Origin and popularity of the name HE
Origin
He : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 何 which meant ‘ask’ or ‘what?’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the surname Han (韓) the name of a state during the Warring States period. In 230 BC the state of Han was annihilated by the state of Qin. Some of the descendants of Han Wang An (韓王安 'An King of Han') the last king of Han fled to the area around the Yangtze and Huai (淮) rivers where the surname Han (韓) had a similar pronunciation to that of the Chinese character He (何) in the local dialects so they adopted the surname He (何) as a surname.(ii) from one of the 'Nine Sogdian Surnames’ in Chinese 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 He (何) in Chinese. Between 649 and 655 AD these states submitted to Emperor Gaozong of Tang (628–683 AD). The people from this state and their descendants acquired the surname He.(iii) from the name of He Miao (何苗) who changed his original surname Zhu (朱) to He (何) during the Western Han dynasty (206 BC–25 AD). (iv) For some families this surname is traced back to Suo Ming (鎖銘) the son of an ambassador (Suo Nan 鎖南) from Tibet in the 12th century AD. Suo Ming was appointed to a post in Hezhou (in present-day Gansu province) and endowed with the surname He by Hongwu Emperor (Zhu Yuanzhang founder of the Ming dynasty) in 1371 AD.(v) a surname of the Tuyuhun (吐谷渾) ethnic group originating in the Wudai Period (907–960 AD).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 賀 meaning ‘celebrate congratulate’ in Chinese: (i) a semantic variant of Qing (慶) (see Qing 1). In the Eastern Han dynasty (25– 220 AD) a descendant of the Qing family Qing Chun (慶純) a well-known official changed his surname to He (賀) which has the same meaning as Qing (meaning ‘celebrate’) because his surname Qing happened to be the personal name of Liu Qing (刘慶) the father of Emperor An of Han (94–125 AD) which was a taboo that Qing Chun wanted to avoid. (ii) shortened form of disyllabic surnames such as He Lan (賀蘭) He Lai (賀賴) He Dun (賀敦) which were surnames from the Xianbei ethnic group shortened to He through cultural fusion with the Han people during South and North Dynasties (420–589 AD). This surname is common in Henan province.3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 和 meaning ‘peace’ in Chinese: (i) for some families this surname is traced back to Xi He (羲和) an official in charge of astronomy during the reign of the legendary Emperor Yao (c. 24th century BC). His descendants He Zhong (和仲) and He Shu (和叔) took his personal name He (和) as their surname. (ii) for other families it is traced back to Bian He (卞和) a person from the state of Chu (楚) during the Spring and Autumn period (770 BC–476 BC) who discovered a gem known as He-shi Bi (和氏璧). (iii) from Su He (素和) a disyllabic surname from the Xianbei ethnic group.4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 赫: (i) said to be traced back to a legendary king He Xu Shi (赫胥氏). (ii) adopted as a Han Chinese surname by minority ethnic groups in China.5: Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surname 黑 see Hei 1.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 許 possibly based on its Hakka or Hokkien pronunciation see Xu 2.7: Chinese: Teochew form of the surname 夏 see Xia.8: Vietnamese (Hề): from the Chinese surname 奚 see Xi 1.
Abel : 1: English German Dutch Danish Norwegian French Spanish and Polish; Slovak (mainly Ábel) and Czech (also Ábel): from the Biblical personal name Abel Slovak Ábel which was used in continental Europe from the sixth century. After the Norman Conquest it was introduced to England and Scotland where it had a brief currency in the 12th and 13th centuries before being revived in England after the Reformation. In the Book of Genesis Abel is a son of Adam murdered by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:1–8). In Christian tradition he is regarded as a representative of suffering innocence. The Hebrew form of the name is Hebel (Latinized as Abel) from a vocabulary word meaning ‘breath’.2: German: from the personal name Abel a pet form of Albrecht.
Ackerman : 1: Dutch: occupational name from akkerman ‘farmer plowman’ (from akker ‘field’ + man ‘man’). Compare Akkerman Aukerman and Ockerman.2: English: from Middle English acreman ‘cultivator of the soil plowman’ (Old English æcerman from æcer ‘field acre’ + man ‘man’). Typically an acreman was a bond tenant of a manor holding half a virgate of arable land for which he paid by serving as a plowman. The term was also used generically to denote a plowman or husbandman.3: Americanized form of German Ackermann 1.4: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Ackermann 2.5: Americanized form of Swedish Åkerman (see Akerman). Compare Ockerman.
Anselm : English and German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Anshelm composed of the elements ans- ‘god’ + helm ‘protection helmet’. The personal name was taken to France and England by St. Anselm (c. 1033–1109) known as the Father of Scholasticism. He was born in Aosta Italy joined the Benedictine order at Bec in Normandy France and in 1093 became archbishop of Canterbury England.
Apolonio : 1: Portuguese and Spanish: from the personal name Apolonio (Portuguese Apolónio) from Latin Apollonius Greek Apollōnios meaning ‘consecrated to Apollo’ (see Apollo). This was the name of a Christian saint (Saint Apollonius the Apologist) who was martyred in Rome in 185 under the Emperor Commodus. He was noted for his calmly argued defence of Christianity under interrogation which led to his condemnation and martyrdom. This surname is most common in Mexico and the Philippines.2: In some cases also an altered form of Italian Apollonio.
Askari : Muslim (mainly Iran and Pakistan):: 1: from al-ʿAskarī the title of Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad (c. 846–874) the eleventh imam of the Shiites derived from ʿaskar ‘army’ an Arabic word of Persian origin (see Askar) itself borrowed into Persian. The imam got his title because he was kept under house arrest in Samarra (in present-day Iraq) then a garrison town.2: surname denoting descent from or association with someone called Askar. Compare Asgari.3: possibly also an occupational name from Arabic ʿaskarī ‘soldier’ (from ʿaskar ‘army’; see Askar).
Barnwell : 1: English (Warwickshire): habitational name from a place so called in Cambridgeshire and another in Northamptonshire both named with Old English beorn ‘warrior’ (genitive plural beorna) or the Old English personal name Beorna + well(a) ‘stream’.2: Irish (Dublin Meath): of English origin (the same as 1 above). Sir Michael de Berneval or de Barneval took part in Strongbow's expedition to Ireland in 1172. He first held land in Berehavan Cork before the main landing in Leinster. The English surname was Gaelicized as de Bearnabhal.
Basil : 1: English (Hertfordshire): from the Middle English personal name Basil itself from Old French Basil(e) Latin Basilius ultimately from Greek Basileios ‘royal’. The name was borne by a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia regarded as one of the four Fathers of the Eastern Church; he wrote important theological works and established a rule for religious orders of monks. Various other Christian saints are also known under these and cognate names. The popularity of Vasily as a Russian personal name is largely due to the fact that this was the ecclesiastical name of Saint Vladimir (956–1015) Prince of Kiev who was chiefly responsible for the introduction of Christianity to Russia. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed Italian cognate Basile 1 and some Greek and Slavic derivatives of the classical Greek personal name Basileios (see Vasil).2: Americanized form of French Basile 2 a cognate of 1 above.
Blasius : German and French (Lorraine and Alsace): from the Latin personal name Blasius from Greek Blasios which is of uncertain origin. It is believed that this was originally a byname for someone with some defect of speech or gait from Latin blaesus ‘stammering or lame’ Greek blaisos ‘bow-legged’. The name was borne by a Christian saint martyred in Armenia in 316 whose cult achieved wide popularity in particular as the patron saint of cripples and carders the latter by virtue of the fact that he was ‘carded’ to death i.e. his flesh was scraped off in small pieces with metal combs. In North America the Latin/German form of the name has absorbed cognates from some other languages and their patronymics and other derivatives e.g. Slovenian and Croatian Blaž (see Blaz) and its patronymics like Blažič and Blažić. Compare Blasier.
Bonaventura : 1: Italian: from the personal name Bonaventura meaning ‘good fortune’ bestowed as an omen or well-wishing name or in honor of a 13th-century Italian bishop and theologian St. Bonaventure (San Bonaventura in Italian) who was given the nickname Bonaventura by St. Francis of Assisi when he cured him miraculously as a child.2: Catalan: from the Italian personal name Bonaventura the name of a Christian saint (see 1 above).
Boniface : 1: English (Sussex) and French: from the personal name Boniface (from Latin Bonifatius a compound of bonum ‘good’ + fatum ‘fate destiny’; see also Bonifacio). Bonifatius was the name of the Roman military governor of North Africa in 422–32 who was a friend of Saint Augustine. It was also borne by various early Christian saints and was adopted by nine popes. One of the noted early Christian saints of this name (c. 675–754) was born in Devon and martyred in Friesland after evangelical work among ancient Germanic tribes; he is one of the Ice Saints (see Pankratz). In Latin the name was given chiefly to ecclesiastics rarely to men of the lower orders and Boniface was never very popular in England. In the Isle of Wight its use was possibly encouraged by a cult of Saint Boniface at Bonchurch.2: English: perhaps sometimes also a nickname from Anglo-Norman French bon enfas ‘good child’ with enfas as occasional nominative case for enfant understood by clerks as if the Christian saint's name Boniface (see 1 above). Compare Goodchild.
Bonomo : Italian: from the personal name Bonomo an omen or well-wishing name meaning ‘(we hope that he will be a) good man’ (from Latin bonus ‘good’ + homo ‘man’).
Boston : 1: English: habitational name from the place so named in Lincolnshire which means ‘Bōtwulf's stone’ (from the Old English personal name Bōtwulf + Old English stān ‘stone’). This has been considered to refer to Saint Botulf and to be the site of the monastery that he built in the 7th century but it is more likely that the Bōtwulf of the placename was an ordinary landowner and that the association with the saint was a later development because of the name.2: Americanized form of German Basten or Bastian or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname.
Cabading : Filipino: nickname derived from Ilokano badeng ‘love song’ + a Hispanicized form of the prefix ka- which can be both associative and reciprocal hence referring either to a singer or to a person to whom he sing (as in a duet).
Cavendish : 1: English: habitational name from a place in Suffolk named Cavendish from an Old English byname Cāfna (meaning ‘bold daring’) + Old English edisc ‘enclosed pasture’. Cavendish is the surname of the Dukes of Devonshire. They are descended from Sir John Cavendish who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench (1372–81). Under the Tudors and Stuarts a succession of shrewd and powerful heads of the family achieved political prominence and became extremely wealthy. William Cavendish 2nd Earl of Devonshire was a strong supporter of the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688 and of William of Orange (William III) against James II. In 1694 he was created Duke of Devonshire. The Latin family motto Cavendo tutus ‘safe through taking care’ is a pun on the surname.2: Manx: Anglicized form of Corjeag a shortened form of Mac Quartag ‘son of Svarteygr’ (from Old Norse meaning ‘black-eyed’). Folk etymology interpreted Corjeag incorrectly as Manx curjeig ‘alms-dish’ and equally incorrectly supposed that the surname Cavendish was a synonym meaning ‘giving-dish’. Manxmen's familiarity with the English surname presumably led to the substitution.
Cha : 1: Korean (Ch’a): written 자 in Chinese characters 車 meaning ‘cart’ or ‘wagon’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname Ch’a and the Yŏnan Ch’a clan is the only clan. Their founding ancestor was Ch’a Hyojŏn (車; 孝全) the son of a Koryŏ high minister named Yu Ch’a-tal (10th century AD). He served the incoming Koryŏ rulers with exceptional valour and loyalty so the Koryŏ monarch bestowed upon his first son the surname Ch’a (車) and enfeoffed him with Yŏnan County in Hwanghae South Province. Ch’a is a fairly common surname throughout the Korean peninsula but most of the clan's members live in Kyŏngsang province Hwanghae province or P’yŏngan province.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 茶 meaning ‘tea’ in Chinese: (i) possibly borne by the descendants of Lu Yu (733–804 AD) a famous figure during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) known as the Sage of Tea who wrote the book Classic of Tea. (ii) from the first element of the placename Chalin (茶陵 located in present-day Hunan province) said to be the place where the legendary Yan Emperor was buried. (iii) adopted in place of the surname Meng (蒙) by some members living in Yunnan in order to avoid persecution or feud. (iv) adopted as a Han Chinese surname by some minority ethnic groups in southwestern China.3: Chinese: Cantonese form and alternative Mandarin form of the surname 查 see Zha.4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 謝 see Xie 1.5: Southeast Asian (Hmong): from the name of the Cha or Chang clan of the Hmong people in Laos China and Vietnam; in Chinese characters it is written 張 (see Zhang 1). Compare Chang 14.
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).
Chantry : 1: English (Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire): from Old French chanterie a term which originally meant the singing or chanting of a mass but later came to denote in turn the endowment of a priest to sing mass daily on behalf of the souls of the dead the priest so endowed and eventually the chapel where he officiated. The surname therefore may have arisen from a metonymic occupational name for the servant of a chantry priest or possibly for the priest himself or alternatively from a topographic name for someone who lived by a chantry chapel.2: French (northern) and Walloon: nickname for a cantor from Old French chanterie (see 1 above).
Che : 1: Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 車 meaning ‘carriage’ or ‘cart’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by descendants of Che Ou (車區) an astrologist during the reign of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). (ii) shortened form of the surname Zi Che (子車) a surname of noblemen in the state of Qin. (iii) from Che Cheng Xiang (車丞相) literally ‘Carriage Prime Minister’ the title of Tian Qianqiu a prime minister during the Western Han dynasty (206 BC–25 AD). He earned the title because when he was old and decrepit Emperor Zhao of Han (94–74 BC) took pity on him and allowed him to move into and out of the palace by carriage instead of on foot. (iv) adopted as a surname by the Che Kun (車裩) and Che Fei (車非) families from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).2: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 謝 see Xie 1.3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 齊 see Qi 1.4: Vietnamese (Chế): written 制 in Chinese of unexplained etymology. It is found among the Cham people in southern Vietnam.5: Korean: variant of Chae.6: Amerindian (Guatemala Mexico and Belize; also Ché): Mayan name from che' ‘tree wood’.7: Catalan (Valencia): nickname from xe ‘typical person from Valencia’ (from the interjection xe!).
Cherriman : of uncertain origin. It looks like a compound of Cherry + man perhaps ‘one who sells cherries’ or ‘one who lives by a cherry tree’ or ‘servant of a man surnamed Cherry (see Cherry) but no medieval evidence for this surname has been found in Sussex or neighbouring counties. A more substantial possibility is that Cherriman is a re-modelling by folk etymology of Char(e)man a Sussex surname since the late 14th century (see Charman). McKinley notes that in late 16th-century Horsham Cheryman appears as the surname of a man otherwise called Chyryam or Chyriam and that Cherian appears in late 16th-century Pullborough where Cherryman is recorded in the following century. He proposes that Cherriman is an attempt to make sense of an otherwise unintelligible name. Redmonds suggests that this may be the Yorks family name Cherryholme (recorded as Cheriam in 1588) which could have migrated to Sussex. Alternatively Chyriam and Cherian might themselves have been local pronunciations of Cheryman or Chareman in which -man has been reduced and metathesized to -am. For a possibly similar change see Holyome.
Chez : 1: French: from chez ‘of the house of’. When a man of good lineage or repute became an outlaw this was added before his name to indicate both his status and the family of which he used to be considered a part. In some cases the chez was adopted as a surname in its own right and the surname was dropped. This surname is very rare in France.2: Americanized form of Polish Czyz ‘siskin’.3: Hispanic (mainly Dominican Republic): unexplained.
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.
Christ : 1: German and Dutch: from a short form of the personal name Christian or a nickname meaning ‘the Christian’. In both cases it is (ultimately) from the Latin name Christus ‘Christ’ which is from Greek Christos a derivative of chriein ‘to anoint’ a calque of Hebrew mashiaḥ ‘Messiah’ which likewise means literally ‘the anointed’. This is the title given to Jesus of Nazareth (see Jesus) as embodying the fulfilment of Messianic prophecy and expectation; he is the central figure of Christianity and most Christians believe he is the incarnation of God the Son. Compare Chrest Crist Ghrist and Krist.2: English: variant of Crist a cognate of 1 above.3: American shortened form of any of various Greek derivatives of the personal name Christos.4: American shortened and altered form of Bulgarian or Macedonian Hristov (compare Christoff) and also of some related or similarly pronounced Slavic surnames (see Krist).5: Americanized form of German Dutch Czech Slovak or Slovenian Krist a variant or cognate of 1 above.6: American shortened and altered form of any of various Italian surnames beginning with Crist-. Compare Crist.
Chronis : Greek: from a short form of the personal name Polychronis Polychronios an omen or well-wishing name meaning ‘(may he be) long lived’ (from poly ‘much many’ + chronos ‘time year’).
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).
Churchouse : from Middle English chirche hous ‘church house’ a house belonging to or used by a church; a parish room probably used to denote the caretaker of such a house though he may also have lived there.
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.
Consiglio : Italian:: 1: from consiglio ‘advice’ (from Latin consilium) a nickname for a wise or thoughtful man or possibly for a fearful one (as in modern Italian) or an occupational name for a member of a council or similar body.2: from a short form of the personal name Buonconsiglio which is either an omen or well-wishing name meaning ‘may he give (or receive) good advice’ (see 1 above) or a Marian name from the cult of Madonna del Buon Consiglio ‘Our Lady of Good Counsel’.
Damian : 1: Spanish (Damián) German Romanian Italian and Polish: from the personal name Damián Damian respectively Greek Damianos (from damazein ‘to subdue’) Latin Damianus. Saint Damian was an early Christian saint martyred in Cilicia in AD 303 under the emperor Domitian together with his brother Cosmas (see Kosmas). In some accounts the brothers are said to have been doctors and together they were regarded as the patrons of physicians and apothecaries. A later Saint Damian lived in the 7th–8th centuries and was bishop of Pavia; he may have had some influence on the popularity of the personal name in Italy. This surname is also found among Rusyns (Lemkos).2: In some cases probably also French (southern France and Lorraine): from a variant of the personal name Damien a cognate of 1 above.3: In some cases probably also an Americanized form of Slovenian and Croatian Damjan or Damijan: from the personal name Dam(i)jan (see 1 above).
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.
Daniel : 1: English French Spanish Portuguese German Polish Czech Slovak Romanian Jewish Assyrian/Chaldean West Indian (mainly Haiti) and African (mainly Nigeria and Tanzania); Breton (rarely Le Daniel); Hungarian (Dániel): from the Biblical personal name Daniel Syriac (Assyrian/Chaldean) Dānīʾēl Hungarian Dániel (from Hebrew Daniyyel ‘God is my judge’) borne by a major prophet in the Bible. The chief factor influencing the popularity of the personal name (and hence the frequency of the surname) was undoubtedly the dramatic story in the Book of Daniel recounting the prophet's steadfast adherence to his religious faith despite pressure and persecution from the Mesopotamian kings in whose court he served: Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar and Darius. The name was also borne by a 2nd-century Christian martyr and by a 9th-century hermit the legend of whose lives were popular among Christians during the Middle Ages. Among Orthodox Christians in Eastern Europe the name was also popular as being that of a 4th-century Persian martyr who was venerated in the Orthodox Church. In France this surname is most common in Brittany.2: Irish (Tipperary and Waterford): shortened form of McDaniel which is actually a variant of McDonnell from the Gaelic form of Irish Donal (equivalent to Scottish Donald) erroneously associated with the Biblical personal name Daniel. See also O'Donnell.3: Americanized or Germanized form of Slovenian Danijel: from the Biblical personal name Danijel ‘Daniel’ (see 1 above).
De Crescenzo : Italian: patronymic from the personal name Crescenzo an omen or well-wishing name with the implied sense ‘may he grow well’ from Latin Crescens.
Death : apparently from Middle English deeth deth Old English dēaþ ‘death’ perhaps for someone who played the part of Death in a local pageant.The figure of Death occurs for example in the Chester mystery cycle. The traditional pronunciation of this surname in modern times is /di:θ/ (Deeth) which would be a normal development of Old English dēaþ besides the usual modern pronunciation of the word as /dɛθ/. In Middle English Kent dialect the word is also found as diath. The spellings with an apostrophe de'Ath de Ath D'Eath De Aeth etc. are modern introduced perhaps to dissociate the name from the negative connotations of the word and to give it an appearance of gentry status. Sir Thomas D'eath 1723 in TNA was MP for Canterbury and Sandwich and 1st Baronet D'Aeth of Knowlton (Kent). He is perhaps descended from the Death family that is recorded in the Farnborough and Dartford area since the 16th century. Such re-spellings became more popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Sampson Death aged 30 miller in Census 1841 (Roydon Essex) appears as Sampson De'Ath aged 71 born in Roydon (Essex) in Census 1881 (Bishop Stortford Herts). Martha Ann Death born in Great Waldingfield Suffolk in Census 1841 (Alpheton Suffolk) appears as Martha A. De'ath in Census 1881 (Buckingham Bucks).
Derden : 2: Flemish: variant of Derde probably a shortening of D'Herde from De Herder ‘the shepherd’.1: Altered form of English Dearden.
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’.
Disher : 1: Americanized form of German Discher ‘joiner’.2: English and Scottish: occupational name for a maker or seller of dishes (Middle English disher(e)) from an agent derivative of Middle English dish diss disc ‘dish’. In London dishers (also known as turnours) were makers of wooden measures for wine and ale. Each disher had his own mark which was stamped on the bottom of each measure he made. Samples of marks were required to be submitted to the Chamberlain.
Domeier : German: distinguishing name for the tenant farmer (see Meyer) of land belonging to a cathedral (German Dom) to which he would have owed feudal tax or service obligations.
Dong : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 董 also an alternative Cantonese Romanization meaning ‘supervise superintend’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the personal name of Dong Fu (董父) said to be a descendant of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). He was supposedly given the surname 董 by the legendary Emperor Shun (c. 23rd century BC). (ii) from Dong Du (董督) which means ‘supervision and management’ in ancient Chinese. This was the duty of an official post called Tai Shi responsible for the supervision management and censorship of the compilation of the annals in the state of Jin (located mainly in present-day Shanxi province) during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 東 also a variant Cantonese Romanization meaning ‘east’ in Chinese: (i) said to be from the personal name of Dong Bu Shi (东不识) a friend of the legendary Emperor Shun (c. 23rd century BC). (ii) said to be from the compound surname Dong-Fang (東方) (meaning ‘east’ in Chinese).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 冬 meaning ‘winter’ in Chinese: (i) possibly from Dong (冬) the name of an official post in charge of engineering during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC). (ii) traced back to Dong Feng (冬逢) leader of a minority ethnic group in southern China during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD).4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 曾 possibly based on its prouniciation in the Siyi Cantonese subdialect (also known as Sze Yup or Four Districts dialect including Taishanese)spoken in southern Guangdong see Zeng.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鄧 see Deng.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 童 see Tong 1.7: Vietnamese (Đổng): from the Chinese surname 董 see 1 above.8: Vietnamese (Đông): from the Chinese surname 佟 see Tong 2.9: Vietnamese (Đồng): from the Chinese surname 童 see Tong 1.
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.
Drinkwater : English: nickname from Middle English drink(en) ‘(to) drink’ + water ‘water’ possibly used of someone who claimed to prefer water to the sour ale he was offered by the ale wife or inn keeper. In the Middle Ages weak ale was the universal beverage among the poorer classes and so cheap as to be drunk like water whereas water itself was only doubtfully potable. A 13th-century writer describing the extreme poverty of the Franciscans when they first settled in London (1224) writes: ‘I have seen the brothers drink ale so sour that some would have preferred to drink water’. Compare French Boileau.
Dunbabin : Reaney interprets the name as a Middle English nickname ‘dun (dark) Babbin’ where Babbin is assumed to be an unrounded form of *Bobbin which he supposes to be a rhyming form of Robin. This is theoretically possible but difficult to assess without evidence for the identity of Babbin (or Bobbin) and Robin. Middle English dun ‘dark’ is not otherwise attested as a qualifier of a personal name though it would fit the pattern of names with Middle English broun ‘brown’ (see Brownjohn and compare Horrabin ‘grey Robin’).
Dykman : 1: Dutch: variant archaic or Americanized of Dijkman a topographic name for someone who lived by a dike (Dutch: dijk) and possibly also an occupational name when he has been charged with the maintenance.2: Americanized form of Dieckmann or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname.
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.
Erasmus : North German Dutch and West Indian (Dutch Caribbean): from the personal name Erasmus Latin form of Greek Erasmos a derivative of erān ‘to love’. Saint Erasmus (died 303) was a bishop of Formiae (modern Formia) in Campania who was martyred under Diocletian; he is numbered among the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is a patron of sailors. However in northern Europe from the 16th century onward the name was more often selected in honor of the great Renaissance Dutch humanist scholar and teacher Erasmus Roterodamus (1469–1536). This surname is also established in South Africa.
Fedarb : variant of Faidherbe from French faix d'herbe ‘burden load of grass’ probably for a person who transported grass for feeding animals.
Fishel : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish personal name Fishl literally ‘little fish’ used as a vernacular equivalent for the Biblical Efraym (Ephraim). Ephraim became associated with the fish because he was blessed by his father Jacob (Genesis 48:16) with the words veyidgu larov ‘Let them grow into a multitude’ the verb yidgu containing the root letters of Hebrew dag ‘fish’.2: Americanized form of German Fischel.
Fisher : 1: English: occupational name for a fisherman from Middle English fis(sc)her(e) ‘fisherman’ (Old English fiscere). In North America this surname has absorbed cognates from many other languages including German Fischer and its Slavic(ized) variant Fišer (see Fiser) Dutch Visser Hungarian Halász (see Halasz) Italian Pescatore Slovenian Ribič (see Ribic) and Croatian Ribić or Ribar.2: English: in a few cases possibly a topographic name for someone who lived near a fish weir on a river from Middle English fis(sc)hwere fisshyar ‘fish weir’ (Old English fiscwer fiscgear) or a habitational name from a place so named such as Fisher in North Mundham Sussex.3: Irish: translation into English of Gaelic Ó Bradáin ‘descendant of Bradán’ a personal name meaning ‘salmon’. See Braden.4: Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a fisherman Yiddish fisher (from German Fischer).5: Americanized form (mistranslation into English) of French Poissant meaning ‘powerful strong vigorous’ but understood as poisson ‘fish’ and assimilated to the more frequent English name.6: Americanized form (translation into English) of French Poisson ‘fish’ and assimilated to the more frequent English name.7: Native American (Cheyenne): from a mistranslation into English of the Cheyenne personal name Noma'heškeso ‘Little Fish’ from a diminutive of noma'he ‘fish’.
Fisken : from the Middle Dutch personal name Friesekin a pet form of Continental Germanic names beginning in Fris- (‘Frisian’). The first known bearer of the personal name in Scotland was Freskyn of Moray said by Black to have acquired lands in Moray (Murray) from David I after he suppressed an insurrection there in 1130. As a surname Friskin became Firskin by metathesis and subsequently lost the /r/ before the following /s/ hence the modern forms Fisken and Fiskin.
Florian : 1: Spanish Czech and Slovak (Florián); German Polish and Romanian; Hungarian (Flórián): from local equivalents of the Latin personal name Florianus a derivative of Florus which is from florus ‘blooming flowering’. This was the name of a 3rd-century Christian saint who was drowned in Noricum during the persecutions of Christians under Diocletian. He became the patron of Upper Austria widely invoked as a protector from the danger of fires.2: Americanized form of Slovenian and Croatian Florjan or Florijan: from the personal name Flor(i)jan (see 1 above).
Foshay : Americanized form of Breton (mainly Côtes-d'Armor) Le Faucheur: occupational name from French faucheur ‘mower reaper’ with the French masculine definite article le probably used as a translation into French of the Breton cognates such as Le Falher from falc'her a word which is like the French one ultimately derived from Latin falx ‘sickle scythe’. Compare Forsha Forshay Forshee and Forshey.
Foskin : of uncertain origin. It may be a variant of Foxon with metathesis of /ks/ to /sk/ a name that is recorded in 17th-century England and Ireland. Sir Samuel Foxon knight died in Galway and his will was proved in 1693 (TNA PROB 32/35/358). He was associated with the East India Company; see ‘Samuel Foxon at Limerik’ in the East India Company Letter Books 4 E/3/87 (British Library). However no precise geographical or genealogical link has yet been found between persons named Foxon Foxen or Foxton and those named Fosken or Foskin.
Franklin : 1: English: status name from Middle English frankeleyn ‘freeman freeholder land-owner of free but not noble birth’ (Anglo-Norman French fraunclein). In general he was a gentleman ranked above the main body of minor freeholders but below a knight or a member of the nobility.2: Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Jewish surnames such as Frankel.
Frosch : German: from Middle High German vrosch ‘frog’ applied as a nickname for someone thought to resemble a frog perhaps because he had bulging eyes (a common symptom of a disorder of the thyroid gland) and in some instances also as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a frog.
Gaetano : Italian: from the personal name Gaetano medieval Latin Caietanus originally a Latin ethnic name denoting someone from Caieta in Latium (now Gaeta). According to legend the place was named after the elderly nurse of Aeneas who died there after fleeing with him from the ruins of Troy. The name persisted among early Christians and was popular in the Middle Ages. The religious reformer Saint Gaetano (1480–1547) was born in Vicenza a member of a Venetian noble family. He is not to be confused with his contemporary Cardinal Gaetano an active opponent of Martin Luther.
Gan : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 甘 meaning ‘sweet pleasant’ in Chinese: (i) from the personal name of Gan Pan (甘盤) a high official during the reign of King Wu Ding (died 1192 BC) in the Shang dynasty. (ii) from Gan (甘) the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Shaanxi province) during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (iii) from Gan (甘) the name of a fief (located in present-day Luoyang in Henan province) granted to Dai who was known as Gan Zhao Gong (甘昭公 Duke Zhao of Gan) son of King Xiang of Zhou (died 619 BC).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 干 meaning ‘shield’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the personal name of Gan Chou (干犨) an official in the state of Song (located in present-day Shangqiu in Henan province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) from the placename Gan (邗) the name of a fief (located in present-day Yangzhou in Jiangsu province) that was granted to the son of King Wu of Zhou (c. 1087–1043 BC). When the placename was adopted as a surname people simplified the Chinese character 邗 to 干 which has the same pronunciation. (iii) from the placename Gan Sui (干隧) (located in present-day Wuxian in Jiangsu province). (iv) from the He Gan (紇干) family of the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China who changed their original surname to 干 during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (v) from the compound surname Gan-Lei (干類) said to be originally the name of an ancient state (unknown location) prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC).3: Chinese: alternative Cantonese form of the surname 簡 see Jian 1.4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 嚴 and 顏 possibly based on their Hokkien pronunciations see Yan 1 and 4.5: Filipino: of Chinese origin variant Romanization of the surname 嚴 (see 4 above).6: Irish: from Mag Gana see McGann.
Ge : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 葛 referring to a ‘type of herbal plant’: (i) said to be from Ge-Tian (葛天) the name of an ancient tribe in China living prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) from Ge (葛) the name of an ancient state (located in Henan province) during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (iii) borne by descendants of Hong Ge Lu (洪葛盧) also known as Hong Pu Lu who offered support to Emperor Guangwu of Han (5 BC–57 AD) and made great contributions to the establishment of the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD). He later transferred the title that had been conferred on him by the emperor to his brother and migrated to Gou Rong (in present-day Jiangsu province). Some of his descendants inherited Ge (葛) part of his personal name as their surname. (iv) adopted as a surname by the He Ge (賀葛) family members of the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 戈 referring to a ‘kind of weapon’ in ancient China: from Ge (戈) the name of an ancient state (located in Henan province) during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC).3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 倪 see Ni.4: Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surname 蓋 see Gai 1.5: In some cases possibly also French (Gé): variant of Gée (see Gee).
George : 1: English Welsh French and Romanian: from the personal name George Latin Georgius Greek Geōrgios from an adjectival form geōrgios ‘rustic’ of Greek geōrgos ‘farmer’. This became established as a personal name in classical times through its association with the fashion for pastoral poetry. Its popularity in western Europe increased at the time of the Crusades which brought greater contact with the Orthodox Church in which several Christian martyrs and saints of this name are venerated in particular a saint believed to have been martyred at Nicomedia in AD 303 who however is at best a shadowy figure historically. Nevertheless by the end of the Middle Ages Saint George had become associated with an unhistorical legend of dragon-slaying exploits which caught the popular imagination throughout Europe and he came to be considered the patron saint of England among other places. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed many cognates from other languages e.g. German Georg Assyrian/Chaldean Giwargis Gewargis or Georgis and Albanian Gjergji and also their patronymics and other derivatives e.g. Greek Georgiadis Georgopoulos Hatzigeorgiou ‘George the Pilgrim’ and Papageorgiou Romanian Georgescu or Gheorghescu Serbian Djordjevic. The name George is also found among Christians in southern India (compare Geevarghese and Varghese) but since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames the southern Indian name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.2: German: variant of Georg.3: Native American (e.g. Navajo): adoption of the English personal name George (see 1 above) as a surname.
Gerasimov : Russian Belorussian Bulgarian and Macedonian: patronymic from the personal name Gerasim Greek Gerasimos (a derivative of geras ‘old age’ or of a homonymous geras ‘honor’). This was borne by a 5th-century Christian saint venerated in the Eastern Church who was chiefly famous for the devotion he is said to have inspired in a lion from whose paw he extracted a thorn.
Giles : 1: English (of Norman origin): from a medieval personal name Middle English Giles or Gile a borrowing from Old French Gil(l)e(s). This is from Latin Aegidius and this presumably from Greek aigidion ‘kid young goat’ (alternatively it could be a Late Latin formation from the Latin personal name Eggius + the suffix -idius). The personal name was widely used in France and the Low Countries partly through veneration of Saint Gilles de Provence supposedly a hermit of the 7th century near Arles; he was patron saint of cripples hence the dedication of Saint Giles Cripplegate in London though the personal name itself was less common in England than elsewhere in Europe. See also Gilles.2: Irish: adopted as an Anglicized equivalent of Gaelic Ó Glaisne a County Louth name based on glas ‘green blue gray’.3: French: variant of Gilles a cognate of 1 above.
Gong : Chinese:: 1: Mandarin form of the surname 龔 meaning ‘showing respect for elders or guests’ in ancient Chinese: adopted in place of another Chinese surname 共 (Gong in Mandarin pinyin). For some families the surname is said to be traceable back to Gong Gong (共工) an official during the reign of the legendary Huang Di or ‘the Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). Other families with this name are from the state of Gong (共) located in present-day Huixian (in Henan province) which was granted to Ji He known as Gong Bo (the Earl of Gong) a figure during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). For other families the surname is borne by descendants of Shen Sheng a prince in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC) with Gong as his posthumous title. His descendants inherited this title as their surname. Later some descendants with the surname 共 changed their surname to 龔 in order to escape from persecution by their enemies.2: Mandarin form of the surname 鞏 meaning ‘to consolidate’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Gong (鞏) the name of a fief or state (located in present-day Gongxian in Henan province) which is said to have been granted to Gong Jian Gong (鞏簡公 Duke Jian of Gong) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) later annexed by the state of Jin. (ii) traced back to a family from the Qiang minority ethnic group in ancient China.3: Mandarin form of the surname 宮 meaning ‘royal palace’ in Chinese: (i) from Gong Men (宮門 literally meaning ‘palace gates’) the name of an official post during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC) in charge of repairing and cleaning the gates of the palace. (ii) from the personal name Gong Zhi Qi (宮之奇) an official in the state of Yu (located in present-day Shanxi province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) shortened form of other ancient compound Chinese surnames including Dong-Gong (東宮 literally meaning ‘the east of the palace’) Nan-Gong (南宮 literally meaning ‘the south of the palace’) Xi-Gong (西宮 literally meaning ‘the west of the palace’) and Bei-Gong (北宮 literally meaning ‘the north of the palace’).4: Mandarin form of the surname 公 meaning ‘Duke’: from Gong (公) the Chinese equivalent of the peerage ‘Duke’. Some people inherited the name of the peerage of their ancestors as the surname.5: Mandarin form of the surname 弓 meaning ‘bow’ in Chinese: (i) borne by descendants of Hui a grandson of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). Hui was given the title Gong Zheng (弓正) denoting an official in charge of making bows. (弓 Gong means ‘bow’ in Chinese). (ii) from the second element of the personal name Shu Gong (叔弓) style name of an official in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).6: Mandarin form of the surname 貢 meaning ‘paying tribute to the emperor by subjects or vassal states’ in ancient Chinese: from the second element of the personal name Zi Gong (子貢) style name of Duan-Mu Ci a student of Confucius (551–479 BC).7: Mandarin form of the surname 恭 meaning ‘courtesy’ or ‘respectful’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Gong (恭 also written as 共) the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Gansu province). (ii) from Gong (恭) the posthumous title of Shen Sheng (died in 656 BC) crown prince of the state of Jin who died in an unrest. (iii) adopted in place of another surname Jing (敬) that happened to be identical to the title of Emperor Jing of Liang (ruler of the state of Liang 543–558 AD) which was taboo in ancient China.8: alternative Cantonese form of the surname 江 see Jiang 1.
Graziano : Italian and Jewish (from Italy): from the personal name Graziano Latin Gratianus a derivative of gratus ‘welcome pleasing’. Saint Gratian (died c. 337) was a disciple of Saint Denis of Paris; he became the first bishop of Tours.
Guan : Chinese:: 1: Mandarin form of the surname 關 meaning ‘forts’ in ancient Chinese: (i) borne by descendants of Guan Long Feng (關龍逢) an official who lived during the reign of Xia Jie the last king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) from the first element of the post name Guan Ling Yin (關令尹) or Guan Yin (關尹) said to have been held by a man called Xi who was in charge of garrisoning forts during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC).2: Mandarin form of the surname 管 meaning ‘manage administer’ in Chinese: (i) from Guan (管) the name of a state (located in Zhengzhou in Henan province) which was granted to Guan Shu Xian (管叔鮮) the third son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). Guan Shu Xian was later killed because he participated in a rebellion against the king. The name of state was subsequently adopted as a surname. (ii) borne by descendants of Guan Zhong (管仲) also called Guan Yiwu (管夷吾) a famous politician in the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).3: Mandarin form of the surname 官 meaning ‘official’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the post name Guan Shi (官師) head of officials hosted by Duke Ding of Liu an official during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). (ii) borne by the Guan Zu (官族) i.e. descendants of those officials who had made such great contributions to the state that their granted fiefs and titles would be kept forever.4: Mandarin form of the surname 灌 meaning 'irrigate' in Chinese: from the second element of Chen Guan (斟灌) the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Shangdong province) during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC).5: variant Romanization of the surname 阮 see Ruan 3.6: Teochew or Hokkien form of the surname 顏 see Yan 4.7: variant Romanization of the surname 袁 see Yuan 1.
Habgood : from Middle English habe have + god ‘may he have good’ (Old English habban gōd) applied as a nickname for someone who habitually used this expression. Compare John Havejoy ‘may he have joy’ 1523 in Subsidy Rolls (Kent); John Havelove ‘may he have love’ 1259 in Henry III Building Accounts.
Ham : 1: English (mainly southwestern) and German: variant of Hamm.2: Dutch: topographic name from ham ‘land in a river bend’ ‘enclosed meadow’ or a habitational name from any of several country houses and places called De(n) Ham. Compare Van Ham and Vanderham.3: French: habitational name from any of various places in northern France (Ardennes Pas-de-Calais Somme Moselle) named with the ancient Germanic word ham ‘meadow in the bend of a river water meadow flood plain’.4: Hungarian (Hám) Slovak (also Hám) and Croatian: nickname or occupational name from Hungarian hám (Croatian ham) ‘harness’. Alternatively it may be of German origin (see Hamm).5: Slovenian: perhaps a nickname from the interjection ham ‘bite grab’. Alternatively it may be from dialect ham ‘harness’ (see 4 above) or of German origin (see Hamm).6: Czech (also Hám): from a short form of the personal name Abraham.7: Korean: there is only one Chinese character for the Ham surname. Some sources report that there are sixty different Ham clans but only the Kangnŭng Ham clan can be documented. Although some records have been lost and a few generations are unaccounted for it is known that the founding ancestor of the Ham clan is Ham Kyu a Koryŏ general who fought against the Mongol invaders in the thirteenth century. His ancestor Ham Hyŏk was a Tang Chinese general who stayed in Korea after Tang China helped Shilla unify the peninsula during the seventh century. Another of Ham Hyŏk's ancestors Ham Shin accompanied Kim Chu-wŏn the founding ancestor of the Kangnŭng Kim family to the Kangnŭng area and hence the Ham clan became the Kangnŭng Ham clan. The first prominent ancestor from Kangnŭng whose genealogy can be verified is Ham Kyu the Koryŏ general. Accordingly he is regarded as the Kangnŭng Ham clan's founding ancestor. Compare Hahm 2.8: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 咸 see Xian 2.9: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 闞 see Kan 1.10: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 范 see Fan 1.11: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 譚 see Tan 1.12: Chinese: possibly from Cantonese form of the Chinese name 涵 (meaning ‘contain’) a monosyllabic personal name or part of a disyllabic personal name of some early Chinese immigrants in the US.
Hamill : 1: Scottish (Lanarkshire): of Norman origin a habitational name from Haineville or Henneville in Manche France named from the ancient Germanic personal name Hagano + Old French ville ‘settlement’.2: English (Lancashire): nickname for a maimed person or someone with a distinctive scar from Middle English Old English hamel ‘mutilated scarred’.3: Irish (Ulster): according to MacLysaght a shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hÁdhmaill ‘descendant of Ádhmall’ which he derives from ádhmall ‘active’.
Hare : 1: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hÍr or Ó hÉir ‘descendant of Ír’ a personal name possibly meaning ‘long-lasting’ borne by a legendary ancestor of the north of Ireland. This name was always monosyllabic.2: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hAichir ‘descendant of Aichear’ a personal name derived from the epithet aichear ‘fierce sharp’. The personal name on which this surname is based was originally disyllabic. Although the Anglicized forms O'Hehir and Hehir still exist particularly in Ireland pronunciation in later northern Irish has caused Ó hAichir to fall together with another surname based on a one-syllable personal name as in sense 1 above.3: English: nickname from Middle English hare harr here ‘hare’ (Old English hara sometimes influenced by Old Norse heri). It may have denoted someone who could run fast or was timorous or who bore some similarity to a hare in appearance such as bulging eyes.4: English: variant of Ayre with prosthetic H-.5: English: topographic name for someone who lived on stony ground (Old English hær ‘rock heap of stones tumulus’).6: English: possibly a variant of Hair.7: French: nickname for a huntsman from a medieval French call used to urge on the hounds or in the form Haré from the past participle of the verb harer ‘to excite stir up (hounds in pursuit of a quarry)’.8: Altered form of German Harr.
Harfoot : for a swift runner from Middle English har(e) ‘hare’ + fot ‘foot’ or Old Scandinavian harfótr (the source no doubt of the byname of Harold son of Cnut). MED has a citation saying: ‘Harald Godwyne sone; He was cleped Harefot For he was urnare god’ (about 1330).
Hay : 1: Scottish and English (northern; of Norman origin): habitational name from any of several places in Normandy called La Haie or La Haye (Old French haie ‘hedge enclosure’ ‘forest for hunting deer and other animals’ a borrowing of the ancient Germanic word haga). Robert de Haia or de la Haye is known to have come from La Haye-du-Puits in Manche; he was the founder of Boxgrove Priory in Sussex (1123) and holder of the Honor of Halnaker (Sussex) and (by marriage) the barony of Kolswein (Lincolnshire). The Norman name was also taken to Ireland where it has since flourished in the county of Wexford as Hay and Hayes. Elsewhere in Ireland the name usually has a native Irish origin see below.2: English: topographic name from Middle English hay(e) heye heghe ‘enclosure’ (Old English (ge)hæg) or ‘forest fenced off for hunting’ (Old French haie); or else a habitational name from a place so called such as Hay (in Herefordshire and Westmorland) or Hey in Scammonden (Yorkshire). It was no doubt sometimes synonymous with Hayward.3: English: nickname for a tall man from Middle English heigh hey high ‘high tall’ (Old English hēah).4: English: from the Middle English personal name Hai(e) either an Anglo-Norman French or a native English name. Old French Hai is recorded in the Latin form Haius in 11th/12th-century Paris and is a pet form of ancient Germanic male names like Hagabert (Old French Haiebert) and Hagabern) which have an element hag- ‘right-handed useful’ as the first element. Alternatively these early surnames may be pet forms of a native Middle English male name like Heymund (Old English Hēahmund) or a female name like Hehild (Old English Hēahhild) which have hēah ‘high’ as the first element. In the late 13th and 14th centuries however it is possible that Hay was a variant of Haw which like Daw and Day was used as a rhyming pet form of Ralph. Compare Dawkins and Dakin and see Haycock.5: Irish: variant of Hayes.6: Spanish: topographic name from haya ‘beech tree’ (ultimately derived from Latin fagus).7: German: occupational name from Middle High German heie ‘guardian custodian’ (see Hayer).8: Dutch: variant of Haye 1. This surname is rare in the Netherlands.9: French: topographic name from the masculine form of Old French haye ‘hedge’ or a habitational name from Les Hays (Jura) or Le Hay (Seine-Maritime).10: Jewish (from the Middle East): from Hebrew ḥay ‘living’ either from a personal name based on this word or a Hebraicized form of some original Ashkenazic surname. Compare Chay and Hai.11: Muslim: from a personal name based on Arabic hayy ‘alive’ (see Hai 1).12: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 夏 possibly based on its Teochew or Hokkien pronunciation see Xia.
Hea : from O hAodha see O'Hea.
Hee : 5: Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farmsteads in the county of Hedmark named He from Old Norse hæth ‘hill mound’.6: Danish: habitational name from any of several places so named from a word meaning ‘shining clear’ with reference to a river.7: German: habitational name from a place named Hee. It is found mainly in the northwestern part of Bavaria.8: French: unexplained. It is found mainly in Orne and Eure-et-Loir.9: Perhaps also an American shortened form of Dutch and Flemish Van Hee.1: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 徐. Also a variant Romanization of the surname 許 based on its Hakka or Hokkien pronunciation. See Xu 1 and 2.2: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 夏 see Xia.3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 奚 see Xi 1.4: Chinese: possibly from a Cantonese form of the Chinese personal names 喜 希 羲 熙 曦 熹 or 晞 which were monosyllabic personal names or part of disyllabic personal names of some early Chinese immigrants in the US.
Hong : 1: Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 洪 meaning ‘vast’ in Chinese: (i) adopted in place of another Chinese surname 共 (Gong in Mandarin pinyin). In some families this surname is traced back to Gong Gong (共工) an official during the reign of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). In other families it is borne by descendants of people from the state of Gong (共) (located in present-day Huixian in Henan province) which was granted to Ji He known as Gong Bo (Earl Gong) a figure during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). For other families it is borne by descendants of Shen Sheng a prince in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC) who was given Gong as a posthumous title. His descendants inherited this title as their surname. Later some of his descendants changed the surname to 洪 in order to escape persecution by their enemies. Thus the surname 洪 shares some of the same ancestors with the surname 龔; compare Gong 1. (ii) adopted in place of another Chinese surname 弘 (see 5 below) which originated in Yuzhang (present-day Nanchang in Jiangxi province) and Qu’e (present-day Danyang in Jiangsu province). 弘 was the personal name of crown prince Li Hong (李弘) (652–675 AD) in the Tang Dynasty. In ancient China it was taboo to bear the same name as a member of the royal family so in Yuzhang and Qu’e people with the surname 弘 changed it to 洪 which has the same pronunciation.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 弘 meaning ‘great’ in Chinese: from the second element of the personal name Hong Yan (弘演 or 弘延) style name of an official in the state of Wey (衛) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 紅 meaning ‘red’ in Chinese: (i) from the personal name Hong (紅) style name of Xiong Zhi a prince of the state of Chu eldest son of Xiong Qu (ruler of the state of Chu died 877 BC). (ii) from the placename Hong (紅) the name of a state (located in Henan province) granted to Liu Fu also known as Hong Hou (紅侯 Marquis of Hong) nephew of the Emperor Gaozu of Han (256–195 BC).4: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 項 see Xiang 2.5: Chinese: alternative Cantonese form of the surname 孔 see Kong 2.6: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 康 see Kang 1.7: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 匡 see Kuang 2.8: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 杭 see Hang 1.9: Chinese: Hokkien and Taiwanese form of the surname 方 see Fang 1.10: Chinese: Hokkien Taiwanese and Teochew form of the surnames 封 豐 and 酆 see Feng (2–4).11: Chinese: another Cantonese form of the surname 熊 see Xiong 1.12: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 湯 and 唐 based on its pronunciation of the Siyi Cantonese subdialect (also known as Sze Yup or Four Districts dialect including Taishanese) spoken in southern Guangdong see Tang 1 and 2.13: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 王 see Wang 1.14: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 黃 see Huang 1.15: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 香 possibly based on its Cantonese pronunciation see Xiang 2.16: Chinese: possibly from Cantonese form of the Chinese names 雄 (meaning ‘hero’ or ‘mighty’) or 康 (meaning ‘healthy’) monosyllabic personal names or part of disyllabic personal names of some early Chinese immigrants in the US.17: Korean: there is only one Chinese character for the Hong surname in Korea. Some sources indicate that there are 59 different Hong clans but only four can be documented. Each of the four clans claim different founding ancestors. The oldest Hong clan's founding ancestor Hong Ch’ŏn-ha migrated to Koguryŏ Korea sometime in the first half of the seventh century. The Hong surname is a fairly common one and is found throughout the Korean peninsula.18: Vietnamese (Hồng): of Chinese origin meaning ‘vast’ (see 1 above).19: Cambodian: written ហុង of Chinese origin from (a personal name) 紅 meaning ‘red’ (see 3 above).20: Cambodian: written ហង្ស same as Hang 8.
Hopgood : English (southern): nickname from Middle English habe have + god ‘may he have good’ (Old English habban + gōd) applied to someone who habitually used this expression.
Hu : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 胡 a term referring to the ethnic minorities in ancient northern and western China: (i) from Hu (胡) the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Henan province) during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Zheng (located in present-day Shaanxi and Henan provinces) in the 26th year of the reign of King Ping of Zhou (died 720 BC) people from the fief adopted 胡 the name of the state as their surname. (ii) from Hu (胡) the name of a state (located in present-day Anhui province). After it was annexed by the state of Chu in the 15th year of the reign of Duke Ding of Lu (ruler of the state of Lu reigned 509–495 BC) people from the fief adopted 胡 the name of the state as their surname. (iii) from the personal name of Hu Gong Man (胡公满 Duke Hu of Chen) the posthumous title of Yu Man. He was given the fief of Chen (located mainly in present-day Henan and Anhui province) by King Wu of Zhou (c. 1087–1043 BC). (iv) from the personal name of Hu Guang (胡廣) who changed his original surname 黃 to 胡 during the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 AD). (v) from the Hu Gu (胡骨) or He Gu (纥骨) families from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China who changed their surname to 胡 during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 扈 meaning ‘retinue’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from Hu (扈) the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Shaanxi province) dating back to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC) (ii) adopted as a surname by the Hu Di Gan (扈地干) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 呼 meaning ‘exhale’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by the descendants of Hu Zixian (呼子先) an astrologist during the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). (ii) shortened form of the compound surname Hu-Yan (呼延) a surname from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China. (iii) a surname from other minority ethnic groups in northern China.4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 虎 meaning ‘tiger’ in Chinese: (i) said to be from the second element of the personal name Bo Hu (伯虎) a legendary talented figure during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC); (ii) possibly from totems of some tribes.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 傅 付 符 and 扶 possibly based on their Teochew or Hokkien pronunciations see Fu 1-4.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 許 possibly based on its Teochew or Hokkien pronunciation see Xu 2.7: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 邱 and 丘 see Qiu 1 and 2.8: In some cases also Amerindian (Mexico): variant of Huh ‘iguana’.9: In some cases also Amerindian (Guatemala; Hú): probably a cognate of the name in 8 above.10: In some cases possibly also French: nickname from Old French hu ‘outcry noise’.
Huynh : 1: Vietnamese (Huỳnh): variant of Hoàng (see Hoang). This form was adopted by most of Southern Vietnamese in order to avoid a naming taboo because the original form Hoang was identical to the personal name of the then ruler Nguyễn Hoàng (1525–1613 AD) when he governed the southern provinces of Vietnam (1558–1613 AD).2: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 黃 see Huang 1.
Hwang : 1: Korean: written 황 in Chinese characters 黃 meaning ‘yellow’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname Hwang. Some sources indicate that there are 163 Hwang clans but only eleven can be positively documented. The founding ancestor of the Hwang clans was named Hwang Nak (黃洛). He was a Chinese emissary who had been sent on a mission to Vietnam. He encountered heavy seas however and put ashore in Uljin county Korea (part of Kyŏngsang North province) to wait out the storm. Eventually he went to Korea and settled there in AD 23. Each of Hwang Nak's three sons were founding ancestors of their own clans and some of their descendants founded additional Hwang clans. Compare Whang.2: Chinese: variant of Huang.
Israel : 1: Jewish German Welsh English Haitian and African (mainly Nigeria and Tanzania): from the Hebrew personal name Yisra’el in German and English Israel ‘Fighter of God’. In the Bible this is a byname bestowed on Jacob after he had wrestled with the angel at the ford of Jabbok (Genesis 32:24–8). In Germany it was used as a personal name in the Middle Ages among Christians too and in Wales and southern England it was used among Nonconformists from the 17th century onward.2: Jewish: surname adopted by Jews with reference to the ancient Kingdom of Israel destroyed by the Assyrians in 721 BC or to the concept of Jewish nationhood or in modern times to the state of Israel.3: Altered form of English Ezell.
Issa : 1: Arabic: from a variant of the personal name ʿĪsā Arabic form of Hebrew Yeshua Greek Iēsous (see Jesus). In Islam ʿĪsā is a prophet ‘messenger of God/Allah and his word’ (Koran 4:171). In the Koran 19:30 he proclaims ‘He (Allah) has given me the Book and established me as a Prophet.’ This surname is found among both Muslims and Christians in part as an Arabized form of Assyrian/Chaldean variants such as Isho. Compare Essa and Isa 1.2: Somali: from a variant of the Somali Muslim personal name Isse a cognate of 1 above. Compare Essa. — Note: Since Somalis traditionally do not have hereditary surnames this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
Jacek : 1: Polish: from the personal name Jacek a pet form of Jacenty (from Latin Hyacinthus Greek Hyakinthos; compare Spanish Jacinto Italian Giacinto). The personal name was popularized in Poland through the cult of Saint Jacek a 13th-century apostle and missionary who was sent to Kraków where he established a Dominican friary.2: Slovak: from the personal name Jacek a pet form of Ján (see Jan).3: Czech and Slovak (Jaček): from a pet form of any of the personal names beginning with Ja- for example Jakub.
Jacinto : Spanish and Portuguese: from the personal name Jacinto from Latin Hyacinthus Greek Hyakinthos. This was the name of a 3rd-century Christian saint who was martyred together with his brother Protus. He enjoyed a certain cult in Portugal. His name which is almost certainly of pre-Greek origin in classical times denoted a flower (not the modern hyacinth but perhaps the martagon lily) and it was borne by a mythological character from whose blood the flower was supposed to have sprung up.
Jenner : 1: English: occupational name for a designer or engineer from Middle English enginour ‘engineer maker or designer of military machines’ Old French engigneor enginior (a derivative of engaigne ‘cunning ingenuity stratagem device’). Engineers in the Middle Ages were primarily designers and builders of military machines although in peacetime they might turn their hands to architecture and other more pacific functions. In the 12th century ingeniator was used to denote someone who combined the duties of master mason and architect. Ailnoth ingeniator a military architect was surveyor of the king's buildings at Westminster and the Tower in 1157 and was in charge of building operations at Windsor 1166–73. He repaired Westminster Abbey after a fire and superintended the destruction of the castles of Framlingham and Walton.2: German: from the Latin personal name Januarius (see Janvier). Jänner is a South German word for ‘January’ and so it is possible that this is one of the surnames acquired from words denoting months of the year for example by converts who had been baptized in that month people who were born or baptized in that month or people whose taxes were due in January.
Ji : Chinese:: 1: Mandarin form of the surname 紀 meaning ‘record’ or ‘era’ in Chinese: (i) from Ji (紀) the name of an ancient state (located in Shouguang in Shandong province) granted to descendants of the legendary Yan Di the Yan Emperor. After the state was annexed by the state of Qi in 550 BC the name of the state was adopted as a surname. (ii) adopted in place of another Chinese surname Shu (舒) during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD).2: Mandarin form of the surname 季 meaning ‘youngest son’ in ancient Chinese: (i) said to be borne by descendants of Ji Lian (季連) the youngest son of Lu Zhong a descendant of the legendary king Zhuanxu (traditional dates: 2514–2437 BC). (ii) said to be borne by descendants of Ji You (季友) the youngest son of the Duke Huan of Lu (the 15th ruler of the state of Lu died 694 BC).3: Mandarin form of the surname 冀 meaning ‘hope’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from Ji (冀) the name of an ancient state (located in Shanxi province). After it was annexed by the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) the name of the state was adopted as a surname. (ii) from the placename Ji (冀) the name of a fief (located in Shanxi province) granted to Xi Rui an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).4: Mandarin form of the surname 姬 a complimentary term for ‘women’ in ancient Chinese: said to be the original surname of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC) perhaps from the name of a river called Ji Shui (姬水). This was also the surname of the royal family of the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC) and the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770–256 BC).5: Mandarin form of the surname 籍 meaning ‘books’ in ancient Chinese borne by the descendants of Bo Yan an official in charge of classical books and historical records in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).6: Mandarin form of the surname 嵇: (i) from the placename Ji (嵇) the name of a hill (located in Anhui province) where people with other surnames Kuai-Ji (會稽) or Xi (奚) migrated and adopted the name of the hill as the surname. (ii) adopted as a surname by the Tong Ji (統稽) and the He Xi (紇奚) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).7: Mandarin form of the surname 吉 meaning ‘lucky’ in Chinese: (i) simplified form of the Chinese surname Ji (姞) originally the surname conferred on Bo Shu who was said to be a descendant of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC) and granted with the fief Southern Yan (located in Henan province). (ii) from part of the personal name of Yin Ji Fu (尹吉甫) an official during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou (reigned 827–782 BC).8: Mandarin form of the surname 計 meaning ‘calculate’ in Chinese: (i) possibly from Ji (計) the name of an ancient state (located in Shandong province) during the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) possibly from the placename Ji Jin (計斤) the original capital (located in Shandong province) of the state of Ju during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC).9: Mandarin form of the surname 薊 denoting a kind of thistle in Chinese: from the placename Ji (薊) (located in present-day Beijing).10: Mandarin form of the surname 暨 meaning ‘and’ or ‘as well as’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Ji (暨) the name of a fief (thought to have been located in Jiangsu province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) adopted in place of the Chinese surname Gai (概) in order to escape from feud and persecution.11: Mandarin form of the surname 汲 meaning ‘sap draw water’ in Chinese: (i) from Ji (汲) the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Henan province) during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC) which was annexed by the state of Wey and became a fief granted to the crown prince of Duke Xuan of Wey (ruler of the state of Wey died 700 BC). The name of the state (fief) was then adopted as a surname by the residents. (ii) from the placename Ji (汲) the name of a fief (located in Shandong province) in the state of Qi granted to the descendants of Duke Xuan of Qi (ruler of the state of Qi died 301 BC). (iii) said to be borne by the descendants of the royal families in the state of Chen during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iv) a surname from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China.
Jiang : Chinese:: 1: Mandarin form of the surname 江 meaning ‘river’ in Chinese: (i) from Jiang (江) the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Zhengyang in Henan province) in the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC) and Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). After it was annexed by the state of Chu in 623 BC the name of the state was adopted as a surname. (ii) from the name of Jiang Chugong (江處恭). In the earlier Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127 AD) in Quanzhou in Fujian province Weng Qiandu had six sons and gave different surnames to each of them. His second son Weng Chugong was given the surname Jiang. Thus he was also called Jiang Chugong. He and his brothers all became celebrated officials known as “the Six Laureates”.2: Mandarin form of the surname 蔣: from Jiang (蔣) the name of an ancient state (probably located in present-day Henan province) which was granted to Bo Ling a grandson of King Wen of Zhou(1152–1056 BC). After this state was annexed by the state of Chu people kept the name of the state as their surname.3: Mandarin form of the surname 姜 meaning ‘ginger’ in Chinese: the surname is traced back to the legendary Yan Di or the ‘Yan Emperor'. He was born near Jiang Shui (姜水 literally meaning 'River Jiang ') a river in present-day Shaanxi province. He and his descendants acquired 姜 (Jiang) part of the placename as their surname. A famous descendant Jiang Shang known as Jiang Ziya or Jiang Tai Gong (c. 11th century BC) an official during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC) was granted the state of Qi which is located mainly in present-day Shandong province.
Jin : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 金 meaning ‘gold’ in Chinese: (i) from Jin Tian (金天) title of the legendary king Shao Hao (c. 26th century BC) the son of the legendary Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC). Some of his descendants inherited 金 part of his title as their surname. (ii) from Jin Midi (金日磾) (134–86 BC) a prince of King Xiu Tu of the Huns who was captured as a child and brought up at the Han imperial court. He became an official highly regarded by Emperor Wu of Han (156–87 BC) and was appointed as master of the imperial stables. He made golden statues of horses to worship Heaven and because of this was given the surname Jin 金 (meaning ‘gold’) by the emperor. (iii) for some families the surname is traced back to the Liu (劉 see Lau) family living in the state of Wu Yue (907–978 AD located in present-day Zhejiang Jiangsu and Fujian provinces) who changed their original surname 劉 to 金 because the former was pronounced the same as the personal name of the emperor Qian Liu (founder of the Wuyue Kingdom 852–932 AD) and it was taboo in ancient China to bear a name that was borne by the emperor. (iv) for some families the surname is traced back to the minority ethnic groups of Qiangzu and Xinluo in northern China during the Southern and Northern dynasties (420–589 AD).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 靳 meaning ‘stingy’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Jin (靳) the name of a fief (located in Ningxiang in Hunan province) granted to Jin Shang (靳尚) (died 311 BC) a noble official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) for some families the surname can be traced back to the Huns in northern China recorded in ancient Chinese history books.3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 晉 meaning ‘enter’ or ‘promote’ in ancient Chinese: from Jin (晉) the name of a state (located mainly in present-day Shanxi province) originally granted to Tang Shu Yu (Shu Yu of Tang) the third son of King Wu of Zhou (c. 1087–1043 BC). In 403 BC the state was partitioned into three new states by Marquis Wen of Wei (died 396 BC) Marquis Jing of Han (died 400 BC) and Marquis Lie of Zhao (died 400 BC). Descendants of the Duke Jing of Jin (possibly died 349 BC) the last ruler of the state of Jin inherited 晉 the name of the original state as their surname.4: Chinese: Hokkien or Taiwanese Romanization of the surname 甄 see Zhen.5: Korean: variant of Jin 4.6: Japanese: written 陣 ‘ranks’ or ‘battle array’. It is not common in Japan.
Joseph : English French German Jewish West Indian (mainly Haiti) and African (mainly Tanzania and Nigeria): from the personal name Joseph Hebrew Yosef ‘may He (God) add (another son)’. In medieval Europe this name was borne frequently but not exclusively by Jews; the usual medieval English vernacular form is represented by Jessup. In the Book of Genesis Joseph is the favorite son of Jacob who is sold into slavery by his brothers but rises to become a leading minister of the Pharoah in Egypt (Genesis 37–50). In the New Testament Joseph is the husband of the Virgin Mary which accounts for the popularity of the personal name among Christians. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Polish Józef Slovenian Jožef Assyrian/Chaldean Yosep Yousep Yosip and Yousip forms that are predominantly Arabic such as Yusuf Yousef and Yousif or Ethiopian such as Yosef and also patronymics such as Polish Jozefowicz and Armenian Hovsepian. Joseph is one of the most frequent surnames in Haiti (along with Jean and Pierre) and elsewhere in the West Indies (e.g. in Trinidad and Tobago Saint Lucia Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica). The name Joseph is also found among Christians in southern India and Indonesia but since South Indians and Indonesians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames the southern Indian and Indonesian name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. Compare Josef.
Joyce : 1: English: principally from the Middle English and Old French personal name Joce Josse Joice a Romance form of Old Breton Iuthoc a pet form of a name in Iuth- ‘lord’ with the hypocoristic suffix -oc. Joce became popular as a personal name especially in medieval Picardy Artois Normandy and Flanders through the cult of Saint Josse. According to legend he was the brother or son of the 7th-century Breton king Judhael (see Jewell) and gave up his inheritance to become a hermit in the place recorded in the 8th century as Sanctus Jodocus now Saint-Josse-sur-Mer near Étaples in Pas-de-Calais. The cult was promoted in the second half of the 8th century by the Frankish king Charlemagne and was brought to England (Winchester) in the early 10th century by refugees from Saint-Josse the centre of the cult but use of the personal name in England is not known until after the Norman Conquest. Middle English Joce also was sometimes used as a female name (as Joyce is in modern times) and this may have also given rise to a surname.2: English: sometimes a variant of Goss from the ancient Germanic personal name Gozzo Gauz which often became Joce Joice Joss(e) in Old French. It was frequently used as a short form of Goscelin or Joscelin (see Joslin).3: English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Jort in Calvados France. It is not certain that this surname has survived into the modern period.4: Irish: of Norman origin from Joce or Joice (see 1 above) Gaelicized as Seóigh or Seóigheach in Ireland where it has been established since the 12th century. The distribution of this name is concentrated in counties Galway and Mayo and gave rise to the eponymous district of Joyce Country (Dúiche Sheoigheach) located along the border between those two counties. Joy is another Anglicized form of this name usually confined to County Kerry Ireland.5: English (of French Huguenot origin): from French Josse identical in origin with 1 above.
Kang : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 康 meaning ‘healthy’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of Kang Shu (康叔) the posthumous title of one of the sons of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). Kang Shu was the first king of the state of Wey (衛) (which is located mainly around present-day Hebi and Xinxiang in Henan province). (ii) from the first element of Kang Ju (康居) the name of a state in Central Asia during the Western Han dynasty (206 BC–25 AD). People from this state adopted 康 as their surname. (iii) from Kang (康) the Chinese name of the state of Samarkand in Central Asia. Immigrants from Samarkand in China acquired 康 the Chinese name of their state as their surname known as one of the 'Nine Sogdian Surnames’. (iv) adopted in place of another Chinese surname 匡 (see Kuang 2). Some people with the surname 匡 changed their surname to 康 during the reign of Zhao Kuangyin (赵匡胤) known as Emperor Taizu of Song (927–976 AD) the first emperor of the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127 AD) because 匡 happened to be part of the personal name of the emperor which was taboo in ancient China.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 亢 meaning ‘high’ or ‘haughty’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the placename Kang Fu (亢父) the name of a vassal state (in present-day Jining in Shandong province) in the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) adopted in place of another Chinese surname 伉 (Kang in Mandarin pinyin) also sharing the same origin of another two Chinese surnames 抗 (Kang in Mandarin pinyin) and 杭 (pronounced the same as 抗 in ancient Chinese Hang in today's Mandarin pinyin) which can be traced back to San Kang (三伉/抗/杭) a noble official in the state of Wey (衛) during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC).3: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 耿 see Geng 2.4: Chinese: Teochew Hokkien or Taiwanese form of the surname 江 see Jiang 1. This pronunciation is found in eastern Guangdong province Fujian province and Taiwan from where some people migrated to Malaysia Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 簡 see Jian 1.6: Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surname 剛 see Gang 6.7: Korean: written 강 in Chinese characters 姜 康 剛 and 强. There are actually five Chinese characters for the surname Kang. Some records indicate that there are as many as one hundred separate Kang clans but only four have actually been documented. There is one Chinese character for each clan. The fifth character is an alternate character for the smallest of the Kang clans and is the result of a scribal error which was introduced in 1908. That segment of the smaller Kang clan which was labeled with the alternate character still uses it and recognizes it as the character for their surname. (i) The largest clan the Kang family of Chinju (it uses the Chinese character 姜) first appears in the historical record in AD 597. It is said to be descended from Kang I-shik (姜 以式) a military official in the ancient Koguryŏ kingdom. Kang I-shik valiantly defended the Koguryŏ kingdom against invasions from China. Subsequently his descendant Kang Chin (姜 縉) was enfeoffed with Chinju in Kyŏngsang South Province. Chinju henceforth became the clan seat for the Kang family. Many members of the largest Kang clan still live in the area of Chinju of Kyŏngsang Province. (ii) The Chinese character 康 is borne by the descendants of Kang Ho-kyŏng (康 虎景). His 14th-generation descendant Kang Chi-yŏn (康 之淵) attended the Koryŏ king Kojong when he fled to Kanghwa Island during the Mongol invasions. Kang Chi-yŏn was subsequently enfeoffed with Shinch’ŏn in Hwanghae Province. There are two other clans of this Kang family but both descend from Kang Chi-yŏn. (iii) The two smaller Kang clans have only a few households in all of Korea. Compare Gang 6.8: Cambodian: written កាំង of Chinese origin but unexplained etymology (probably corresponding to one of the surnames above).9: Cambodian: written កង corresponding to the Khmer word meaning e.g. ‘round bracelet’. Compare Kong 9.10: Southeast Asian (Hmong): variant of Khang 1; in Chinese characters it is written 康 (see 1 above).
Kim : 1: Korean: written 김 in Chinese characters 金 meaning ‘gold’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname Kim which is the most common Korean surname comprising about 20 percent of the Korean population. According to some sources there are over 600 different Kim clans but only c. 100 have been documented. Kims can be found in virtually every part of Korea. The two largest Kim clans the Kim family of Kimhae and the Kim family of Kyŏngju are descended from semi-mythological characters who lived two thousand years ago. According to legend the Kimhae Kim family founder Kim Suro came in answer to a prayer offered by the nine elders of the ancient Karak Kingdom. In 42 AD these elders met together to pray for a king. In answer to their prayer they were sent a golden box containing six golden eggs. From the first egg emerged King Su-ro Karak's first king. The other five eggs became the five kings of Karak's neighboring kingdom Kaya. The founder of the Kim family of Kyŏngju Kim Al-ji had similar origins. In 65 AD the king of Shilla T’alhae heard a strange sound from a forest near the Shilla capital Kyŏngju. On investigation he found a crowing white rooster standing next to a golden egg. From this egg emerged Al-ji founder of the Kyŏngju Kim family and subsequent king of the Shilla Kingdom. Because Al-ji emerged from a golden egg King T’alhae bestowed upon the child the surname Kim which means ‘gold’. It is estimated that about half of the one hundred or so Kim clans of modern Korea are descended from the Kyŏngju Kim clan.2: Chinese: Teochew Hokkien and Taiwanese form of the surname 金 meaning ‘gold’ see Jin 1. This surname is found mainly in other parts of Southeast Asia to which Chinese people migrated from Taiwan Fujian province and eastern Guangdong province.3: Chinese: possibly from Romanization of Chinese names such as 金 (meaning ‘gold’) or 锦 (meaning ‘bright and beautiful’) which were monosyllabic personal names or part of disyllabic personal names of some early Chinese immigrants in the US.4: Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 金 see Jin 1.5: Swiss German: unexplained.
Knivett : perhaps as Reaney suggests a variant of Knight but this is far from proven. He attributes it to Norman difficulty in pronouncing the -h- in Old and Middle English cniht. This sound increasingly caused problems for native English speakers and was sometimes altered to [f] as early as the 13th century. This would account for Walter le Knift 1279 in Hundred Rolls (Oxon) but whether this is the source of Cnivet (11th century) and Knivet (13th and 14th centuries) with the intrusive -e- and voicing of [f] to [v] is quite uncertain. There is no evidence for knivet as a variant of knight in MED.perhaps from Middle English knivet knevet a diminutive form of knif ‘knife’ though the name is recorded much earlier than the word (15th-century in MED).
Kolman : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Kalman or Kohlmann.2: Slovenian Croatian Czech Slovak and Polish: from the old personal name Kolman which is derived from German Koloman (see 3 below) and from its Hungarian form Kálmán (see Kalman) from the name of Saint Columban an Irish pilgrim who was on his way to the Holy Land when he was hanged by a mob in Austria in 1012; in Austria and in neighboring countries his cult overshadowed the cult of his more famous Irish namesake the missionary Saint Columban (see Coleman). In North America this surname may also be a shortened form of Slovenian patronymics Kolmančič and Kolmanič and Croatian Kolmanić.3: Americanized form of Austrian German Kolmann: altered form of the medieval personal name Koloman which is a Germanized form of the name of Saint Columban an 11th-century Christian saint (see 2 above). See also Kohlmann.4: Czech and Polish: from German Kohlmann.5: Dutch: from a pet form of Kool. Compare Colman.
Kong : 1: Korean: there are two Chinese characters for the surname Kong. One of these is borne by only one clan the other by two clans. One of the Kong clans claims Confucius as its ancestor the 53rd ancestor of Confucius having migrated from his home in China to Koryŏ and settled in Ch’angwŏn where his grave can still be seen today. The other two Kong clans the Kimhae Kong and the Munch’ŏn Kong clans both sprang from descendants of a famous T’ang Chinese scholar Kong Yun-po. A man named Kong Myŏng-nye founded the Kimhae Kong clan when he was exiled to Kimhae during the reign of Chosŏn King Sŏngjong in the latter half of the fifteenth century. The founder of the Munch’ŏn Kong clan Kong Chin-ŏn was banished to Munchŏn in Hamgyŏng province during the reign of Chosŏn King Sejong during the first half of the fifteenth century.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 孔 meaning ‘hole’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Kong Fu (孔父) style name of Kong Fu Jia (孔父嘉) an official in the state of Song who was murdered in 710 BC. His son then fled to the state of Lu and inherited 孔 as his surname. The philosopher Confucius (551–479 BC) was one of his descendants. (ii) from the first element of the personal name Kong Kui (孔悝) style name of an official in the state of Wey (衛) (located mainly around present-day Hebi and Xinxiang in Henan province) during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC). (iii) from the first element of the personal name Kong Ning (孔寧) style name of an official in the state of Chen (mainly in present-day eastern Henan province and northwestern Haozhou in Anhui province) during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC). (iv) from the second element of the personal name Zi Kong (子孔) style name of a prince from the state of Zheng (located in part of present-day Shaanxi and Henan province) during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC).3: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 江 see Jiang 1.4: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 龔 鞏 宮 公 弓 貢 and 恭 see Gong 1-7.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 鄺 see Kuang 1.6: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 康 based on its Hakka pronunciation see Kang 1.7: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 亢 see Kang 2.8: Cambodian: written គង់ from a Khmer word meaning e.g. ‘(to be) invulnerable’.9: Cambodian: written កង same as Kang 9.10: Southeast Asian (Hmong): from the name of the Kong clan of the Hmong people in Laos China and Vietnam; in Chinese characters it is written 龔 or 鞏 (see Gong 1 and 2).11: Danish: nickname from kong ‘king’ or an occupational name for someone in the service of the king.
Ku : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 庫 meaning ‘warehouse’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by the descendants of those officials in charge of warehouses in the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) mispronounced form of another Chinese surname Ku (苦). (iii) adopted as a surname by the Ku Men (庫門) and Ku Nu Guan (庫傉官) families during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).2: Chinese: variant of Gu.3: Chinese: Teochew Hokkien and Taiwanese form of the surnames 邱 and 丘 see Qiu 1 and 2.4: Korean: there are three Chinese characters for the surname Ku. The most common of the three claims 32 clans but only two can be documented. The other two Ku surnames each have one clan with its own Chinese character. All four of the Ku clans immigrated from China. The clans that use the more common character came in two waves: the first settled in the Nŭngsŏng sometime before 945 and the second which settled in Ch’angwŏn arrived in 1224. The name of the immigrant who founded the first of these two clans has been lost; but the name of the second is Ku Chon-yu. Members of these two clans can be found throughout the Korean peninsula but 45 percent of them live in Kyŏngsang South province while 20 percent of them live in Seoul and Kyŏnggi province. The founder of the clan that uses the other Ku character was named Ku T’ae-rim. He was an emissary for Tang China on his way to Japan when a storm blew his ship onto the shores of Koguryŏ Korea in 663. He settled in Koguryŏ territory and subsequently held a post in that government. Koguryŏ was a Korean kingdom which existed in the northern part of the Korean peninsula from 37 BC to AD 668. Its territory was incorporated into Shilla when the peninsula was unified in 668. Most of the modern-day members of this clan live in Ch’ungch’ŏng province. Very little is known of the origins of the clan which uses the third Ku character. There are only a few families which still use this character in Korea; they live in Kyŏngsang province and Kangwŏn province. Compare Goo 3 and Koo 6.5: Southeast Asian (Hmong): variant of Kue 1.6: Amerindian (Mexico): Mayan name from ku or k'u meaning ‘god’ and ‘nest’. Compare Cu.
Kuang : Chinese:: 1: Mandarin form of the surname 鄺: (i) from Kuang (鄺 also written as 曠) the name of an ancient state (probably located in present-day Anhui province). (ii) said to be adopted in place of the surname 黃 by the sons of Huang Xian a general during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (656–710 AD). It was said that Huang Xian's two sons changed their surname 黃 (Huang) to 曠 (Kuang) and 鄺 (Kuang) in order to escape from political persecutions because their father Huang Xian lost the battle to the invaders on the frontier. (iii) said to be traced back to Fang Zhun an official during the Southern Song dynasty (1127 AD – 1279 AD) who was endowed with the surname Kuang (鄺) by the then emperor because Zhun's daughter became the emperor's consort. He was later demoted and moved to Heyuan (located in present-day Guangdong province).2: Mandarin form of the surname 匡 meaning ‘rectify’ or ‘assist’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Kuang (匡) the name of a fief (in present-day Yutai in Shangdong province) in the state of Lu which was granted to Gou Xu during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC). (ii) from the placename Kuang (匡) the name of a fief (in present-day Changyuan in Henan province) in the state of Wey (衛) during the Spring and Autumn Period. (iii) from the placename Kuang (匡) the name of a fief (in present-day Suixian in Henan province) in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. (iv) from the placename Kuang (匡) the name of a fief (in present-day Fugou in Henan province) in the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn Period.3: Mandarin form of the surname 況 meaning ‘situation’ or ‘circumstances’ in Chinese: (i) said to be borne by descendants of Kuang Chang Ning (況長寧) an official in the state of Shu (located mainly in present-day Sichuan province) during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). (ii) said to have been adopted as a surname by Kuang Zhong (況鐘) an official in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644 AD) whose original surname is said to have been Huang (黃).4: Mandarin form of the surname 曠 meaning ‘spacious' in Chinese: (i) from Kuang (曠 also written as 鄺 see 1 above) the name of an ancient state (probably located in present-day Anhui province). (ii) from the second element of the personal name Shi Kuang (师曠) personal name of a musician in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) said to be adopted in place of the surname 黃 by the sons of Huang Xian a general during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (656–710 AD). It was said that Huang Xian's two sons changed their surname 黃 (Huang) to 曠 (Kuang) and 鄺 (Kuang see 1 above) in order to escape from political persecutions because their father Huang Xian lost the battle to the invaders on the frontier.5: variant Romanization of the surnames 關 管 and 官 see Guan 1-3.6: variant of Guang.
Kulkarni : Indian (Maharashtra Karnataka): Brahmin name from Marathi kuḷkərṇi ‘village clerk’ (from Sanskrit kula ‘family community’ + karaṇa ‘writer’ or karṇī ‘helmsman’). The kulkarni was a village official under the patel (village headman); he kept the accounts of the cultivators for the government and also for public records. The office of kulkarni was hereditary.
Lawrence : English: from the Middle English and Old French personal name Lorens Laurence from Latin Laurentius ‘man from Laurentum’ a place in Italy probably named from its laurels or bay trees. The name was borne by a Christian saint who was martyred at Rome in the 3rd century AD; he enjoyed a considerable cult throughout Europe with consequent popularity of the personal name (French Laurent Italian Spanish Lorenzo Catalan Llorenç Portuguese Lourenço German Laurenz Polish Wawrzyniec etc.). In Britain this is a common name from the 12th century with pet forms such as Law Low Lawrie Laurie Larry Larkin all of which are represented in surnames. There was also a feminine form Laurencia which may have given rise to the English surname. The surname is also borne by Jews among whom it is presumably an Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Ashkenazic surnames. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed many cognates from other languages e.g. German Lorenz and also their patronymics and other derivatives e.g. Slovenian Lavrenčič and Lovrenčič (patronymics from Lavrencij and Lovrenc equivalents of Lawrence) Polish Wawrzyniak. Compare Larrance Laurence Lawerence Lieurance and Lowrance.
Ledgeway : apparently an altered form of Leadsway of uncertain origin. Neil Mackay (personal communication) notes from the Knaresborough Parish Registers (N Yorks Record Office) that John Ledgway born on 9th October 1785 was the son of Mark and Ann Ledgway who are identical with Mark Leadsway (born about 1760) and Ann Thompson whom he married in Knaresborough (WR Yorks) on February 7th 1785.
Lherault : 1: Altered form (also L'Hérault) of French Lereau (see Lheureux 1).2: French (Lhérault rarely L'Hérault): variant with fused definite article l' of Hérault from the personal name Hérault from ancient Germanic Hariwald composed of the elements hari ‘army’ + wald ‘power authority’ a cognate of Middle English Herold (see Herald).
Lheureux : 1: Altered form (also L'Heureux especially in Canada) of French Lereau itself probably a variant of 2 below or of Lhérault (see Lherault 2) found mainly in Eure-et-Loir. Compare Happy and Lherault 1.2: French: nickname for someone who was characteristically happy successful or lucky Old French heureux with fused definite article l'.
Li : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 李 meaning ‘plum’: (i) said to have been adopted in place of the Chinese surname 理 (also pronounced Li; meaning ‘rules’ in Chinese) by Li Zhen (利貞) son of an official called Li Zheng (理徵) in the late Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). It is said that Li Zhen's father incurred the displeasure of King Zhou of Shang (died 1046 BC) and Li Zhen fled to a wasteland area where he survived on wild plums. After his return to civilization he changed his surname to Li (李 ‘plum’) a word with the same pronunciation. The original surname 理 is said to be from Li Guan (理官) the name of a post of officials in charge of legislation in ancient China. Li Er (李耳) also known as Lao Tzu or Lao Zi traditionally regarded as the founder of Taoism is believed to have been a descendant of Li Zhen. (ii) adopted as a surname by the Chi Li (叱李) family from the Xianbei ethnic group during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iii) in the early years of the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) sixteen high officials with different surnames were granted the surname Li (李) the surname of the royal family of the Tang dynasty by Emperor Taizong of Tang (died 649 BC) because of their contributions to the establishment of the Tang regime. (iv) the surname can also be traced back to several minority ethnic groups in ancient China.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 黎 meaning ‘black’ or ‘multitude’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from Li (黎) the name of an ancient state (located in Changzhi in Shanxi province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC) which was annexed in the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC) and later granted to Fengshu also known as Li Hou (黎侯 'Marquis Li'). (ii) adopted as a surname by the Su Li (素黎) family members of the Xianbei ethnic group during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 利 meaning ‘sharp fortunate’ or ‘benefits’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Li Zhen (利貞) son of an official called Li Zheng (理徵) in the late Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC) also see 1 (i) above. (ii) from the placename Li (利) the name of a fief (located in Hubei province or in Sichuan province) granted to a prince in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) adopted as a surname by the Chi Li (叱利) family members of the Xianbei ethnic group during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 栗 meaning ‘chestnut’ in Chinese: (i) said to be from Li Lu (栗陸) the title of a legendary emperor in ancient China. (ii) from Li (栗) the name of an ancient state (located in Xiayi in Henan province) during the late Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC) which was annexed in the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC).5: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 厲 meaning ‘strict rigorous’ in Chinese: (i) from Li (厲) the posthumous title of Qi Li Gong (齊厲公 the Duke Li of Qi ruler of the state of Qi died 816 BC). (ii) from Li (厲) the name of an ancient state (located in Suixian in Hubei province) during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). (iii) adopted in place of the Chinese surname 孫. The king Sun Hao in the state of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD) ordered the family members of Sun Xiu (a general in the state of Wu possibly died 301 BC) to change their surname to Li (厲) because Sun Xiu had defected to the state of Jin. (iv) adopted in place of the Chinese surname Li (李) by the extended family of an official called Li Jin (李晉) during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) who was killed because of his attempt to usurp the throne.6: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 酈: from the placename Li (酈) the name of an ancient state (located in Henan province) annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).7: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 禮 meaning ‘ceremonies’ or ‘etiquette’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Li Kong (禮孔) and Li Zhi (禮至) officials in the state of Wey who were descendants of Wey Kang Shu (衛康叔 Kang Shu of Wey) founder of the state of Wey. (ii) borne by the descendants of the masters of ceremonies in ancient China.8: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 勵 meaning ‘encourage’ in Chinese: (i) said to be adopted in place of another surname Sun (孫) by descendants of Sun Xiu (possibly died 301 BC) also see 5 (iii) above. (ii) said to be adopted in place of another surname Li (厲) by Li Dune an official in the Qing dynasty (1616–1911 AD) who was endowed with the surname Li (勵) by the then emperor.9: Vietnamese: variant of Lệ from the Chinese surname 酈 see 6 above and Le.10: Vietnamese (Lí): variant of Ly from the Chinese surname 李see 1 above.11: Norwegian: habitational name from any of numerous farmsteads named Li from Old Norse hlíth ‘mountain slope hillside’. Compare Lie 1.
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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