Last names linked to THEIR
Origin
Abendschein : South German: ornamental name meaning ‘evening light’. The word Abendschein is of relatively recent origin; it was used in the 17th century by Baroque writers as a name of their circle. Compare Auvenshine and Obenchain.
Acquaviva : Italian: literally ‘living water’ i.e. ‘running water spring’; a habitational name from any of various minor places in central and southern Italy so named on account of their springs of fresh water as for example Acquaviva Platani in Sicily (until 1862 known simply as Acquaviva).
Agarwal : Indian (northern states): Bania and Jain habitational name from the placenames Agroha or Agar + the Hindi or Punjabi adjectival suffix -wāl (equivalent to -er in English) i.e. ‘person from Agroha’. Agroha (in Hissar district formerly in the Punjab now in Haryana) is said to have been named as the capital city of Agar Sen a legendary Vaishya king whom the Agarwals claim as their ancestor. Alternatively the placename in question may be Agar a city forty miles northeast of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. The Agarwals are one of the most prominent mercantile communities of northern India.
Aguilar : 1: Spanish and Catalan: habitational name from any of numerous places called Aguilar from Latin aquilare ‘haunt of eagles’ (a derivative of aquila ‘eagle’) for example Aguilar de Campo in Palencia Aguilar de la Frontera in Córdoba and Aguilar de Segarra in Catalonia. Compare Aquilar.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.
Ahonen : Finnish: cognate of Aho with the addition of the surname suffix -nen. An ornamental surname adopted mainly in the 19th century in western Finland (compare Virtanen). A small number of the Ahonen families however have old eastern Finnish roots their name being on record since the 16th century.
Akita : Japanese: written 秋田 ‘autumn rice paddy’ or phonetically 安木田. It is found along the eastern seaboard of Japan. A family of daimyō (feudal lords) descended from the Abe family took the name from their residence in Akita castle in Ugo (now Akita prefecture). The phonetically written name which is less common hints that it could actually derive from the word kita meaning ‘north’ because the province is in the far north.
Alagna : Italian: habitational name from Alagna Lomellina in Pavia province or Alagna Valsesia in Vercelli province both named for their connection with an ancient tribe called the Alani.
Albany : 1: Scottish and English: from the title of the Dukes of Albany (House of Stuart) hence a name borne by their retainers. Albany is from Albania the Latin name for Scotland (Gaelic Alba genitive Albainn). This is an infrequent surname in England and Scotland.2: English: variant of Dabney.
Alexander : 1: Scottish English German and Dutch: from the personal name Alexander classical Greek Alexandros which probably originally meant ‘repulser of men (i.e. of the enemy)’ from alexein ‘to repel’ + andros genitive of anēr ‘man’. Its popularity in the Middle Ages was due mainly to the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great (356–323 BC) - or rather to the hero of the mythical versions of his exploits that gained currency in the so-called Alexander Romances. The name was also borne by various early Christian saints including a patriarch of Alexandria (c. 250–326 AD) whose main achievement was condemning the Arian heresy. The Gaelic form of the personal name is Alasdair which has given rise to a number of Scottish and Irish patronymics for example McAllister. Alexander is a common personal name in Scotland often representing an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Spanish Alejandro Italian Alessandro Arabic or Assyrian/Chaldean Iskandar and Iskander and their derivatives e.g. Greek patronymic Alexandropoulos.2: Jewish: from the adopted personal name Alexander (see 1 above) or shortened from the eastern Ashkenazic (originally Slavic) patronymics Aleksandrovich or Alexandrowicz.
Alexis : 1: French and West Indian (mainly Haiti): from the personal name Alexis of Greek origin ultimately from Greek alexios ‘helping defending’. The personal name owed its popularity in the Middle Ages to Saint Alexi(u)s. The historical Saint Alexis is said to have lived in the 4th–5th centuries in Edessa (an early center of Christianity in Syria). His cult was also popular in the Eastern Church which accounts for the frequency of the Russian personal name Aleksey.2: American shortened form of any of various Greek derivatives of the personal name Alexis (see 1 above) e.g. Alexiadis a patronymic formed with the suffix -adis a variant of the classical -ades and Alexopoulos.3: Americanized form of cognates of 1 above and their derivatives from other languages e.g. Italian Alessio and Serbian and Croatian Aleksić (see Aleksic).
Almasy : Hungarian (Almásy): habitational name for someone from any of 43 places called Almás in 22 counties of the former Hungarian kingdom. All of these places were named for their apple orchards (from alma ‘apple’). In some cases the surname may derive from a compound placename such as Tóalmás Bácsalmás Rácalmás Hídalmás etc. This surname is also found in Slovakia where it is sometimes spelled Almášy. Compare Almas and Almasi.
Almeida : 1: Spanish and Portuguese: habitational name from any of numerous places called Almeida in western Spain and in Portugal all named from Arabic al-māida ‘table’ (in topographic sense ‘upland tableland’ or ‘hill’). Compare De Almeida.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.
Alton : English:: 1: habitational name from any of the many places called Alton in Derbyshire Dorset Hampshire Leicestershire Staffordshire Wiltshire Worcestershire and elsewhere. The origin of the placename is various: Alton in Derbyshire and Alton Grange in Leicestershire probably have as their first element Old English (e)ald ‘old’. Those in Hampshire Dorset and Wiltshire are at the sources of rivers and are named in Old English as ‘settlement (tūn) at the river source (ǣwiell)’. Others derive from various Old English personal names; for example the one in Staffordshire is formed with an unattested personal name Ælfa and one in Worcestershire Eanulfintun in 1023 is ‘settlement associated with (-ing) Ēanwulf’. The surname may also be from Auton Stile in Durham Saint Oswalds (Durham) which is recorded as Altone c. 1200.2: variant of Olton. Compare Allton.
Aluko : West African (Nigeria): Yoruba name from àlùkò ‘woodcock’ said to be a name adopted by Ijesha textile hawkers to deflect the curses of their debtors.
Alvares : 1: Portuguese: patronymic from the personal name Álvaro (see Alvaro).2: Hispanic: altered form of Spanish Álvarez (see Alvarez).3: Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the name in 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.
Alvarez : 1: Spanish (Álvarez): patronymic from the personal name Álvaro (see Alvaro). Compare Alavarez Albares Albarez Alvares and Alverez.2: Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the name in 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.
Ambrose : 1: English and Scottish: from the personal name Ambrose (French Ambroise Latin Ambrosius from Greek ambrosios ‘immortal divine’) which was popular throughout Christendom in medieval Europe. Its popularity was due in part to the fame of Saint Ambrose (c. 340–397) one of the four Latin Fathers of the Church the teacher of Saint Augustine. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Czech Slovenian and Croatian Ambrož (see Ambroz) and also their derivatives e.g. the Slovenian patronymic Ambrožič.2: Irish: from Mac Ambróis ‘son of Ambrose’ (see 1 above); a West Munster name which has also been Anglicized as McCambridge.
An : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 安 meaning ‘peace safe’ or ‘calm’ in Chinese: (i) borne by descendants of immigrants from an ancient state called An Xi (安息) also known as the Parthian Empire (located in present-day northeastern Iran). Traditional accounts record that the legendary emperor Huang Di the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c. 27th century BC) had a grandson named An who moved to the far west to establish An Xi losing contact with the Middle Kingdom. In 147 AD An Shigao (安世高) prince of the Parthian Empire (An Xi) came to China to preach Buddhism. Later some immigrants from the Parthian Empire (An Xi) adopted their tribal name An as their surname. (ii) adopted as a surname by the An Chi (安遲) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iii) from one of the ‘Nine Sogdian Surnames’ 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 An (安) in Chinese. Between 649 and 655 AD these states submitted to Emperor Gaozong of Tang (628–83 AD). (iv) possibly from An (安) the name of an ancient fief (located in Shanxi province).2: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 晏 see Yan 5.3: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 洪 see Hong 1.4: Korean: written 안 in Chinese characters 安 meaning ‘peace’. This is the only Chinese character for the surname An. Some sources indicate that there are 109 An clans but only six can be documented. All had one common founding ancestor named Yi Wŏn (李 瑗) who migrated from Tang China to the Shilla Kingdom in 807 AD. Yi had three sons who helped the Shilla king Kyŏngmun (861–75) to repel Japanese invaders. As a token of royal appreciation these three sons were enfeoffed with land and granted the surname An (安). It is now quite a common Korean surname and can be found throughout the peninsula. Compare Ahn 1.5: Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 安 (see 1 above).6: Vietnamese (Ân): from the Chinese surname 殷 (see Yin 1).
Andrew : English and Scottish: from the usual vernacular English form (recorded from the 13th century onward) of the New Testament Greek personal name Andreas. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed many cognates from other languages e.g. Czech Ondřej (see Ondrey) and Albanian Ndreu and also their patronymics and other derivatives (see examples at Andrews).
Andros : 1: English: variant of Andrews. This surname is very rare in Britain.2: American shortened form of Greek Andronikos (see Andron 2) or of any other surname based on a personal name beginning with Andr- (from andros genitive of anēr ‘man male’) e.g. Androutsos including their patronymics and other derivatives such as Andronikidis.
Ang : Chinese:: 1: Teochew Hokkien or Taiwanese form of the surname 洪 see Hong 1 meaning ‘flood deluge’. This pronunciation is found in eastern Guangdong Fujian and Taiwan from where many people migrated to the Philippines Singapore Malaysia Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia.2: variant Romanization of the surname 翁 see Weng 1.3: variant Romanization of the surnames 王 and 汪 see Wang 1 and 2 possibly based on their Hokkien or Taiwanese pronunciation.4: variant Romanization of the surnames 吳 and 伍 see Wu 1 and 2.5: variant Romanization of the surname 鄧 see Deng based on its pronunciation of the Siyi Cantonese subdialect (also known as Sze Yup or Four Districts dialect including Taishanese) spoken in southern Guangdong.
Antony : 1: English: variant of Anthony. Etymologically this is the ‘correct’ spelling but it is now much less common in Britain. Antony is especially common as a personal name among Christians in India and was registered as a surname after their immigration to the US.2: German French and Slovak: Latinized (humanistic) patronymic from the personal name German and Slovak Anton French Antoine from Antoni(i) the genitive of the Latin form Antonius (see Anthony 1). Compare Antoni 1 and Anthony 2.
Apostolos : Greek: shortened form of patronymics such as Apostolakis Apostolides and Apostolopoulos derived from the personal name Apostolos from apostolos ‘apostle’. The term apostolos was adopted by early Christians in honor of Christ's twelve apostles and as a symbol of their own commitment to spreading the Christian message. The original meaning of the Greek word apostolos is ‘messenger one sent with a message’ from apostellein ‘to send’. The word was used in the Septuagint as a translation of Hebrew saleh ‘messenger apostle’. Compare Apostle and Apostol.
Arcos : Spanish and Portuguese: habitational name from any of several places called Arcos in Spain and Portugal or Los Arcos in Spain with reference to their arches or arcades. Compare De Arcos.
Arias : 1: Spanish: from the medieval personal name Arias of disputed origin.2: Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the Spanish surname (see 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.
Arlott : 1: from Old French herlot harlot arlot ‘rascal scoundrel vagrant’ hence Middle English harlot harlet herlot ‘vagabond beggar idle rogue’. It was used by Chaucer both as a term of derision (‘ye false harlot’) and also ironically for a good fellow (‘he was a gentil harlot and a kynde’). In the 14th century it came to denote also an itinerant jester buffoon or juggler also a male servant attendant or menial. The sense ‘female prostitute’ is not recorded before the 15th century so Muriel Arlot and Matilda le Harlot probably bear their husbands' surnames.possibly from the Old French personal name Arlot a pet form of Arlaud a French version of the Continental Germanic personal name Arlwald (of which the second element is *wald- ‘rule’). However there is no certain evidence that this personal name was ever used in medieval England. 2: see Arlett.
Arnson : 1: English: variant of Arnison a patronymic from a medieval short form of the personal name Arnold. This form of the surname has died out in Britain.2: Americanized form of any of various Scandinavian patronymics beginning with Arn- e.g. Norwegian Arnesen or Arntsen and their rare cognate Arnsen or Swedish Arnesson (see Arneson) or Arntsson.3: Americanized form of Swedish Aronsson or Aronson and possibly also of its Norwegian cognate Aronsen.
Arora : Indian (Punjab): from the name of a mercantile community of the Punjab. It is derived from a placename Aror (now called Rohri in Sindh Pakistan). According to legend the Aroras are of Kshatriya stock but denied their Kshatriya origin in order to escape persecution by Paras Ram (parašurāma in Sanskrit means ‘Rama with the axe’). They called themselves Aur which means ‘someone else’ in Hindi and Punjabi.
Asterley : from Asterley in Pontesbury (Shrops) which is recorded as Esterleg' in 1255–56 Astreleye in 1291–92 and Asturley in 1396. The place-name derives from Old English ēasterra ‘more eastern eastern’ + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’. Some of the early bearers particularly those recorded outside of Shrops in 1439 and 1549 may take their names from Asterleigh (Oxon) but the 1881 distribution of the surname strongly suggests that Asterley (Shrops) is the most likely place of origin for the modern surname.
Astor : 1: German: from Occitan astor ‘goshawk’ (from Latin acceptor a variant of accipiter ‘hawk’) used as a nickname characterizing a predacious or otherwise hawklike man. The name was taken to southwestern Germany by 17th-century Waldensian refugees from their Alpine valleys above Italian Piedmont.2: English: variant of Aster itself a variant of Easter 2.
Athens : 1: Americanized form of Greek patronymics derived from the personal name Athanasios meaning ‘immortal’ (see Athanas). Compare Athans.2: Americanized form of Greek Atheneos ‘Athenian’ or Athenakis a habitational name for someone from the city of Athens. These were also used as nicknames for people who had spent time in Athens and liked to show off their worldliness.
Augustus : Dutch German English Welsh West Indian (mainly Trinidad and Tobago) and African (mainly Nigeria): from the Latin personal name Augustus (from the adjective augustus ‘consecrated majestic venerable’) or a Latinized (humanistic) form of German and English August. It was the Emperor Augustus (63 BC–AD 14) after whom it became conventional for Roman emperors to adopt Augustus as a title on their accession and in whose honor the month of August was named. The personal name became popular among early Christians who read into it the implication that the bearer had become greater by being baptized. The surname Augustus is virtually non-existing in Germany.
Azevedo : 1: Portuguese: topographic name for someone whose dwelling was by a clump of holly bushes (see Acevedo). Compare Asevedo.2: Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the Portuguese 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.
Bach : 1: German: topographic name for someone who lived by a stream Middle High German bach ‘stream’. This surname is also found in some other European countries most notably in Denmark and France (Alsace and Lorraine) but also in e.g. the Netherlands Czechia (see also 5 below) and Croatia.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Bach ‘stream creek’.3: English: topographic name for someone who lived by a stream Middle English bach(e) bech(e) ‘stream’ (Old English bæce).4: Welsh: nickname a distinguishing epithet from Welsh bach ‘little small’.5: Polish Czech and Slovak: from the personal name Bach a pet form of Bartholomaeus (Polish Bartłomiej Czech Bartoloměj Slovak Bartolomej; see Bartholomew) or in some cases Baltazar or Sebastian.6: Americanized form of Norwegian Bakk or Bakke.7: Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian Bah.8: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 白 and 柏 possibly based on their Cantonese pronunciation see Bai 1 and 2.9: Vietnamese (Bạch): from the Chinese surname 白 see Bai 1.
Bagg : English:: 1: from Middle English bagge ‘bag pack bundle’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of bags and sacks of various kinds including wallets and purses. It might also have been used for a beggar or for one who carried their belongings in a bag.2: from the ancient Germanic personal name Bago (Bac(c)o Bahho) from the root bag- ‘to fight’ (see Bacon 2).
Bagley : English: habitational name from Baguley in Cheshire or from any of several places called Bagley in Devon Gloucestershire Shropshire Somerset and Yorkshire. These get their names either from the Old English personal name Bacga + Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’ or from an unattested Old English word bagga for a ‘bag-shaped’ object or creature + lēah.
Bahamonde : Galician: habitational name from one of the Galician places called Baamonde (earlier written Bahamonde) in the province of Lugo most probably Santiago de Baamonde (Begonte). This is a characteristic example of the numerous (over a thousand) medieval places which were named after their owners in this case Badamundus of Visigothic origin.
Baker : 1: English: occupational name from Middle English bakere Old English bæcere a derivative of bacan ‘to bake’. It may have been used for someone whose special task in the kitchen of a great house or castle was the baking of bread but since most humbler households did their own baking in the Middle Ages it may also have referred to the owner of a communal oven used by the whole village. The right to be in charge of this and exact money or loaves in return for its use was in many parts of the country a hereditary feudal privilege. Compare Miller. Less often the surname may have been acquired by someone noted for baking particularly fine bread or by a baker of pottery or bricks.2: Americanized form (translation into English) of surnames meaning ‘baker’ for example Dutch Bakker German Becker and Beck French Boulanger and Bélanger (see Belanger) Czech Pekař Slovak Pekár and Croatian Pekar.
Bala : 1: Indian (Gujarat and Mumbai): Parsi name probably from Persian bālā ‘high exalted’.2: Indian (southern states): variant of Balan among speakers of Tamil and Malayalam who have migrated away from their home state. — Note: Since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames this name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to US.3: Polish: from a shortened form of the personal name Baltazar.4: Hungarian: from a pet form of the personal name Balázs a vernacular form of Blasius.5: Albanian: from the personal name Balë (definite form Bala) which could be ultimately derived from a South Slavic name beginning with Bal- (see Balic 2) or from Albanian balë ‘whitish having a white spot on the face or muzzle’ (compare 6).6: Albanian: nickname from balë (definite form bala) a term denoting a ‘(domestic animal with a) white spot on forehead or body’ or a ‘badger’.
Balderston : 1: English: habitational name from either of two places in Lancashire called Balderston(e) deriving their names from the genitive case of the Old English personal name Baldhere (composed of the elements bald ‘bold brave’ + here ‘army’) + Old English tūn ‘enclosure settlement’.2: Scottish: habitational name from Balderston in West Lothian which has the same etymology as 1 above.
Ballesteros : Spanish: habitational name from any of various places in Spain for example Ballesteros de Calatrava in the province of Ciudad Real Los Ballesteros (Huelva) Ballesteros (Cuenca) and others no longer identifiable which were probably so named because of their association with ballesteros ‘crossbowmen’ plural of ballestero an agent derivative of ballesta ‘crossbow’ (see Ballester).
Balmer : 1: English and Scottish: occupational name for a seller of perfumes and balms from a Middle English balmer baumer ‘seller of balsam or ointment’ an agent derivative of Middle English balme baume ‘balm balsam; any aromatic or soothing ointment’ (Old French basme balme baume; Latin balsamum ‘aromatic resin’).2: South German and Swiss German: habitational name for someone from any of the places in Switzerland and Baden called Balm which almost certainly get their names from a Celtic word meaning ‘cave’.3: German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Baldemar composed of the elements bald ‘bold’ + mar ‘famous’.
Baltimore : 1: English: apparently from the title of the English Barons Baltimore borne by members of the Calvert family who were Lords Proprietors of the colony of Maryland in the 17th century. The title is based on the name of their estate in County Longford Ireland. As a surname Baltimore seems to have originated in America (appearing in VA in the 1660s). There is however no record of any Calvert descendants having assumed the title as a surname. The surname is found mainly among African Americans (see also 2 below).2: Jewish (American) and African American: adoption of the surname in 1 above or perhaps of the name of the city in Maryland as a surname. The city was established in 1729 (the port already in 1706) and named after Cecil Calvert second Lord Baltimore (see 1 above) who was the first Lord Proprietor of the colony of Maryland in the 17th century.
Bame : Americanized form of German Boehm or Boehme or of any of their variants.
Bamford : English: habitational name from any of various places (the two main ones being in Derbyshire and Lancashire) named with Old English bēam ‘tree beam’ + ford ‘ford’ i.e. a ford beside a plank bridge for those who wished to keep their feet dry.
Banna : 1: Bangladeshi and Indian (Rajasthan): Rajput name from Marwari banna a term used to denote courtiers close to (but not related to) the king. It was originally a caste name of the Mair or Mer tribe of the Rajputana who eventually acquired Rajput (warrior) status along with material prosperity due to their close relationship with royalty.2: Muslim: from Egyptian Arabic banna ‘bricklayer mason’. Compare Albanna.
Bannister : English (of Norman origin): from Old French banaste banastre ‘covering for a cart or wagon; basket’ i.e. a large wicker container. In the 12th century a Norman family of this name had estates in Orne Normandy and in England. Ricardus Banastre appears in charters relating to the Earls of Chester c. 1120–29. With what sense the Norman surname was acquired is unknown. It can hardly have been occupational contrary to Reaney's view that it denoted a basket maker. It is possible that many or even all of the later bearers of the surname were descended from this knightly family. However several men with this surname in the 14th-century Poll Tax Returns are described as servants or agricultural laborers while Ricardus Banastr' recorded in 1381 was a butcher. It is conceivable that these men took their name from Middle English banastre a borrowing of the French word and that it referred to a basket or hamper they used in their work. Alternatively they may have belonged to branches of the knightly family that had fallen in the social scale. The term denoting a stair rail is unconnected with this name; it was not used before the 17th century.
Banos : 1: Spanish (Baños): habitational name from any of numerous places called for their public baths baños (from Latin balnea). In some instances the name may have arisen as a metonymic occupational name for an attendant at a public bath house.2: Hungarian (Bános): from a diminutive of Bán (see Ban).
Bao : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 包 meaning ‘to wrap’ or ‘package’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Bao Xu (包胥) style name of a noble official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) said to be borne by descendants of the Fu Xi family from a period prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (iii) adopted in place of another surname 鮑 pronounced the same by its bearers in Taishan (in present-day Shangdong province) who migrated and changed their surname to 包 during the reign of Wang Mang (45 BC–23 AD) in order to avoid persecution.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 鮑 meaning ‘abalone’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Bao (鮑) the name of a fief (located in Bingcheng in Shandong province) which was granted to Jingshu known as Bao Jingshu originally a prince of the state of Qi (杞) who went to the state of Qi (齊) and became a noble official there during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) adopted as a surname by the Si Li Fa (俟力伐) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 保 meaning ‘to protect’ or ‘to guarantee’: (i) from the post name Bao Zhang (保章) the title of an official in charge of astrology during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC). (ii) said to be borne by descendants of certain nobles from the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 暴 which means ‘(violently) sudden': from Bao (暴) the name of an ancient state (located in Henan province) annexed by the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).5: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 寶 meaning ‘treasure’ in Chinese: (i) of Han Chinese origin but unexplained. (ii) borne by members of other ethnic groups in northern China such as Mongolians and the Hui people.6: Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 包 (see 1 above).7: Vietnamese (Bảo): from the Chinese surname 鮑 (see 2 above).
Barrocas : 1: Portuguese and Jewish (Sephardic from Portugal): habitational name from any of several places called Barrocas literally meaning ‘caves’. Compare Barocas.2: Jewish (Sephardic): also an adoption of the Portuguese surname (see 1 above) at the moment of conversion to Roman Catholicism. After the return to Judaism (generations later) some descendants retained the surname their families used as Catholics.
Bartoli : 1: Italian: patronymic or plural form of Bartolo.2: Catalan (Bartolí): variant of Bertolí (see Bertoli).3: Italianized form of Croatian Bartolić or Slovenian Bartolič patronymics from the personal name Bartol or of their Croatian cognates Bartulić and Bratulić.
Bartosh : 1: Americanized form of Hungarian Bartos Czech Slovak Sorbian and Croatian Bartoš Polish Bartoś Polish and Rusyn (from Poland) Bartosz and of their Germanized form Bartosch.2: Ukrainian: from a pet form of the personal name Bartolomiy Ukrainian form of Bartholomew.
Bartush : Americanized form of Polish Bartuś or Bartusz Czech Slovak and Sorbian Bartuš (see Bartus) and of their Germanized form Bartusch.
Bayer : 1: German Scandinavian and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name for someone from Bavaria (German Bayern). This region of southern Germany derives its name from that of the Celtic tribe of the Boii who once inhabited this area. They were displaced in the 6th century AD by an ancient Germanic people the Boioarii or Baiuarii whose name is derived from that of their Celtic predecessors. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine) Hungary Czechia Slovakia and Poland. Compare Beyer and Payer.2: English (Lincolnshire): occupational name for a maker of baize cloth from an agent derivative of Old French baies Middle English bayes (from the adjective bai ‘reddish-brown bay’) probably so called because of its original color. This material was said to have been introduced into Britain by immigrants from France and the Netherlands in the 16th century but the word certainly appears much earlier in English. The surname may also be topographic denoting a ‘dweller by the bend’ from an agent derivative of Old English bēag ‘bend’.3: Dutch: variant of Baijer a cognate of 1 above.
Baylor : 1: English: from the legal term bailor (Anglo-Norman French baillur bailleor) ‘one who delivers goods’. This surname is rare in Britain.2: Americanized form of German Bailer or Beiler or of their variants Beyler and Bayler.
Bear : 1: English: variant of Beer 1.2: English: from the Middle English nickname Bere meaning ‘bear’ (Old English bera which is also found as a byname) or from a personal name derived from a short form of the various ancient Germanic compound names with this as the first element (compare e.g. Bernhard). The bear has generally been regarded with a mixture of fear and amusement because of its strength and unpredictable temper on the one hand and its clumsy gait on the other and in the medieval period it was also thought to typify the sins of sloth and gluttony. All these characteristics are no doubt reflected in the nickname. Throughout the Middle Ages the bear was a familiar figure in popular entertainments such as bear baiting and dancing bears. Compare Beer 2.3: Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on a word such as Lakota and Dakota Sioux mato and Meskwaki (Fox) makwa meaning ‘bear’. The great cultural significance of the bear to Native Americans is reflected in their traditional personal names many of which were adopted as surnames (translated into English) e.g. Black Bear (see Blackbear) Little Bear (see Littlebear) Standing Bear (see Standingbear) and Young Bear (see Youngbear).4: Americanized form (translation into English) of cognates of 2 above in other languages for example German Baer and Slovenian Croatian Ukrainian and other Slavic Medved and also an Americanized form of German Bahr.
Beauregard : French: habitational name from any of various places in France named Beauregard for their fine view or fine aspect for example in Ain Dordogne Drôme Lot and Puy-de-Dôme from beau ‘fair lovely’ + regard ‘aspect outlook’ or a topographic name with the same meaning. Compare Begor Burgard and Burgor.
Beaver : 1: English: habitational name from Belvoir in Leicestershire pronounced beever (/bi:və/) so named with Old French beu bel ‘fair lovely’ + veïr voir ‘to see’ i.e. a place with a fine view. This name may also be derived from any of several places in France called Beauvoir for example in Manche Somme and Seine-Maritime all of which have the same etymology as above.2: English: nickname from Middle English bever bevre (Old English beofor) ‘beaver’ possibly referring to a hard worker or from some other fancied resemblance to the animal. The existence of patronymic forms such as Beaverson suggest that this may also have been a personal name.3: Native American (Creek): from a translation into English of the Muscogee Creek clan name Echaswvlke (‘Beaver clan’) derived from a word meaning ‘beaver’.4: Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of any other personal name based on a word such as Cheyenne homa'e meaning ‘beaver’. The importance of the beaver to Native Americans is reflected in their traditional personal names some of which were adopted as surnames (translated into English) e.g. Beaver Heart (in Cheyenne Homa'ehesta; see also Hart 9).5: Americanized form (translation into English) of cognates of 2 above in other languages in particular Dutch Bever and German Bieber.
Beer : 1: English (West Country): habitational name from any of the forty or so places in southwestern England called Beer(e) or Bear(e). Most of these derive their names from the West Saxon dative case beara of Old English bearu ‘grove wood’ (the standard Old English dative bearwe being preserved in Barrow). In some cases the surname may be topographic in origin from atte beare ‘at the grove’. Some may be from Middle English bere ‘woodland swine-pasture’ (Old English bǣr). Compare Bear 1.2: English: variant of Bear 2 ‘bear’.3: North German and Dutch: from Middle Low German bāre Middle Dutch bēre ‘bear’ applied as a nickname for someone thought to resemble the animal in some way or as a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept a performing bear (compare 2 above). Alternatively it could have been a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a bear or from an ancient Germanic personal name with this as the first element. See also Baer Bahr.4: Germanized form of Sorbian Běr: from a short form of the Old Sorbian personal name Běrisław (based on the Old Slavic imperative beri ‘collect’).5: Americanized form (translation into English) of German or Jewish (Ashkenazic) Bier or possibly of some other similar (like-sounding) surname.
Behar : 1: Spanish (Béhar): variant of Bejar.2: Jewish (from the Ottoman Empire): acronymic surname from the first letters of the Hebrew expression ben kvod rabbi ‘son of a honored rabbi’ in which the last word does not necessarily mean a spiritual leader of a Jewish community; it represents a title of respect for a man close to English Mister. In the Ottoman Empire Jews who had no fixed surname were traditionally named in Hebrew documents according to the pattern X bekhar Y where X and Y are male personal names. For example Abraham bekhar Moshe means ‘Abraham the son of Mister Moshe’. At the turn of the 20th century for numerous Ottoman Jews having no surname Be(k)har was recorded as their surname. Compare Bachar 1 and Bahar 4.
Bek : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic) and South German: variant of Beck ‘baker’.2: Croatian and Slovenian: occupational name for a baker from old South German beck ‘baker’ (see Beck compare Pek 1).3: Czech: from a pet form of a personal name beginning with Be- such as Benedikt (see Benedict) or a surname of German origin (see 1 above).4: Polish: nickname derived from bekać ‘to burp’ beczeć ‘to bleat to sing sharp to cry loudly’ or an adaptation of German Beck. This surname is also found among Rusyns (Lemkos).5: Dutch: nickname for someone with a particular bek ‘mouth jaw’.6: Dutch: topographic name for someone living near a beek ‘stream’. Compare Beck 6 and Beek.7: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 白 (see Bai 1) and 麥 (see Mai 1) based on their Hokkien or Teochew pronunciations.
Belmonte : 1: Spanish Portuguese and Italian: habitational name from any of numerous places called Belmonte (‘beautiful mountain’) especially one in Portugal and another in Cuenca province Spain.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.
Ben : 1: Native American (mainly Navajo) and African American: adoption of the English personal name Ben (short form of Benjamin) as a surname.2: Italian (also Del Ben): from a dialect form of the adverb bene ‘well’. This form without the preposition is found only in Belluno province in particular in Taibon Agordino.3: Indian (Gujarat): from Gujarati ben ‘sister’ from Sanskrit bhaginī a title often attached to their personal name by Gujarati women. It is not a true surname but is sometimes used as a surname by women who do not have a surname.4: Muslim: abstracted as a surname from Arabic ben ‘son of’ from ibn ‘son’. This word was used especially during the medieval period to form patronymics that then came to function like a surname.5: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 賁 meaning ‘rush’ in Chinese: (i) said to be traced back to the personal name Xian Ben Fu (縣賁父) a carriage drive during the reign of Duke Zhuang of Lu (706–662 BC). (ii) from the second element of Hu Ben (虎賁) the name of an official post in charge of guarding the king or the royal palace. (iii) from the first element of Ben Hun (賁渾) the name of a branch minority ethnic group in ancient western China.
Bendana : Jewish (Sephardic): variant of Abendana a surname adopted at the beginning of the 17th century in Western Europe by former Catholic migrants from Spain who returned to Judaism the religion of their ancestors. The name is derived from Abendanan (with Arabic vernacular aben ‘son’ + uncertain second part) the surname used by Spanish Jews before the end of the 15th century.
Benedict : English German and Dutch: from the personal name Benedict from Latin Benedictus ‘blessed’. This owed its popularity in the Middle Ages chiefly to Saint Benedict of Norcia (c. 480–550) who founded the Benedictine order of monks at Monte Cassino and wrote a monastic rule that formed a model for all subsequent rules. No doubt the meaning of the Latin word also contributed to its popularity as a personal name especially in Romance countries. Occasionally the English surname may derive from Latin benedicite ‘bless (you)’ perhaps given as a nickname to an habitual user of the expression. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed the German variant Benedikt and many cognates from other languages e.g. Hungarian Benedek Slovenian Benedik (see Benedick) and also their patronymics and other derivatives e.g. Italian Benedetti.
Benesh : Americanized form of Czech Slovak and Croatian Beneš (see Benes) Sorbian B'eńeš and Bjenješ or of their Germanized form Benesch.
Benish : Americanized form of Czech and Slovak Beniš (see Benis) Sorbian B'eniš and Bjeniš or of their Germanized form Benisch.
Bentson : Americanized form of Norwegian and Danish Bentsen or Bengtsen (Danish also Bendtsen) and also of their Swedish cognate Bengtsson. Compare Benson 3.
Berley : 1: English (Yorkshire): variant of Burley. This surname is now rare in Britain. It may also be a variant of Birley.2: Americanized form of Swiss German Beerli Berli or Berly and probably also of their South German cognate Behrle or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname. Compare Barley.
Bernstein : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Bernstein ‘amber’ (from Middle Low German bernen ‘to burn’ + stēn ‘stone’; it was thought to be created by burning although it is in fact fossilized pine resin).2: German: habitational name from a place called Bernstein of which there is one example in Bavaria and another in what used to be East Prussia (now Pełczyce in northwestern Poland). Both of these probably get their German names from the notion of a ‘burnt stone’ for example in brick making rather than from the usual modern meaning ‘amber’. The name may also be derived from Bärenstein a common field and placename especially in Bavaria and Austria.3: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): in some cases perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a craftsman or dealer in amber.
Bhagwat : Indian (Maharashtra and northern Karnataka): Deshastha Brahmin and Jain name from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘follower of God’. Bearers trace their lineage back to the Vedic sage Haritasya.
Bhavsar : Indian (Gujarat and Maharashtra): unexplained. The Bhavsars claim to be of Kshatriya descent. Their traditional occupations were dyeing and calico printing.
Bicker : 1: Dutch and German: occupational name for a stonemason or someone who used or made pickaxes or chisel from bicke ‘pickaxe chisel’ + the agent suffix -er. Compare Bick.2: English: occupational name for a beekeeper from Middle English biker beker (Old English bīcere bicere bēocere ‘one who keeps beehives a beekeeper’). Bees were important in medieval England because their honey provided the only means of sweetening food (sugar being a more recent importation); honey was also used in preserving.3: English: habitational name from Bicker in Lincolnshire or Byker in Tyne and Wear both named with the Old English preposition bī ‘by beside’ + Old Norse kjarr ‘wet ground brushwood’.
Billick : 1: Americanized form of Slovak Bílik Ukrainian and Rusyn Bilyk or Bilik and their Polish cognate Bielik; also a variant of Jewish Bilik.2: Americanized form of Croatian and Serbian Bilić (see Bilic). Compare Bilich 1 and Billich 2.3: German: variant of Billig and Billich 1. The surname Billick is very rare in Germany.
Billingham : English: habitational name from Billingham in Stockton on Tees (Durham) or Billingham in Udimore in Sussex both of which probably derive their names from Old English Billingahām ‘homestead (Old English hām) of the people (-ingas) of Billa’.
Bird : 1: English and Scottish: nickname for a young or a small and slender person from Middle English brid bird burd (Old English bird brid perhaps also byrd) ‘bird young bird’ also ‘young man young woman child’.2: Irish: Anglicized form of a number of Irish names erroneously thought to contain the element éan ‘bird’ in particular Ó hÉinigh (see Heagney) Ó hÉanna (see Heaney) Ó hÉanacháin (see Heneghan) and Mac an Déaghanaigh (see McEneaney).3: Americanized form (translation into English) of various European surnames meaning ‘bird’ as for example German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Vogel French Loiseau Czech Ptáček (see Ptacek) and Pták Polish Ptak.4: Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on a word such as Lakota Sioux ziŋtkala meaning ‘bird’. The importance of the birds particularly eagles (see Eagle 4) and hawks (see Hawk 4) to Native Americans is reflected in their traditional personal names many of which were adopted as surnames (translated into English) e.g. Black Bird (see Blackbird) King Bird (see Kingbird) and Red Bird (see Redbird).
Blair : 1: Scottish: habitational name from any of numerous places in Scotland called Blair named with Scottish Gaelic blàr (genitive blàir) ‘plain field’ especially a battlefield (Irish blár). There were families of this name in the Middle Ages taking their names from any of the places called Blair in Dysart parish Fife Dalry parish Ayrshire and Blairgowrie in Perthshire.2: Americanized form of French Belair and Blais.
Blanchflower : from Old French and Middle English blanche ‘white’ + Old French flur flour Middle English flour flower denoting both ‘flower’ and ‘flour white powder’. The 1300 example cited below seems to imply a comparison with a white flower as a symbol of beauty but so was white flour which was a traditional epithet in medieval romances for someone whose skin was perfectly smooth and white. Alternatively Blancheflour might have been given to a flour miller or to a baker of white bread (Old French and Middle English blanc pain) either of whom will have had their hair and body covered in flour dust.
Blash : Americanized form of Polish Błaż Slovenian and Croatian Blaž (see Blaz) of their Germanized form Blasch 2 and of German Blasch 1.
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.
Boehm : German (mainly Böhm) and Jewish (Ashkenazic; also Böhm): ethnic or habitational name for a native or inhabitant of Bohemia (now the western part of Czechia) from Böhmen German name of Bohemia (Middle High German Böheim Bēheim). This derives its name from the tribal name Baii + heim ‘homeland’. The Baii were a tribe probably Celtic-speaking who inhabited the region in the 1st century AD and were gradually displaced by Slavic settlers in the period up to the 5th century. The same tribe also gave their name to Bavaria (see Bayer). Bohemia was an independent Slavic kingdom from the 7th century to 1526 when it fell to the Habsburgs. In 1627 it was formally declared a Habsburg Crown Land and by the Treaty of Versailles it became a province of the newly formed Czechoslovakia in 1919. The surname in the form Boehm is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). Compare Bame Beahm Behm Bihm and Bohm.
Borash : Americanized form of Polish Boraś or Boroś Borosz all based on the Slavic name element bor ‘to fight’ (see Bora 1 and Boros 4) or of their Germanized forms Borasch Borosch.
Borish : 1: Americanized form of Sorbian and Slovak Boriš or Bóriš (see Boris 3) Polish Boryś (see Borys) and their Germanized forms Borisch and Bohrisch.2: Jewish (American): shortened form of some original eastern Ashkenazic surname such as Borishansky a habitational name for someone from the village of Borishin (western Belarus).
Bovey : English:: 1: (Devon): habitational name from either of two places in Devon Bovey Tracey or North Bovey which take their names from the Bovey river on which they stand.2: perhaps occasionally from the Middle English personal name Bove (from the Old Norse Bófi Bovi Bove a nickname from bófi ‘knave rogue’) or from the Scandinavian name directly.
Brager : 1: Norwegian: habitational name from any of various farms so called in eastern Norway which may have derived their name from a river name meaning ‘roaring thundering’.2: South German (Bräger): see Braeger.
Brake : 1: English (Somerset and Dorset): topographic name for someone who lived by a clump of bushes or by a patch of bracken. Brake ‘thicket’ and brake ‘bracken’ were homonyms in Middle English. The first is from Old English bracu; the second is by folk etymology from northern Middle English braken -en being taken as a plural ending. After the words had fallen together their senses also became confused.2: North German: habitational name from any of several places so named notably a town on the Weser River or a topographic name from Middle Low German brāke mening either ‘breach in the dyke’ or ‘brushwood’.3: Dutch (Te Brake Van de Brake): topographic name from braak ‘wasteland fallow’ or ‘breached (dyke)’.
Brandao : 1: Portuguese (Brandão): from the medieval Latin form Brendanus of the old Irish personal name Brénainn (English Brendan).2: Jewish (Sephardic): Portuguese surname (see 1 above) adopted 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.
Brockwell : English: habitational name from Brockwell in Wootton Courtenay (Somerset) or from an unidentified minor place so named with Old English brocc ‘badger’ + wella ‘spring stream’ or hol ‘hole hollow’. Old English brocchol is known to have developed into Brockwell in at least one instance in Derbyshire. Both Brockwell Park in London and Brockwell Farm in Buckinghamshire are of comparatively recent origin probably deriving their names from the surname rather than vice versa.
Bronte : 1: Irish: altered form of Brunty see Prunty. The change in spelling to Brontë in the Bronte literary family (Charlotte Emily and Anne) was made by their father Patrick Brunty for reasons unknown. It may have been an affectation in imitation of the Duke of Brontë a title conferred on Admiral Lord Nelson in 1799 by Ferdinand King of Sicily. Bronte is the name of a place in Sicily literally meaning ‘thunder’. Nelson generally signed himself Nelson and Brontë.2: English (Sussex) and Irish: variant of Brunt.
Broomhall : English:: 1: habitational name from Broomhall (Cheshire) Broomhall Grange in Tyrley and Broom Hall Farm in Brewood (both Staffordshire) Broomhall Farms in Kempsey (Worcestorshire) or Broomhall in Sunningdale (Berkshire formerly in Windlesham in Surrey) all of which take their name from Old English brōm ‘broom gorse’ + halh ‘nook hollow’.2: variant of the similar Cheshire name Bramhall which also has early forms in -o-.3: variant of Bromell and occasionally also of Bromwell.
Brosh : 1: Americanized form of Polish Broś and Broż Czech Broš and Brož or their Germanized form Brosch.2: Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name from Yiddish or Russian brosh ‘brooch’.
Bu : 1: Norwegian: habitational name from a farm named with Old Norse bú ‘farmstead; livestock’ or búth ‘small house hut’.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 卜 meaning ‘astrologer fortune-teller diviner’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the post names Bu Ren (卜人) or Bu Shi (卜筮) the title of astrologers who performed divination in ancient China. (ii) borne by descendants of the younger brother of Tai Kang (the 3rd king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC)). (iii) borne by descendants of Teng Shuxiu a son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). (iv) adopted as a surname by the Xu Bu (須卜) family from the Huns during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 步 meaning ‘steps’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Bu (步) the name of a fief (located in Shanxi province) granted to an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) adopted as the surname by the Bu Lu Gen (步鹿根) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).4: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 布 meaning ‘cloth’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Bu Zi (布子) an official who lived in the state of Zhao during the Warring States period (475–221 BC) who was noted for his gift of choosing strong horses. (ii) shortened form of the Chinese surname Gu-Bu (姑布). (iii) a surname of the king of the state of Kucha(or Kuche) a Buddhist kingdom in northwestern China during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD). (iv) borne by descendants of some refugees at the end of the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) who fled to southern China and changed their original surnames to Bu (布) in a wish for a good life with good clothing.5: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 補 meaning ‘supplement’ in Chinese: from Bu (補) the name of an ancient state (possibly located in present-day Henan province) annexed by the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).6: Chinese: Teochew form of the surname 巫 see Wu 4.
Bull : 1: English: nickname for a strong aggressive bull-like man from Middle English bule bole. Occasionally the name may denote a keeper of a bull (compare Bulman) or possibly someone who lived at a building distinguished by the sign of a bull.2: German (mainly northern): from Middle Low German bulle ‘bull’ used as a nickname for a cattle breeder keeper or dealer. Compare South German Ochs.3: South German: nickname for a short fat man a variant of Bolle or a nickname for a man with the physical characteristics of a bull.4: North German (Büll): see Buell.5: Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on a word such as Lakota and Dakota Sioux tataŋka and Cheyenne hotoa'e meaning ‘bull’ or ‘buffalo’. The importance of the buffalos to Plains Indians is reflected in their traditional personal names many of which were adopted as surnames (translated into English) e.g. Two Bulls (see Twobulls) and White Bull (see Whitebull). See also Buffalo 2.
Buresh : 1: Americanized form of Czech and Slovak Bureš (see Bures) and of their Germanized form Buresch (compare 2 below).2: Americanized form of German (of Slavic origin) Buresch: from a short form of an Old Slavic personal name Burislav (composed of the elements bur derived from buriti se ‘to stir up’ + slav from slava ‘glory’). See also 1 above.
Byler : Americanized form of German Bailer or Beiler or of their variants Beyler and Bayler.
Caldas : 1: Galician and Portuguese: habitational name from any of various places called Caldas especially in Galicia (Spain) with reference to their hot springs.2: Catalan: Castilianized form of Caldes a habitational name from any of various places so called (compare 1 above).
Calver : English:: 1: habitational name from Calver in Derbyshire named in Old English with calf ‘calf’ + ofer ‘slope ridge’.2: possibly from Middle English calver ‘flecky-fleshed (of salmon)’ perhaps a nickname for someone with white flecks in their hair or mottled skin.
Canny : 1: Irish: either a shortened variant of McCann or of McCanny which is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Annaidh ‘son of Annadh’ (a personal name of uncertain meaning). In their Anglicized forms the two surnames were confused.2: Irish: from Ó Caithniadh ‘son of Caithnia’ a personal name meaning ‘battle champion’ Anglicized as Caheny or Canny.3: Scottish and northern English: nickname from northern Modern English canny Older Scots cannie ‘shrewd prudent cunning clever’.4: English (of Norman origin): perhaps a variant of Caney.5: English: perhaps a variant pronunciation of Canner.
Cao : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 曹 meaning ‘government department’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name of Cao An (曹安) the founder of the state of Zhu (located in Zouxian in Shandong province). After the state was annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) Cao (曹) was adopted as a surname. (ii) from Cao (曹) the name of a state (located in Dingtao in Shandong province) granted to Zhenduo the 13th son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). After the state was annexed by the state of Song Cao (曹) was adopted as a surname. (iii) from one of the 'Nine Sogdian Surnames’ 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 Cao (曹) in Chinese. Between 649 and 655 AD these states submitted to Emperor Gaozong of Tang (628–683 AD). At this time descendants of people from the state of Cao (曹) acquired the surname Cao (曹).2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 操 meaning ‘conduct behavior’ in ancient Chinese: possibly from names of official posts.3: Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 高 see Gao 1.4: Portuguese (Cão) and Galician: equivalent of Spanish Cano.
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.
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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