Origin
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).
Aakre : Norwegian (also Åkre): habitational name from any of several places so named from an inflected form of Old Norse akr ‘plowed field’. Compare Akre.
Aardema : West Frisian and Dutch:: 1: patronymic formed with the Frisian suffix -ma ‘(one of the) men of’ from the personal name Aard (a variant of Arend).2: perhaps also a derivative of aarde ‘earth soil’ either as a topographic or habitational name or as an occupational name for a farmer (someone who tills the soil).
Aase : Norwegian (also Åse) and Swedish (mainly Åse): topographic name from an inflected form of ås ‘ridge’. This is also a common habitational name in Norway from any of about 30 places called with this word.
Abad : Spanish: from abad ‘abbot priest’ (from Late Latin abbas genitive abbatis from the Aramaic word meaning ‘father’). The application is uncertain: it could be a nickname or an occupational name for the servant of a priest or denote an (illegitimate) son of a priest.
Abadia : Spanish: topographic name or metonymic occupational name denoting a lay person who lived and/or worked at an abbey or nunnery (abadía from Latin abbatia) or a habitational name from any of several places called Abadía for example in Cáceres.
Abadie : French: topographic name for someone living near an abbey or a family chapel from a southern derivative of Late Latin abbatia ‘priest's house’; or a habitational name from Abadie the name of several places in southwestern France. Compare Labadie.
Abajian : Armenian: patronymic from an occupational name for a maker or seller of coarse woolen cloth or garments from Turkish abacı an agent derivative of aba ‘coarse woolen cloth’.
Abasta : Hispanic (Philippines): from a derivative of the Spanish verb abastar ‘to supply’ applied as an occupational name for a supplier.
Abate : Italian: from abate ‘priest’ (from Late Latin abbas ‘priest’ genitive abbatis). It could be a nickname perhaps given to someone who behaved in a priest-like manner an occupational name for the servant of a priest or it may denote an (illegitimate) son of a priest. Compare Labate.
Abbas : 1: Muslim: from the Arabic personal name ʿAbbās literally ‘stern austere’. Al-ʿAbbas ibn ʿAbd al-Muttalib was the name of an uncle of the prophet Muhammad (see Abbasi).2: Dutch: patronymic from the personal name Abbe a pet form of Albert or Albrecht.
Abbasi : Muslim (Indian subcontinent and Iran): surname denoting descent from or association with someone called Abbas in particular association with Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib an uncle (died 652) of the prophet Muhammad the ancestor of the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs who ruled the Islamic world from 750 to 1258.
Abbe : 1: English: from the Middle English personal name Abbe which is usually a pet form of the female name Aubrey but may sometimes be a pet form of a male name beginning with Ab- namely Abel Abraham or Absalom. This surname is rare in Britain.2: English: occasionally perhaps also a variant of Abbey.3: German: from a pet form of the personal name Albrecht (see Albert).4: French (Abbé): from abbé ‘priest abbot’ presumably a metonymic occupational name for someone employed in the household of a priest or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a priest or an abbot in appearance or behavior. Compare Labbe.
Abbey : English:: 1: from Anglo-Norman and Middle English abbeye abbaye ‘abbey’ i.e. a community of monks under an abbot or of nuns under an abbess (Old French abeie Late Latin abbatia ‘priest's house’) applied as a topographic name for someone living in or near an abbey or an occupational name for someone working in one.2: (of Norman origin): nickname from Anglo-Norman French abé abbé ‘priest’. See also French Labbe.
Abbot : English and Scottish: variant of Abbott. The spelling with one -t is more typically Scottish than English and in Gaelic-speaking areas of Scotland this is sometimes an Anglicized form of McNabb.
Abdel : Muslim: from an Arabic personal name based on ʿabd al ‘servant of the […]’ (literally ‘slave of the […]’). In Arabic personal names ʿAbd al (or ʿAbd el ʿAbdel) is normally a component of a compound name referring to an attribute of Allah for example ʿAbd al-Ḥakīm ‘servant of the All-Wise’. See also Abdul.
Abdul : Muslim: from an Arabic personal name based on ʿabd ul ‘servant of the […]’ (literally ‘slave of the […]’) a variant of ʿabd al (see Abdel). In Arabic personal names ʿAbdul is normally a component of a compound name referring to an attribute of Allah for example ʿAbdul-Ḥakīm ‘servant of the All-Wise’. Traditionally these attribute names are 99 in number and are known as the ‘most beautiful names’. Compare Abdool.
Abdy : from Middle English abbodie ‘an estate belonging to an abbey’ (Anglo-Norman French abbedi ‘abbacy property or jurisdiction of an abbot’ Latin abbatia compare Abbey). The Yorks surname derives from Abdy in Brampton Bierlow (WR Yorks) which is recorded as Abbedi in about 1260 Abdye in 1345. The 13th-century charter states that the land in Abbedi was held of the monks of Monk Bretton Priory.
Abedin : Muslim (mainly Bangladesh and India): from a personal name based on Arabic ʿābidīn ‘worshipers’ (plural of ʿābid; see Abed) which is also found in compound names such as Zain ul-ʿĀbidīn ‘ornament of the worshipers’ an attribute of Ali ibn Husayn (c. 659–713) the fourth imam of the Shiites. Compare Abdin.
Abee : 1: Americanized form of Swiss German Äbi (see Eby).2: Probably also a shortened form of Irish McAbee.3: Possibly also an Americanized form of French Abbé see Abbe.4: In some cases possibly also Dutch: from the personal name Abe a shortened form of Albert or Albrecht. It may also be from the initials A. B. as in the case of at least one surname in Groningen.
Abele : 1: South German and Swiss German: from a pet form of the personal name Albrecht (see Albert).2: Latvian: from ābele ‘apple tree’ a topographic name or metonymic occupational name for someone who lived by or owned an apple orchard.3: English: variant of Abel.4: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Abeles.
Abella : 1: Catalan Galician and Spanish: habitational name from any of several places called Abella in Catalonia Galicia and Cantabria (Spain) notably Abella de la Conca in Catalonia.2: Catalan and Galician: from abella ‘bee’ hence a nickname for a small active person or perhaps an occupational name for a beekeeper.3: Galician (Abellá): habitational name from the placename Abellá in A Coruña province Galicia (Spain).4: Catalan (Abellà): variant of Avellà (see Avella).5: Italian (mainly Sicily): variant of Avella or possibly from a rare feminine form of the Biblical name Abele (see Abel). The surname may also be of Spanish or Catalan origin (see above).
Abery : 1: from Avebury (Wilts) which is recorded as Aveberia in 1196 Avenebyr' in 1268 Abury in 1386 Aubury in 1494 Abery in 1535 and Awbery alias Avebury in 1689. The place-name derives from Old English burg ‘stronghold fortified place’ with an uncertain first element possibly the Old English personal name Afa (genitive Afan). 2: variant of Aubrey. Some of the examples below may alternatively belong under (3). 3: variant of Albury. The 1579 example below may alternatively belong to (2).
Ableson : from the Middle English personal name Abel + son. The intrusive -t- in Ableston(e) shows post-medieval confusion between names in -son and names in -ston(e). Compare the locative name Sibson from an earlier Sibston.
Abner : 1: English: from a Biblical personal name meaning in Hebrew ‘God is (my) light’ which was popular among the Puritans especially among early settlers in New England but also in the southern states. In the First and Second Books of Samuel Abner is Saul's uncle and the commander of his army who is eventually cut down by Joab (II Samuel 3:12–39). This surname is very rare in Britain.2: Probably also an Americanized form of German Ebner.
Abo : 1: Japanese: usually written 安保 meaning ‘peaceful’ and ‘guarantee’ or 阿保 meaning ‘flatter’ and ‘guarantee’ with characters used phonetically. It is mainly found in eastern Japan. An ancient variant pronounced Aho is listed in the Shinsen shōjiroku.2: Muslim: variant of Abu. Compare Abbo.3: Filipino: nickname from abo meaning ‘ash’ and ‘gray’ in Tagalog and some other languages of the Philippines.4: Norwegian (Åbø): from the name of several farms a compound of Old Norse á ‘stream river’ + bǿr ‘farm’.
Abraham : 1: English French Spanish German Slovenian Ethiopian and Assyrian/Chaldean; Hungarian (Ábrahám) Slovak (mainly Abrahám also Ábrahám) Czech (also Abrahám): from the Hebrew personal name ʾAbraham (modern spelling Avraham) borne by the Biblical patriarch revered by Jews as the founding father of the Jewish people (Genesis 11–25) and by Muslims as founder of all the Semitic peoples both Hebrew and Arab (compare Ibrahim). The original name of the Biblical patriarch was probably Abram meaning ‘high father’ (from ab father ram ‘exalted’) while its later form is explained in Genesis 17:5 as being derived from Hebrew ab hamon goyim ‘father of a multitude of nations’. It was widely used as a personal name among Christians as well as Jews in the Middle Ages. The name Abraham is also found among Christians in southern India 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. As a surname of Hungarian origin Abraham is also found in Romania. — Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames the Ethiopian name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.2: Irish: adoption of the English name (see 1 above) as an equivalent of Gaelic Mac an Bhreitheamhan ‘son of the judge’. See McBroom and compare Breheny.
Abrahart : most likely an adaptation of German Eberhar(d)t for which see Ebert with the dominant form influenced by the Biblical Abraham.
Abramov : Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) and Russian: patronymic from Abram an East Slavic form of the personal name Abraham. It is formed with the Russian possessive suffix -ov.
Abrell : South German: from Middle High German aberëlle ‘April’ hence perhaps a nickname for a moody or temperamental man with reference to the changeable weather typical of that month. Alternatively it may have been applied to someone with a particular connection with the month of April for example as the month in which an annual payment was due.
Abril : Spanish and Portuguese: from an old personal name Abril based on the name of the month (from Latin Aprilis ‘April’). See also April.
Abruzzese : Italian: habitational name for someone from Abruzzo from an adjectival form of the placename (see Abruzzo). Compare Abbruzzese and Bruzzese.
Abshire : 1: Probably an altered form of English Upsher.2: Possibly also an Americanized form of German Ibscher: from Middle High German überscher ‘surplus’ applied as a nickname for someone who lived on surplus land that had not been allotted during the establishment of a settlement. The surname Abshire is found mainly in LA and TX. Compare Abshear Absher and Abshier.
Abston : 1: Possibly an altered form of English Osbiston a habitational name from Osabaldeston in Lancashire named with the Old English personal name Osbald + tūn ‘settlement’.2: Alternatively perhaps an altered form of English Abson.
Abt : 1: German and Dutch: from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch abt ‘abbot’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a servant of an abbot or a nickname for someone thought to resemble an abbot in some way. In some instances it may have been a topographic or habitational name referring to a house named with this word.2: Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Abt a habitational name from Opatów in Poland.
Abu : 1: Muslim: abstracted as a surname from Arabic abū ‘father’ a common component of traditional Muslim names. It is used to form the kunya (a type of name meaning ‘father of’ such as Abū-Bakr literally ‘father of the Young Camel’; see Abubakr) in combination with the name of a man's child usually his firstborn son (or hoped-for firstborn). In traditional Muslim society a man is generally known and addressed by his kunya rather than by his ism (his personal name) the use of which can seem unduly familiar. A kunya may also be used to form a nickname as in the case of Abū-Turāb ʿAlī ‘ʿAlī father of dust’ the kunya of caliph Ali conferred on him by the prophet Muhammad. — Note: It is possible that in some cases this is counted as an independent surname only in the population figure published by the US Census Bureau.2: Muslim and Jewish (Sephardic from the Maghreb): from the Arabic male personal name ʿAbbū a pet form of any of the many names beginning with ʿAbd ‘servant’.3: West African (Sierra Leone Ghana and Nigeria): probably of Arabic origin (see 1 and 2 above).
Accardo : Italian (mainly Sicily): from the personal name Accardo of Norman French origin a derivative of an ancient Germanic personal name composed of the elements agin ‘edge (of a sword)’ + hard ‘bold hardy’.
Accleton : of uncertain origin; perhaps an unvoiced variant of Eggleton. Compare Mary Eggleton 1779 in IGI (Chatham Kent) with the 1833 bearer below.
Acero : Spanish: from acero ‘steel steelworker’ (from Late Latin aciarium) an occupational name for a metal worker or an armorer.
Acey : English (East Yorkshire): perhaps from an unattested Middle English personal name Asy Acy. This would be from late Old English Æsi ultimately a shortened form of Old English Æthelsige or from the Old Norse personal name Ási found as Ase in Lincolnshire (12th century).
Acharya : Indian: Brahmin name from Sanskrit āčārya ‘one who knows or teaches (right) conduct’ i.e. a spiritual guide or teacher. The term was also applied as an honorific title for a man of learning. It has also been adopted as a surname by some non-Brahmin communities.
Acheampong : West African (Ghana): Anglicized form of Akyeampong an Akan name of unexplained etymology.
Achen : German and Luxembourgish: habitational name from the city of Aachen in western Germany near the Dutch and Belgian border. This surname is very rare in Germany; in North America it may thus (also) be an altered form of the more common German variant Aachen.
Achilles : 1: German: humanistic name or soldier's name with reference to the prowess and near invulnerability of the classical Greek hero (Greek Achilleus) the leading warrior of the Greek army at the siege of Troy.2: In some cases also an Americanized form of surnames in other languages based on the Greek name Achilleus such as Italian and French Achille.
Achter : 1: North German and Dutch: from achter ‘behind; at the back’ a topographic name for someone living at the back of a main settlement. Compare Achterberg and Achterhof of which Achter may be a shortened form.2: German (also Ächter) and Jewish (Ashkenazic): possibly an agent noun derived from achten ‘to reckon or estimate’ (Middle High German ahten ‘to reckon check; to appraise’) or ächten ‘to outlaw proscribe’ hence an occupational name for an appraiser or record keeper or a prosecutor; alternatively an altered form of Auchter ‘watcher’ (i.e. someone who watched over a flock or herd).3: German: nickname for a member in a council or association of eight men (acht ‘eight’).4: German: habitational name for someone from a place called Acht in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Achuff : 1: Probably a variant of Acuff.2: Probably an Americanized form of North German Eckhoff or its variant Eichhoff see Eickhoff.
Achurch : from Achurch in Thorpe Achurch (Northants) which is recorded as Asechirce in 1086 Achirche in the 12th century and Aschyrche in the 13th century. The place-name derives from Old English cirice ‘church’ probably with a personal name as the first element either an unrecorded Old English *Asa or the well-recorded Old Scandinavian Ási (male) or Ása (female).
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.
Ackers : 1: English: variant of Acker. The final -s may sometimes denote an original plural form from Middle English atte acres ‘at the arable plots’ or may be excrescent post-medieval addition.2: German and Dutch: genitivized patronymic from Acker.
Ackert : 1: English (of Norman origin): from the Old French personal name Acard Achart Aquart a derivative of an ancient Germanic personal name Agihard Akihart which is composed of the elements agi(n) ‘edge (of a sword)’ + hard ‘bold hardy’.2: German: from an ancient Germanic personal name (with the same etymology as 1); compare Eckert.3: Americanized form of German Eckert a cognate of the names above.
Acklam : from either Acklam (ER Yorks) or West Acklam (NR Yorks) both of which are recorded as Aclun in 1086 Acclum in the 12th century. The etymology of the place-names is uncertain. They possibly contain Old Scandinavian *ak(k)ul- ‘ankle’ (used in Norwegian place-names with the sense ‘slope’) in the dative plural form *ak(k)lum i.e. ‘(place) at the slopes’. Alternatively they may derive from an Old English *āc-lēah ‘oak wood oak-tree clearing’ in the dative plural form *āc-lēum i.e. ‘(place) at the oak-tree clearings’.
Acklin : 1: English: variant with loss of initial H- of Hackling from Hakelin an Old French double diminutive of the Old Norse personal name Haki originally a nickname meaning ‘hook’.2: Swiss German: unexplained.
Ackman : Americanized form of German Achmann an occupational name for a water bailiff or of Ackmann Eckmann.
Acquah : West African (Ghana): from an Anglicized form of the Akan male personal name Akwa of unexplained etymology.
Acre : 1: English: variant of Acker 2 (or Ackers without the excrescent -s).2: In some cases also an Americanized form of Norwegian Aakre German or Dutch Acker or Aker (see also Achor) and possibly also of some other similar (like-sounding) Scandinavian or German surname.
Acuff : 1: English: perhaps a variant of northern English Aculf from an Old Norse personal name Agúlfr ‘terror wolf’.2: Probably an Americanized form of German Eickhoff. Compare Acoff.
Acutt : probably an altered form of Acott.
Adamou : from an old genitive case of the Greek personal name Adamos Greek form of Adam.
Adan : 1: Spanish (Adán): from the personal name Adán an equivalent of Adam.2: Hungarian (Ádán): variant of Ádám (see Adam).3: Somali: from a Somali Muslim personal name an equivalent of Biblical Adam. Compare Aden 3. — 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.
Adank : Swiss German: from an old vernacular regional variant of the personal name Adam.
Adao : Portuguese (Adão): from the personal name Adão an equivalent of Adam.
Addae : West African (Ghana): from an Akan personal name denoting a child born on adae ‘festival day calendar point recurring every 43 days’. Compare Addai.
Addenbrooke : from an unidentified or lost place called Addenbrook apparently on or near the border of Staffs and Worcs. The place-name derives from Old English brōc ‘brook stream’ with an uncertain first element.
Adderley : English: habitational name from either of two places called Adderley in Staffordshire and Shropshire. The former is named with the Old English personal name Ealdrēd + Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’ while the latter has as the first element an Old English female personal name Ealdthrȳth Ælfthrȳth or Æthelthrȳth.
Addesso : Italian (Campania):: 1: perhaps from a derivative of the personal name Addo.2: alternatively from the personal name Adesio Edesio which is from medieval Greek Aidesios from an adjective meaning ‘venerable’.
Addicks : Dutch and North German: patronymic from the personal name Addick a pet form of Adde or Addo originally from an ancient Germanic personal name based on the element adel ‘noble’ such as Adolf.
Adell : 1: Swedish: ornamental or habitational name from an unexplained first element which may represent a personal name or placename beginning with Ad- + the suffix -ell a derivative of the Latin adjectival ending -elius.2: Catalan: from the Latin personal name Atell(i)us.3: Jewish: variant of Adel.
Adelmann : 1: German (mainly Württemberg): from Adalman an Old High German personal name meaning literally ‘noble man’.2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Adelman.
Adelson : Jewish (Ashkenazic): metronymic from the Yiddish female personal name Adl (from an ancient Germanic root meaning ‘noble’) + German Sohn ‘son’.
Adema : West Frisian:: 1: patronymic formed with the suffix -ma ‘(one of the) men of’ from the personal name Ade a short form of an ancient Germanic name based on the element adal ‘noble’.2: subsequently a topographic or habitational name from a short form of a farm or manor house name such as Ademaplaats in Oostereind named after its former owner (compare 1 above).
Ademi : Albanian: from the Muslim personal name Adem (Albanian definite form Ademi) of Turkish origin an equivalent of Adam (see also Adem).
Ademovic : Bosniak (Ademović): patronymic from the Muslim personal name Adem an equivalent of Adam.
Ader : 1: German: from an ancient Germanic personal name Adheri composed of the elements adal ‘clan nobility’ + heri ‘army’.2: German: from Middle High German ader ‘vein’ applied as a metonymic occupational name for a barber-surgeon one of whose functions was to let blood.3: Jewish (Ashkenazic): from German Ader ‘vein’ probably a name randomly assigned by non-Jewish officials in 18th- and 19th-century German-speaking lands.
Aderhold : German: from an ancient Germanic personal name Aderoldus Adeloldus composed of the elements adel ‘noble’ + walt ‘to reign’.
Aderholt : German: variant of Aderhold and in North America probably also an altered form of this. The surname Aderholt is very rare in Germany.
Adhikari : Indian (mainly West Bengal and Maharashtra) Bangladeshi and Nepali: status name denoting an administrative official derived from Hindi adhikār ‘authority’.
Adler : 1: German: from Adler ‘eagle’ in most cases a topographic or habitational name referring to a house identified by the sign of an eagle. The German noun is from Middle High German adelar itself a compound of adel ‘noble’ + ar ‘eagle’. This surname is also found in e.g. Czechia Poland and Slovenia often as a translation into German of the Slavic surname Orel in Hungary where it is spelled Ádler and in France (Alsace and Lorraine).2: Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name meaning ‘eagle’.3: English: in a few cases a variant of Allard with loss of final -d.
Admire : Americanized form of an unidentified German surname possibly South German or Austrian Ettmayer or Edmaier which is a topographic name for a farmer living near or on previously uncultivated land from the noun Ed ‘uncultivated land’ + mayer meyer ‘farmer’; see Meyer. Alternatively it may be an Americanized form of North German Erdmeier literally ‘earth farmer’.
Adney : 1: English: habitational name from Adeney in Edgmond Shropshire named in Old English as Ēadwynna īeg ‘island of Ēadwynn (a female personal name)’.2: Possibly an Americanized form of Norwegian Aadnøy a habitational name from a farmstead so named from Old Norse örn ‘eagle’ + øy ‘island’.
Adrian : English French German Polish and Romanian: from a vernacular form of the Latin personal name Adrianus (Hadrianus) originally an ethnic name denoting someone from the coast of the Adriatic (Latin Adria). It was borne by several minor early Christian saints in particular a martyr at Nicomedia (died c. 304) the patron saint of soldiers and butchers. Later the name was adopted by several popes including the only pope of English birth Nicholas Breakspear who reigned as Adrian IV (1154–59).
Adris : apparently an equivalent or variant of Idris.
Adu : 1: West African (Nigeria): from the Yoruba personal name Adú originally a nickname from a dú ‘that has a very dark complexion’.2: West African (Ghana): from an Akan male personal name of unexplained etymology.
Advani : Indian and Pakistani: from the personal name of an ancestor Adu + the suffix -ani ‘descendant of’ (see Ani).
Aegerter : Swiss German and South German (rarely Ägerter): topographic name from an agent derivative of Middle High German egerte ‘fallow land’. This surname is also found in France.
Affinito : Italian: from the personal name Affinito an omen or well-wishing name meaning ‘perfected completed well done’.
Afonso : Portuguese: from the personal name Afonso an equivalent of Spanish Alfonso.
Afriyie : West African (Ghana): from an Akan male personal name a circumstance name meaning literally ‘has appeared well’ i.e. ‘has appeared at the right time (a time of prosperity)’.
Afzal : Muslim (mainly Pakistan): from afzal a Persian and Urdu spelling of Arabic afḍal literally ‘better’ or ‘best’ used as an epithet for a learned man.
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.
Agatep : Filipino: occupational name from an Ilokano word meaning ‘to build a roof’ composed of ag- a verb-forming prefix + atep ‘roof’.
Agathangelou : from an old genitive case of the Greek personal name Agathangelos composed of the words agathós ‘good’ + ángelos ‘messenger angel’.
Agcaoili : Filipino: nickname for someone who had returned to his place of origin from a Hispanicized form of an Ilokano word meaning ‘to come back’ composed of ag- a verb-forming prefix + kawili ‘return’.
Age : 1: French (Agé): variant of Ager. Compare Agee.2: English (Cornwall Kent): probably a variant of Adge (with lengthened vowel) an apparently extinct name which is probably a local pronunciation of Hatch.
Agers : 1: English: variant of Ager with excrescent -s.2: Possibly also an Americanized form of German Eggers.
Agerton : Possibly an altered form of English Edgerton.
Aggen : East Frisian and North German: patronymic from an Old Frisian personal name Ag(g)o (see Agena).
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’.
Agin : 1: Russian: patronymic from Aga a male pet form of any of various personal names beginning with Ag-.2: Russian: shortened form of Elagin meaning ‘son of Elaga’ an old male pet form of any of various personal names beginning with El-.3: Croatian: patronymic from the Ottoman Turkish title aga (see Agha). This surname is almost extinct in Croatia.
Agne : 1: French: from a short form of the old personal name Agnien from Latin Anianus.2: German (of French Huguenot origin): shortened form of French Anguenet (see Ankney) which is according to some sources itself an altered form of French Agne (see 1 above).3: West African (Senegal): Tukulor name of unexplained etymology.
Agombar : from Agombart an elliptical derivative of fils à Gombert ‘son of Gombert’ from the Continental Germanic personal name Gundberht composed of the elements gund ‘war’ + beraht ‘bright’.
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Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
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