Origin
French : English:: 1: ethnic name for someone from France from Middle English frensh frenche ‘French’ (Old English frencisc) or in some cases perhaps a nickname for someone who adopted French airs.2: variant of Anglo-Norman French Frain.
Abair : Americanized form of French Hébert (see Hebert).
Abar : 2: Possibly also Basque: topographic name from abar ‘branch(es) firewood’. This surname is very rare in Spain.1: Altered form of French Hébert (see Hebert).
Abare : Americanized form of French Hébert (see Hebert).
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.
Abbott : English: nickname from Middle English abbod abbot(t) abbat ‘abbot’ (Old English abbod) or Old French abet ‘priest’. Both the Old English and the Old French term are derived from Late Latin abbas (genitive abbatis) ‘priest’ from Greek abbas from Aramaic aba ‘father’. The nickname was presumably a joking reference to a person's behaviour. In the US the English name is also sometimes a translation of a cognate or equivalent European name e.g. Italian Abate Spanish Abad or German Abt.
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.
Abear : 1: English: topographic name from Middle English atte bere ‘at the woodland swine-pasture’ (Old English bǣr) or atte bere ‘at the grove’ (Old English bearu; compare Beer).2: Americanized form of French Hébert (see Hebert).
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.
Abel : 1: English German Dutch Danish Norwegian French Spanish and Polish; Slovak (mainly Ábel) and Czech (also Ábel): from the Biblical personal name Abel Slovak Ábel which was used in continental Europe from the sixth century. After the Norman Conquest it was introduced to England and Scotland where it had a brief currency in the 12th and 13th centuries before being revived in England after the Reformation. In the Book of Genesis Abel is a son of Adam murdered by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:1–8). In Christian tradition he is regarded as a representative of suffering innocence. The Hebrew form of the name is Hebel (Latinized as Abel) from a vocabulary word meaning ‘breath’.2: German: from the personal name Abel a pet form of Albrecht.
Aber : 1: German: from a short form of the personal name Albrecht.2: Americanized form of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Eber.3: Altered form of French Hébert (see Hebert).
Aborn : English: topographic name for someone who lived near a stream Middle English atte borne ‘at the bourn’. The preposition may alternatively be Anglo-Norman French a likewise meaning ‘at’.
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.
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’.
Ace : English (of Norman origin): from Old French Ace Asse or Asce all from the ancient Germanic male personal name Az(z)o Atso Adso or possibly the female personal name Aza. These were pet forms of ancient Germanic compound names formed with adal- ‘noble’ such as Adalbert (later Albert) and Adalheidis (later Alice; see Allis).
Achard : from Old French Achard (Continental Germanic Agihard Akihart from *agi- ‘fear’ + *hard- ‘hardy brave’). Compare Hatchard and Ackert.
Achee : Variant of Achey a surname of French origin (see Hache 1).
Achey : Americanized form of French or French Canadian Haché (see Hache 1) or of its altered form Hachey. Compare Achee and Ashey.
Achille : Italian French West Indian (mainly Haiti) and Mauritian: from the personal name Achille based on the classical Greek name Achilleus (see Achilles).
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.
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.
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.
Adam : 1: English Scottish German French Walloon Breton Dutch Flemish Romanian Polish Czech Slovak Slovenian Croatian and Assyrian/Chaldean; Hungarian (Ádám): from the Biblical personal name Adam which was borne according to Genesis by the first man. It is the generic Hebrew term for ‘man’ which is probably a derivative of Hebrew adama ‘earth’ (compare the classical Greek legend that Zeus fashioned the first human beings from earth). Adam was very popular as a personal name among non-Jews throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Jews however did not use this personal name except in recent times under Polish and English influence.2: Spanish: variant of Adán ‘Adam’ (see Adan).3: Muslim: from the personal name Ādam Arabic variant of Adam. Compare Adem.4: American shortened form of Scottish and Irish McAdam and also of cognates from other languages (see examples 5 below and at Adams).5: American shortened (and altered) form of Armenian Atamian or Adamian.
Adamy : 1: German French (mainly Lorraine) and Slovak: Latinized (humanistic) patronymic from the personal name Adam from Adami the Latin genitive. Compare Adami 1.2: Americanized form of Italian Adami 2 and Hungarian Ádámi (see Adami 4 5).
Adeline : from the Old French female personal name Adaline a pet form of Continental Germanic names in Adal- (from adal ‘noble’) such as Adelhaidis which became Adalaide and Alice. Compare Edlin.
Adlam : English: from the Middle English personal name Adelm via Norman French from ancient Germanic Adalhelm composed of the elements adal ‘noble’ + helm ‘helmet protection’.
Adnitt : from the Old French personal names Adenet or Adenot diminutives of Adam. Adam de Bidyk (1286 in Chancery Wills) is also called Adinet (1276 in Fine Rolls).
Adolphe : French: from the personal name Adolphe French form of Adolf.
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).
Adrien : French and West Indian (mainly Haiti): from the personal name Adrien French form of Latin (H)adrianus (see Adrian).
Agass : 1: from the Middle English and Old French female personal name Agace a vernacular form of the Greek female personal name Latinized as Agatha based on the adjective agathós ‘good’. Some of the following post-medieval bearers may alternatively belong with (2).perhaps in rare instances from Old French agace ‘magpie’ (a transferred use of the personal name) but it is not recorded in Middle English before the 15th century and did not enter regular English usage. The primary source of the English surname is certainly the name in (i) but the French Huguenot surname could possibly have been from either. 2: see Haggis.
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.
Agee : Altered form of French Agé (see Age) or alternatively of Desage.
Agenor : Haitian (Agénor): from the personal name Agénor French form of classical Greek Agēnōr meaning ‘manly heroic’ (from agan ‘very’ and anēr ‘man’). According to Greek legend this was the name of a Phoenician king of Tyre who lived in the third millenium BC.
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.
Agnes : 1: English; French (Agnès); Hungarian (Ágnes): from a female personal name which is from Late Latin Agnes and this one from Greek Hagnē from hagnē ‘pure chaste’. Saint Agnes was a Christian virgin martyr one of those who suffered under the persecutions of Diocletian in 303 AD. Her name was associated by folk etymology with Latin agnus ‘lamb’ and in medieval art she is often depicted with a lamb (the lamb of God). See also English Annis.2: American shortened (and altered) form of rare Greek metronymics Agnidis or Agniadis both derived from the female personal name Hagnē (see 1 above) or of patronymics like Anagnostopoulos (compare Agnew 4).
Agnew : 1: Scottish and English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Agneaux in La Manche France. A family called Agnew was granted the hereditary post of sheriff of Galloway by King David II (1329–1371).2: English (of Norman origin): from Anglo-Norman French aignel aignau ‘lamb’ (Old French agneau agnelle).3: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Gnímh ‘descendant of Gníomh’ a byname meaning ‘action’ or ‘activity’. The Ó Gnímhs were hereditary poets to a branch of the O'Neills; in this family the traditional pronunciation is with the stress on the second syllable.4: American shortened and altered form of Greek Anagnostopoulos.
Aguillard : 1: Altered form under the French influence in LA of Spanish Aguilar.2: French: from Old French aguille ‘needle’ + the (pejorative) suffix -ard hence an occupational name for a needle maker or derogatory nickname for an irritating person.
Aguillon : Spanish (Aguillón) and French (Occitan):: 1: habitational name from any of several places called Aguillón in Spain (Asturias or Galicia) or Aguillon in Var France.2: possibly also a metonymic occupational name for a drover from Spanish aguillón French aiguillon ‘goad’ (from Latin aculeus ‘needle’).
Agutter : from Middle English goter ‘small channel or watercourse’ (Old French goutiere). Agutter preserves a reduced and fused form of the prepositional phrase atte ‘at the’ where Gutter does not.
Aikey : Variant of Akey a surname of French (see Ethier) and possibly also English origin.
Aime : 1: French and Haitian (Aimé): from the personal name Aimé used as an equivalent of Latin Amatus ‘beloved’ (see Amato compare 2 below).2: French and Haitian (Aimé): nickname from the adjective aimé ‘beloved’.3: Italian (Piedmont): from a variant of the personal name Aimo of ancient Germanic origin (see Aimone).
Ainger : from the Old French and Middle English personal name Aunger or Anger which is either from An(s)ger a Norman French form of Old Scandinavian Ásgeirr (composed of the elements áss ‘(pagan) god’ + geirr ‘spear’) or a derivative of Old French Ang(i)er from the cognate Continental Germanic personal name Ansger. Compare Anker which is from an alternative form of Ansger.reduced form of Aungiers especially in Wilts and perhaps in NR Yorks.
Airoldi : Italian: patronymic or plural form of the old personal name Airoldo a variant of Aroldo from ancient Germanic Hariwald composed of the elements hari ‘army’ + wald ‘power authority’; see Harold. This surname is also found in France but to French Canada it was nevertheless brought from Italy.
Ajax : Welsh (Glamorgan Cardigans and Carmarthens) Swedish French and West Indian (Martinique Guadeloupe and Haiti): from the Latin personal name Ajax from Greek Aias the name of two Greek heroes who fought in the Trojan war. The name is traditionally interpreted as coming from Old Greek aietos ‘eagle’. The choice of a classically inspired forename was an occasional practice among well educated European families from the Renaissance onwards. In Wales where many families did not adopt a hereditary surname until the 18th century or later it led to the formation of new patronymics such as this one. By the 1740s it had become the fixed surname of a family in Carmarthens which later ramified in Glamorgan and Cardigans. This surname is very rare in France.
Akey : 1: Americanized form of French Éthier (see Ethier). Alteration of the French ending -thier to English -key is typical for American French surnames. Compare Aikey and Hakey.2: Possibly also English: variant of Ake.3: In some cases possibly also an Americanized form of German Eiche.
Aland : 1: Scandinavian (Åland): topographic name from the Åland Islands in the Gulf of Bothnia.2: English: topographic name from Middle English atte lande (Old French laund) ‘dweller at the glade or pasture’ or sometimes perhaps ‘dweller at the old cultivated land(s)’ from Old English eald ald ‘old’ + land ‘land’.
Alberti : 1: Italian: patronymic or plural form of the personal name Alberto. This surname is also found in southern France. Compare Alberty.2: German Dutch and French (mainly Lorraine): Latinized (humanistic) patronymic from the personal name Albert using the genitive of its Latinized form Albertus. Compare Alberty.3: Catalan (Albertí): from a derivative of the personal name Albert.4: Hungarian: habitational name from a village in Pest County called Alberti.5: Hungarian: patronymic from the personal name Albert.
Albertie : 1: Americanized form of Italian German Dutch or French Alberti or Alberty.2: West Indian (Saint Lucia): derivative of the personal name Albert possibly of the same European origin as in 1 above.
Albin : 1: English French and German: from the personal name Albin (from Latin Albinus a derivative of albus ‘white’). In England this is generally a variant of Alban. The usual spelling of the French name is Aubin. The personal name was especially popular in Austria Lombardy and Savoy where it absorbed the ancient Germanic name Albuin (which is composed of the elements alb ‘elf’ + win ‘friend’; compare Alvin). This was the name of the Lombard leader (died 572) who made himself king of northern Italy and also of various Christian saints including a bishop of Brixen (Bressanone) in South Tyrol.2: Galician (Albín): habitational name from any of the four places called Albín in Galicia (Spain) from Latin (villa) Albini.
Albutt : from the Old French and Middle English personal name Albot from Continental Germanic Adalbodo composed of the elements adal ‘noble’ and bodo ‘messenger’.
Alcide : Italian French and West Indian (mainly Haiti and Saint Lucia): from the personal name Alcide from classical Greek Alkidēs a byname of the Greek mythological hero Heraklēs (Hercules) meaning ‘son of Alkaios’ a name derived from alkē ‘strength’. This surname is very rare in both Italy and France. As a surname of French origin it is found mainly in Haiti and also elsewhere in the West Indies from where it was brought to the US.
Alcime : Haitian: from the French personal name Alcime Latin Alcimus from Greek Alkimos from the adjective alkimos ‘strong brave’. In Greek mythology Alkimos is the name of several minor characters including father of Mentor (see Mentor) and a companion of Achilles (see Achilles).
Alcindor : West Indian (mainly Haiti) Seychellois and Mauritian: from the personal name Alcindor originally the name of a character in the French opéra comique La belle Arsène (1773) written by Charles-Simon Favart.
Aleman : 1: Spanish (Alemán): from alemán an ethnic name for a German also used as a nickname for a Spanish person having some connection with Germany. Compare Alleman 4 and Allemand 2.2: English and Dutch: ethnic name from Old French aleman(d) ‘German’ (compare 1 above see also French Allemand and English Allman).3: Swiss German and German: rare variant of Allemann.
Alex : German French and Swedish: from the personal name Alex a short form of Alexis or Alexander. This surname is also found in some African countries.
Alexie : 1: Probably an Americanized form of French Alexis. It is common in LA and among Native Americans in AK.2: Romanian: from the personal name Alexie from Greek Alexis.
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).
Alfred : English French German West Indian (mainly Haiti) and African (mainly Tanzania): from the Middle English personal name Alfred Elfred Old English Ælfrǣd ‘elf counsel’. This owed its popularity as a personal name in England to the fame of the West Saxon king Alfred the Great (849–899) who defeated the Danes keeping them out of Wessex and whose court was a great center of learning and culture.
Algeo : 1: Scottish: probably a nickname originally spelled Al(d)jo from an expression of affection consisting of Scots auld ‘old’ + joy jo ‘joy sweetheart darling’ (Old French joi Older Scots joi jo which can also signify ‘good fortune’ and ‘mirth music laughter’). Alternatively it may be from the phrase ‘all joy all good fortune’ used as a farewell on parting.2: Italian (Veneto): probably from the personal name Algeo a variant of Alceo from Latin Alcaeus Greek Alkaios derived from alkē ‘strength’.
Alger : 1: English: from the Middle English personal name Alger. Pronounced with a soft g it is from Old French Alg(i)er Aug(i)er (ancient Germanic Adalgari composed of the elements adal ‘noble’ + gāri ‘spear’); see Auger. Pronounced with a hard g it is a variant of Algar.2: Scottish and English: in Scotland Alger may be a variant of Algeo.3: German: from a shortened form of the ancient Germanic personal name Adalgar (see 1 above).
Alison : 1: Scottish: variant of Allison in most cases a cognate of 2 below.2: French: from a variant of the old French female personal name Alis from ancient Germanic Adalheidis (see Allis).
Alix : French: from the Old French female personal name Alix or Alis a short form of the ancient Germanic personal name Adalhaidis (see Allis). See also Alie.
Allain : 1: Breton and French: from the Old Breton personal name Alan (Old French Alain); see Allen. In France the personal name is spelled Alain and this is also a less common variant of the surname (see Alain).2: English: variant of Allen a cognate of 1 above.
Allaire : French: from the Old French personal name Allaire a variant of Hilaire (see Hillary). Compare Dallaire.
Allar : 1: Americanized form of German Aller.2: Probably also an Americanized form of French Allard reflecting the French pronunciation.
Allard : 1: English: from a Middle English personal name Alard Adelard Aylard or Elard. The former two names are usually of native English origin from Old English Æthelheard composed of the elements æthel ‘noble’ + heard ‘hard bold’. Alternatively the surname may be of continental origin from an ancient Germanic name (see 2 below) which developed in Old French to Alard and in Middle Dutch to Adelaert and Alaert. The continental names were used in post-Conquest England by Normans and Flemings. Later development of -ard to -ett and -att in surnames means that these personal names may also lie behind some examples of e.g. Allatt and Hallett.2: French: from the medieval personal name Alard from ancient Germanic Adelhard composed of the elements adal ‘noble’ + hard ‘hardy’. Compare Allar Allor Allord and Allore.
Allee : 1: English: variant of Alley.2: Altered form of French D'Ailly or Dailly. Compare Alley 3 and Alyea.3: Muslim (Pakistan): rare variant of Alli (see Ali).
Alleman : 1: Flemish and Dutch: ethnic name from Old French aleman(d) ‘German’ (see also French Allemand compare Dutch Aleman). This surname is also found in France (Nord) and Wallonia; see also 2 below.2: French (mainly Nord Pas-de-Calais and southern France): variant of Allemand. See also 1 above.3: Dutch: from the personal name Alleman a diminutive of Alle see Alles 1.4: Altered form under the French influence in LA of Spanish Alemán ‘German’ (see Aleman). Compare Allemand 2.5: Americanized form of Swiss German Allemann.
Allemand : 1: French: from Old French aleman(d) ‘German’ (from Late Latin Alemannus from an ancient Germanic tribal name; see Allemann) hence an ethnic name for a German-speaker in a predominantly French-speaking area. Compare Lallemand.2: Altered form under the French influence in LA of Spanish Alemán ‘German’ (see Aleman compare Alleman 4).
Allemang : Americanized form of Swiss German Allemann reflecting the pronunciation of the French cognate Alleman.
Allen : 1: English and Scottish: from the Middle English Old French personal name Alain Alein (Old Breton Alan) from a Celtic personal name of great antiquity and obscurity. In England the personal name is now usually spelled Alan the surname Allen; in Scotland the surname is more often Allan. From 1139 it was common in Scotland where the surname also derives from Gaelic Ailéne Ailín from ail ‘rock’. The present-day frequency of the surname Allen in England and Ireland is partly accounted for by the popularity of the personal name among Breton followers of William the Conqueror by whom it was imported first to Britain and then to Ireland. Saint Alan(us) was a 5th-century bishop of Quimper who was a cult figure in medieval Brittany. Another Saint Al(l)an was a Cornish or Breton saint of the 6th century to whom a church in Cornwall is dedicated.2: English: occasionally perhaps from the rare Middle English femaje personal name Aline (Old French Adaline Aaline) a pet form of ancient Germanic names in Adal- especially Adalheidis (see Allis).3: French: variant of Allain a cognate of 1 above and in North America (also) an altered form of this.
Allenby : English: habitational name from Allonby (Cumberland). The placename is a post-Conquest compound of the French (Breton) personal name Alein (see Allen) + Old Norse bȳ ‘village’ or the same word borrowed into Middle English.
Allery : 1: English (Devon): most probably a variant of Ellery.2: Americanized form of French Alarie. In the US this surname is most common among Native Americans in ND namely the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.
Alley : 1: English: from the Middle English personal name Ally Alli as forms such as Johannes filius Alli (Norfolk 1205) make clear. It may be a pet form of Alexander Alan Alice or Alison or a survival of Old Danish Alli Old Swedish Alle found as Alli in the Domesday Book.2: In some cases also an altered form of French Hallé (see Halle 2) or of some other similar (like-sounding) surname.3: Variant of Allee 2 a surname of French origin.
Allez : a Norman French variant of Allis. Compare Allix.
Allie : 1: Americanized form of French Alie.2: Americanized form of Arabic (e.g. from Syria) Ali.3: Possibly also English: variant of Alley.
Alligood : Altered form of French Legard. Compare Allegood and Ellegood.
Allinson : English (mainly Yorkshire): from the Old French and Middle English personal name Alain or Alan (see Allen) + the patronymic suffix -son.
Allis : English: from the Middle English female personal name Alis Alice (Old French Adeliz Ahelis Aalis Aliz). Alice together with its pet form Alison was one of the most popular names in both England and Scotland from the 13th century until the end of the medieval period. The personal name is of ancient Germanic origin brought to England from France by the Normans; it is a shortened form of ancient Germanic Adalheidis which is composed of the elements adal ‘noble’ + haid ‘‘rank worth’’.
Allix : a French variant of Allis.
Allman : 1: English: ethnic name from Old French aleman(d) ‘German’ or alemayne meaning ‘from Germany’ which was called Almeyne in the 14th century (from Late Latin Alemannia from an ancient Germanic tribal name that probably originally meant ‘all the men’; see Allemann). In some cases the surname may be from the region of Normandy known as Allemagne (south of Caen) probably named as an ancient Germanic-speaking enclave in a Celtic area in Roman times.2: English: variant of Oldman.3: Americanized form of German Allmann or Ahlmann (see Ahlman 1) Swedish Ahlman 2 and Dutch Flemish or French Alleman. Compare Allmon.
Allmand : English: from Old French alemaund ‘German’. See also Allman with which it may sometimes have merged.
Allor : Americanized form of French Allard reflecting the characteristic Canadian and American French rounding of the -ard ending.
Allord : Americanized form of French Allard reflecting the characteristic Canadian and American French rounding of the -ard ending.
Allore : Variant of Allor a surname of French origin.
Allott : from the Middle English female personal name Alot (Old French Aalot) a pet form of Alice see Allis.
Ally : 1: Muslim: variant of Ali.2: Americanized form of French Alie.
Almey : perhaps from the Old French personal name *Almay Latin Almedius of uncertain origin. The Latin form of the name is recorded in France in the early 9th century but its rarity there and its absence from post-Conquest English records make it an uncertain source of the English surname.
Almon : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Almen.2: English: variant of Allman.3: Probably also a variant of Allmon a surname of English German Dutch or French origin.
Almy : English (of Norman origin): variant of Almey perhaps from the Old French personal name Almay Latin Almedius. The Latin form of the name is recorded in France in the early 9th century but its rarity there and its absence from post-Conquest English records make it an uncertain source of the English surname.
Alner : 1: meaning ‘one who checks measurements of cloth’ from Middle English alner alnard derivative of Old French aune ‘ell’ from a derivative of French aune ‘ell’. 2: see Allnatt.
Aloi : Italian (mainly southern): from the personal name Aloi from French Eloy from Latin Eligius a Christian saint's name of which the Italian form is Eligio.
Alphonse : French West Indian (mainly Haiti) and Seychellois: from the French personal name Alphonse from Alphonsus a Latinized spelling of Spanish Alfonso.
Alt : 1: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from alt ‘old’ typically applied as a distinguishing epithet to the older of two bearers of the same personal name. It is also found in some central European countries for example in Czechia and Slovenia often as a translation into German of corresponding Slavic surnames.2: English (East Midlands): variant of Allt possibly a shortened form of Allott from the Middle English female personal name Alot (Old French Aalot) a pet form of Alice see Allis.
Altieri : Italian (mainly southern): from a medieval personal name of ancient Germanic origin formed with the elements ald ‘old wise’ + hari ‘army’. It corresponds to French Authier and was probably brought to Sicily by the Normans.
Alyea : Americanized form of French D'Ailly or Dailly. Compare Allee 2 and Elyea.
Amable : English (of Norman origin): from the Old French and Middle English female personal name Amabil Amabel Latin Amabilis ‘lovable’. The Normans frequently made use of the Old French short form Mabile or Mabel (see Mable) and by dissimilation of m to n developed a new form Anabel which gave rise to surnames such as Annable and Hannibal.
Aman : 1: Altered form of South German and Swiss German Amann or Ammann ‘official’ and also of German Hamann the latter partly under the French influence in QC Canada.2: English (of Norman origin): variant of Amand.3: Hungarian (Ámán and Áman): derivative of Old High German amma ‘mother’. The surname Aman presumably of Hungarian origin is also found in Croatia.4: Slovenian: variant of Amon ‘official’ a cognate of 1 above.5: Muslim (mainly Pakistan and Bangladesh): from the Arabic personal name Amān ‘trust safety protection tranquility’. Amān is often used in compound names for example Amānullāh ‘trust of God’ (see Amanullah).6: Ethiopian and Eritrean: from the Amharic and Tigrinya personal name Aman which is interpreted as ‘peace’ (compare with the Arabic name above). — Note: Since Ethiopians and Eritreans do not have hereditary surnames this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
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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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