Surname Origins
Every family name tells a story. Most began as one of four things — a trade, an ancestor, a place, or a nickname. Search 1,660 surnames from across the world and uncover what yours really means.
All family names
1660 surnames
Aalborg
From a PlaceDanish
from Aalborg
Aasen
From a PlaceNorwegian
ridge, hill
Abad
From a TradeSpanish
abbot
Abang
From a TraitMalay
elder brother
Abbas
From an AncestorArabic
son/descendant of Abbas
Abbasi
From an AncestorArabic
descendant of Abbas
Abdallah
From an AncestorArabic
servant of God
Abdullah
From an AncestorArabic
servant of God
Abe
From a PlaceJapanese
east of the bend
Abebe
From an AncestorAmharic
from abebe, "has blossomed"
Abrahamyan
From an AncestorArmenian from Hebrew Abraham
son of Abraham
Abreu
From a PlaceLatin
open field, clearing
Abyad
From a TraitArabic
white, fair
Acar
From a TraitTurkish
brave, spirited
Acharya
From a TradeSanskrit
teacher, preceptor
Adamczyk
From an AncestorPolish
son of Adam
Adams
From an AncestorEnglish
son of Adam
Adebayo
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown meets joy
Adebisi
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown added to
Adeleke
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown triumphed
Adeniji
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown has spurred him on
Adeniran
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown has saved/arrived
Adenuga
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown has become exalted
Aderemi
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown suits me
Adesina
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown opens the way
Adetayo
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown is worth rejoicing over
Adewale
From an AncestorYoruba
the crown has come home
Afolabi
From an AncestorYoruba
born into wealth
Afridi
From a TraitPashto
of the Afridi tribe
Agarwal
From a PlaceSanskrit
from Agroha
Aghajanyan
From an AncestorArmenian from Turkish agha
son of agha
Agrawal
From a PlaceSanskrit
from Agroha
Aguilar
From a PlaceSpanish
from the eagle’s place
Aguinaldo
From a TraitSpanish
New Year gift
Ahangari
From a TradePersian
blacksmith
Aharonyan
From an AncestorArmenian from Hebrew Aaron
son of Aaron
Ahern
From an AncestorIrish
descendant of Eachthighearn
Ahmad
From an AncestorArabic
most praised
Ahmadi
From an AncestorArabic
descendant of Ahmad
Ahmed
From an AncestorArabic
praised, highly commended
Ahn
From a PlaceKorean
from a place name
Ahuja
From an AncestorPunjabi
descendant of Ahu
Ajayi
From a TraitYoruba
born face-down
Ak
From a TraitTurkish
white, pale
Akamai
From a TraitHawaiian
clever, intelligent
Akhvlediani
From a PlaceGeorgian
from Akhveli
Akinbiyi
From a TraitYoruba
brave one is born
Akkermans
From a PlaceDutch
from the field
Aksoy
From a TraitTurkish
white lineage
Alabi
From a TraitYoruba
born into wealth
Alcantara
From a PlaceArabic via Spanish
the bridge
Alekseev
From an AncestorRussian
son of Aleksey
Alemayehu
From an AncestorAmharic
from alem ayhu, "the world saw"
Alemu
From an AncestorAmharic
from alemu, "the world heard"
Alexandropoulos
From an AncestorGreek
son of Alexandros
Alexandrov
From an AncestorRussian
son of Aleksandr
Ali
From an AncestorArabic
son/descendant of Ali
Allan
From an AncestorCeltic
son of Alan
Allen
From an AncestorEnglish
son of Alan
Almeida
From a PlaceArabic
the tableland