English Surnames: Meaning, Origin & Coat of Arms (page 1 of 3)

Abbot, a nickname or servant name

Son of Adam

Son of little Adam

From the given name Alan

Son of Andrew ("manly")

From Antonius

Bowman

Ash-tree clearing

Son of Atkin, little Adam

From Augustine

Heir

Bailiff; castle outer wall

Bread baker

Bold friend

Dweller by a knoll, or a bald man

Bald-headed man

Dweller by a slope or bank

Barber, barber-surgeon

Tanner, or shepherd

Barley hill

Barn; from Barnes

Dweller by land cleared by burning

From Barton, "barley farm"

Short, low

Son of Bate (Bartholomew)

Bean grower, or son of Beathan

Bearded man

Clearing with bent grass

Bell; handsome

Blessed

Son of Ben (Benedict)

Bent-grass clearing

Bean farmstead

Dweller by the fortified manor

Beast, or herdsman

Bishop, a nickname or servant name

Dark stream

Dark spring

Pale, or dark

From Blenkinsopp

Dwelling settlement

Farmer, tenant

Gentle, courteous

From Bohon in Normandy, or good

Herdsman, dweller in a hut

Bow maker, or dweller by a cottage

Archer

Broad river crossing

Broad clearing

Broad wood

Hill, or brave

Brewer of ale or beer

Of the bridge

Dweller by a bridge

Bright, cheerful

Breton

Badger, or dweller by a brook

By the brook

Brown-haired or dark-complexioned

From Brian ("high, noble")

He-goat or buck, or beech tree

Young bull

Birch tree

Citizen of a borough

From Burton, "fortified farmstead"

Dweller by the bush or thicket

Wine steward

Of the cowshed

Bird (nickname)

Little singer

Carpenter, worker in timber

Dweller by a marsh or fen

Cart driver, carrier

Woodcarver, or ploughman

Box or chest maker

Chamberlain, servant of the private rooms

Candle maker or seller

Oak grove

Merchant, trader

Hunter, or dweller by a hunting ground

Cherry grower or seller

Dweller by the church

Clerk, scholar or scribe

Dweller on clay soil

From Clayton, "clay farmstead"

From the Old Norse name Kobbi, or "lump"

Coal-black; pet form of Nicholas

Charcoal burner; descendant of Colmán ("dove")

Charcoal burner

Dweller in a valley

Valley farmstead

Cook

Barrel maker

From Copeland in Cumbria, "bought land"

At the cottages

Rooster; lively man

Long-legged, like a crane

Village with a cross

Dweller by a cross

Courteous, refined

Son of Daniel ("God is my judge")

Market on the River Dane

Son of Daw (David)

From the medieval name Day (David), or a dairy worker

Dweller in a valley, or servant of a dean

Son of Dick (Richard)

Son of Dodd

Of the downs

Dragon, or male duck

Dudda's clearing

Leader

Hill island

Dyer of cloth

River settlement

An Englishman

Uncertain, perhaps from Eustace

Brave as a boar

Fern clearing

Tax farmer, or farmer

Falconer

Dweller by the open fields

Fisherman

Arrow maker

Arrow maker, or a flower

River crossing

Forester; foster parent; shear maker

Bird catcher

Nickname for a cunning person

Frenchman

Free landholder

Free man

Frenchman

Frost, white-haired

Free man

Fuller of cloth