whom migrated to Korea from China. (iii) The clan which uses the least common character the Mun’gyŏng Chŏn descends from an ancestor named Chŏn Yu-gŏm. Chŏn Yu-gŏm was a minister sent from China to visit the Koryŏ court in the mid 14th century. He decided to stay in Korea and married the elder sister of a famous Koryŏ general Ch’oe Yŏng. When the Koryŏ kingdom fell to the Chosŏn kingdom in 1392 Chŏn abandoned his government post and retired to the countryside to pass the remainder of his years in peaceful obscurity. Compare Cheon Chun 11 Jeon and Jon 1.2: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 莊 see Zhuang.3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 張 see Zhang 1.
Chong : 1: Korean (Chŏng): written 정 in Chinese characters 鄭 丁 and 程. There are actually eight Chinese characters used to represent the surname Chŏng which is one of the most common Korean surnames but the clans that use five of these characters are extremely small. The characters 丁 and 程 are mainly found in Chŏlla province. (i) The clan which uses the Chinese character 丁 is descended from a Chinese Tang Dynasty minister named Tŏk-sŏng (徳盛) who immigrated to Korea and settled on Aphae Island in Shinan county Chŏlla South Province. (ii) The clan bearing the surname 程 is believed to be descended from Chinese immigrants but further details are not known. The founding ancestor of the Han San Chŏng clan was called Chŏng Hoe (程 淮). (iii) The most common of the three more numerous clans which uses the Chinese character 鄭 is the oldest and is widely distributed throughout the peninsula. It is probably of Chinese origin too. Some sources indicate that there are 215 separate Chŏng clans but only 32 of them can be documented. The earliest and largest Chŏng clan began in 32 AD when Chibaekho one of the six ruling elders of pre-Shilla Korea received the surname of Chŏng from the Shilla King Yuri Isagŭm (24–57 AD). Compare Cheong 5 Choung 1 Chung 11 Jeong 1 Jong 1 Joung Jun 1 and Jung 10.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 崇: from Chong (崇) the name of an ancient state (located in Songxian in Henan province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 种 adopted in place of another Chinese surname Zhong (仲) by the descendants of Zhong Shanfu (仲山甫) an official during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC) in order to escape from the feud.4: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 莊 see Zhuang.5: Chinese: variant Cantonese form of the surnames 鐘 and 仲 see Zhong 1 and 2.6: Chinese: variant Cantonese form of the surname 宗 see Zong.7: Chinese: variant Cantonese form of the surname 叢 see Cong 1.8: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 臧 see Zang.9: Chinese: Hakka form of the Chinese surnames 張 and 章 see Zhang 1 and 2. Hakka Chinese is spoken in southern China and certain other parts of Southeast Asia.10: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 蔣 see Jiang 2.11: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鄭 see Zheng 1.12: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曾 see Zeng.13: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 蒼 and 倉 see Cang.
Christmas : 1: English (southeastern): nickname from Middle English Criste(s)masse -messe ‘Christmas Day’ also ‘the Christmas season’ perhaps for someone who was born at Christmas or one who played the part of the King of Christmas in Yuletide games. The name was also established in County Waterford Ireland in 1622.2: Americanized form (translation into English) of French Noël (see Noel).
Chu : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 楚 meaning ‘pain’ or ‘clear’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from Chu (楚) the name of a state (covering Hubei Hunan Anhui Jiangsu and Jiangxi provinces) originally granted to Xiong Yi and finally annexed by the state of Qin in 223 BC. (ii) from the personal name Chu (楚) personal name of Lin Chu (林楚) an official in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) borne by descendants of Chu Long (楚隆) an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).2: Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 褚 meaning ‘padding in garment’: (i) from Chu (褚) the name of a fief (located in Luoyang in Henan province) granted to Duan prince of the state of Song who was revered for his virtue and known as Chu Shi (褚師). (ii) possibly from Chu (褚) the name of a pavilion or a canal (located in Luoyang in Henan province).3: Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 儲 meaning ‘store’ in Chinese: from the first element of the personal name Chu Zi (儲子) style name of an official in the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 初 meaning ‘initial’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by the descendants of Shu Xiong third son of the king Xiong Yan (died 828 BC) in the state of Chu during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). He failed in the competitions for the throne among the princes and later fled to the wild lands. He then adopted the surname Chu (初) a similar-sounding Chinese character to the name of his original state. (ii) said to be traced back to the royal families of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (iii) said to be traced back to Xue Hongzuo a general during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD) who was endowed with the surname Chu (初) by Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei (408–452 AD). (iv) said to be traced back to Qi Wei (祁暐) an official in the Northern Song dynasty (960 AD –1127 AD) who changed his original surname Qi (祁) to Chu (初) because the then emperor Emperor Zhenzong of Song (968–1022 AD) once called him by the wrong name Chu Wei (初暐).5: Chinese: Cantonese form and alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 朱 and 諸. Also alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 祝 竺 and 竹. See Zhu 1-5.6: Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 曲 瞿 屈 鞠 麴 璩 and 渠 see Qu 1-6.7: Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 鞠 居 巨 琚 and 劇 see Ju 1-5.8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 祖 see Zu 1.9: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 周 see Zhou 1.10: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曹 see Cao 1.11: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 趙 and 招 see Zhao 1 and 2.12: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 邱 and 丘 see Qiu 1 and 2.13: Korean: written 주 in Chinese characters 朱 meaning ‘red’ and 周 meaning ‘round’. There are only these two Chinese characters for the Chu surname in use in Korea. The character 朱 has only one clan associated with it (the Shinan Chu clan) and while some records indicate that the other has as many as 25 only four can be documented; all of these descended from a common ancestor Chu Hwang (周 璜) who was naturalized in 907 after fleeing from civil unrest in Tang China. This family claim to be descended from the ruling family of the Chinese Chu Dynasty. The Shinan Chu clan is descended from a man named Chu Cham (朱 潜) a direct descendant of the Chinese philosopher Chu-tze. Chu Cham migrated from China to Korea some time in the early 13th century. Chu is a fairly common surname and is found throughout the peninsula. Compare Chew 4 Choo 2 Joo 3 Jou 3 Ju 11 and Jue 4.14: Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 朱 (see Zhu 1).15: Vietnamese (Chử): from the Chinese surname 褚 (see 2 above). Also possibly a variant of Châu (see Chau).
Chun : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 春 meaning ‘spring (season)’ in Chinese: (i) traced back to Chun Zi (春子) or Chun Ju (春居) the name of officials during the reign of King Xuan of Qi (ruler of the state of Qi died 301 BC). (ii) from the first element of Chun Shen (春申) title of Huang Xie (314– 238 BC) known as one of the Four Lords of Warring States Period (475– 221 BC) and also prime minister of the state of Chu.2: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 晉 see Jin 3.3: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 秦 see Qin 1.4: Chinese: variant Cantonese form of the surname 全 see Quan 2.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 陳 possibly based on its Cantonese pronunciation see Chen 1.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鐘 see Zhong 1.7: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 莊 see Zhuang.8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 岑 see Cen.9: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曾 see Zeng.10: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 張 see Zhang 1.11: Korean: variant of Chŏn (see Chon 1).12: English (Wiltshire): variant of Chunn.
Cineas : Haitian: from the personal name Cineas Latin form of Greek Kineas which was borne by a wise Thessalian minister and friend to Pyrrhus the king of Epirus.
Clays : 1: from The Clays in Spurstow (Cheshire) recorded from the 14th cent. The place-name derives from a plural form of Old English clǣg ‘clay clayey soil’ and evidently alluded to an area of clayey places. 2: variant of Clay with Middle English plural -s or post-medieval excrescent -s. Compare Stephen Clay 1334-5 in Subsidy Rolls (Faversham Kent) with the 1381example of Cleys in Canterbury (8 miles away). Some early bearers might otherwise belong at (3). 3: from the Middle Dutch personal name Klaas Claes a pet form of Niklaas (see Nicholas). It is not known how many of the Dutch immigrants who swore oaths of loyalty to the king or who were taxed by him settled permanently in 15th-century England. Compare Clayson. 4: from Clies in Mawgan in Meneage (Cornwall). The place-name derives from Cornish *cleys ‘trench groove’.
Cong : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 叢: (i) from the personal name of Cong Zhi (叢枝) said to be head of an ancient state called Zhi which was annexed by the legendary Emperor Yao (c. 24th century BC). (ii) from the placename Cong Jia Yan (叢家硯) (located in present-day Wendeng in Shandong province) where descendants of Jin Midi (金日磾) (134–86 BC) lived. Jin Midi was a prince of the King Xiutu of the Huns. He once made a gold statue for the worship of Heaven and for this reason was given the surname Jin 金 (meaning ‘gold’) by the Emperor Wu of Han (156–87 BC).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 從 meaning ‘follow’ in Chinese: (i) simplified form of Cong (樅) the name of an ancient state (located in Anhui province) granted to the youngest son of King Ping of Zhou (died 720 BC). (ii) said to be borne by the descendants of Cong Gong (樅公 or 從公 Duke Cong) a general killed by Xiang Yu (232–202 BC).3: Vietnamese (Công): from the Chinese surname 公 see Gong 4.
Creed : 1: Irish (Cork and Limerick): shortened form of Creedon or a shortened variant of McCrudden through confusion with the Munster name Mac Críodáin (or Ó Críodáin).2: English: habitational name from Creed Farm in Bosham Sussex so named with the Old English word crēde ‘weeds plants’. In some cases the surname may be derived from the name of a place called Creed in Cornwall named for the patron saint of the church Saint Cride.3: English: from the Middle English personal name Crede (from Old English Crēoda the name of a Mercian king of unexplained etymology).
Da : Chinese:: 1: Mandarin form of the surname 達 said to be derived from the personal name Shu Da (叔達) a talent during the reign of the legendary king Zhuanxu (traditional dates: 2514–2437 BC); or adopted as a Han surname by other minority ethnic groups.2: Mandarin form of the surname 笪 a surname originating in ancient Jianzhou (located in present-day Fujian province) and Jurong (located in Jiangsu province) or a surname from the Hui ethnic group.
Dan : 1: Romanian; Hungarian (mainly Dán): from a short form of the Biblical personal name Daniel (Hungarian Dániel).2: Romanian: from a short form of the Slavic personal names Bogdan and Prodan.3: English (Devon and Cornwall): variant of Dann.4: Jewish (Israeli): from the Biblical personal name Dan a derivative of Hebrew din ‘to judge’.5: Vietnamese (Đan): unexplained.6: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 但 meaning ‘but’ in Chinese: from another Chinese surname Dan (旦) see 7 below.7: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 旦 meaning ‘dawn’ in Chinese: (i) from the personal name Dan (旦) fourth son of King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). (ii) adopted in place of another Chinese surname Huan (桓). Some descendants changed their surname in order to avoid feud and some did it because their surname Huan happened to be personal name of Emperor Qinzong of Song (1100–1156 AD) which was taboo in ancient China.8: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 淡 meaning ‘tasteless’ in Chinese: (i) a miswritten form of another homophonous Chinese surname 但 (see 6 above). (ii) said to be adopted as the surname by a citizen Liu Dan (劉淡) in Tongzhou (located in Shaanxi province) during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644 AD) because Liu Dan hated an atrocious eunuch called Liu Jin and did not want to bear the same surname with Liu Jin. As a result he changed his surname to his personal name Dan (淡).9: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 丹 meaning ‘red' in ancient Chinese: (i) said to be traced back to Dan Zhu the eldest son of the legendary Emperor Yao (c. 24th century BC) who was granted with a fief along the Dan River (located in present-day Henan province). (ii) a surname traced back to other minority ethnic groups in ancient northern China such as the Hui Manchu and Tangut people.10: Japanese: variously written as 段 ‘terrace’ (if topographic) or ‘rank’; 団 or 團 both ‘group’; 檀 ‘sandalwood’; 壇 ‘dais’ or ‘altar’; or 旦 ‘dawn’ (Chinese in origin). All of these tend to be found in central and western Honshū and in Kyūshū.
Dang : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 黨 meaning ‘faction party’ in Chinese which is traced back to a minority ethnic group in ancient northwestern China said to be descended from Xia Yu the first king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC).2: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 鄧 see Deng.3: Chinese: Teochew form of the surname 陳 see Chen 1.4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曾 see Zeng.5: Vietnamese (Đặng): from the Chinese surname 鄧 see Deng.6: German: from an old personal name Tanco cognate with modern German denken ‘to think’ Gedanke ‘thought’.7: In some cases possibly also English: unexplained. This name has apparently died out in Britain.
David : Jewish Welsh Scottish English French Breton Portuguese Czech Croatian and Slovenian; Hungarian (Dávid) Slovak (mainly Dávid): from the Hebrew personal name David (in Hungarian and Slovak spelled Dávid) interpreted as ‘beloved’. The name has been perennially popular among Jews in honor of the Biblical king of this name. His prominence and the vivid narrative of his life contained in the First Book of Samuel led to adoption of the name among Christians in the Middle Ages in various parts of Europe. In Britain the popularity of this as a personal name was increased for two reasons. Firstly by virtue of its being the name of the patron saint of Wales who was abbot-bishop in the 6th century at what became known as Saint David's in Pembrokeshire. There are numerous dedications and placenames honouring the saint in south Wales and it is no coincidence that the modern surname is heavily concentrated there especially in Glamorgan. Secondly the name was borne by two kings of Scotland (David I reigning 1124–53 and David II 1329–71). Its popularity in Russia is largely due to the fact that this was the ecclesiastical name adopted by Saint Gleb (died 1015) one of two sons of Prince Vladimir of Kiev who were martyred for their Christian zeal. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from some other languages especially Assyrian/Chaldean Dawid and Arabic Daud (with variants such as Daoud and Dawood).
Defrance : French (mainly northern): habitational name with fused preposition de ‘from’ given to someone from France (at the time when the name only applied to those lands belonging to the French king covering only a small part of its current territory) or from Île-de-France (i.e. from a region centered on Paris). Compare France.
Del Re : Italian: literally ‘of or belonging to the king’ (see Re) hence a name denoting someone belonging to the household or in the service of a king or the son of someone dubbed ‘The King’.
Deng : Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 鄧: (i) from Deng (鄧) the name of a state (located in Dengxian in Henan province) granted to Man Ji uncle of Wu Ding (a king of the Shang dynasty; 1600–1046 BC). (ii) from Deng Bowen (鄧伯溫) head of an ancient state (located in present-day Shandong province) dating back to the reign of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). (iii) from Deng (鄧) a fief (located in Hubei province) granted to descendants of Zhong Kang the 4th king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (iv) from Deng Cheng (鄧城 City of Deng) a town in the state of Cai (located in present-day Henan province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (v) from Deng (鄧) a title of Li Tianyi the 8th son of Li Yu (the last king of the state of Southern Tang (937–975 AD) during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907–960) periods). The state of Southern Tang was annexed by Emperor Taizong of Song (939–997 AD) in 975 AD and the royal families of South Tang were hunted down. Li Tianyi's son fled and changed the surname (Li) to Deng (鄧) his father's title.
Di : Chinese:: 1: Mandarin form of the surname 狄 a term referring to the tribes in ancient northern China: (i) from Di (狄) the name of an ancient state (thought to have been located in Hebei or Shandong province) which was granted to Xiao Bo or Kao Bo by King Cheng of Zhou (reigned 1042–1021 BC). (ii) adopted as a surname by the Ku Di (庫狄) family during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iii) traced back to other minority ethnic groups in ancient northwestern China.2: Mandarin form of the Chinese surname 邸 meaning ‘official residence’ in Chinese: (i) from placename Di (邸) the name of a county (unidentified location). (ii) said to be borne by some descendants of Kujula Kadphises (called 丘就郤 or 邸就郤 in Chinese 30–c. 80 AD) founder of the Kushan Empire (one branch of the Yuezhi people originating from western China) located in Central Asia during the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD).3: Teochew Hokkien and Taiwanese form of the surname 池 see Chi 1. The dialects of this pronunciation are found in eastern Guangdong Fujian and Taiwan from where many people migrated to Thailand Singapore and Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.
Dime : 1: perhaps from Middle English dime (Old French disme) ‘a tenth part’ paid to the King as a subsidy or to the Church as a tithe. The name might have been given to a tax or tithe collector. Compare (2). 2: French Dîme apparently from Old French disme ‘tenth tithe’ perhaps for a tithe collector.
Ding : 1: Chinese: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 丁 meaning ‘male adult’ or ‘population’ in Chinese: (i) from Qi Ding Gong (齊丁公 Duke Ding of Qi) posthumous title of Jiang Ji son of Jiang Ziya or Jiang Tai Gong (c. 11th century BC an official who lived during the Western Zhou dynasty). (ii) from the personal name of Ding Hou (丁侯) meaning ‘Marquis Ding’ title of an official during the late Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (iii) from the personal name of Ding Kuang (丁匡) originally called Sun Kuang a grandson of Sun Quan (182–252 AD). Sun Quan was the king of the state of Wu (located mainly in present-day Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces) during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). His change of surname was ordered by his grandfather whose displeasure he had incurred. (iv) from the personal name of Ding Qing (丁慶) a person in the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127 AD) who changed his original name Yu to Ding (丁). (v) the surname was also brought to China by immigrants from Central Asia. (vi) it can also be traced back to other minority ethnic groups such as the Shanyue group in southeastern China the Xianbei group in northern China and certain other groups in southwestern China.2: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鄧 based on its Teochew Hokkien or Taiwanese pronunciation. See Deng.3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 陳 possibly based on its Hokchew (Fuzhou) pronunciation a Min dialect spoken in the provincial capital of Fujian province see Chen 1.4: English (Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire): nickname possibly denoting a metal worker from Middle English ding ‘blow or beating’.
Dou : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 竇 meaning ‘hole’ in ancient Chinese: (i) adopted as a surname by Yue Zhu and Yue Long two sons of Shao Kang the sixth king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). Yue Zhu and Yue Long are said to have adopted Dou (竇) (meaning ‘hole’) as a surname because their pregnant grandmother had escaped from a rebellion through a hole in the wall before giving birth to their father Shao Kang who later recaptured the throne. (ii) traced back to the Dou (竇) family from the Di ethnic group and some other families from the Xianbei ethnic group in ancient China.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 豆 denoting an ancient stemmed cup of bowl: (i) traced back to some inhabitants in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) adopted as the surname by the Chi Xiao Dou (赤小豆) and Dou Lu (豆盧) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 鈄 referring to a type of ancient vessel for drinking wine: said to be borne by the descendants of the Duke Kang of Qi (died 379 BC) who was ousted from his throne in the state of Qi and sent into exile. It was said that he was forced to use the vessel Dou (鈄) to cook food during his exile and some of his descendants inherited Dou as the surname to memorize this period.4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 杜 possibly based on its Cantonese pronunciation see Du 1.5: French (southern): unexplained.
Drummond : 1: Scottish: habitational name from any of various places notably the barony of Drummond which is probably identical with the parish of Drymen (Stirlingshire) named from Gaelic drumainn a derivative of druim ‘ridge’. It has been said that the principal family of this name are descended from a Hungarian nobleman Maurice who accompanied Edgar Atheling and his sister Margaret to Scotland in 1068 where she married King Malcolm III. However there is disagreement on whether or not this was the case.2: English: occasionally perhaps from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Dromund (Old Norse Drómundr apparently from a word denoting a kind of Byzantine galley prevalent till the 12th cent. from Greek dromōn ‘runner’).
Du : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 杜 meaning ‘birchleaf pear’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by descendants of Du Kang (杜康) an official noted as a winemaker during the reign of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). (ii) from the placename Du (杜) the name of a city (located in Shaanxi province) granted to Du Bo (杜伯 the Earl of Du) head of the state of Du (杜) who was eventually killed by King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC). After that the state of Du (杜) was annexed and the name of the state was adopted as a surname. (iii) adopted as a surname by the Du Gu Hun (獨孤渾) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 都 meaning ‘capital’ in Chinese: (i) from the personal name Zi Du (子都) style name of Gong-Sun Yu an official in the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) shortened form of the compound surname Gong Du (公都) which is sometimes traced back to Tian a prince in the state of Chu who was granted the fief Du (都) or alternatively to Gong Du Zi (公都子) an official in the state of Qi.3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 堵 meaning ‘wall’ in ancient Chinese: habitational name from the placename Du (堵) the name of a fief (located in present-day Henan province) granted to Xie Bo an official in the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 度 meaning ‘measurement of length’ in ancient Chinese: (i) traced back to the inhabitants in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC). (ii) borne by descendants of officials in charge of regularizing units of length measurement in markets in ancient China.(iii) said to be one of the seven surnames from the Bandun Man ancestors of today's Tujia ethnic group in China who in the third century BC lived in southwestern China.5: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 督 meaning ‘to supervise’ in Chinese: (i) from the second element of the personal name Hua Du (華督) style name of the grandson of the Duke Dai of Song (ruler of the state of Song died 766 BC). (ii) from the first element of the personal name Du Rong (督戎) an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) from the first element of the placename Du Kang (督亢) the name of a fertile land (located in present-day Henan province) in the state of Yan during Warring States Period (475– 221 BC). (iv) a surname from the minority ethnic groups in southwestern China during the Eastern Han dynasty (25 – 220 AD).6: Vietnamese (Dư): from the Chinese surname 余 see Yu 1.7: Vietnamese (Dũ): from the Chinese surname 俞 see Yu 3.8: Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 游 see You 1.
Dvorak : Czech (Dvořák): status name for a rich farmer one who owned a manor house and an estate or in some cases an occupational name for someone who worked at a manor house rather than on the land from Czech dvůr ‘manor estate’. Compare Sedlak. In Moravia the term denoted a freeholder subject only to the king. This is the fourth most common surname in the Czech lands. Compare Devorak Dworak and Dworshak.
E : Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 鄂 a short form of present-day Hubei province: (i) from E (鄂) the name of an ancient state (located in Henan province) destroyed by the king Zhou last king of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) from the placename E (鄂) the name of a fief (located in Shanxi province) in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) from the placename E (鄂) the name of a fief (located in Hubei province) granted to the royal members of the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iv) possibly a surname from minority ethnic groups in southwestern China. (v) said to be adopted as a new surname by Yue Ting who changed his original name Yue (嶽) to E (鄂) because he fled to Huangmei in present-day Hubei province (called E (鄂) at that time) to avoid persecution after his father Yue Fei (1103–1142 AD) a famous Chinese general in the Southern Song dynasty (1127 – 1279 AD) was put to death by the then emperor.
Edmond : 1: Scottish English French and West Indian (mainly Haiti): from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Edmond (Old English Ēadmund composed of the elements ēad ‘prosperity fortune’ + mund ‘protection’). It is sometimes found as Admond where the vowel has been shortened. The personal name was still well used in England in the late 14th century especially in East Anglia and was often bestowed in honor of the East Anglian King Saint Edmund the Martyr (died 869) who was killed by pagan Danish invaders.2: English: occasionally a variant of Edman.3: French Canadian: altered form of English Edmunds.
Edward : English and Welsh: from the Middle English personal name Edward (Old English Ēadweard from ēad ‘prosperity fortune’ + w(e)ard ‘guard ward’). The popularity of the personal name was largely due to its being the name of the sainted Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Confessor and of three kings in the 13th–14th centuries.
Elias : Spanish (Elías); French (also Élias); Greek Catalan Portuguese English Welsh German Dutch Breton Assyrian/Chaldean and Jewish; Hungarian (Éliás); Czech (Eliáš); Slovak (Eliáš and Eliaš): from a personal name taken from the New Testament Greek form (Ēlias) of Hebrew Eliyahu ‘Jehovah is God’ (Anglicized as Elijah in the Old Testament of the King James Bible). This name was borne by a Biblical prophet but its popularity among Christians in the Middle Ages was largely a result of its adoption by various early saints including a 7th-century bishop of Syracuse and a 9th-century Spanish martyr. In North America this surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Assyrian/Chaldean Eliya or Elia Croatian and Slovenian Ilijaš or Iljaš. In medieval England the name generally took the form Ellis but in the 18th and 19th centuries Welsh Nonconformists adopted the form Elias as a patronymic.
Elijah : Welsh Jewish and African American: from the personal name Elijah the usual English transliteration in the King James Bible of the Hebrew name Eliyahu ‘Jehovah is God’ the name of an Old Testament prophet (compare Elias Ellis). As a Welsh surname this is a comparatively late adoption of the personal name adopted after Old Testament personal names became popular among Nonconformists.
Elliff : English: variant of Ayliffe from one of three Middle English personal names of Scandinavian origin Ailef Ailif and Ailof. Old Danish Old Swedish Elif (Old Norse Eilifr apparently from ei ‘ever’ + lifthr ‘alive lively’) and Elef (Old Norse Eileifr with leifr ‘remainder’) gave rise to Ayliff(e) Aliffe and Eliff. Old Danish Old Swedish Elaf gave rise to Ayloff but the names were probably confused with each other. Alternatively Ayliffe may also arise from the Middle English female personal name Aileve Old English Æthelgifu which was borne by a daughter of King Alfred the Great who became abbess of Shaftesbury.
Ely : 1: English: habitational name from Ely a cathedral city on an island in the fens north of Cambridge so named from Old English ǣl ‘eel’ + gē ‘district’.2: English French and Breton (Finistère): from the Middle English Old French personal name Elie Hely (Elijah in the King James Bible); see Ellis and Elias.3: English: variant of Healey.4: German: variant of Eley and in North America probably also an altered form of this.
Enoch : English Welsh African American and African (mainly Nigeria): from the Middle English and Old French personal name Enoc (Enoch in the King James Bible) a Latinized rendering of Hebrew Ḥanok ‘experienced’ or ‘dedicated’. It was the name of a son of Cain and the father of Methuselah in the Book of Genesis (4:17 and 5:22) and the name of the author of three Books of the Apocrypha. As a popular personal name among post-Reformation Nonconformists it also gave rise to some late surname formations in Wales. The surname is relatively common in Wales but much rarer in England where it is concentrated on the Warwickshire/Oxfordshire border usually in the form Enock.
Esther : 1: Jewish German and French: from the female name Esther from Hebrew Ester the name borne in the Bible by a Jewish captive of the Persian King Ahasuerus. According to the Biblical story she became his favorite concubine and by her wise persuasion managed to save the Jews of Persia from the machinations of the royal counselor Haman. Her name is probably a derivative of Persian esther ‘star’.2: Altered form of English Hester.
Ewen : 1: Scottish and English: from the Scottish personal name Ewen an Anglicized form of Gaelic Eòghan (Old Irish Eógan) sometimes rendered into Latin as Eugenius from Greek eugenēs ‘well-born’. The Gaelic name however means ‘born of the yew-tree’ (Old Irish eó). See McEwen.2: English and Welsh: from the Old and Anglo-Norman French personal name Iwain Breton Iven Even a borrowing of Welsh Owain Ewein Ywein ultimately derived from Latin Eugenius ‘well born’ (compare Owen). In Herefordshire and Lincolnshire the personal name was borne by men of Breton descent. Its medieval popularity may have been enhanced by the heroic figure of Ywain in the 12th-century History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth who subsequently appeared as one of King Arthur's knights in Arthurian romances. The character derived from a 6th-century historical person Owain mab Urien.3: German and East Frisian: patronymic from Evo a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with ēwe ‘law contract’ later ‘marriage’.4: Jewish (Israeli): from Hebrew even ‘stone’ a translation of the surname Stein or any of its compounds.
Fa : Chinese:: 1: Mandarin form of the surname 法 meaning ‘law’ in Chinese: from the first element of the personal name Fa Zhang (法章) personal name of King Xiang of Qi (ruler of the state of Qi died 265 BC). Some of his descendants adopted Fa (法) as their surname after the annihilation of the state of Qi.2: Cantonese form of the surname 花 see Hua 2.
Fan : Chinese:: 1: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 范 meaning ‘mould’ or ‘restrict’ in ancient Chinese: from the placename Fan (范) the name of a fief (located in present-day Fanxian in Henan province) granted to Shi Hui also known as Fan Wuzi (范武子) an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).2: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 樊 meaning ‘fence hedge’ in ancient Chinese: (i) borne by descendants of Tang the first king of the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). The Fan family was one of the seven clans of the Shang dynasty that were sent to the state of Wey after the annihilation of the Shang dynasty. (ii) from the placename Fan (樊) the name of a fief (located in present-day Jiyuan in Henan province) granted to Zhong Shanfu by King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC).
Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
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