Origin
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).
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.
Cerise : 1: Italian: habitational name from La Cerise or Torrent-La Cerise placenames in Valle d'Aosta from French cerise ‘cherry’ (see 2 below).2: French: from cerise ‘cherry’ (from Latin cerasus) applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or sold cherries.
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).
Lian : 1: Norwegian: habitational name from any of numerous farmsteads in Trøndelag named with the definite plural form of Li 11.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 連 meaning ‘link connect’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Lian Cheng (連稱) an official in the state of Qi (located in present-day Shandong province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) from the second element of the personal name Hui Lian (惠連) the third son of Lu Zhong a descendant of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). (iii) from the first element of Lian Yin (連尹) and Lian Ao (連敖) names of two official posts in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iv) traced back to the Lian (連) family members of the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China; possibly a shortened form of the Xianbei surname He Lian (赫連). It was also adopted as a surname during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD) by two other Xianbei families Shi Lian (是連) and Tai Lian (太連).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 練 meaning ‘white silk’ or ‘skilled’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the first element of the placename Lian Xiang (練鄉) the name of a fief (located in present-day Fujian province) in the state of Min a small state during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907–960 AD). (ii) from the personal name of Lian Xiang (練何) who was a general with the original surname Dong (東) during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) but later endowed with the surname Lian (練) (meaning ‘skilful experienced’) because he was highly skilled in military training.4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 廉 which meant (among other things) ‘inspecting or investigating’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the second element of the personal name Da Lian (大廉) style name of the great-grandson of the legendary king Zhuanxu (traditional dates: 2514–2437 BC). (ii) adopted as a surname by Lian Xi Xian (廉希憲) because his father Bu Lu Hai Ya a Uygur had been appointed to an official post called Lian Shi (廉使) during the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368 AD). One of the ancient meanings of Lian (廉) is ‘inspecting or investigating’; inspectors with this title were charged with examining the social order and maintaining stability; also investigating charges of corruption against local government officials.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 梁 see Liang 1.6: Burmese (Chin): from a part of a male compound personal name from lian ‘(to become) great’. — Note: Since Chins do not have hereditary surnames this name element was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
McIlmoyle : from Mac Giolla Mhaoil ‘son of the bald lad’. The usual anglicized spelling of Irish ao was oy (see Boyle) but due to later phonetic changes there was possible confusion with Mac Giolla Mhichil ‘son of the servant of (Saint) Michael’ in some areas see McMeel. In Scotland the variant Mac Gille Mhaoil was confused with or anglicized by McMillan (compare Irish McMullan).
Mo : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 莫 meaning ‘nothing; nonexistent’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Mo (鄚) the name of a fief (located in Renqiu in present-day Hebei province) in the state of Zhao during the Warring States period (475–221 BC). This fief may be identical with the city of Mo built by the legendary king Zhuanxu (traditional dates: 2514–2437 BC). When the name of the fiefdom was adopted as a surname the Chinese character 鄚 was simplified as 莫 and adopted as a surname. (ii) from Mo Ao (莫敖) said to be the name of an official position in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) approximately equivalent to ‘deputy prime minister’. Descendants of people who were appointed to this position adopted 莫 (Mo) as their surname. However it is said that Mo Ao (莫敖) was also the name of an official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) whose descendants inherited 莫 as their surname. (iii) shortened form of Xing Mo (刑莫) Mo Na Lou (莫那婁) and Mo Duo Lou (莫多婁) surnames from the Xianbei ethnic group in ancient northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iv) simplified form of another ancient Chinese surname 幕 (Mu in Mandarin pinyin) said to be borne by descendants of Yu Mu ancestor of the legendary Emperor Shun (c. 23rd century BC). They settled mainly in Julu and Jiangling in Hubei province.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 墨 meaning ‘ink’ in Chinese: (i) from the personal name of Mo Ru (墨如) said to be the teacher of Yu the first emperor of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) shortened form of the compound surname Mo-Tai (墨台 or 墨胎) the surname of the royal family of an ancient state called Gu Zhu (located in present-day Hebei province) during the late Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (iii) it is also said that the surname is borne by descendants of Mo Tai (墨台) a prince of the state of Song (located in present-day Shangqiu in Henan province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).3: Chinese: Cantonese Teochew Hokkien and Taiwanese form of the surname 毛 see Mao 1.4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 牟 see Mou 1.5: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 武 and 巫 see Wu 3 and 4.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 茅 see Mao 2.Also Cantonese form of the surname 冒 see Mao 3.7: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 慕 see Mu 2.8: Burmese: variant of Moe 5.9: Amerindian (Guatemala): Mayan name from mo ‘macaw’ a kind of parrot. Compare Moo.10: Norwegian: variant of Moe 1.11: Portuguese and Galician: habitational name from any of the places called Mó or A Mó in Portugal and Galicia (Spain) from Latin molam ‘millstone’ referring to a great stone.
Sun : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 孫 meaning ‘grandson’ in Chinese: (i) from Hui Sun (惠孫) style name of the son of the Duke Wu of Wey (ruler of the state of Wey c. 853–758 BC). Hui Sun's grandson later inherited 孫 part of the style name of his grandfather as his surname. (ii) from Sun Shu (孫書) an official in the state of Qi (located mainly in present-day Shandong province). He was given the surname 孫 by the Duke Jing of Qi (ruler of the state of Qi died 490 BC) because of his contributions in the war between the state of Qi and the state of Lü (located in Shandong province). Sun Wu (孫武 also known as Sun Tzu) a prominent militarist during the Warring States period (475–221 BC) famous for his book The Art of War was a descendant of Sun Shu. (iii) from Sun Shu (孫叔) style name of Sun Shu Ao (c. 630–593 BC) a famous official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). His descendants inherited 孫 part of the style name as their surname. (iv) for some families the surname is traced back to Xun (荀). People with the surname 荀 changed it to 孫 during the reign of Liu Xun (劉恂) also known as Emperor Xuan of Han (91–49 BC) because it had the same pronunciation as the personal name of the emperor which was taboo in ancient China. After the death of Han Xuan Di some people kept the surname 孫 while others changed it back to their original surname 荀.2: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 荀 see Xun 1.3: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 申 (see Shen 2) 辛 (see Xin 1) and 山 (see Shan 2).4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 沈 see Shen 1.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 岑 see Cen.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 宣 see Xuan 1.7: Korean: variant of Son 1.
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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
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