Origin
Aaron : Jewish English Welsh West Indian Guyanese and African (mainly Nigeria): from the Biblical Hebrew personal name Aharon (which was Latinized as Aaron) borne by the first high priest of the Israelites the brother of Moses (Exodus 4:14). Like Moses it is probably of Egyptian origin with a meaning no longer recoverable. In England and Wales the name comes from the occasional adoption of Aaron as a Christian personal name. In south Wales for example where fixed surnames developed much later than in England it was coined independently as a surname in the 17th–19th centuries reflecting the enthusiasm for Old Testament personal names among Nonconformists.
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.
Abadi : 1: Iranian: from a derivative of the Persian suffix -ābād (literally ‘populous prosperous’) forming the second part of names of populated areas (towns villages) and consequentially the second part of compound habitational names such as Mahmoudabadi or Mahmoud Abadi (from Mahmoudabad or Mahmoud Abad the name of a town by the Caspian Sea).2: Iranian: surname denoting descent from or association with someone called Ābād a personal name of the same ultimate Persian origin as 1 above and interpreted as e.g. ‘prosperous’ and ‘happy’.3: Muslim: variant of Abbadi.4: Jewish (from Syria and Egypt): adoption of the Arabic surname (see 3 above) most likely because it sounds close to the Jewish Biblical personal name Obadiah ‘servant of God’.5: Ethiopian: from the personal name Abadi unexplained. — Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
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.
Abdi : 1: Muslim: from the Arabic personal name Abdī a short form of Abdul.2: Muslim (mainly Pakistan): Urdu variant of Abidi (see Abedi).3: Somali: from a Somali Muslim personal name a short form of Abdulle and thus a cognate of 1 above. It is also found in Ethiopia Kenya and Djibouti. — 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.4: Ethiopian: from the Oromo personal name Abdi meaning ‘hope’ in the Oromo language. — Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
Abdikadir : Somali: from a Somali Muslim personal name from Arabic Abdelqader. It is also found in Kenya and Djibouti. — 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.
Abdirahman : Somali: from a Somali Muslim personal name from Arabic Abdelrahman. It is also found in Ethiopia Kenya and Djibouti. — 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.
Abe : Japanese (pronounced as two syllables): usually written 阿倍 阿部 or 安倍 with characters used phonetically. Listed in the Shinsen shōjiroku the Abe claim descent from Ōhiko first son of the mythical Emperor Kōgen. There are several places in Japan named Abe which means ‘sun festival’ in the Ainu language. Some Ainu connections may be assumed but the name could also be purely habitational from one of these places. It is found mostly in northeastern Japan the island of Kyūshū and the Ryūkyū Islands.
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.
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.
Abid : Muslim:: 1: from the Arabic personal name ʿĀbid from ʿābid ‘worshiper devotee’. See also Abed.2: from the Arabic personal name ʿAbīd from the plural of ʿabd ‘servant’. It is related to 1 above.
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.
Abrahamian : Armenian: patronymic from the Biblical personal name Abraham. It is a variant of eastern Armenian Abrahamyan and western Armenian Aprahamian found mainly in the US Iran and Lebanon.
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.
Abron : Altered form of Abram. It is found mainly among African Americans.
Absalom : English and Welsh (mainly southern): from the Old Testament Hebrew personal name Abshalom ‘father of peace’. In the Middle Ages this was occasionally used as a personal name in France from where it was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest. During the 17th century through the influence of the King James Bible and due to the popularity of the Biblical story of Absalom the adored but rebellious son of King David in the King James Bible (II Samuel 13-19) Absalom became the standard vernacular English form of the personal name and hence the source of this surname.
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).
Acampora : Italian (southern mainly Campania):: 1: habitational name from Campora in Salerno province.2: occasionally it may be variant of Acanfora: from the medieval personal name Canfora from canfora ‘camphor’ (from Arabic kāfūr).
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.
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.
Ackley : 1: English: habitational name from Aycliffe Durham recorded as Aykley in 1555. Alternatively it may be from any of various places called in Old English as āc lēah ‘oak clearing’. Compare Oakley which has the same origin. Compare also Akeley and Akley.2: English (Northumberland and Durham): in some cases a variant of Arkley which is of uncertain origin.3: Americanized form of Swiss German Egli.
Adachi : Japanese: variously written usually 足立 meaning ‘foot’ and ‘stand’. It is a habitational name found mainly in northern Japan from Adachi-ga-hara a place in Fukushima prefecture. The Adachi of Dewa (now Akita prefecture) descend from Fujiwara no Yamakage (824–888).
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.
Adamian : Armenian: patronymic from the Biblical personal name Adam. It is a variant of eastern Armenian Adamyan and western Armenian Atamian found mainly in the US and Iran.
Adamson : English and Scottish: patronymic from the personal name Adam + Middle English son meaning ‘son of Adam’. The surname is especially common in Scotland where it is borne by a sept of clan McIntosh. In North America this surname has absorbed some Polish and possibly also other European patronymics and other derivatives from the personal name Adam. Compare Adams.
Addley : probably a variant of Hadlow with loss of initial H- and modification of the unstressed syllable.another less likely possibility is that it is a variant of Hadley.
Aden : 1: East Frisian: patronymic from the personal name Ade.2: Scottish: habitational name from the old lands and barony of Auden or Aden in Old Deer Aberdeenshire.3: Somali: from a Somali Muslim personal name a variant of Adan 3 ‘Adam’. It is also found in Ethiopia Kenya and Djibouti. — 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.
Adeniji : West African (Nigeria): from the Yoruba personal name Adéníji from adé ní ìji ‘the crown has much shade’ understood to mean that there is more than enough shade for the new child to find it congenial.
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.
Adley : English: probably a variant of Hadlow with loss of initial H- and modification of the final syllable. Another less likely possibility is that it is a variant of Hadley.
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’.
Adonis : 1: Haitian Guyanese South African and Hispanic (Philippines): from the personal name Adonis borne in Greek mythology by a beautiful youth who was the lover of both the goddesses Aphrodite (in summer) and Persephone (in winter). The surname might have been applied as a nickname but in most cases it probably originates from the personal name Adonis which is today common especially in the Philippines. This surname is also found in France where it is very rare.2: American shortened and altered form of the Greek patronymic Antoniadis or of some other derivative of the personal name Antōni(o)s (see Anthony) reflecting a variant pronunciation of this name.
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).
Adusumilli : Indian (Andhra Pradesh): surname borne by members of the warrior Kamma caste deriving from the name of a minor Kamma king who ruled some time after 1400 AD. Part of the name (adusu) means ‘mire’ and it is possible that it derives from the marshy area to the east and west of the Godavari river where these people settled very early.
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.
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.
Agg : 1: perhaps from the Middle English personal name Agg(e) Hagg(e) (Old Scandinavian Aggi of uncertain origin) although this is more usually found in N and E England in counties settled by Vikings; see Hagg. Some of the bearers cited here may belong to (2). 2: of uncertain origin. Middle English hagg (Old Scandinavian hǫgg) ‘woodland set aside for cutting’ seems unlikely in SW England for the term is recorded only in northern counties (see Hagg). Old English haga ‘hedge enclosure’ normally becomes Middle English haw not hag and Old English *hagga ‘haw fruit of the hawthorn’ is unlikely to form a simplex place-name or locative surname though it might lie behind Hag Hill in Great Hinton (Wilts) recorded as Hagg Hill 1625 in Place-Names of Wilts p. 142. The loss of initial H- in Agg for Hagg is commonplace in SW dialects.
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’.
Agins : 1: Jewish (American): shortened form of Jewish (from Belarus) Aginskiy also spelled Oginskiy a habitational name for someone living near the Oginski canal (now in western Belarus) whose construction was started in 1765 by Polish count Michał Kazimierz Ogiński. The surname could also be acquired by Jews who worked for the Ogiński family or lived on territories of which these Polish nobles were the owners.2: In some cases it is probably a variant of English Akins.
Agron : 1: Galician and Spanish: habitational name from either of two places called Agrón in A Coruña and Granada.2: Jewish (American and Israeli): shortened form with the Russian patronymic suffix (such as -sky -ovsky -ovich or -ov) dropped of some original eastern Ashkenazic surname based on the Jewish male personal name Ahron a variant of Aaron. Spelling with g is due to Russian influence since Russian has no h and alters it to g in borrowed words and names.
Aguino : Hispanic: habitational name from a place called Aguino in Oviedo (Asturias) or an altered form of Spanish Aquino. This surname is common among Native Americans (Pueblos) in NM. It is also found in the Philippines.
Ahlin : 1: Swedish: ornamental topographic or habitational name from an ornamental spelling of al ‘alder’ (also from placenames containing this word or from a placename such as Altuna of uncertain etymology) + the adjectival suffix -in a derivative of Latin -in(i)us ‘relating to’. In a topographic sense it could have been adopted on account of a prominent alder tree at the home farm.2: Slovenian: nickname derived from ahle ‘hackle teasel’.
Ahlman : 1: Americanized form of German Ahlmann: topographic name literally meaning ‘swamp man’.2: Swedish: ornamental or topographic name from an ornamental spelling of al ‘alder’ + man ‘man’ or a habitational name for someone from a place called with the element al. In a topographic sense it could have been adopted on account of a prominent alder tree at the home farm. Compare Allman and Alman.
Aho : 1: Finnish: habitational name from farms so named or ornamental name from aho ‘glade forest clearing’ (areas of woodland adjacent to farmhouses were cleared by slash-and-burn techniques to produce glades which eventually became pastureland). As a hereditary surname it was established in the 19th century chiefly in Ostrobothnia. As a popular ornamental surname it was adopted especially among people converting from Swedish surnames to Finnish in the early 20th century in southern western and central Finland (compare Laine 4). In North America Aho may also be a shortened form of the cognate Ahonen.2: Assyrian/Chaldean: from a short form of the personal name Ahikar name of ancient Assyrian origin borne by a semi-legendary sage.
Ai : 1: Japanese: usually written 阿井 with characters used phonetically. The meaning could be ‘meeting’. In North America it may also be a shortened form of some other name.2: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 艾 referring to ‘Chinese mugwort’ a type of plant used in traditional Chinese medical treatment: (i) perhaps from the second element of Ru Ai (汝艾) the name of an official who lived during the reign of Shao Kang the 6th king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC). (ii) from the first element of the placename Ai Ling (艾陵) the name of a hill (located in Shandong province) the fief of Ai Kong (艾孔) an official in the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) from the placename Ai (艾) the name of a fief (located in Jiangxi province) which was granted to an official in the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iv) adopted as a surname by the Qu Jin (去斤) Qu Ai (去艾) and Ai Jin (艾斤) families from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (v) from Ai (艾) the name of an ancient state (possibly in present-day Jiangxi province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC).3: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 愛 meaning ‘love’ in Chinese: (i) said to be traced back to Ai Xie Wu (愛邪勿) prime minister of the state of Huihu (known as Uyghur Empire or Uyghur Khaganate) who was endowed with the surname Ai (愛) by Emperor Wuzong of Tang (814–846 AD). (ii) a Han Chinese surname for some members of the Aisin Gioro family from the Manchu ethnic group known as the royal family of the Qing dynasty (1616 – 1911 AD). (iii) a surname from minority ethnic groups in Taiwan.
Ailstock : 1: Possibly an altered form of an unidentified English surname. The name Ailstock has the appearance of an English habitational name ending in -stock but it does not correspond to any known British surname and there is no evidence for a surname from the only feasible candidate placename (Halstock in Devon).2: Alternatively perhaps from an altered form of the Native American (Shawnee) personal name Hokoleskwa or Hokolesqua borne by a Shawnee chief although this was loosely translated into English as Cornstalk. The surname Ailstock is found mainly in VA.
Aimone : Italian:: 1: from an ancient Germanic personal name Haimo Haimone formed with haimi ‘home world’. This was a popular name in Italy up to and during the Renaissance.2: occasionally it may be from a short form of the personal name Aimeric which was much favored in southern France and northwestern Italy in the Middle Ages.
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.
Airth : Scottish (Angus and Kincardineshire); habitational name from Airth in Stirlingshire. The placename is of obscure origin. It is recorded as Heret and Ereth in the 12th century.
Aita : 1: Italian (southern): from the medieval personal name Aita from the ancient Italian aita ‘help’ (compare Aiuto). In some cases it is also a habitational name from Aieta in Cosenza named with Greek aetos ‘eagle’.2: Italian (Friuli; Àita): from the medieval personal name Ayta a Friulian variant of Agata Greek Agathē meaning ‘virtuous honest’.3: Japanese: alternate reading of Goda.
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.
Akagi : Japanese: usually written 赤木 ‘red tree’. It may derive from Akagiyama (赤城山 ‘Mount Red Castle’) a famous peak in east-central Japan although the surname is more common in western Japan.
Akamine : Japanese: written 赤嶺 ‘red peak’. It is found mainly in western Japan and the Ryūkyū Islands.
Akella : Indian (mainly Andhra Pradesh): from a Telugu word meaning ‘leaf’ especially the kind of leaf used to build huts. It is not clear whether this word was used to signify a totem. Telugu surnames are mostly locative; as a result this surname is found across several castes.
Akerson : 1: Americanized form of Swedish Åkesson or Åkeson (see Akeson).2: Swedish (Åkerson): ornamental name composed of the elements åker ‘field’ + son ‘son’. This is one of a small group of Swedish names ending in -son that are not patronymics; it is very rare in Sweden. Compare Ackerson 1 and Okerson.
Aki : Japanese: found mostly in western Japan where it is phonetically written 安芸 the name of the former province of Aki (now part of Hiroshima prefecture). In the Ryūkyū Islands the name is written 秋 meaning ‘autumn’. Some instances in America could be the result of shortening other Japanese names beginning with Aki- for example Akiyama.
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.
Akker : see Acker. This name is found from about 1800 exclusively in Radwinter (Essex). It appears to be the Dutch cognate of the name forming the base of Acker.
Alagic : Bosniak (Alagić): patronymic from the Bosniak Muslim personal name Alaga composed of a shortened form of the name Alija (see Ali) and the title aga (see Agha). It is also found as a Croatian surname originating from the time of the Turkish occupation of the Balkans.
Alapati : Indian (Andhra Pradesh): Choudhary and Kamma name from the placename Alapadu in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh. It is believed that bearers of this surname are descendants of Buddha.
Alavi : Muslim (mainly Iran also Pakistan Afghanistan): surname denoting descent from or association with Ali the first imam of the Shiite Muslims. It is a Persian variant of Arabic Alawi.
Albaladejo : Spanish: habitational name from either of two places called Albaladejo in La Mancha from Hispano-Arabic al-balaṭ ‘the path’ with the Spanish diminutive suffix -ejo. In Spain it is most common in Murcia.
Albelo : Galician: variant of Alvelo a nickname from a diminutive of alvo ‘white’. In Spain it is found mainly in the Canary Islands (Santa Cruz de Tenerife). Compare Arbelo.
Alberino : Italian:: 1: (Napoli): from the personal name Alberino a short form of Adalberino (of ancient Germanic origin). Alternatively it may be a pet form of Albero (found as a surname in the provinces of Napoli and Salerno). The latter is a shortened form of the personal name Adalbero.2: derivative of albero ‘tree’ applied either as a nickname a topographic name or a habitational name for someone from a place called with the word.
Albert : French English German Catalan Hungarian Romanian Dutch Slovak Czech Croatian Slovenian West Indian (mainly Haiti) and Mauritian: from the personal name Albert composed of the ancient Germanic elements adal ‘noble’ + berht ‘bright famous’. The standard German form is Albrecht. The name was borne by several Christian saints notably Saint Albert of Prague a Bohemian prince who died a martyr in 997 attempting to convert the Prussians to Christianity and Saint Albert the Great (c. 1193–1280) an Aristotelian theologian and tutor of Thomas Aquinas. In more recent times it has been adopted as a Jewish surname.
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.
Albuquerque : Spanish and Portuguese: habitational name from a place called Albuquerque in Badajoz province Spain near the border with Portugal. The surname has been established in Portugal since the 15th century. It is also found in western India where it was taken by Portuguese colonists.
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.
Alcott : English: ostensibly a topographic name from any of a large number of places called in Old English as ‘the old cottage’ (Old English (e)ald + cot(e)). In fact however it is generally an altered form of Alcock in part at least for euphemistic reasons.
Aldag : German: from the Low German personal name Adeldag (adal ‘noble’ + daga ‘day’). Alternatively it may be from an old North German personal name ending in -dag ‘day’ here prefixed by al- ‘totally entirely’ and meaning ‘bright day’.
Aldam : from either of two places called Aldham (Essex Suffolk) which may be from Old English eald ald ‘old’ or a given name Ealda Alda deriving from this word + hām ‘major farm estate’. It may sometimes have been confused with Oldham: George Aldham or George Oldham 1798 in TNA (Admiralty records).
Alderman : 1: English (southern): status name from Middle English alderman Old English ealdorman literally ‘elder’. Before the Norman Conquest this term denoted a high official with authority over a district; by the 12th century it had come to denote a member of the governing body of a city or borough or the governor of a craft guild.2: Americanized form of German Aldermann: variant of Altermann (see Alterman) a cognate of 1 above.
Aldersley : 1: possibly in the form Alderleys from a lost medieval settlement in Allerton near Bradford (WR Yorks) later recorded as Aldersley with a transitional form seen in 1545 and perhaps first found in the compound name Aldeleysike in 1292. It is not always distinguishable from Alderley in (2). The uncertainties involved leave the meaning of the original place-name undecidable. 2: occasionally perhaps a variant of Alderley but the relationship may be the other way round.
Alderwick : apparently from an unidentified place named with Old English alor ‘alder’ + Old English wīc ‘specialized or outlying farm’. However no medieval bearers have been found to support this and it is more likely that Alderwick is an altered form of another Wilts name probably Aldericke. Compare John Aldericke 1670 John Alderwick 1679 John Aldric 1712 in IGI (Broughton Gifford Wilts) where the spelling -wick appears to be a hypercorrection mistakenly assuming -ick to be a vulgar pronunciation of -wick. Ald(e)ric(k) (see Aldrick) is a variant of Aldridge.
Aldous : English (mainly East Anglia): from the Middle English female personal name Aldus a pet form of any of several names beginning with Ald- (Old English Eald-) such as Aldith (see Allday) and Aldred or Aldrith. It was particularly common in Yorkshire the northeast Midlands and East Anglia in the 13th century. Compare Aldis.
Aldsworth : a variant of Aldworth probably influenced by the place-name Aldsworth in adjacent Gloucs (which seems not to have given rise to a surname) though it is possible that the -s- reflects a variant noted occasionally among the early forms of Aldworth (Berks) such as Aldesworth in 1281.
Aldwinckle : from Aldwincle (Northants) whose name may be from the Old English personal name Ealda Alda deriving from eald ald ‘old’ + wincel ‘bend’ referring to the prominent bend in the river Nene at Aldwincle. A case might be made that it is ‘the old bend’ in view of the complex and changing pattern of the watercourses at this place which is suggested by the line of the southern parish boundary.
Alers : 1: Dutch or German: patronymic from the personal name Alert from ancient Germanic Adalhard from adel ‘noble’ + hard ‘hardy’. It is also found in South Africa but it is rare there. Compare Allers and Ahlers.2: Hispanic (Puerto Rico): perhaps a topographic name from Catalan alers ‘larch’. Alternatively a surname of German or Dutch origin (see above).
Ales : 1: Italian (Sicily): regional variant of Alessi.2: Slovenian and Czech (Aleš): from the personal name Aleš from Latin Alexius (see Alexis). As a Czech name it may also be from an old pet form of the personal name Albert.3: Dutch and German: variant of Alles or Ahles; compare also Ale 5.
Alexandra : English: variant of Alexander apparently from the feminine form of the personal name. — Note: It is possible that in the population figure published by the US Census Bureau (which dropped from 644 in the year 2000 to 440 in the year 2010) the female personal name Alexandra of some American bearers is also counted as a surname. Some of these bearers may be from countries such as Indonesia where (hereditary) surnames are not in general use.
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.
Algar : English: from the Middle English personal name Algar representing the falling together of two Old English names Ælfgār and Æthelgār composed of the elements respectively ælf ‘elf’ or æthel ‘noble’ + gār ‘spear’. It could also be from the much rarer Old English personal name Ealdgār composed of elements meaning ‘old’ + ‘spear’. In East Anglia it is more probably a variant of Alger (Old Norse Álfgeirr). See also Agar Elgar.
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).
Ali : Arabic: from the personal name ʿAlī ‘high lofty sublime’. Al-ʿAlī ‘the All-High’ is an attribute of God/Allah also seen in the compound name ʿAbd al-ʿAlī ʿAbdul-ʿAlī (see Abdulali). The name ʿAlī was borne by the first imam of the Shiite Muslims ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (c. 600–661). This surname is found among both Muslims and Christians. In North America it is also established among African Americans. Compare Alali Alli and Aly.
Alic : 1: Bosniak and Croatian (Alić): patronymic from the Bosniak Muslim personal name Alija (see Ali). As a Croatian surname it originates from the time of the Turkish occupation of the Balkans. It is also a Croatian patronymic from a short form of some non-Muslim personal names beginning with Al- (compare 2 below).2: Slovenian (Alič): patronymic from the personal name Aleš (see Ales).
Aliff : English: variant of Ayliff which is from a Middle English personal name. In most cases this is from Old Norse Eilífr ‘eternal life’ but it could also have absorbed the female name Ayleve (Old English Æthelgifu ‘noble gift’).
Alipio : Portuguese and Spanish (Alípio): from the personal name Alípio from Latin Alypius which is of Greek origin from alypos ‘free of pain and grief’. This was the name of an early Christian saint (354–430) a friend of St. Augustine who in 394 was appointed bishop of Tagaste in North Africa. This surname is rare in Portugal and Spain; it is found mainly in the Philippines.
Alipour : Muslim (Iran): surname denoting descent from or association with someone called Ali in particular from/with ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (c. 600–661) the first imam of the Shiite Muslims. It is formed with the Persian suffix -pūr ‘son of’.
Alizadeh : Muslim (Iran): surname denoting descent from or association with someone called Ali in particular from/with ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (c. 600–661) the first imam of the Shiite Muslims. It is formed with the Persian suffix -zādeh ‘son/descendant of’.
Allebach : Altered form of German Allenbach. In the US it is found mainly in PA.
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.
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.
Allgood : English: from the Middle English personal name Algot Algod. This may represent Old Danish Old Swedish Algot Algut but the name is not otherwise recorded in those parts of England settled by Danes and Swedes before the Norman Conquest. Alternatively it represents ancient Germanic Adalgot Algot Middle Dutch Aelgoet which may have been used by Flemings in post-Conquest England. Compare Algood.
Allinder : 1: Swedish: ornamental name from the root Al- of the placename Alseda (a village and parish in Småland named from al ‘alder’) + the suffix -inder (probably adapted from Greek andros genitive of anēr ‘man’). This surname was adopted in NE by a Swedish family from Alseda; in this form it is not found in Sweden where surnames with the same or similar background are spelled Alinder and Ahlinder.2: English and Scottish: variant of Allender. This surname is not found in Britain.
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’’.
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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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