Origin
Wood : 1: English: mainly a topographic name for someone who lived in or by a wood from Middle English wode ‘wood’ (Old English wudu). In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages such as French Bois and Dubois and Polish Les.2: English: in a few cases a nickname for an eccentric or perhaps a violent person from Middle English wode ‘frenzied wild’ (Old English wōd).3: In some cases also an Americanized form of French Gadbois and Houde.
Acklam : from either Acklam (ER Yorks) or West Acklam (NR Yorks) both of which are recorded as Aclun in 1086 Acclum in the 12th century. The etymology of the place-names is uncertain. They possibly contain Old Scandinavian *ak(k)ul- ‘ankle’ (used in Norwegian place-names with the sense ‘slope’) in the dative plural form *ak(k)lum i.e. ‘(place) at the slopes’. Alternatively they may derive from an Old English *āc-lēah ‘oak wood oak-tree clearing’ in the dative plural form *āc-lēum i.e. ‘(place) at the oak-tree clearings’.
Aeschliman : Americanized form of Swiss German Aeschlimann: topographic name for someone who lived near a (small) ash tree or ash wood from Esche (Old High German asc) ‘ash’ + the diminutive suffix -li + -mann ‘man’ or perhaps a derivative of Öschli a pet form of a vernacular form of the personal name Oswald. Compare Aschliman Eschliman Eshelman and Eshleman.
Aristizabal : Basque: Castilianized form (Aristizábal) of Ariztizabal a topographic name for someone who lived by a large oak wood from Basque areitz ‘oak’ + zabal ‘broad wide’.
Aschenbrenner : German: occupational name for someone who prepared ash from wood fires for use in glassworks and soapworks etc. from Middle High German asche esche ‘ashes’ + brenner ‘burner’. Compare Ashabranner and Ashenbrenner.
Ashburner : English (northern): occupational name for a maker of potash i.e. someone who burned wood in order to obtain potash (lye) from the ashes. Lye was used in a variety of medieval manufacturing applications including bleaching cloth making glass and making soap.
Ast : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German ast German Ast ‘knot (in wood) branch’ hence a nickname for a tough or awkward individual or a metonymic occupational name for a lumberjack. As a Jewish name it is artificial.2: North German: occupational name from Middle Low German arste ‘physician’ a variant of Arzt.3: German: habitational name from any of the places so named in Bavaria.4: French (southern): from Occitan ast ‘pike’ or ‘lance’ probably an occupational name for a maker of these weapons. The surname is however most common in Alsace and Lorraine where it is no doubt of German origin (see above).
Averley : variant of Haverley (see Habberley) with loss of initial H-. This is explicit in Mary Averley or Aberley 1625 Edward Aberley 1708 in IGI (Rugeley Staffs) and in Edwd Habberley 1702 Edward Haverley 1708 Charles Aberly 1732 Eleanor Joyce Averley 1815 in IGI (Saint Giles Cripplegate London).perhaps from Aversley Wood in Sawtrey (Hunts now Cambs) with loss of medial -s-. The place-name is recorded as Ailbrittesle in 1209 Aylbritesle in 1245 and Albrichelee in 1290 and derives from the Old English personal name Æðelbeorht (genitive Æðelbeorhtes) + lēah ‘open woodland’. A(i)lbrit(s)ley will have been simplified to something like Aber(s)ley and Aver(s)ley but it is not known when. If the spelling of his surname is reliable it is conceivable that John de Averle 1279 in Hundred Rolls (Hunts) provides early evidence for it and it could account for the surname in 17th-century Cambs but the absence of any medieval spellings of the place-name with Aber- or Aver- makes it difficult to assess its plausibility.perhaps a variant of Aveley with -er- as an inverted spelling of medial unstressed -e-. Compare Martha Averley 1787 Martha Aveley 1788 William Aveley 1833 in IGI (Soham Cambs) but spellings with -er- occur much earlier for the Soham family name for which Aveley is more likely to be a late spelling of Averley.
Baisden : English (Surrey Kent and Essex): habitational name from Basden Wood in Hawkhurst Kent. The placename is from the Old English personal name Beadu (or the same as an abbreviation of a compound name) + denn ‘swinepasture’. Compare Baysden.
Bark : 1: English: perhaps a variant of Bargh a habitational name from Barugh in Yorkshire Barff Hill in East Yorkshire or Barugh in North Yorkshire (all named with Old English beorh ‘hill’); or a topographic name for someone who lived ‘(by the) hill’ (from Middle English bergh Old English beorh).2: North German and Dutch: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood from berke ‘birch’ or alternatively for someone who lived on a mountain (see Barg). Compare Berk.3: Dutch: possibly from a pet form of the personal name Barnhard (see Bernhard). Compare Berk.4: Polish: nickname from bark ‘shoulder’.
Bas : 1: Catalan: habitational name from a place so named in the district of La Garrotxa Catalonia.2: Basque: topographic name for someone who lived by a wood from baso ‘wood forest’.3: Polish Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) and Ukrainian: metonymic occupational name for a musician from Polish Yiddish and Ukrainian (respectively) bas ‘bass viol violoncello’. For Jews the surname can come from any of the three languages in question as well as from German Baß.4: French: from Old French bas(se) ‘short of low stature’ (from Latin bassus ‘thickset’ i.e. wide as opposed to tall) a descriptive nickname for a short person. Compare Lebas.5: Dutch: from a short form of the personal name Sebastiaan (see Sebastian).6: Slovenian (Baš): from an old short form of the personal name Sebastjan (see Sebastian). Compare Bash.7: Turkish (Baş): ornamental name nickname or status name from baş ‘head’ also ‘chief’.8: Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) and Ukrainian: nickname for someone with a deep voice from Ukrainian bas ‘deep voice’. For Jews the surname can also come from the Yiddish word with the identical meaning.
Basa : 1: Catalan: variant of Bassa a topographic name from bassa ‘pool pond’.2: Basque: topographic name for someone who lived by a wood a derivative of baso ‘wood forest’.3: Hungarian: from the old personal name Basa or from Bazsa a pet form of Bazsil from Greek Basileios (see Basil). In some cases the Hungarian surname could be a derivative of basa ‘pasha’ (see Pasha) probably as a nickname for a self-important person or someone who had dealings with the Turkish authorities or occupying forces.4: Polish: metonymic occupational name for a musician from basa dialect form of bas ‘bass viol violoncello’.5: Slovenian and Croatian (Baša): from an old short form of the personal name Sebast(i)jan (see Sebastian). The Slovenian surname may be in part also of different Croatian origin (see below).6: Croatian and Serbian (Baša): status name or honorific title from baša ‘senior chief distinguished person’ a loanword from Turkish baş (see Bas 7 and compare Turkish name in 8 below).7: Croatian: nickname or metonymic occupational name from basa ‘kind of sheep's milk cheese’.8: Turkish (Başa): ornamental or status name from başa a regional variant of baş ‘head’ also ‘chief’ (see Bas 7) denoting someone who is senior e.g. ‘senior colleague’ (compare Croatian and Serbian name in 6 above).9: Filipino: from basa ‘to read’ a loanword in various languages of the Philippines from Malay baca which originates from Sanskrit vac ‘to speak’; probably a nickname for a learned person.10: Indian (Himachal Pradesh and other parts of northern India): ethnic name from the name of a scheduled tribe claiming descent from Asa and Basa two mythological brothers.
Berk : 1: Dutch and Polish: from a pet form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with ber(n) ‘bear’ e.g. Bernhard.2: Dutch (Van Berk) and North German: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood from Middle Dutch Middle Low German berke ‘birch’.3: Sorbian (Běrk): occupational name for a collector of taxes from a derivative of braś ‘to take’. It is found mainly in Germanized forms such as Berg and Birke.4: Slovenian: probably a nickname from an old spelling of brk ‘a hair under the nose’ (singular of brki ‘mustache’).5: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Berg.6: Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from berk ‘firm strong’.
Berkemeier : German (Westphalia): distinguishing name for a tenant farmer whose farm was by a birch wood from Middle Low German berke ‘birch’ + meier ‘tenant farmer’ (see Meyer).
Berkman : 1: Dutch: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood from Middle Dutch berke ‘birch’ + man ‘man’.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Berke.3: German and Scandinavian: variant of Bergmann and Bergman and in North America (also) an altered form of these.4: Possibly also an Americanized form of German (Westphalia) Berkemann: habitational name for someone from Berka (see Berka) formed with -mann ‘man’.
Besse : French: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood from Occitan bès ‘birch tree’ or a habitational name from (La) Besse the name of several places mainly in southern France named from the same word (ultimately from Gaulish betu).
Bessette : 1: French: topographic name designating a small wood of birches from Occitan bès ‘birch tree’ (see Besse) or a habitational name from (La) Bessette the name of several places in the southern part of France.2: Alternatively an altered form of French Besset: topographic name a cognate of 1 above. Altered ending reflects the Canadian and American French practice of sounding the final -t.
Birch : English German Danish and Swedish: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood from an ancient Germanic word meaning ‘birch’ (Old English birce byrce ‘birch’ Middle High German birche Old Danish birk). In some cases the German and English name may be derived from any of the places called with this word such as Birch in Aargau (see Birke) or Birch in Essex. In Swedish the name is in many instances ornamental.
Bircher : 1: South German and Swiss German: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood from Middle High German birche ‘birch’ + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.2: English: habitational name from Birchover in Derbyshire or Bircher in Hereford both named as from Old English birce ‘birch’ + ofer ‘ridge’.
Birchmeier : Swiss German: distinguishing name for a tenant farmer whose farm was by a birch wood from Middle High German birche ‘birch’ + meier ‘(tenant) farmer’ (see Meyer).
Birdwood : for someone who lived ‘(by the) wood frequented by birds’ Middle English bird brid + wode (Old English bridda + wudu) or at a place so named especially Birdwood (Gloucs).
Birkholz : German: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch wood from Birke ‘birch’ + Holz ‘wood’ or a habitational name from any of various places called Birkholz.
Bish : 1: Americanized form of German Bisch.2: English: topographic name for someone who lived ‘(by the) thicket ’ from Old English (ge)bysce or from places so named such as Bish Wood in Sussex and Bysshe Court in Surrey.
Blaxland : from Blaxland Farm on the edge of West Blean Wood near Canterbury (Kent). The place-name is from the Old English male given name Blæc in the genitive case with -es + land ‘agricultural land’.
Bloch : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name for someone in Eastern Europe originating from Italy from Polish włoch meaning ‘Italian’ (originally ‘foreigner’; see Vlach).2: German and Swedish: variant of Block.3: Danish: from blok ‘block (of wood)’ hence a nickname for a large lumpish person or from German Block (compare 2 above).
Blocher : German: from a derivative of Middle High German bloch ‘block of wood stocks’ hence presumably a metonymic occupational name for a jailer. See also Block.
Block : 1: German and Dutch: from Middle High German bloch Middle Dutch bloc ‘block (of wood)’ in any of several senses for example a topographic sense denoting a fenced field a nickname for a large lumpish man or a metonymic occupational name for a shoemaker or a milliner.2: English (mainly Suffolk): descriptive nickname from Middle English blok bloke usually meaning either ‘pale wan pallid’ (Old English blāc) but perhaps sometimes ‘black’ (of hair or appearance). The name could be interchangeable with the equally ambiguous Black and Blake. Alternatively it may be an nickname derived from Middle English blok(ke) bloke ‘block (of wood)’ perhaps for someone thought to be stupid or someone who made or used wooden blocks. Compare Blocker and 1 above.3: Americanized form of Jewish (Ashkenazic) Bloch.
Blumhardt : German:: 1: topographic name from several woods in Württemberg so named from Middle High German bluome ‘flower’ hart ‘rock wood mountain range’.2: from an ancient Germanic personal name composed of bluom ‘flower’ + hard ‘strong hard’.
Boatfield : English (Devon): habitational name from Boatfield near East Leigh in Coldridge or possibly Bootfield Wood in Burrington.
Bockholt : North German: topographic name for someone who lived near a beech wood from Middle Low German bōk ‘beech’ + holt ‘wood’.
Bockrath : North German: probably a topographic name for someone who lived in a clearing in a beech wood from Middle Low German boke ‘beech’ + rāt ‘clearing’.
Boecker : North German (also Böcker):: 1: habitational name from any of several places in northern Germany named with Middle Low German boke böke ‘beech tree’ (see Boeckmann) or a topographic name for someone who lived by a beech tree or beech wood.2: shortened form of Bödeker ‘cooper’ (see Boedeker).
Boeckmann : North German (Böckmann): topographic name for someone who lived by a beech tree or beech wood from Middle Low German boke böke ‘beech tree’ + man ‘man’; or a habitational name for someone from any of the places named Böck Böcke or Böcken all from Middle Low German boke böke ‘beech tree’. Compare Bockman.
Boeschen : North German (Böschen): topographic name from Middle Low German bosch ‘bush woods’ the dative plural indicating a location near a wood or a habitational name from any of several places so named.
Boesman : Flemish:: 1: derivative of Boso an ancient Germanic personal name based on the element bōs ‘bad evil wild angry’ (see Bos 1).2: topographic name for someone who lived or worked in a wood (see Bosman 1).
Bois : 1: French: topographic name for someone living or working in a wood from (Old) French bois ‘wood’ (from Late Latin boscum ‘bush shrub undergrowth’ of ancient Germanic origin) or a habitational name from (Le) Bois the name of several places in various parts of France. This surname is also found in Haiti. Compare Debois and the most frequent French form Dubois. Compare also Boie Boies and Boyce.2: English: variant of Boyce and Boyes.
Boock : 1: Dutch: topographic name for someone who lived by a beech tree or in a beech wood from Middle Low German buche.2: German: habitational name from any of various places so named in Altmark and Pomerania.3: German: variant of Book.
Boreham : English: habitational name from Boreham (Essex) Boreham Wood in Elstree (Hertfordshire) Boreham Street in Wartling (Sussex) or Boreham in Warminster (Wiltshire). The placenames in Essex Sussex and Hertfordshire are probably named with Old English bor ‘hill’ + ham ‘homestead’. Compare Boram and Borom.
Bosche : 1: German: variant of Bosch.2: French (also Bosché): variant of Boschet a topographic name for someone living or working in a wood from Old French boschet ‘little wood’ hence a variant of Bosquet. Alternatively a variant of Boscher an occupational name for a forester.
Bosco : Italian: topographic name for someone living or working in a wood from bosco ‘wood’ from Late Latin boscus ‘shrub undergrowth’ (of Gallic or ancient Germanic origin) or a habitational name from a place called with this word. In some cases it may have been an occupational name for a woodsman or forester and by extension a nickname for a surly or rough person. Compare Lo Bosco.
Bosker : 2: English: occupational name from Middle English busker ‘wood cutter wood seller’. Compare Bosher.1: Dutch: variant of Bosscher ‘lumberjack’ (see Busscher) found mainly in the province of Groningen. Compare Busker.
Bosman : 1: Dutch: from bos ‘wood’ + man ‘man’ a topographic name for someone who lived or worked in a wood (see Bosch compare Bos 2). This surname (in any of the two possible senses; see also 2 below) is also established in South Africa. Compare also Bossman.2: Dutch: variant of Bos 1 + man ‘man’.3: English (East Yorkshire): occupational name most likely from the surname Bowes + Middle English man for a servant of a man with the surname Bowes.4: Americanized form of German Bosmann: variant of Bossmann (see Bossman).
Bosso : Italian:: 1: from bosso ‘box tree’ probably applied as a topographic name but possibly also as a metonymic occupational name for a wood carver or turner.2: variant of Boso.
Bostel : from any of various places named with Old English borgsteall ‘place of refuge’ later ‘pathway up a steep hill’ as for example Bostal Road in Poynings (Sussex) Boarstall (Bucks) Borstal Bostall Wood Borstal Hall Borstalhill Farm (Kent) and Boshill (Devon).
Botley : English: habitational name from any of the places called Botley in Hampshire Berkshire Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire all of which are probably named with either the Old English personal name Bōta + lēah ‘woodland clearing’ or Old English bōt + lēah denoting a wood in which timber could be acquired.
Bousquet : French (southern): topographic name for someone living or working in a wood from a diminutive of Old Occitan bosc ‘wood’ (see Bosch compare Bois) or a habitational name from (Le) Bousquet the name of several places in the southern part of France. Compare Bosquet Booska and Buskey.
Bowler : 1: English (mainly East Midlands): occupational name from an unrecorded Middle English word boler ‘worker at a bole or lead-mining site’ (Middle English bole ‘bowl’) here denoting a round cavity on top of a high hill where lead was smelted.2: English: occupational name from Middle English bollere boler bolour bulour ‘maker or seller of bowls dishes or cups’ (from Old English bolla ‘bowl drinking vessel’ + the agent suffix -er and Old French bole bule ‘bowl’). Medieval bowls were made of wood as well as of earthenware.
Braidwood : Scottish: habitational name from either of two places called Braidwood (‘broad wood)’ in Lanarkshire and Midlothian.
Breitzman : Americanized form of East German Breitzmann: topographic name for someone who lived by a birch wood from a Germanized form of a Slavic word meaning ‘birch’ (brěza in Old Slavic).
Brick : 1: Irish: Anglicized form of Ó Bric ‘descendant of Breac’ a personal name from the adjective meaning ‘freckled’. Compare Brack probably derived from breac as an epithet.2: Welsh: from ap y Brych ‘son of a man called y Brych (‘the freckled one’)’. Compare 1 above.3: English: topographic name for someone who lived at a place where birch trees grew from a metathesized form of Middle English birke or a habitational name from a place so named. Compare Birch Britch and Birks.4: German: topographic name for someone who lived in a swampy wood from brick breck ‘swamp wood’.5: Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Yiddish brik ‘bridge’ probably a topographic name.6: Americanized form of German Brück (see Bruck).7: Americanized form of Slovenian Bric (see Britz).
Brickland : perhaps from Birklands in Edwinstowe (Notts) which is recorded as Birchewude in 1203 and Birkelund(e) in the 13th century and with the metathesized forms Brikland in 1474 and Brykkeland in 1530. The place-name derives from Old English birce ‘birch’ + wudu ‘wood’ but was remodelled as if from Old Scandinavian birki ‘birch’ + lúndr ‘small wood grove’. However no medieval bearers of this surname can be found and so it may have an alternative unknown origin.
Buch : 1: German: topographic name for someone who lived by a beech tree or in a beech wood from Middle High German buoche or a habitational name from any of numerous places called with this word notably in Bavaria and Württemberg as well as in Austria and Switzerland.2: Danish: from German (see 1 above) or a nickname from Danish buk ‘he-goat’.3: Czech Slovak and Polish: from the personal name Buch a short form of Budislav (Polish Budzisław) or some other Slavic name composed with the element bud ‘to inspire’ (from Old Slavic buditi). In some cases it may also be of German origin (see 1 above).4: Germanized form of Slovenian Buh: nickname from dialect Buh ‘God’ or from buh ‘strong sudden blow of air’.5: Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name or nickname from German Buch or Yiddish bukh ‘book’.6: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Buche ‘beech tree’ (compare 1 above).7: Indian (Gujarat and Mumbai): Brahmin and Parsi name of unexplained etymology.8: Indian (Punjab): Sikh name based on the name of a Jat clan of unexplained etymology.
Bucher : 1: English: variant of Butcher.2: German and Swiss German (also Bücher): topographic name for someone who lived by a beech tree or beech wood from Middle High German buoche ‘beech tree’ + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant or a habitational name for someone from any of numerous places called Buch. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine).3: French: occupational name for a woodsman from a derivative of buche ‘log’. Alternatively in Alsace and Lorraine a surname of German origin (see 2 above).4: Americanized form of Slovenian and Croatian Bučar (see Bucar).
Buchholz : 1: German: topographic name for someone who lived near a beech wood from Middle High German buoch ‘beech’ + holz ‘wood forest’ or a habitational name from a place called Buchholz of which there are numerous examples especially in northern Germany. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine).2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Buchholz ‘beech wood’ (see 1 above). Compare Buchholtz Bucholtz Bucholz Buckholtz and Buckholz.
Buchmeier : German: distinguishing name for a tenant farmer (see Meyer) who lived by a beech tree or beech wood (Middle High German buoche).
Buchner : 1: German (also Büchner): topographic name for someone who lived by a beech tree or beech wood a variant of Buch + the suffix -(n)er denoting an inhabitant; or a habitational name for someone from any of various places called Buch Buchen or Büchen.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a scholar or scribe from German Buch ‘book’ Yiddish bukh + the agent suffix -ner.
Buckhurst : from one or more of the numerous places so called such as Buckhurst in Cudham Buckhurst in Hever Buckhurst Farm in Cranbrook Buckhurst in Frittenden (all Kent) Buckhurst in Withyham Buckhurst Manor in Wadhurst and Buckhurst Wood in Salehurst (all Sussex). The place-name is from Old English bōc ‘beech’ + hyrst ‘wood especially one on a hill’.
Buis : 1: Dutch: patronymic from the ancient Germanic personal name Buso see Bus.2: Dutch: metonymic occupational name for a fisherman on a type of ship called a buis. Compare Bice Bise and Byce.3: French: from buis ‘box (tree)’ in any of a number of possible applications. It may have been a topographic name for someone who lived by a box thicket or a metonymic occupational name for a worker in the wood.
Burscough : from Burscough (Lancs) which is recorded as burgechou and Burscogh in about 1190. The place-name derives from Old English burh 'fortified place' + Old Scandinavian skógr 'wood'. See also Biscoe.
Busch : 1: German (also Büsch): topographic name for someone who lived by a thicket or wood from Middle Low German Middle High German busch ‘bush copse’ or a habitational name from a place called with this word or Büsch.2: Dutch: variant of Bosch.
Busque : French (southern): habitational name from a place called Busque in southern France or a variant of Busquet ‘little wood’ (see Bousquet) a topographic name for someone living or working in a wood.
Bywood : denoting someone who lived by a wood. Compare Attwood.
Capstaff : perhaps an altered form of Capstack; itself a variant of Copestake. While the surname may appear on comparison with Copestake to derive from Middle English coupen ‘to cut’ + staf ‘stick of wood rod’ this is unlikely as no medieval bearers of such a name have been found. Compare Francis Capstack 1731 in IGI (Newcastle upon Tyne Northumb) with the 1740 bearer below.
Carballo : 1: Spanish and Galician: from carballo ‘oak’ hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a conspicuous oak tree or in an oak wood or a habitational name from any of several villages so named in Galicia.2: Asturian-Leonese: topographic name from a Castilianized form of carbayu ‘oak’.
Carpenter : 1: English (southern): occupational name for a worker in wood Norman French carpentier (from Late Latin carpentarius ‘cartwright’).2: Americanized form (translation into English) of German Zimmermann French Charpentier Italian Carpentieri or cognates and equivalents in various other languages.
Carver : 1: English: occupational name from Middle English kerver ‘one who cuts or carves (something)’ especially wood hence ‘carpenter’ but within that trade more specifically and commonly ‘sculptor of wooden images’; perhaps occasionally ‘sculptor in stone’.2: Americanized form of German Garber Gerber or Körber (see Koerber).
Cerreta : Italian: topographic name for someone who lived by an oak wood or in a place with an abundance of turkey oaks from Latin cerretum plural cerreta.
Cesa : Italian: habitational name from any of various places called Cesa or Cese for example Cesa in Caserta province Campania named in Latin Caesa with a derivative of caedere ‘to cut’ denoting a place cleared of wood.
Chalkley : English (Hertfordshire and Middlesex): habitational name from an unidentified place (probably in southern England where the surname is commonest and where chalk hills abound) apparently named with Old English cealc ‘chalk’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’. The source may be Chalkley Farm in Hawkesbury Gloucestershire or an unidentified place apparently in or near Hertfordshire; Chalkleys Wood in Saint Pauls Walden (Hertfordshire) seems to take its name from the surname rather than vice versa.
Charpentier : French: occupational name for a worker in wood a carpenter Old French charpentier (from Late Latin carpentarius ‘cartwright’). This surname was also brought to England by Huguenot refugees.
Chene : 1: French (Chêne): from Old French chesne ‘oak’ (from Late Latin caxinus) hence a topographic name denoting someone who lived near a conspicuous oak tree or in an oak wood or a habitational name from (Le) Chêne the name of several places in various parts of France. Compare Dechene and Duchene.2: Altered form of French Chesne a variant of 1 above or a habitational name from (Le) Chesne the name of several places in the northern part of France.3: English (of Norman origin): variant of Cheyne.
Cheney : 1: English: variant of Chaney with the same etymology as in 2 below.2: French: topographic name for someone who lived by or in an oak wood from Old French chesnai ‘oak grove’ (from chesne ‘oak’) or a habitational name from any of several places called (Le) Cheney e.g. in Haute-Savoie named with this word. Compare Chesney.3: French Canadian: altered form of French Chesnay or Chenay topographic names with the same meaning and etymology as in 2 above or habitational names from (Le) Chesnay or (Le) Chenay names of several places in the northwestern part of France based on Old French chesnai ‘oak grove’. Compare Chenette and Chenier 2.4: French: habitational name from Cheney in Yonne which takes its name from a Gallo-Roman estate Caniacum from the Roman personal name Canius + the locative suffix -acum.
Chenier : 1: French (Chénier): topographic name for someone who lived by an oak wood or in area characterized by oak trees from a derivative of Old French chesne ‘oak’ (see Chene); or a habitational name from Chénier Chéniers or (Le) Chesnier names of several places in the westcentral part of France of the same etymology.2: Altered form (Chénier) of French Canadian Cheney 3.
Chesney : 1: Scottish and Irish (Antrim Down): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac (an) tSasanaigh see McChesney.2: English (of Norman origin): variant of Chaney a cognate of 3 below.3: French: topographic name for someone who lived by or in an oak wood from Old French chesnai ‘oak grove’ (from chesne ‘oak’). Compare Cheney 2.
Chipp : 1: English: from Middle English chip chippe ‘small piece of wood chipped or cut off’ possibly a nickname given to a carpenter or a woodcutter to a small person or to a youngster resembling his father (‘a chip off the old block’).2: English and Scottish: occasionally perhaps a variant of Cheape either a nickname from Middle English chepe ‘bargaining bargain price’ probably given to a merchant or trader or possibly a habitational name from Cheapside a broad street in London in which markets were held recorded as Chepe in medieval documents.
Claridge : English: habitational name from Clearhedge Wood in Sussex which is probably named with Old English clǣfre ‘clover’ + hrycg ‘ridge’.
Cleaver : 1: English (South Midlands and Oxfordshire): from Middle English clevere ‘one who cleaves’ (a derivative of Old English clēofan ‘to split’) hence an occupational name for someone who split wood into planks using a wedge rather than a saw or possibly for a butcher. Alternatively on occasion possibly a topographic name from Middle English cleve ‘bank slope’ (from the dative of Old English clif) + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.2: Americanized form of German and Dutch Klever and perhaps also of German Kliewer.
Cloud : 1: English: topographic name for someone who lived near an outcrop or hill from Old English clūd ‘rock’ (only later used to denote vapor formations in the sky) or a habitational name from any of numerous places so named such as Temple Cloud (Somerset) Cloud Bridge (Warwickshire) and Clouds Wood (Hertfordshire).2: Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on a word such as Lakota and Dakota Sioux mahpiya meaning ‘cloud’. Among the Sioux several of their traditional personal names with this element were adopted as surnames (translated into English) e.g. Iron Cloud (see Ironcloud) and Red Cloud (see Redcloud).3: French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Hlodald composed of the elements hlōd ‘famous clear’ + wald ‘rule’ which was borne by a Christian saint and bishop of the 6th century.
Condie : Scottish: habitational name from Condie in Forteviot parish in southern Perthshire. The placename survives in Path of Condie and Condie Wood.
Conibear : from Middle English cony ‘rabbit’ + berwe ‘grove wood’ (Old English bearu) for someone who lived by a wood frequented by rabbits.
Cowley : 1: English: habitational name from any of various places called Cowley. One in Gloucestershire is named with Old English cū ‘cow’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’; two in Derbyshire have Old English col ‘(char)coal’ as the first element; and one near London is from Old English cofa ‘shelter bay’ (see Cove) or the personal name Cofa. The largest group however with examples in Buckinghamshire Devon Oxfordshire and Staffordshire were apparently named as ‘the wood or clearing of Cufa’; however in view of the number of places called with this element it is possible that it conceals a topographic term as well as a personal name.2: Irish: shortened form of Macaulay (see McCauley).3: Manx: shortened form of Gaelic Mac Amhlaoibh ‘son of Amhlaoibh’ (a Gaelicized form of Old Norse Óláfr). For an alternative Manx form of the same patronymic see Callow.
Coyde : 1: variant of Coyte with voicing of /t/ to /d/. 2: perhaps for someone who lived at or near a wood from Welsh coed ‘wood’.
Dalling : English:: 1: habitational name from Field Dalling or Wood Dalling in Norfolk which was named in Old English as ‘the place of the people associated with a man named Dealla’.2: patronymic from an early Middle English personal name Dalling (Old English Dealing) or perhaps from the Middle English personal name Daulin a rhyming pet form of Rawlin ‘little Ralph’.
Dauenhauer : South German: occupational name for a stave maker from Middle High German dūge (from Latin doga) ‘stave’ + agent derivative of hauen ‘to cut wood to carve’.
Debois : 2: Altered form of French Dubois a cognate of 1 above.1: French: topographic name with fused preposition de ‘from’ for someone living or working in a wood (see Bois).
Detherage : 1: English: occupational name for someone who chopped up wood into tinder Middle English dethewright from dethe ‘fuel’ ‘tinder’ + wright ‘maker’.2: Possibly a much altered form of German Dieterich or Dietrich.
Dickert : German:: 1: from a shortened form of Diekhardt a personal name composed of the elements Diek a short form of Diederik (see Dederick) + -hart ‘hard strong’.2: from an inflected form of Dick 2 with excrescent -t.3: topographic name for someone who lived near a wood or thicket from Middle Low German dick + the collective suffix -et enlarged to -ert. Compare Dickard.
Ditton : English (Kent): habitational name from any of numerous places called Ditton for example Ditton in Kent Buckinghamshire and Lancashire; Fen Ditton or Wood Ditton in Cambridgeshire; or Thames Ditton or Long Ditton in Surrey all from Old English dīc ‘ditch dike’ + tūn ‘enclosure settlement farmstead’.
Dowler : 1: English (West Midlands): occupational name for a maker of felloes (wooden wheel rims) from a derivative of Middle English doule deul dul ‘felloe’ probably a borrowing of Old French do(u)ele ‘stave (of a barrel)’ and applied to the curved pieces of wood that form the circular rim of a wheel. Modern English dowel ‘headless pin peg or bolt’ may be the same word but this sense is not recorded in Middle English.2: Irish (Leitrim): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Dalachair ‘descendant of Dalachair’ from a personal name possibly meaning ‘lover of assemblies’ (dál). It was also Anglicized as Dallagher.
Draeger : North German (also Dräger):: 1: occupational name from Middle Low German dreger drager Middle Dutch drager ‘porter carrier’; sometimes ‘guarantor’ or ‘negotiator’.2: occupational name for a wood turner Middle Low German dreyer dreger. Compare Drager.
Drayer : 1: Dutch: variant mostly archaic or Americanized of Draijer an occupational name for a wood or bone turner Middle Dutch drayere an agent derivative of draaien ‘to turn’.2: Probably an altered form of South German Dreher.
Drechsler : German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Dressler. Drechsler became the standard German term for the occupation of wood turner. This surname is also found in Poland and Czechia.
Dressler : German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a turner from Middle High German dreseler or dræselære (formed by the addition of a superfluous agent suffix to Old High German drāsil ‘turner’ a primary derivative of drāen ‘turn spin’). A turner would make small objects not just from wood but also from bone ivory and amber all of which were widely used in the Middle Ages for their decorative value. This surname is also found in Poland and Czechia. See also Drechsler compare Tressler.
Dreyer : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname derived from German drei ‘three’ Middle High German drī(e) with the addition of the suffix -er. This was the name of a medieval coin worth three hellers (see Heller) and it is possible that the German surname may have been derived from this word. More probably the nickname is derived from some other connection with the number three too anecdotal to be even guessed at now.2: North German and Scandinavian: occupational name for a turner of wood or bone from an agent derivative of Middle Low German dreien dregen ‘to turn’. See also Dressler.3: Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name from Yiddish dreyer ‘turner’ or a nickname from a homonym meaning ‘swindler cheat’.4: English: variant of Dryer.
Dubois : French Walloon and English (of French Huguenot origin): topographic name with fused preposition and definite article du ‘from the’ for someone living or working in a wood (see Bois) or a habitational name for someone from any of several places in various parts of France and in Belgium (Wallonia) named Le Bois. This is the most frequent surname in Wallonia. It is also found in the Flemish part of Belgium the Netherlands Germany and Haiti. In both England and North America it is sometimes translated into English as Wood 1 or Woods 3. Compare Deboe Debois Deboy Duboise and Dubose.
Dubos : French: regional variant of Dubois a topographic name with fused preposition and definite article du ‘from the’ for someone living or working in a wood (see Bos) or a habitational name for someone from Le Bos the name of several places in various parts of France.
Dufau : French (southern): topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent beech tree or in a beech wood from Occitan fau ‘beech’ (from Latin fagus) with fused preposition and definite article du ‘from the’.
Earnshaw : English (Yorkshire and Lancashire): habitational name from Earnshaw in Bradfield Yorkshire. The placename means ‘eagle wood’ from Old English earn ‘eagle’ + sceaga ‘small wood copse’.
Eaves : English: 1: topographic name or habitational name from Middle English atte evese (Old English efes ‘edge’) for someone who lived ‘at the edge’ (i.e. at the border or edge of a wood or hill) or at a place so named particularly Eaves in Chorley (Lancashire). Compare Reeves.2: variant of Eve with post-medieval excrescent -s.
Edgerly : English: habitational name from Edgerley (Shropshire) Edgerley Farm in Hurstpierpont (Sussex) Edgerley Farm in Clanfield (Oxfordshire) or Hedgerley Wood in Chinnor (Oxforshire).
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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
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
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