Browse Surnames
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7,352 surnames in our directory
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7,352Weiss is a German and Yiddish surname derived from the Middle High German word wiz or the Yiddish word װײַס (vais), both meaning "white". This surname originated as a nickname for someone with white hair or pale skin, re...
Weiß is a German surname, respelled in standard German orthography, which uses the ß (Eszett) character where the variant Weiss uses "ss". The Wiktionary entry confirms the etymology: it originates from the Middle High G...
Welch is a British and Irish surname, a variant of Walsh. The name derives from the Old English word wælisc, meaning "foreigner, stranger, or Celt," and was originally used as a nickname for someone from Wales or a Celti...
Welter is a German surname derived from the given name Walter. The name Walter comes from the Old High German Waltheri, which itself is a compound of the elements walt “power, authority” and heri “army,” giving the meani...
Wembley is an English surname derived from the district in north-west London, now part of the London Borough of Brent. The place name itself comes from Old English "Wemba's clearing" (Wemba being a byname meaning "belly"...
Wescott is a variant of the English surname Westcott, which originates from several places in England named Westcott. The place name derives from Old English west meaning “west” and cot meaning “cottage,” so the name ref...
West is an English and German surname originally denoting a person who lived to the west of a settlement or who migrated from the west. The name derives from the Germanic word west, which is rooted in the Indo-European *...
Westbrook is a habitational surname of English origin, derived from any of the several places in England named Westbrook, as well as the corresponding American place names. The name is composed of the Old English element...
Westcott is an English surname with a toponymic origin, derived from any of several places in England named Westcott. The name itself comes from Old English west ('west') and cot ('cottage' or 'shelter'), literally meani...
Westenberg is a Dutch toponymic surname, literally meaning "west of the mountain" or "west of the hill." It is formed from the Middle Dutch elements west and berg ("mountain, hill"), indicating a person who lived to the...
Westerberg is a Swedish surname meaning “western mountain,” derived from väster “west” (Old Norse vestr) and berg “mountain.” Typical of topographic surnames in Scandinavia, Westerberg likely originates from a farm or ho...
Wexler is a surname, often of German origin, that represents a variant of Wechsler. The name derives from the German verb wechseln, meaning "to exchange," and thus historically referred to a money changer or banker. Whil...
Whalen is an Irish surname that represents a variant of the more common Whelan. Both Whalen and Whelan, along with related forms such as Phelan and O'Phelan, are anglicized versions of the Gaelic surname Ó Faoláin, meani...
Wheatley is an English surname of topographic origin, meaning "wheat clearing" in Old English. It derives from the elements hwǣte (“wheat”) and lēah (“clearing, meadow”), literally referring to a clearing where wheat is...
Wheeler is an English occupational surname derived from Middle English whele meaning "wheel". Originally, the name was given to a maker or repairer of wagon wheels, a skilled craft crucial for transportation and agricult...
Wheelock is an English surname of locative origin, referring to someone from the village of Wheelock in Cheshire, England. The settlement's name derives from the nearby River Wheelock, whose name comes from the Old Welsh...
Whelan is a surname of Irish origin, representing the anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Faoláin. In Irish, the prefix Ó indicates “descendant of” or “grandson of,” so the name originally meant “descendant of Faolán.”Faolán...
Whinery is an English topographic surname with roots in the Old Norse language. It derives from the elements hvein, meaning “gorse” or “furze,” and vrá, meaning “nook” or “corner of land.” Thus, the name originally refer...
White is an English surname, originally a nickname for a person who had white hair or a pale complexion, from Old English hwit meaning "white". Etymology and Origin The surname White belongs to the class of descriptive s...
Whitehead is an English surname of nickname origin, referring to an individual with white or light-coloured hair. The name derives from the Old English elements hwit ('white') and heafod ('head'), literally meaning 'whit...
Whittaker is a surname of English origin, typically classified as a variant of the more common surname Whitaker. Both names derive from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English, combining hwīt (white) and æcer (...
EtymologyWhittemore is an English surname of locational origin, derived from various places named Whittemore, such as those in Staffordshire or elsewhere. The name combines the Old English elements hwit meaning "white" a...
Whittle is an English surname of topographic origin, derived from various place names that themselves come from the Old English words hwit ("white") and hyll ("hill"). The surname was often used to describe someone who l...
Wiater is a Polish surname derived from the word wiatr, meaning "wind." It originated as a nickname for a quick or swift person, someone who moves like the wind. The name is most commonly found in Poland and among Polish...
Wickham is an English surname with locational origins, deriving from several places in England named Wickham, most notably in Hampshire. The etymology traces back to the Old English wīc, meaning 'village' or 'town' (borr...
Wieck is a German toponymic surname meaning "village, town," derived from the Latin word vicus (village, district). The name likely originated as a designation for someone who lived in or near a village or small settleme...
Wieczorek is a common Polish surname meaning "little evening" or derived from a nickname meaning "bat" in Polish, ultimately from wieczór meaning "evening". The name is a diminutive form, formed with the suffix -ek, and...
Wilcox is an English surname derived from a diminutive of the given name William. The name essentially means 'little William' or 'son of little William,' with the suffix '-cox' representing a diminutive form, comparable...
Wild is an English and German surname with topographic and nickname origins. Derived from Old English wilde and Middle High German wilt, both meaning "wild, untamed, uncontrolled", it originally described a person who li...
Wildgrube is a surname with German origins. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a lost or unidentified place in Germany, composed of the elements wild (meaning "wild, untamed") and Grube (meaning "hollow,...
Wilk is a surname of both English and Polish origin, but its meaning and prevalence differ dramatically between the two linguistic contexts. In Poland, Wilk directly translates to "wolf" — a symbol of strength, cunning,...
Wilkerson is an English surname meaning "son of Wilkin." Wilkin is a medieval diminutive of William, a name of Germanic origin from Willehelm, composed of willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection." The popularit...
Wilkins is an English patronymic surname meaning "son of Wilkin." Wilkin itself is a medieval diminutive of William, a name of Germanic origin from the elements willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection." Thus, W...
Wilkinson is an English patronymic surname meaning "son of Wilkin".EtymologyThe surname originates from the medieval given name Wilkin, which is a diminutive form of William. The name William itself derives from the Germ...
Willems is a Dutch patronymic surname, derived from the given name Willem, the Dutch form of William. Patronymic surnames, common across many cultures, originate from the father's given name; thus, Willems means “son of...
Willemse is a Dutch patronymic surname meaning "son of Willem". It is the Dutch equivalent of the English surnames Williams and Williamson.Etymology and OriginThe name Willem is the Dutch form of William, which originate...
Willemsen is a Dutch patronymic surname meaning "son of Willem." It is closely related to other Dutch patronymics such as Willems, Willemse, and Wilms, all of which derive from the same root name Willelm. The name Willem...
EtymologyWilley is a Wiley variant of the English surname Wiley. Both names derive from Old English welig (willow) and lēah (woodland clearing or glade), meaning "willow clearing." The surname is habitational, originatin...
Williams is an English patronymic surname meaning "son of William." It originated as a variant of William with the addition of a genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s, following the common pattern of forming surnames...
Williamson is an English and Scottish patronymic surname meaning "son of William". The name William itself derives from the Germanic Willehelm, composed of willo ("will, desire") and helm ("helmet, protection"). Introduc...
Etymology and Origin Wilms is a Dutch patronymic surname derived from the given name Willem. It translates literally to \"son of Willem\" or \"descendant of Willem.\" The name Willem itself is the Dutch form of William,...
Winchester is an English surname derived from a place name. The city of Winchester in Hampshire, England, has a history dating back to the Roman town of Venta Belgarum, which itself developed from an Iron Age oppidum. Th...
Winkler is a German surname that originated as an occupational name for a shopkeeper or tradesman, derived from the Old High German winkil meaning "corner". The name likely referred to someone who kept a shop or stall on...
Winograd is an East Ashkenazi Jewish surname that represents a Jewish variant of the Russian Vinogradov. The root meaning of Vinogradov is "vineyard" in Russian (ultimately from German), originally referring to a person...
Winogrodzka is the feminine form of the Polish surname Winogrodzki, itself a Polish cognate of the Russian surname Vinogradov. The root meaning traces back to the German word for 'vineyard,' indicating that the original...
Winogrodzki is a Polish surname, a cognate of the Russian Vinogradov. The name is derived from the Polish word winogrono meaning "grape" or winograd meaning "vineyard," ultimately from German. It originally referred to a...
Winship is an English surname of locational origin, possibly derived from Wincheap Street in Canterbury, Kent, a historic thoroughfare whose name likely comes from the Old English wīn (“wine”) and cēap (“market” or “barg...
Winston 1 is an English surname derived from the given name Wynnstan, an Old English masculine name composed of the elements wynn “joy” and stan “stone.” This indicates a literal meaning of “joy stone,” though the name’s...
Winston 2 is an English surname with locational origins, derived from various places named Winston in England. The place name itself means "town belonging to Wine," where the personal name Wine stems from Old English win...
EtymologyWinterbottom is an English surname of topographic origin, derived from Old English winter meaning "winter" and botm (or botm) meaning "ground, soil, bottom." The name likely referred to a low-lying valley or pie...
Winters is an English and Dutch surname, derived as a variant of Winter, with the genitive -s indicating “son of Winter” or “belonging to Winter.” The root name Winter originates from the Old English winter, the name of...
Winther is a Danish and Swedish variant of the surname Winter. The name, along with its cognates, has two distinct origins: in English-speaking regions, it developed from the Anglo-French word vintner, meaning a winemake...
Wirner is a German surname derived from the given name Werner, itself originating from Old Germanic elements meaning "army guard" — a combination of war ("aware, cautious") and heri ("army"). As a patronymic surname, Wir...
Wirnhier is a German surname derived from the given name Werner, itself originating from Old German elements war meaning “aware, cautious” and heri meaning “army.” This places Wirnhier among patronymic or habitational su...
Wirt is a German occupational surname, most commonly understood as a variant of Wirth. The root name Wirth derives from Middle High German wirt meaning "host" or "innkeeper," ultimately from Old High German wirt (host),...
Wirth is a German surname derived from the Middle High German word wirt, meaning “host” or “innkeeper.” It originated as an occupational name for someone who owned or operated an inn or tavern. The surname is common in G...
Wise is an English surname derived from a nickname for a wise or learned person. The name comes from Middle English wys and Old English wis, both meaning "wise" or "sagacious." As a surname, it originally described someo...
Wiśniewska is a Polish feminine surname, the counterpart of the more common masculine form Wiśniewski. It is a toponymic surname derived from any of the several Polish towns named Wiśniewa, Wiśniewo, Wiśniowa, or Wiśniew...
Wiśniewski (Polish pronunciation: [viɕˈɲɛfskʲi]; feminine: Wiśniewska) is the third most common surname in Poland, with approximately 111,174 bearers in 2009. By January 2026, the Polish registry PESEL listed 54,177 wome...
Witherspoon is a Scottish habitational surname, derived from Middle English wether (meaning "ram" or "sheep") and spong (meaning "narrow strip of land"). Originally, the name referred to someone who lived near or was ass...