Names. Origins. Stories.

The surname
directory.

Explore family names, one letter at a time. Discover meanings, origins, spelling variations, and the sources that can lead you to your next research step.

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118surname profiles
4origin collections

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  • Surname profile

    Taylor

    Taylor is an English occupational surname that comes from the Old French word *tailleur*, meaning ‘tailor’. It first appears in 12th‑century records in Somerset, England, and has since spread…

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  • Surname profile

    Thatcher

    The surname Thatcher is an English occupational name meaning "thatcher", a worker who lays thatch on roofs. It first appears in medieval records in England, with the earliest…

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  • Surname profile

    Turner

    The surname Turner is an occupational name meaning ‘one who works a lathe’. It originated in England after the Norman Conquest, deriving from Middle English and Old French…

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This directory includes published profiles. Editorial review status appears on each card. A surname can have more than one origin or formation type.

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