ONOMA
English surnames
Each one read by the same rule: the verified fact first, the reading second — and the reading is named as a reading.
By where the surname came from
One trade, several surnames
By how the surname was formed
All surnames
357 surnames taken apart.
- Adamman, made of earth
- Adamsman, made of earth
- Aguilarplace of eagles
- Allenfrom Alan — meaning not established
- AlvarezÁlvaro — guardian of all
- Anderfrom Andrew — manly
- Andersonfrom Andrew — manly
- Andrewsson of
- Archera bowman
- Armstrongstrong of arm
- Arnold2 syllables · flowing
- Baileya bailiff, an officer of the court
- Bakerone who bakes bread
- Bakkerone who does
- Barkera tanner who stripped oak bark
- Barnesson of
- Bauerone who does
- Baxtera woman who baked
- Beckerone who does
- Bella bell, or one who lived by the belfry
- Bennett2 syllables · hard
- Berry2 syllables · flowing
- Bevan2 syllables · even
- Bianchi3 syllables · hard
- Blackblack, dark-haired
- Blancowhite, fair
- Boer2 syllables · hard
- Bolta heavy arrow; later a thunderbolt
- Boyd2 syllables · hard
- Boyerone who does
- Bradley3 syllables · hard
- Braun2 syllables · flowing
- Bravofierce, brave
- Brennan2 syllables · flowing
- Brewstera woman who brewed
- Brooka brook
- Brooksa brook
- Brownbrown, dark-complexioned
- Burnsson of
- Butlerkeeper of the wine, a household officer
- Byrne2 syllables · flowing
- Cameron3 syllables · flowing
- Campbellcrooked mouth
- Camposfields
- Carpenterone who does
- Carroll2 syllables · flowing
- Carterone who hauls by cart
- Casey3 syllables · hard
- Castillocastle, stronghold
- Chambersson of
- Chandlerone who makes and sells candles
- Chapmana travelling pedlar
- ChavezChaves — keys; a town in Portugal
- Clarka clerk, a literate man
- Colecoal; dark
- Colemancoal; dark
- Colliera coal miner or charcoal burner
- Collinfrom Nicholas
- Collinsfrom Nicholas
- Colombo3 syllables · hard
- Connor2 syllables · flowing
- Conti2 syllables · hard
- Contrerasthe place opposite
- Cooka cook
- Cooperone who makes barrels
- Cortezson of the one who
- Cox1 syllable · hard
- Crawford2 syllables · flowing
- Cruzcross
- Cunningham3 syllables · flowing
- Cutlerone who makes knives
- Danielsson of
- Davifrom David — beloved
- Daviesson of
- Davisfrom David — beloved
- Delaney4 syllables · flowing
- Delgadothin, slender
- DiazDiego — origin disputed
- Dixon2 syllables · hard
- Donnelly3 syllables · flowing
- Douglasson of
- Doyle3 syllables · hard
- Drapera cloth merchant
- Duncan2 syllables · hard
- Dunn1 syllable · flowing
- Dyerone who dyes cloth
- Edwardguardian of wealth
- Edwardsguardian of wealth
- Elliott3 syllables · hard
- Ellisson of
- Esposito4 syllables · hard
- Estrada3 syllables · hard
- EvanWelsh form of John
- EvansWelsh form of John
- Fergusonson of
- FernandezFernando — bold in journey
- Ferrari3 syllables · flowing
- Fielda field
- Fieldsa field
- Fischerone who does
- Fishera fisherman
- Fitzgerald3 syllables · even
- Fletcherone who fits feathers to arrows
- Floresflowers
- Flynn1 syllable · flowing
- Forda river crossing
- Fosterone who does
- Fowlerone who catches birds
- Fox1 syllable · hard
- Franklin2 syllables · flowing
- Fraserone who does
- Freemanthe man who
- Fullerone who thickens cloth
- Gallagherone who does
- GarciaGarcía — Basque, likely 'bear'
- Gardnerone who does
- Gibsonson of
- Gloverone who makes gloves
- GomezGome — man
- Gonzalesson of
- GonzalezGonzalo — saved in battle
- Gordon2 syllables · hard
- Graham2 syllables · flowing
- Grant1 syllable · hard
- Gray2 syllables · hard
- Greco2 syllables · hard
- Greenthe village common
- Greene3 syllables · flowing
- Griffithsson of
- GutierrezGutierre — ruler of the host
- Guzmanthe man who
- Halla great hall, a manor house
- Hamilton3 syllables · flowing
- Harperone who does
- Harrifrom Henry — ruler of the home
- Harrisfrom Henry — ruler of the home
- Hart1 syllable · even
- Hartmann2 syllables · flowing
- Harvey3 syllables · flowing
- Hawkinsson of
- Hendersonson of
- Henry2 syllables · flowing
- HernandezFernando — bold in journey
- Herreraa forge; one who works iron
- Hicksson of
- Hilla hill
- Hoffmann2 syllables · flowing
- Hofmann2 syllables · flowing
- Holmesson of
- Howard2 syllables · flowing
- Hudsonson of
- Hughesson of
- Hunt1 syllable · even
- Huntera hunter
- Iglesiaschurches
- Jackfrom John
- Jacksonfrom John
- Jamesson of
- Jansen2 syllables · flowing
- Jenkinsson of
- JimenezJimeno — Basque, likely 'son'
- Jobbeson of Job
- Jobsson of Job
- JohnGod has been gracious
- JohnsonGod has been gracious
- Jonefrom John
- Jonesfrom John
- Jordan2 syllables · hard
- Keane3 syllables · hard
- Kelly2 syllables · flowing
- Kennedy3 syllables · hard
- Kerr1 syllable · flowing
- Kinga king, or one who played one
- Klein2 syllables · flowing
- Knight1 syllable · hard
- Koch1 syllable · hard
- Krugerone who does
- Lane2 syllables · flowing
- Lange2 syllables · flowing
- Lawrence3 syllables · flowing
- Lawsonson of
- Leea clearing — light let into the wood, opened for a field
- Lewifrom Louis — famed warrior
- Lewisfrom Louis — famed warrior
- Lloyd2 syllables · flowing
- Longtall
- LopezLope — wolf
- Macdonald3 syllables · hard
- Mahoney4 syllables · flowing
- Maldonado4 syllables · flowing
- Marino3 syllables · flowing
- Marquezson of a marquis
- Marsha marsh
- Marshallkeeper of horses, later a commander
- MartinMartín — of Mars, the war god
- MartinezMartín — of Mars, the war god
- Masonone who builds in stone
- Matthewsson of
- Mcdonald2 syllables · hard
- Mckenzie3 syllables · even
- Mclean2 syllables · flowing
- Medinaa city — from Arabic madīna
- Meijerone who does
- MendezMendo
- Meredith3 syllables · even
- Meyerone who does
- Michelwho is like God
- Millerone who grinds grain
- Millsson of
- Mitchellfrom Michael — who is like God
- Moorheath, open wasteland
- Moorea moor — open uncultivated land
- Moralesmulberry trees
- Morenodark-haired, dark-skinned
- Morgan2 syllables · flowing
- Morrifrom Maurice — dark, Moorish
- Morrisfrom Maurice — dark, Moorish
- Mulderone who does
- Munozson of the one who
- Murphysea warrior
- Murray3 syllables · flowing
- Muskmusk, animal magnetism
- Naylorone who forges nails
- Nelfrom Neil
- Nelsonfrom Neil
- Neumann3 syllables · flowing
- Nguyena surname received, not inherited
- Nicholsson of
- Nolan2 syllables · flowing
- NunezNuño
- Olsen2 syllables · flowing
- Olson2 syllables · flowing
- Ortega3 syllables · hard
- Ortizson of Orti — fortunate
- Owen2 syllables · flowing
- Pagea boy at court
- Palmera pilgrim returned from the Holy Land
- Parkerkeeper of a hunting park
- Pattersonson of
- Payne3 syllables · hard
- PerezPedro — stone, rock
- Perkinsson of
- Perry2 syllables · flowing
- Peterstone, rock
- Petersonstone, rock
- Philiplover of horses
- Phillipsson of
- Pierce3 syllables · hard
- Porterone who does
- Potterone who shapes clay
- Powell2 syllables · flowing
- Price2 syllables · hard
- Quinn2 syllables · flowing
- RamirezRamiro — famed counsellor
- Ramosbranches; Palm Sunday
- Ray2 syllables · flowing
- Reed2 syllables · hard
- Reesson of
- Reid2 syllables · hard
- Reyeskings; the Three Kings feast
- Reynoldsson of
- Ricci2 syllables · hard
- Rice2 syllables · hard
- Richardstrong ruler
- Richardsonstrong ruler
- Richterone who does
- Riley3 syllables · flowing
- Riosson of
- Riverariverbank
- Robertbright fame
- Robertsbright fame
- Robertsonbright fame
- Robinfrom Robert
- Robinsonfrom Robert
- Roblesoak trees
- RodriguezRodrigo — famous ruler
- Rogerfamed spear
- Rogersfamed spear
- Romano3 syllables · flowing
- Romeroa pilgrim to Rome; also rosemary
- Rose2 syllables · flowing
- Rossson of
- Rossi2 syllables · flowing
- Rubioblond, fair-haired
- Ruizson of Ruy, short for Rodrigo
- Russellred-haired
- Russo2 syllables · flowing
- Ryan2 syllables · flowing
- Sadlerone who makes saddles
- Salazarold hall
- SanchezSancho — holy, sanctified
- Sandersson of
- Sandoval3 syllables · flowing
- SantiagoSaint James
- Sawyerone who saws timber
- Schmidt1 syllable · hard
- Schneiderone who does
- Schulz1 syllable · even
- Schwarz1 syllable · flowing
- Scotta Gael — the name given to those who came from Ireland
- Shaw1 syllable · flowing
- Shepherdone who herds sheep
- Silvaforest
- Simmonsson of
- Skinnerone who flays and dresses hides
- Slaterone who roofs with slate
- Smit1 syllable · even
- Smithone who works hot metal
- Snyderone who does
- Sotoa grove by water
- Spencerone who dispenses provisions
- Stephensson of
- Stewartkeeper of the sty, later of the household
- Stonea stone
- Sullivan3 syllables · flowing
- Tannerone who cures leather
- Taylorone who cuts and sews cloth
- Thatcherone who roofs with straw
- Thomfrom Thomas — twin
- Thomastwin
- Thompfrom Thomas — twin
- Thompsonfrom Thomas — twin
- Torrestowers
- Tuckerone who does
- Turnerone who works a lathe
- Vargasson of
- VasquezVasco — a Basque
- Vaughan3 syllables · even
- Vegafertile plain
- Visserone who does
- Vriesson of
- Wagnerone who does
- Walkera fuller who trampled cloth
- Wallace3 syllables · flowing
- Walsh1 syllable · flowing
- Warda watchman, a guard
- Warren2 syllables · flowing
- Watfrom Walter — ruler of the army
- Watkinsson of
- Watsonfrom Walter — ruler of the army
- Weaverone who weaves
- Webb1 syllable · hard
- Weberone who does
- Webstera woman who wove
- Wellsson of
- West1 syllable · even
- Whitewhite, fair-haired
- Wilfrom William
- Williamwill and protection
- Williamswill and protection
- Willisson of
- Wilsonfrom William
- Wolf1 syllable · flowing
- Wooda wood
- Wrightone who makes, a builder
- Youngthe younger of two of the same name
- Zimmermann3 syllables · flowing
Made for
- MEETING — For a couple, a father and son, two founders
- NAMING — For anyone choosing a name for a child
- OBJECT — For anyone looking for a gift that cannot be duplicated
- ALPHABET — For giving to someone who has everything