Origin
Rich : 1: English: nickname for a wealthy man (or perhaps in some cases an ironic nickname for a pauper) from Middle English Old French riche ‘rich wealthy’ a word of ancient Germanic origin akin to ancient Germanic rīc ‘power(ful)’.2: English: from the Middle English personal name Rich a pet form of any of the post-Conquest names beginning in Rich- such as Richer and especially Richard. Compare Rick.3: English: either a topographic name from Middle English riche(Old English ric) ‘stream’ signifying one who lived beside a stream as at Glynde Reach (Sussex) or perhaps a habitational name from the (now lost) village of Riche (Lincolnshire).4: English: sometimes perhaps a variant of Ridge with devoicing of the formerly medial consonant.5: Americanized form of German Reich.
Aga : 1: Norwegian: habitational name from either of two farms so named in Hordaland; of uncertain derivation.2: Turkish (Ağa): ornamental name or nickname from ağa ‘lord master’ also ‘gentleman’. This was an Ottoman Turkish title for a nobleman with a landed estate and a military rank. It was also used as an honorific for high officials and rich men.3: Albanian: from aga or agë (definite form aga) an Ottoman Turkish title (see above).4: Muslim: variant of Agha a cognate of 2 above.
Agha : 1: Muslim: from Turkish ağa ‘lord master’. This was an Ottoman Turkish title for a nobleman with a landed estate and a military rank. It was also used as an honorific for high officials and rich men in the Ottoman Turkey and is as such still in use in certain Muslim countries (Aga Khan for example is the title of the leader of the Ismaili sect of Shiite Muslims). Compare Aga.2: West African (Nigeria): Igbo name from a short form of a personal name such as Aghadinuno which is interpreted as ‘there is war in the family’.
Akridge : 1: Possibly English a habitational name from a place with a name meaning ‘oak ridge’ as for example Aikrigg in Cumbria (from Old Norse eik ‘oak’ + hryggr ‘ridge’) or any of the many places called Oakridge (from Old English āc + hrycg). However neither Akridge nor Oakridge are found as surnames in current English records.2: Possibly an Americanized form of German Eckerich from an ancient Germanic personal name composed of agi ‘point edge (of a sword)’ + rich ‘powerful’.
Barbosa : 1: Galician and Portuguese: topographic name from barba a type of plant + the suffix -osa denoting a place rich in this plant.2: Italian: unexplained.
Bartholomew : 1: English: from the Middle English personal name Bertilmew Bertelmy a borrowing of the Old French form of the Biblical personal name Bartholomew (from Latin Bartholomaeus; Hebrew ‘son of Talmai’ said to mean ‘having many furrows’ i.e. rich in land). This was an extremely popular personal name in Christian Europe with many vernacular derivatives. It derived its popularity from the apostle Saint Bartholomew (Matthew 10:3) who was among other things the patron saint of tanners vintners and butlers.2: As an Irish name it has been used as an Anglicized form of Mac Pharthaláin (see McFarlane).
Bires : 1: Slovak (Bíreš): occupational name for a servant working in kind for a rich farmer from bíreš a word of Hungarian origin (see Beres).2: Altered form of English and Scottish Byers.3: In some cases possibly also a variant of Bayers a surname of German origin.
Boas : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Hebrew personal name Boas or Boaz its original sense being ‘in him is strength’. In the Book of Ruth in the Writings of the Hebrew Bible this is the name of Ruth's rich kinsman who later became her husband.2: English (Cornwall): variant of Boyce pronounced as /bɔ:s/or /bɔ:z/ spelled Boase Bose and Boaz also pronounced as /bo:s/ developing to /bu:s/ or /bu:z/ and spelled Boose.3: English: variant of Bowes.
Bohac : Czech and Slovak (Boháč): nickname for a rich man from bohatý ‘rich’.
Cabal : Catalan and southern French: nickname for a rich man from Catalan cabal ‘possessions goods’ and Old Occitan cabal ‘powerful wealthy’.
Calamari : Italian:: 1: occupational name from medieval Latin calamarius ‘scribe copyist’ (from Latin calamus ‘reed’).2: habitational name from Calamaro in Sicily named with medieval Latin calamarium ‘writing stand’ probably denoting a place rich in reeds.
Cardoso : 1: Portuguese Galician and Spanish: habitational name from any of numerous places with this name from cardo ‘thistle’ + the suffix -oso denoting a place rich in this plant.2: Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the Iberian surname (see 1 above) at the moment of conversion to Roman Catholicism. After the return to Judaism (generations later) some descendants retained the name their families used as Catholics.
Cianflone : Italian:: 1: unflattering nickname from Spanish chanflón ‘rough crude coarse’.2: from Calabrian cianfruni the name of an old gold coin applied possibly as a metonymic occupational name for a moneyer or as a nickname for a rich or miserly man.
Damask : English: presumably an occupational name for someone who sold damask a richly woven material of a kind originally made in Damascus. The English word also came to denote a rich pink color and it is possible that the surname arose as a nickname with reference to someone's complexion.
Derick : 1: Walloon and Flemish: probably a variant of Flemish Deryck a nickname for a rich man from Middle Dutch rike ‘powerful rich’ + man ‘man’ or of Flemish Derck.2: Variant of Derrick 2 an altered form of Flemish German and Dutch surnames such as Derck Derk and Derek.
Duka : 1: Albanian: nickname from dukë (definite form duka) ‘duke’ a word of ultimately Latin origin (from dux ‘leader’) in medieval Albania denoting the governor of the province and later of the district.2: Ukrainian: nickname from duka ‘prince noble lord rich person’ (compare 1 above).3: Filipino: occupational name from Ilokano duka ‘to soften’ used often in reference to the soaking of the soil before planting.
Dush : 1: Americanized form of German and French Dusch.2: Americanized form of Hungarian Dús a nickname for a rich person.
Dvorak : Czech (Dvořák): status name for a rich farmer one who owned a manor house and an estate or in some cases an occupational name for someone who worked at a manor house rather than on the land from Czech dvůr ‘manor estate’. Compare Sedlak. In Moravia the term denoted a freeholder subject only to the king. This is the fourth most common surname in the Czech lands. Compare Devorak Dworak and Dworshak.
Eisenreich : German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Isanrich composed of the elements īsan ‘iron’ + rīch ‘powerful rich’.
Finfrock : Altered form of German Fünfrock: nickname for a rich man (literally the owner of five coats) from Middle High German finf ‘five’ + roc ‘coat jacket’. The surname Fünfrock is very rare in Germany while the altered form Finfrock originates from France (Lorraine) where it is very rare too. Compare Finafrock Finefrock Finifrock Finnefrock Finneyfrock and Fivecoat.
Ganis : 1: Greek: nickname for a rich man from Turkish gani ‘rich’ (see Gani).2: Italian (mainly Friuli Venezia Giulia): patronymic from the personal name Gano (see Gani). It is formed with the Latin ablative plural suffix -is imparting the sense ‘belonging to of’ in this case ‘member of the Gani family’.
Holsen : Norwegian: habitational name from a farm name in Førde in western Norway from Old Norse hollr ‘friendly generous’ and sær ‘sea’ denoting a location rich in fish. Compare Holson.
Kmet : 1: Slovenian and Croatian: from Slovenian and dialectal Croatian kmet status name for a peasant farmer.2: Slovak (Kmeť) and Czech: from Slovak kmeť Czech kmet either ‘old man with rich life experience’ or a status name for an alderman. Compare Kmetz.
Laurich : 1: Americanized form of Slovenian Lavrič: patronymic from the personal name Lavre a short form of Lavrencij Latin Laurentius (see Lawrence). See also Lavrich.2: Germanized form of Slovenian Lavrih: from an old derivative of the personal name Lavre (see above).3: Americanized form of Croatian Laurić or Lavrić: metronymic from the female personal name Laura or patronymic from the personal name Lavro a short form of Lavrentije an archaic equivalent of Lawrence.4: German: from a short form of the personal name Laurentius (see Lawrence) or of a personal name composed of Old High German (h)lūt ‘clear loud’ + rīhhi ‘powerful rich splendid’.
Leriche : French: nickname for a rich man or perhaps an ironical name for a pauper a variant of Riche with fused masculine definite article le.
Mast : 1: German and Swiss German: nickname from Middle High German mast ‘fat stout’. Compare Maust.2: Dutch: metonymic occupational name for a swineherd from Middle Dutch mast ‘mast swine fodder’.3: Dutch (Van der Mast and Van de Mast): topographic name for someone from a place rich in animal fodder for example acorns (see 2 above).4: English (Essex) and Dutch: nickname for a tall lanky man from Middle Dutch mast Middle English mast ‘mast of a ship’ in Middle English also ‘long pole’.
Milord : 1: French and Haitian: nickname for an important or rich man from milord a borrowing of English my lord. Or in Haiti from the personal name Milord of the same origin. This surname was brought to the US mostly from Haiti where it is by far most common.2: Altered form of French Millard 2.
Molde : 1: Norwegian: habitational name from the farm name Molde derived from a word meaning ‘soil rich in humus topsoil’.2: North German: metonymic occupational name from Middle Low German molde ‘oblong wooden bowl (used for baking etc.)’.3: English: variant of Mould. This surname is rare in Britain.
Moneta : Italian: from moneta ‘money’ probably applied as a nickname for a rich man or as a metonymic occupational name for a moneyer or money lender.
Money : 1: English: from Middle English moneye ‘money’ (Old French moneie Latin moneta) perhaps a nickname for a rich man or for a moneyer. Compare Minter and Monier.2: Irish (Derry): variant of Mooney.3: Altered form of French Monnet.
Moneypenny : English (Lancashire): probably a nickname either for a rich man or ironically a poor one from Middle English many mony ‘many’ + peny ‘penny’ (see Penny).
Perla : 1: Spanish: from perla ‘pearl’ possibly applied as a metonymic occupational name for a trader in pearls which in the Middle Ages were fashionable among the rich for the ornamentation of clothes.2: Italian: generally from the female personal name Perla meaning ‘pearl’ (Italian perla) but in some cases possibly a metonymic occupational name from the vocabulary word (see 1 above).3: Italian: habitational name from Perla a district of Schignano in Como province.4: Croatian and Slovenian: nickname from perla ‘pearl’ a word of ultimately Latin origin also used pejoratively for a person who leaves a better impression than it is worth. This surname is very rare in Croatia and Slovenia.
Peyman : English (southern):: 1: from Middle English pe pey pay ‘peacock’ + man perhaps a nickname denoting a dandy or an occupational name for someone who bred peacocks for a rich man's garden or dinner table. Compare Peacock Peabody.2: alternatively the surname could mean ‘Pey's servant’ from the Middle English personal name Pey + man ‘man’.
Plenty : English (Somerset and Gloucestershire): nickname for a rich or prosperous person from Middle English plent(i)e ‘plenty abundance prosperity’ (Old French ple(i)nté).
Poveromo : Italian (Apulia and central Italy):: 1: habitational name from Poveromo a locality in Marina di Massa in Massa province.2: from povere ‘poor’ + uomo ‘man’ applied as a nickname for a poor man or ironically for a rich miser.
Ramwell : 1: perhaps a variant of Ranwell. 2: perhaps a variant of Rammell as a variant of Rathmell. See Redmonds Dictionary of Yorks Surnames and compare Rich. Ramwell 1763 Robert Rammell 1771 in IGI (Turton Lancs); John Ramwel 1732 John Rammel 1760 in IGI (Bolton Lancs).
Redepenning : North German: from Middle Low German rede ‘ready’ + penning ‘penny’ together meaning ‘cash’ a metonymic occupational name for a coiner or a money changer or nickname for a very rich man.
Reich : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a wealthy or powerful man from Middle High German rīch ‘of noble descent powerful rich’ German reich ‘rich’. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine) Poland Hungary Czechia Slovakia Slovenia and Croatia (see also 4 below).2: German: from a short form of a personal name containing the Old High German element rīhhi ‘power might’.3: Scottish: when not of German origin (see above) perhaps a variant of Riach.4: Germanized form of Slovenian and Croatian Rajh: nickname of German origin (see 1 above).
Reichmann : German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a powerful or wealthy man from Middle High German rīch (German reich) ‘noble powerful rich’ + man (German Mann) ‘man’.
Reichmuth : Swiss German and German: from the medieval personal name Richmut from Middle High German rīch ‘noble powerful’ + muot ‘mind sense’.
Riche : 1: English (London): variant of Rich.2: French: nickname for a rich man or perhaps an ironical name for a pauper from Old French riche ‘rich’. Compare Leriche.3: French (Riché): variant of Richer.
Riling : 1: Americanized form of German Reiling.2: variant of Swiss German Rilich a nickname for a rich and generous person from Middle High German rīchelich.
Ritch : 1: English and Scottish (Orkney): either a variant of Rich or perhaps from a short form of Ritchie itself a diminutive based on Rich.2: Altered form of German Ritsch probably from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name based on rīc ‘power(ful)’ or hrōd ‘fame renown’; or an altered form of Swiss German Rütsch Ruetsch from Alemannic short forms of Rudolf.
Ritchison : Scottish: patronymic from the personal name Rich a short form of Richard.
Ryckman : Americanized and Flemish form of Dutch Rijkman: from Middle Dutch rike ‘powerful rich’ + man ‘man’ probably interpreted as a nickname for a rich man.
Scarlett : English: perhaps a nickname for someone who made or sold bright rich fabrics from Middle English scarlet ‘scarlet (cloth)’ (Old French escarlate Late Latin scarlata).
Schatz : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name for a treasurer from German Schatz ‘treasure’ Middle High German scha(t)z. It may also have been a nickname for a rich man (or ironically for a miser) or else for a well-liked person or a ladies’ favorite from the use of the vocabulary word as a term of endearment. As a Jewish name it is mainly artificial.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name from an acronym of the Hebrew phrase SHeliach-TSibur ‘emissary of the congregation’ an epithet of the cantor.3: German (Schätz): Bavarian status name for a tax collector or appraiser from Middle High German schetzen ‘to collect money impose a tax’.
Sedlak : 1: Czech and Slovak (Sedlák): status name from sedlák (standard Slovak sedliak) ‘farmer’. In Bohemia a sedlák was a comparatively rich farmer with more land than a zahradník ‘smallholder truck farmer’ (see Zahradnik) or a chalupník ‘cottager’ (see Chalupa).2: Slovenian and Croatian: of Czech or Slovak origin (see above) or a derivative of sedlo ‘saddle’ (see Sedlar); as a Slovenian surname it may be a topographic name from sedlo in the meaning ‘saddle-shaped ground’.
Seltenreich : German: nickname for someone of limited means from Middle High German selten ‘seldom’ + rīch ‘rich’. Compare Seldomridge.
Silver : 1: English: nickname from Middle English silver(e) ‘silver’ for someone with silver-colored hair a rich man or a silversmith.2: English: habitational name from Monksilver in Somerset or one or more other places called with Old English seolfor ‘silver’ especially when referring to the appearance of a stream.3: Americanized form (translation into English) of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Silber.4: Native American (Navajo): translation into English of a Navajo personal name based on the term béésh łigaii ‘silver’ used as a metonymic occupational name for a silversmith (see Peshlakai). Compare Silversmith.
Siska : 1: Czech and Slovak (Šiška): nickname from Old Czech and Slovak šiška ‘pinecone; cone-shaped dumpling’ perhaps applied to someone with a cone-shaped head.2: Hungarian: from dialect siska ‘long-eared pig’ hence a nickname for someone with big ears. In some cases it may also nickname or a metonymic occupational name of Slavic origin (see above and below).3: Slovenian (Šiška): from šiška ‘gallnut’ applied as a nickname or as a metonymic occupational name for a seller of gallnuts or a tanner (gallnuts are rich in tannic acid and have been used in tanning). Compare Sisko.
Skarbek : Polish: nickname for a miser or a rich individual from a derivative of skarb ‘treasure wealth’. Compare skarbnik ‘treasurer’.
Smerdon : English (Devon): habitational name predominantly from Smeardon Down in Petertavy (Devon) though perhaps occasionally also from Smarden (Kent). The Devon placename derives from Old English smeoru ‘fat grease’ (probably used in allusion to rich pasturage) + dūn ‘hill’ while the Kent placename comes from Old English smeoru ‘fat grease’ + denn ‘pasture’.
Smoot : Americanized form of Dutch Smout a metonymic occupational name for someone who sold fat or lard Dutch smout or a nickname for someone who had a taste for and could afford rich foods.
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Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
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