English Last Names

This list of English last names covers hundreds of real surnames from England, with meanings drawn from medieval trades, places, nicknames and fathers' names. Filter by letter or search to find a name for a character, a family tree or a baby.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Abbott

Occupational or nickname, from Old English abbod, abbot
Ackroyd

Habitational name meaning oak clearing, Yorkshire
Adams

Son of Adam, Hebrew for earth or man
Allen

From Breton personal name Alan, possibly little rock
Appleby

Habitational name from Old Norse, apple farm
Armstrong

Nickname for a strong-armed man, Northumbrian Border origin
Ashworth

Habitational name meaning ash tree enclosure, Lancashire
Atkinson

Son of Atkin, a medieval diminutive of Adam

B

Bailey

Occupational name for a bailiff or steward
Baker

Occupational name for a baker, Old English baecere
Ball

Nickname for a bald or rotund man, or dweller by a knoll
Bardsley

Habitational name meaning Beornred's clearing
Barker

Occupational name for a tanner who used bark
Barlow

Habitational name meaning barley hill, Lancashire
Barnes

Dweller by the barn or grain store
Barrett

Possibly from Old French barat, trade or trouble
Barton

Habitational name meaning barley farm or outlying grange
Bates

Son of Bate, a pet form of Bartholomew
Baxter

Occupational name for a baker, originally feminine form
Beaumont

Norman habitational name meaning beautiful hill
Bell

Bell ringer, or dweller at the sign of the bell
Bennett

From medieval personal name Benedict, meaning blessed
Bentley

Habitational name meaning bent grass clearing
Berry

Dweller by a fortified manor, Old English burh
Bird

Nickname for a birdlike person or a bird catcher
Bishop

Nickname or occupational name for a bishop or his servant
Blackwood

Habitational name from a place meaning dark wood
Blake

Nickname meaning black, or paradoxically pale
Booth

Dweller in a hut or herdsman's shelter, Old Norse
Bowles

Occupational name for a maker of bowls
Bradley

Habitational name from Old English broad clearing
Bramwell

Habitational name meaning spring where broom grows
Brewer

Occupational name for a brewer of ale
Briggs

Northern form of Bridge, dweller by a bridge
Brooks

Dweller by a brook or stream
Brown

Nickname for someone with brown hair or complexion
Buckingham

Habitational name meaning river meadow of Bucca's people
Burgess

Status name for a freeman of a borough
Burton

Habitational name meaning fortified farmstead
Bush

Dweller by a bush or thicket
Butler

Occupational name for a wine steward or cup bearer

C

Carr

Dweller by a marsh or brushwood, Old Norse kjarr
Carter

Occupational name for a transporter of goods by cart
Cartwright

Occupational name for a maker of carts
Cavendish

Habitational name meaning Cafna's enclosure, Suffolk
Chadwick

Habitational name meaning Ceadda's dairy farm
Chambers

Occupational name for a chamberlain or room attendant
Chandler

Occupational name for a candle maker
Chapman

Occupational name for a merchant or trader, Old English ceapmann
Cheeseman

Occupational name for a maker or seller of cheese
Chester

Habitational name from the city of Chester, Roman fort
Church

Dweller by a church
Clark

Occupational name for a clerk or scribe
Clarke

Occupational name for a clerk or scholar
Clayton

Habitational name meaning clay settlement
Cole

From Old English personal name Cola, meaning coal black
Coleman

Servant of Cole, or a charcoal burner
Collins

Son of Colin, a diminutive of Nicholas
Cook

Occupational name for a cook or food seller
Coombs

Dweller in a valley, Old English cumb
Cooper

Occupational name for a maker of barrels and casks
Cox

From Cock, a nickname for a strutting or bold young man
Crawley

Habitational name meaning crow clearing
Cross

Dweller by a stone cross
Curtis

Nickname from Old French curteis, courteous

D

Dalton

Habitational name meaning valley settlement
Dane

Ethnic name for a Dane, or dweller in a valley
Davis

Son of David, English spelling of Davies
Dawson

Son of Daw, a medieval pet form of David
Day

From Daye, a medieval pet form of David, or Middle English deie, dairy worker
Dean

Dweller in a valley, or a church dean
Digby

Habitational name from Old Norse, ditch farm
Dixon

Son of Dick, a pet form of Richard
Dobson

Son of Dob, a pet form of Robert
Drake

From Old English draca, meaning dragon or snake
Dudley

Habitational name from Dudley, Dudda's clearing
Dunn

Nickname for a dark haired man, Old English dunn
Dyer

Occupational name for a dyer of cloth

E

Eastwood

Habitational name meaning eastern wood
Eaton

Habitational name meaning settlement by the river
Edmunds

Son of Edmund, meaning wealthy protector
Elliott

From medieval diminutive of Elias or Old English Aethelgeat
Ellis

From medieval personal name Elis, form of Elijah
Ellwood

Habitational name meaning elder tree wood
Everett

From Germanic Eberhard, meaning boar strong

F

Fairfax

Nickname for someone with fair hair
Fairweather

Nickname for someone with a sunny disposition
Farmer

Occupational name for a tax collector or tenant farmer
Faulkner

Occupational name for a falconer
Fenwick

Habitational name meaning dairy farm by the marsh
Field

Dweller by open land or pasture
Firth

Dweller by a wood or coppice, Old English fyrhth
Fisher

Occupational name for a fisherman
Fletcher

Occupational name for a maker of arrows
Ford

Dweller by a river crossing
Foster

Occupational name for a forester or foster parent
Fowler

Occupational name for a bird catcher
Fox

Nickname for a cunning person or one with red hair
Franklin

Status name for a free landowner
Freeman

Status name for a free man not in serfdom
Frost

Nickname for a white haired or cold person
Fry

Nickname meaning free, Old English frig

G

Gardner

Occupational name for a gardener
Garfield

Habitational name meaning triangular open land
Garner

Occupational name for a granary keeper
Gibson

Son of Gib, a pet form of Gilbert
Gilbert

From Germanic personal name meaning bright pledge
Goddard

From Germanic personal name meaning God strong
Godfrey

From Germanic personal name meaning God's peace
Goodman

Status name for a householder or master
Goodwin

From Old English personal name Godwine, God + friend
Gray

Nickname for someone with grey hair
Green

Dweller by the village green
Greenwood

Topographic name for a dweller by a leafy wood
Gregory

From Greek personal name meaning watchful
Grimshaw

Habitational name meaning Grim's copse, Lancashire

H

Hale

Dweller in a nook or hollow, Old English halh
Hall

Dweller or worker at a manor hall
Hammond

From Norman personal name Hamon, meaning home
Hancock

From Han, pet form of John, with diminutive cock
Hardy

Nickname for a bold or courageous person
Harper

Occupational name for a harp player
Harris

Son of Harry, the medieval form of Henry
Harrison

Son of Harry, pet form of Henry
Hart

Nickname from the stag or male deer
Harvey

From Breton personal name Haerviu, battle worthy
Hastings

Habitational name from Hastings in Sussex
Hathaway

Dweller by a heath path
Hawkins

Son of Hawkin, a diminutive of Hal or Harry
Hayward

Occupational name for a keeper of hedges or fences
Heath

Dweller on a heath or moorland
Hepworth

Habitational name meaning Heppa's enclosure, Yorkshire
Hewitt

Diminutive of Hugh, or dweller at a clearing
Hicks

Son of Hick, a pet form of Richard
Hill

Dweller on or near a hill
Hobbs

Son of Hob, a pet form of Robert
Hodgson

Son of Hodge, a pet form of Roger
Holland

Habitational name meaning land by a hill spur
Hollingsworth

Habitational name meaning holly enclosure
Holloway

Dweller by a sunken road
Holmes

Dweller by a holly tree or river island
Holt

Dweller by a small wood or thicket
Hooper

Occupational name for a maker of barrel hoops
Howard

From Norman Huard or Norse Haward, high guardian
Hudson

Son of Hudde, a pet form of Hugh or Richard
Hunt

Occupational name for a hunter
Hurst

Dweller by a wooded hill
Hutchinson

Son of Hutchin, a diminutive of Hugh

I

Illingworth

Habitational name meaning enclosure of Illa's people
Ingram

From Germanic personal name Engelram, Angle + raven
Ives

From Norman personal name Ivo, meaning yew

J

Jackson

Son of Jack, a pet form of John
Jacobs

Son of Jacob, meaning supplanter
Jarvis

From Norman personal name Gervase, spear servant
Jennings

Son of Jenin, a medieval diminutive of John
Johnson

Son of John, meaning God is gracious
Jordan

From the river name, given to returning crusaders

K

Kemp

Nickname for a champion or warrior, Old English cempa
Kent

Regional name for someone from Kent
Kershaw

Habitational name meaning church copse, Lancashire
Kimberley

Habitational name meaning Cyneburg's clearing
King

Nickname for someone who acted regally or served a king
Kingsley

Habitational name meaning king's wood or clearing
Kirby

Habitational name from Old Norse, church village
Kirk

Dweller by a church, Old Norse kirkja
Knight

Occupational name for a mounted soldier or servant

L

Lambert

From Germanic personal name meaning land bright
Lane

Dweller in a lane or narrow road
Lawrence

From Latin Laurentius, man from Laurentum
Lawson

Son of Law, a pet form of Lawrence
Leach

Occupational name for a physician, Old English laece
Lee

Dweller by a meadow or woodland clearing
Lister

Occupational name for a dyer of cloth
Little

Nickname for a small man, or ironically a large one
Lockwood

Habitational name meaning enclosed wood, Yorkshire
Long

Nickname for a tall man
Longbottom

Habitational name meaning long valley floor, Yorkshire
Lovelace

Nickname for a philanderer, loveless or love lass
Lovell

From Norman nickname meaning little wolf
Lowe

Dweller by a burial mound or hill, or little wolf
Lucas

From the Greek personal name Luke, from Lucania

M

Mansfield

Habitational name from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Marlowe

Habitational name from Marlow, meaning remnant of a lake
Marsh

Dweller by a marsh or fen
Marshall

Occupational name for a horse keeper or officer
Martin

From Latin Martinus, follower of Mars
Mason

Occupational name for a stoneworker
May

From the month, or a pet form of Matthew
Mellor

Habitational name from Celtic bare hill, Lancashire
Metcalfe

Nickname possibly meaning meat calf, a fattened calf
Middleton

Habitational name meaning middle settlement
Miller

Occupational name for a mill worker
Mills

Dweller near a mill
Mitchell

From Michael, or nickname for a big person
Moore

Dweller on a moor or marsh
Morley

Habitational name meaning moor clearing
Morton

Habitational name meaning moor settlement
Moss

Dweller by a peat bog, or from Moses

N

Nash

Dweller at the ash tree, from atten ash
Nelson

Son of Nell, a pet form of Neil or Eleanor
Newton

Habitational name meaning new settlement
Nicholls

Son of Nicholas, victory of the people
Nightingale

Nickname for someone with a sweet singing voice
Nixon

Son of Nick, a pet form of Nicholas
Norman

Ethnic name for a Norseman or Norman
Norris

From Norman French for northerner or nurse
Norton

Habitational name meaning northern settlement

O

Oakley

Habitational name meaning oak clearing
Oliver

From the Norman personal name, possibly olive tree
Orchard

Dweller by an orchard
Ormsby

Habitational name from Old Norse, Ormr's farm
Osborne

From Old Norse personal name Asbjorn, divine bear
Overton

Habitational name meaning settlement on a ridge

P

Page

Occupational name for a young servant or attendant
Palmer

Nickname for a pilgrim who carried a palm branch
Parker

Occupational name for a gamekeeper of a park
Parkinson

Son of Parkin, a diminutive of Peter
Parsons

Son or servant of the parson
Payne

From Old French paien, a rustic or heathen
Peacock

Nickname for a vain or showy person
Pearson

Son of Piers, medieval form of Peter
Pemberton

Habitational name meaning barley farm on a hill
Perry

Dweller by a pear tree
Phillips

Son of Philip, meaning lover of horses
Pickering

Habitational name from Pickering, North Yorkshire
Pilkington

Habitational name from Lancashire, Pileca's farm
Pope

Nickname for someone with a pompous manner
Porter

Occupational name for a gatekeeper or carrier
Potter

Occupational name for a maker of pottery
Pratt

Nickname for a trickster, Old English praett
Preston

Habitational name meaning priest's settlement

Q

Quick

Nickname for a lively or nimble person
Quincey

Norman habitational name from Cuinchy in northern France
Quinton

Habitational name meaning queen's manor

R

Radcliffe

Habitational name meaning red cliff
Randall

From a diminutive of Rand, shield rim
Ravenscroft

Habitational name meaning raven's small field
Rawlinson

Son of Rawlin, a diminutive of Ralph
Read

Nickname for someone with red hair
Reed

Nickname for someone with red hair
Reynolds

Son of Reynold, Germanic for counsel power
Rhodes

Dweller by a clearing, Old English rod
Richardson

Son of Richard, meaning powerful ruler
Ridley

Habitational name meaning cleared or reed clearing
Riley

Habitational name meaning rye clearing
Robinson

Son of Robin, a pet form of Robert
Rogers

Son of Roger, meaning famous spear
Rose

From the flower, or a house sign, or Germanic Rothais
Rowe

Dweller by a hedgerow or row of houses

S

Sanders

Son of Sander, a pet form of Alexander
Saunders

Son of Saunder, a pet form of Alexander
Savage

Nickname for a wild or uncouth person
Sharp

Nickname for a keen or quick witted person
Shaw

Dweller by a small wood or copse
Shepherd

Occupational name for a sheep herder
Simpson

Son of Sim, a pet form of Simon
Slater

Occupational name for a roofer with slates
Smith

Metalworker, from Old English smith
Spencer

Occupational name for a dispenser of provisions
Stanley

Habitational name meaning stony clearing
Stevens

Son of Stephen, meaning crown or garland
Stokes

Dweller at an outlying farmstead, Old English stoc
Stone

Dweller near a prominent stone or rock
Sutton

Habitational name meaning southern settlement

T

Tanner

Occupational name for a leather tanner
Tate

From Old Norse personal name Teitr, cheerful, or Old English Tata
Taylor

Occupational name for a tailor
Thompson

Son of Thomas, meaning twin
Thorne

Dweller by a thorn bush or hedge
Thornton

Habitational name meaning thorn bush settlement
Tomlinson

Son of Tomlin, a double diminutive of Thomas
Townsend

Dweller at the edge of the town
Tucker

Occupational name for a fuller of cloth, West Country
Turner

Occupational name for a lathe worker
Tyler

Occupational name for a tiler or tile maker

U

Underwood

Dweller at the edge of a wood

V

Vincent

From Latin personal name meaning conquering

W

Wade

Dweller by a ford, or from Old English Wada
Walker

Occupational name for a fuller who trod cloth
Walton

Habitational name meaning settlement of the Britons
Ward

Occupational name for a watchman or guard
Warren

From La Varenne in Normandy, or a game park keeper
Waters

Son of Walter, or dweller by water
Watson

Son of Wat, a pet form of Walter
Webb

Occupational name for a weaver
Wells

Dweller by a spring or well
West

Someone who lived to the west of a settlement
Wheeler

Occupational name for a wheelwright
Whitaker

Habitational name meaning white or wheat field
White

Nickname for someone with fair hair or complexion
Wilkins

Son of Wilkin, a diminutive of William
Wilkinson

Son of Wilkin, a diminutive of William
Willis

Son of Will, a pet form of William
Wilson

Son of Will, a pet form of William
Wood

Dweller in or near a wood
Woodward

Occupational name for a forest warden
Wright

Occupational name for a craftsman or carpenter
Wyatt

From medieval personal name Wyot, Old English Wigheard, war hardy

Y

Yates

Dweller by a gate, Old English geat
Young

Nickname to distinguish the younger of two men

Generate random english surnames

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Church

Dweller by a church
Holt

Dweller by a small wood or thicket
Gardner

Occupational name for a gardener
Hayward

Occupational name for a keeper of hedges or fences
Ellwood

Habitational name meaning elder tree wood
Everett

From Germanic Eberhard, meaning boar strong

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The four roots of English surnames

English surnames grew out of the need to tell one John or William from another as villages and towns grew in the Middle Ages. Most fall into four groups. Patronymics name a father: Johnson, Williams, Harris, Dawson (son of David) and Robinson. Occupational names record a job: Smith, Taylor, Baker, Wright (a maker, often of wood), Clark (a clerk), Cooper (a barrel maker), Fletcher (an arrow maker) and Turner (a lathe worker).

Locational names come either from a specific place or from a landscape feature. Lancaster, Bradley (broad clearing) and Ashton (ash tree farm) name towns and villages, while Hill, Wood, Brook, Hall and Atwood (at the wood) describe where someone lived. The last group grew from nicknames: Brown and White for hair or complexion, Young, Long and Armstrong for looks, and Goodman or Moody for character. Some nicknames were probably ironic, which is part of their charm.

Common English last names and how they spread

Smith is the most common surname in England and across the English-speaking world, since every village needed a smith. Jones, Williams, Taylor, Brown, Davies, Evans, Wilson, Thomas and Johnson follow in most modern counts, although Jones, Williams, Davies, Evans and Thomas are Welsh in origin and reflect centuries of migration into English towns. Some names have strong regional homes: Walker, from a cloth worker who trod wool, is typical of the north.

Hereditary surnames arrived in England with the Normans after 1066, first among landholders, and spread to most ordinary families by the fourteenth century. The poll tax records of 1377 to 1381 show many surnames already fixed. Spelling stayed loose for centuries, so the same family could be recorded as Smyth, Smythe and Smith, and some variants, such as Smythe, later came to look more refined than the plain original.

English last names in the 1800s

The 1841 census was the first in England to list everyone by full name, and it gives a snapshot of surnames in the nineteenth century. Industrial towns drew workers from the countryside, so northern names like Ashworth, Hargreaves, Crabtree and Sutcliffe spread into Manchester, Bradford and Leeds. Among the gentry, double-barrelled names such as Heathcoat-Amory became fashionable, often because an inheritance required an heir to take on a family name and coat of arms.

Some rare surnames survive in only a few families. Gotobed, Smallbones, Cheesewright, Loveday and Fairbrother are real English names that now sound unusual. A few aristocratic names are famous for being pronounced nothing like their spelling: Cholmondeley is said as Chumley and Featherstonehaugh as Fanshaw. For a Victorian character, a name like Hargreaves or Pickering sounds right for the period, while an old rural name like Gotobed adds a quiet touch of eccentricity.

Frequently asked questions

Which English last names are the most common?

Smith leads, followed by Jones, Williams, Taylor, Brown, Davies, Evans, Wilson, Thomas and Johnson. Several of these are Welsh patronymics that became common in England through migration, while Smith and Taylor are occupational names from medieval village life.

What are some rare English last names?

Gotobed, Smallbones, Cheesewright, Loveday, Fairbrother and Bellchambers are real but rare English surnames. Many rare names are occupational or nickname forms that survived in only a few families, often concentrated in a single county.

What were typical English surnames in the 1800s?

The same core names dominated, with Smith, Jones, Williams, Taylor and Brown at the top. Industrial migration spread regional names like Hargreaves and Ashworth, and gentry families increasingly used double-barrelled names. The 1841 and later censuses are the best source for names of the period.

Why are some English names pronounced differently from their spelling?

Pronunciation often shifted while spelling stayed fixed in old records. Cholmondeley is pronounced Chumley, Featherstonehaugh Fanshaw and Leveson Loosun. These are mostly aristocratic names, and families kept the old spellings as a mark of lineage.