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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Showing 13–24 of 118 profiles

  • Surname profile

    Brown

    The surname Brown is a descriptive nickname first recorded in the 11th century, with documented origins in England, Scotland, and Ireland. In each tradition it arose independently, meaning…

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  • Surname profile

    Byrne

    The surname Byrne is primarily an Irish patronymic meaning “descendant of Bran” (raven). It also has an English variant derived from Berne or Burn. The name has multiple…

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  • Surname profile

    Campbell

    The Campbell surname is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic nickname cam beul meaning “wry or crooked mouth.” The name also appears in Latin documents as de…

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  • Surname profile

    Carter

    The surname Carter is an English occupational name meaning a person who drove or built a cart. It originated in medieval England and has variants across several European…

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  • Surname profile

    Chandler

    The surname Chandler derives from an Old French occupational name meaning “candle maker.” It first appears in medieval England in the late 13th century. The name is English…

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  • Surname profile

    Clark

    The surname Clark derives from the Old English occupational name for a clerk or scribe, ultimately from Latin clericus. It is also used as an anglicized form of…

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  • Surname profile

    Cook

    The Cook surname is an occupational name of English origin, meaning a person who prepares food. It arises from Old English cōc and has been recorded in medieval…

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  • Surname profile

    Cooper

    The Cooper surname is an occupational name from Middle English "couper" or "cowper", meaning a maker or repairer of wooden barrels. In Scotland the same spelling also arose…

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  • Surname profile

    Davies

    The Davies surname is a patronymic name of Welsh origin, meaning "son of David". It evolved from the Welsh "ap Dafydd" and later appeared as "Davies" in English records.…

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  • Surname profile

    Davis

    The surname Davis is a patronymic name meaning "son of David", with independent origins in both England and Wales. In England it may derive from the nickname Davy…

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  • Surname profile

    De Jong

    De Jong is a Dutch descriptive surname meaning "the young" or junior. It is the most common name in the Netherlands but its earliest documented form is not…

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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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