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Surnames
Surnames, also known as last names, are passed down from our ancestors, and connect us to our family. In this category, you will find questions about the use of surnames and their meanings.
2,644 Questions
What country of origin is the surname Hansen?
The proud and noble English surname of Hansen rises victoriously from the most ancient of days, when the mighty Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled all of Britain. The surname derives from "son of Hans."
Where did the surname Goode originate?
The English surname Goode originated as a name for someone who performed good deeds or acts of kindness. "Nickname surnames", the broadest class of surnames, can describe a person's mode of dress, character, habits, or general appearance. It is first found in the early records of Kent, Sussex, and Wiltshire.
What is the origin of the surname payan?
Earliest records of the proud and noble French surname of Payan are to be found in the southeastern part of France at Dauphiny, where they had held a family seat from very early times.
Where did the surname Maddox originate?
The proud and noble Welsh surname of Maddox is first found in Herefordshire, where they held a family seat from early times.
What is the nationality of the surname Slaikeu?
Family lore has it that when Nelson Slaikeu came to America there were some letters in the Danish alphabet that were not present in English, so they were just dropped and Slaikeu was the result
Where did the surname Sherman originate?
Way back when the Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled all of Britain began to bestow surnames upon persons in their realm, they began to associate people with their trade or occupation. A "sherman" would have been a "sheep-shearer". Earliest records of this English surname are to be found in Norfolk.
What is the pronunciation of the Italian name 'Grotticella'?
(This is an Italian surname meaning "little cave".) At least one definitive source pronounces it with the "oh" sound, as "grow-tee-CHELL-ah", as opposed to the sound of the English grotto, which is "GRAH-tow".
What half of the alphabet represents more surnames?
Many researchers confidently claim that the first half of the Arabic alphabet represents more surnames than the second half of the Arabic alphabet.
Where does the surname Oulsnam originate?
I have located Oulsnams in my family tree back in the 17th and 18th Century with many residing in the Ipstones / Leek area of North Staffordshire, England.
Where did surname Zizza originate?
Trento, Italy is where the surname Zizza is first found in records.
Why has Aphrodite a surname Epitragidia?
She has sometimes been depicted riding a goat, which is what this epithet means.
What is the national origin of the surname Bustard?
Some researchers say that the proud and noble English surname of Bustard originated long before the Norman Conquest of 1066 A.D., in that there are records at Devon reflecting that they had held a family seat there. The ancient Anglo-Saxons are alleged to have originally bestowed this nickname-type surname upon someone who had the facial features of a buzzard.
The scientific binomial classification (Otis tarda) of the omnivorous Great Bustard, arguably the heaviest living flying animal, was coined in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, but was referred to in writings by Pliny the Elder (c. 23 A.D.-August 25, 79 A.D.) as "avis tarda".
What does the surname Parnell mean?
Washed upon Britain's glittering shores amidst the veritable tidal wave of immigration following the Norman Invasion of 1066 A.D., the proud and noble English surname of Parnell is in reference to "Pernelle" in Normandy, their prior family home. Earliest records are to be found in Cheshire, where they had held a family seat. Family motto: "Follow worthy things!"
What was the queens surname before she married?
Please identify which country and which queen you mean.
What is the origin of the surname kaufman?
This is a German name that comes from the verb 'kaufen' - to buy, and 'Mann' - a man. So the name represents a job that the original kaufman did - that of a buyer or merchant.
What does the last name Kline mean?
The German surname Kline is a "nickname" surname, describing a small or short person.
What is the origin ethnicity of the surname Schreiber?
The very distinguished and occupational-type German surname of Schreiber, which carries the meaning of "clerk", is first found in the northern state of Bavaria.
Where did the surname of Mahon originate?
Meaning "bear", the proud and noble Irish surname of Mahon originates in County Clare.
What does the surname WALSH mean?
The proud and noble Irish surname of Walsh is first found in Counties Leix, Waterford, and Kilkenny, where they held a family seat from 1170 A.D. "Walsh" means "Welshman".
Where did the surname of Hine originate?
The mighty Anglo-Saxon tribes who once ruled all of Britain first used this proud and noble English surname to denote a "keeper of the deer". Robert Hine held estates and the position of Lord of the Manor in 1254 in Oxfordshire.
