Origin
Fort : 1: French Walloon English and Catalan: nickname from Old French Middle English Catalan fort ‘strong brave’ (from Latin fortis). Compare Lefort.2: French: from Fort a French form of the Latin personal name Fortis (from fortis ‘strong brave’) chosen by early Christians as a symbol of moral strength and steadfastness and borne by an obscure saint whose cult was popular during the Middle Ages in southern and southwestern France. Compare St. Fort.3: French: habitational name from (Le) Fort the name of several places in various parts of France named with Old French fort ‘stronghold’ (from the adjective fort ‘strong’). Compare Lefort.4: Czech (Fořt): variant of Forst.
Acaster : from Acaster Selby or Acaster Malbis (both WR Yorks) which are recorded as Acastre in 1086. The place-names mean ‘Roman fort on the river’ from Old Scandinavian á ‘river stream’ (probably replacing Old English ēa ‘river’) + Old English cæster ‘Roman fortification’.
Alba : 1: Spanish Italian and Romanian: habitational name from any of several places called Alba derived either from a pre-Roman word meaning ‘hill fort fortified settlement’ or named with Latin alba feminine of albus ‘white’. Compare De Alba.2: Romanian: from the old female personal name Alba from albă ‘white’ (from Latin alba).
Almodovar : Spanish (Almodóvar) and Portuguese (Almodôvar): habitational name from any of the places called Almodóvar in the provinces of Ciudad Real and Córdoba and near Cuenca Spain or from Almodôvar Portugal. These are named with Arabic al-mudawwar ‘the round the circular’ referring to a hill fort or other topographic feature.
Altenburg : German: habitational name from any of various places called Altenburg literally ‘old fort’ generally denoting the site of a Roman fort or prehistoric earthwork.
Beaufort : French and English (of Norman and French Huguenot origin): habitational name from (Le) Beaufort the name of several places in various parts of France notably in Nord Somme and Pas-de-Calais from Old French bel ‘beautiful’ + fort ‘fort fortified castle’. The surname Beaufort is rare in Britain. Compare Beauford Buford and Blueford.
Belfort : French: habitational name from any of various places so named from Old French bel ‘beautiful’ + fort ‘fort fortified castle’. This surname is most common in Brazil and Haiti.
Berrington : English: habitational name from Berrington (Shropshire) or Berrington Green in Tenbury (Worcestershire). The Shropshire placename is from Old English byrig the dative case form of burg ‘earthwork fort stronghold’ + tūn ‘village’. The Worcestershire placename may have the same origin.
Burrow : English:: 1: topographic name for someone who lived by a castle or manor house or in a town especially a chartered town or borough (Middle English burgh Old English burg ‘fortified place borough manor’) or a habitational name for someone who came from a place so named because it was a fortified town or near an ancient fort such as Burrow (Leicestershire Lancashire) Burrough Green (Cambridgeshire) Brough (numerous counties) and Peterborough (Northamptonshire); see also Burgh.2: topographic name for someone who lived on a hill or near a mound (Middle English bergh Old English beorg) or a habitational name for someone who came from a place so named such as Burrow (Devon Somerset). Middle English bergh became throughly confused with burgh in 1 above. Compare Burrough.
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.
Burward : from the Old English personal name Burgweard (from burg 'fortress' + w(e)ard 'guard protector'). In theory it might be confused with Breward in early-modern times.
Castor : 1: French German Spanish and West Indian (mainly Haiti): from the Latin personal name Castor borne by one of the Greco-Roman mythological Dioscuri twins (the other being Pollux) and by several early Christian saints (see astor">Kastor 1).2: English (Nottinghamshire): habitational name from any of the places called Caistor in Lincolnshire Caister in Norfolk or Castor in Northamptonshire all named with Old English cæster ‘Roman fort or town’.3: German: humanistic surname a translation into Latin of Biber from castor ‘beaver’.4: Americanized form of German Kaster.
Chester : English: habitational name from Chester the county seat of Cheshire or from any of various smaller places called with this word (as for example Little Chester in Derbyshire Chester le Street in County Durham or Chesters in Northumberland) which is from Old English ceaster ‘Roman fort or walled city’ (from Latin castra ‘legionary camp’).
Chesterman : English: possibly a topographic name for someone who lived by a Roman fort Old English ceaster or a habitational name for someone from any of the places mentioned at Chester.
Constable : 1: English (southeastern): occupational name for the law-enforcement officer of a parish from Middle English Old French conestable cunestable from Late Latin comes stabuli ‘officer of the stable’. The title was also borne by various other officials during the Middle Ages including the chief officer of a household or court or a military officer and this may in some cases be the source of the surname.2: Americanized form of Dutch Constapel an occupational name for the chief gunner aboard a ship or in the garrison of a fort.
Demaray : Altered form of Demarest 2 a surname of French origin. The surname Demaray is also found among Native Americans (the Three Affiliated Tribes i.e. the Mandan Hidatsa and Arikara Nation) in Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in ND.
Devaney : Irish:: 1: (Armagh and Down): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Duibheamhna from a personal name based on dubh ‘black’ + the genitive of Eamhain the Gaelic name of Navan fort County Armagh the legendary capital of Ulster.2: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Duibheanaigh ‘descendant of Duibheannach’ a personal name of uncertain origin; the first element is dubh ‘black’ the second may be eanach ‘marshy place’. The surname has become confused with Devane.
Doncaster : English: habitational name from Doncaster in Yorkshire from the river name Don (a Celtic name meaning ‘water river’) + Old English ceaster ‘Roman fort or walled city’.
Dorchester : English (Middlesex and Berkshire): habitational name either from Dorchester in Oxfordshire or Dorchester the county seat of Dorset. Both stem from Celtic names Dorcic and Durnovaria respectively + Old English ceaster ‘Roman fort or walled city’.
Dufort : French:: 1: habitational name with fused preposition and definite article du ‘from the’ for someone from Le Fort the name of several places in various parts of France (see Fort 3).2: patronymic from Lefort meaning ‘son of the strong’. Compare Deford Dufford and Duford.
Elborough : 1: in SW England probably from Elborough in Hutton (Somerset) recorded as Illebera Eleberie in 1086 and Elleberwe in 1185. The place-name derives from the Old English personal name Ella *Iella + Old English bearu ‘wood grove’. The substitution of -borough (Old English burg ‘fortified place’) for -bery is common in English place-names and in this instance may have been reinforced by the presence in the same parish of an Iron Age hill fort (known as Elborough Hill but the name is of uncertain antiquity).more doubtfully from Elbury (now lost) in Shirehampton (Henbury parish Gloucs) recorded in 1299 as Elleberge and probably denoting ‘elder-tree mound’ (Old English elle + beorg). The earliest surname form de Elleb[ur]ghe is recorded in Westbury on Trym next to Henbury but no evidence has been found that Elbury was an inhabited place in the medieval period. 2: in east Kent probably from Hillborough in Reculver (Kent) with loss of initial H-. The 13th-century bearers cited below constitute the earliest evidence for the place-name which is independently recorded as Halberghe in 1341 Halybergh in 1378 Hilbarowe in 1479 and Helboro Helborough Elboro in 1499–1500. It derives from Old English hālig ‘holy’ + beorg ‘hill mound’. Some instances of the name in London may alternatively belong at (1).
Fortescue : English (of Norman origin): nickname from Old French fort ‘strong’ + escu ‘shield’.
Fortier : French:: 1: occupational name for someone employed at a fortress or castle from an agent derivative of Old French fort ‘stronghold’ (from the adjective fort ‘strong’).2: variant of Forestier derived from forêt ‘forest’. Compare Forkey.
Fortman : 1: Americanized form of German Fortmann.2: English: nickname from Old French fort ‘strong’ + mains ‘hands’.3: English: variant of Fortnam a nickname from Old French fort ‘strong’ + anon ‘young ass’.
Fortnam : from Old French fort ‘strong’ + anon ‘young ass’.
Fortune : 1: English: from Anglo-Norman French fortin a diminutive of Old French fort ‘strong’. Compare Fortin 1.2: English: from the Latin personal name Fortunus or a variant of Forton.3: Scottish: habitational name from East and West Fortune in Athelstaneford East Lothian probably so named from Old English fōr ‘hog pig’ + tūn ‘settlement enclosure’. John de Fortun was servant to the abbot of Kelso c. 1200. This name also became established in Ireland from an early date and was Gaelicized there as Ó Foirtchcheirn.4: Altered form of French Fortin.5: French (Fortuné): from the personal name Fortuné a vernacular form of the Late Latin personal name Fortunatus meaning ‘prosperous happy’.6: Americanized form of Italian Slovenian and Croatian Fortuna or Norwegian and Slovenian Fortun.7: Americanized form of Dutch Fortuin: from fortuin ‘luck fortune’ a topographic or habitational name referring to a house named with this word.
Gloster : English (Warwickshire): habitational name from the city of Gloucester. The place originally bore the British name Glēvum (apparently from a cognate of Welsh gloyw ‘bright’) to which was added the Old English element ceaster ‘Roman fort or walled city’ (from Latin castra ‘legionary camp’).
Kastel : 1: German: topographic name for someone living near a castle or fort from Kastell ‘fort citadel’ (from Latin castellum) or a habitational name from any of numerous places in Germany so named (more usually Kastell).2: Dutch (Van Kastel): same as 1 above or a variant of Van Gastel a habitational name for someone from Gastel in North Brabant.3: In some cases also an American shortened form of Slovenian Kastelic or of Croatian Kaštelan (see Castellan 2).
Kastelic : Slovenian: variant of Kostevc a habitational name denoting someone from the Kostelsko region in Lower Carniola named after the castle of Kostel. The surname Kastelic may in some cases also be a topographic name for someone who lived in or near a castle or a fort kastel. Compare Kostelec.
Lanchester : from Lanchester (Durham) which is recorded as Langescestre about 1150. The place-name derives from Old English lang ‘long’ (perhaps a modification of the initial part of the Romano-British name of the fort here Longovicium) + ceaster ‘city Roman fortification’.
Lefort : 1: French and Walloon: nickname from French le fort ‘the strong’ (see Fort 1). It is also found in Germany where it is probably of Alsatian origin (compare Lefor) and in Haiti where it most likely originates from the nickname Lefort.2: French and Walloon: habitational name from Le Fort the name of several places in various parts of France and in Belgium (Wallonia); see Fort 3.3: English: variant of Fort with fused French definite article le.
Milfort : 1: Haitian: ornamental name composed of French mil ‘thousand’ and fort ‘strong’ which can be interpreted as ‘very strong’.2: Haitian: alternatively perhaps a variant or an altered form of French Millefort a topographic name derived from (en) mi le fort ‘in mid the fort’ denoting a house in the vicinity of a fortress. The surname Millefort is very rare in France.3: In some cases probably also Czech and Alsatian: altered form of German Mühlfort a habitational name from a place so named in Düsseldorf. The surname Milfort is rare in Czechia and Alsatia.
Monfort : 1: French and Breton: habitational name from any of numerous places called Montfort from Old French mont ‘hill’ (see Mont 1) + fort ‘strong impregnable’ (from Latin fortis). This surname is by far most common in Brittany. It is also found in Haiti. Compare Montfort 1 see also 2 below.2: Altered form of Dutch Montfoort a variant of Montfort 2 and also a cognate of the French name in 1 above and an altered form of its variant Montfort 1 (or perhaps vice versa).3: English (of Norman origin): rare variant of Mountford a cognate of 1 above.
Mountford : English (Staffordshire; of Norman origin): habitational name from Montfort-sur-Risle (Eure) or from one or other of various places called Montfort in France (from Old French mont ‘hill’ + fort ‘fortress’). Early forms of this name are indistinguishable from those of Mundford in Norfolk perhaps indicating an alternative habitational name (see Munford).
Peel : 1: English (mainly northern): topographic name for someone who lived or worked at a small castle a wooden fort or a house defended by a palisade (Middle English and Old French pel piel ‘stake pallisade’) or a habitational name from a place so named.2: English (mainly northern): variant of Pell.3: English (mainly northern): nickname from Middle English and Old French pel ‘stake’ perhaps for a tall thin person.4: Dutch: habitational name from any of the places so called in North Brabant (where there is also a district called De Peel) and Dutch Limburg from De Peel in Ravels Antwerp province or from Pedele in Kaggevinne and in Adorp Brabant.5: German: possibly a habitational name from a lost or unidentified placename.6: Perhaps an altered form of German Piel or Piehl.
Rocafort : Catalan: habitational name from any of the places called Rocafort composed of roca ‘rock’ and fort ‘strong’.
St. Fort : Haitian (also Saint-Fort):: 1: ornamental name composed of French saint ‘saint’ and fort ‘strong’ which can be interpreted as ‘powerful saint’.2: alternatively perhaps a habitational name from any of several places in France named Saint-Fort (from the dedication of their churches to an obscure Christian saint with this name; see Fort 2). Compare Saintfort.
Telfort : Haitian:: 1: ornamental name composed of French tel ‘such’ and fort ‘strong’ which can be interpreted as ‘very strong’.2: alternatively perhaps an altered form of French Delfort a variant of Dufort.
Torborg : 1: Swedish: from the personal name Tor (see Thor) + borg ‘castle fortress’ probably an ornamental name.2: North German: topographic name from Low German to der borg (burg) ‘at the fort or castle’.
Winchester : English: habitational name from the city in Hampshire so named from the addition of Old English ceaster ‘Roman fort or walled city’ (from Latin castra ‘legionary camp’) to the Romano-British name Venta of disputed origin.
Work : 1: Scottish (Orkney): habitational name from the lands of Work in the parish of Saint Ola Orkney.2: English: from Middle English werk ‘earthwork fortification’ Older Scots wark ‘work building’ (both from Old English (ge)weorc) a topographic or occupational name for a person who lived or worked at a fort earthwork or similar construction or a habitational name from any place so called such as Wark (Northumberland).3: Danish: habitational name from a place so called.
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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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