Medieval Last Names

These medieval last names are real surnames that took shape in the Middle Ages, from trades like Fletcher and Cooper to Norman place names and old nicknames, each listed A to Z with its meaning.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Abbott

Abbot's servant or nickname for a pious man

English
Alcalde

Town magistrate, from Arabic al-qadi

Spanish
Archer

Bowman or archer

English
Armourer

Maker or repairer of armour

English
Armstrong

Nickname for a strong-armed man

English
Arrowsmith

Maker of iron arrowheads

English
Aubigny

Norman house, from Aubigny in Normandy

English
Audley

Baronial house, from Audley in Staffordshire

English

B

Bailiff

Officer of the manor or sheriff's deputy

English
Baker

Baker of bread, Old English baecere

English
Balestrieri

Crossbowman in an army

Italian
Ballesteros

Crossbowman in an army

Spanish
Balliol

Norman house, from Bailleul in Picardy

Scottish
Barber

Barber who also drew teeth and let blood

English
Barbieri

Barber and blood letter

Italian
Barefoot

Nickname for one who went unshod, often a penitent

English
Barker

Tanner who used tree bark

English
Baskerville

Norman house, from Bacqueville in Normandy

English
Basset

Norman nickname for a short man

English
Bataille

Nickname for a warlike man, battle

French
Bauer

Peasant farmer or tenant

German
Beauchamp

Norman house, from fair field

English
Beaumanoir

Dweller at the fine manor

French
Beaumont

Norman house, from fair hill

English
Becker

Baker of bread

German
Berger

Shepherd, keeper of sheep

French
Berkeley

Baronial house, from birch clearing

English
Bigod

Norman earls of Norfolk; possibly from the oath by God

English
Bishop

Bishop's servant or nickname from a pageant role

English
Bjornsson

Son of Bjorn, bear

Nordic
Blackburn

Dweller by the dark stream

English
Bloodaxe

Nickname of Erik, king of Norway and York

Nordic
Bødker

Cooper, maker of barrels

Nordic
Bogner

Bow maker or bowyer

German
de Bohun

Norman earls of Hereford, from Bohon in Normandy

English
Bold

Nickname for a brave man

English
Bond

Peasant farmer or bonded tenant

English
Bonde

Free farmer or yeoman

Nordic
Boucher

Butcher, seller of meat

French
Boulanger

Baker of bread

French
Bouvier

Ox herder or cattle driver

French
Bowen

Son of Owen, from Welsh ab Owen

Welsh
Bowman

Archer who fought with the bow

English
Bowyer

Maker or seller of bows

English
de Braose

Norman marcher lords, from Briouze in Normandy

English
Brauer

Brewer of beer

German
Brewer

Brewer of ale

English
Broadhead

Nickname for a man with a wide head

English
Bruce

Norman house, from Brix in Normandy

Scottish
Bull

Nickname for a large, aggressive man

English
de Burgh

Norman house in Ireland, from the fortress

Irish
Butler

Servant in charge of the wine cellar

English

C

Caballero

Knight or horseman

Spanish
Carbone

Charcoal burner or seller

Italian
Carpenter

Worker in wood, Anglo-Norman carpentier

English
Carpintero

Carpenter, worker in wood

Spanish
Carretero

Carter or wagon driver

Spanish
Carter

Driver of a cart

English
Cartwright

Maker of carts

English
Castellano

Keeper of a castle

Italian
Cavaliere

Knight or horseman

Italian
Chamberlain

Officer in charge of a lord's private chambers

English
Champion

Fighter who did trial by combat for another

English
Chandler

Maker or seller of candles

English
Chaplin

Priest serving a chapel

English
Chapman

Merchant or pedlar, from Old English ceapmann

English
Charpentier

Carpenter, worker in wood

French
Chaworth

Norman house, from Sourches in Maine

English
Chevalier

Knight or horseman

French
de Clare

Norman earls, from Clare in Suffolk

English
Clark

Clerk or scholar in minor orders

English
Clifford

Norman house, from ford by a cliff

English
Collier

Charcoal burner or coal seller

English
Comyn

Scottish baronial house, from Comines in Flanders

Scottish
Constable

Chief officer of a castle or household

English
Conte

Count, for a count's servant

Italian
Cook

Cook or keeper of an eating house

English
Cooper

Maker of barrels and casks

English
Corbet

Norman nickname meaning little crow

English
Cordonnier

Shoemaker working in Cordoban leather

French
Cotter

Cottager holding a small plot from a lord

English
de Coucy

Lords of Coucy, famous for their great castle

French
de Courcy

Norman house, from Courcy in Calvados

English
Courtenay

Norman house, from Courtenay in France

English
Couturier

Tailor or seamster

French
Crookshank

Nickname for a man with crooked legs

English
Crowther

Player of the crwth, a stringed instrument

English
Cruikshank

Nickname for a man with bent legs

Scottish
Cutler

Maker of knives and blades

English

D

Darcy

Norman house, from Arcy in Normandy

English
Deacon

Church deacon or his servant

English
Despenser

Steward or dispenser, house of Hugh Despenser

English
Devereux

Norman house, from Evreux

English
Doolittle

Nickname for a lazy man

English
Douglas

Scottish house, from Gaelic dark stream

Scottish
Drake

Nickname from Old English draca, dragon

English
Draper

Seller of woollen cloth

English
Du Guesclin

Breton house of the constable Bertrand du Guesclin

French
Dubois

Dweller by the wood

French
Duval

Dweller in the valley

French
Dyer

Dyer of cloth

English

E

Eriksson

Son of Erik, eternal ruler

Nordic
Escudero

Squire or shield bearer

Spanish

F

Fabbri

Smith, from Latin faber

Italian
Fabre

Smith, from Latin faber

French
Fairchild

Nickname for a beautiful child

English
Fairfax

Nickname for a man with fair hair

English
Falconer

Keeper and trainer of hunting falcons

English
Falkner

Falconer, keeper of hunting birds

German
Färber

Dyer of cloth

German
Ferrari

Smith or ironworker

Italian
Ferrers

Norman earls of Derby, from Ferrieres, ironworks

English
Fiennes

Norman house, from Fiennes in Pas-de-Calais

English
Fischer

Fisherman by trade

German
Fisher

Fisherman by trade

English
Fisker

Fisherman by trade

Nordic
FitzAlan

Son of Alan, Norman house of Arundel

English
FitzGerald

Son of Gerald, Anglo-Norman house in Ireland

Irish
FitzHerbert

Son of Herbert, Anglo-Norman house

English
FitzHugh

Son of Hugh, Norman baronial house

English
FitzOsbern

Son of Osbern, Norman earls of Hereford

English
FitzPatrick

Son of Patrick; Norman-style form of Irish Mac Giolla Phádraig, devotee of Patrick

Irish
FitzRoy

Son of the king, for royal illegitimate sons

English
FitzSimon

Son of Simon, Anglo-Norman house

English
FitzWalter

Son of Walter, Norman baronial house

English
FitzWilliam

Son of William, Anglo-Norman house

English
Fletcher

Maker of arrows, from Old French flechier

English
Forester

Keeper of the royal forest

English
Forkbeard

Nickname of Sweyn, king of Denmark and England

Nordic
Fornaro

Baker who kept the oven

Italian
Fournier

Baker who kept the communal oven

French
Fowler

Hunter of wild birds

English
Fox

Nickname for a cunning, red-haired man

English
Franklin

Free landholder not of noble birth

English
Freeman

Man free of feudal obligations

English
Frobisher

Polisher of armour and swords

English
Fryer

Friar or his servant

English
Fuller

Cloth worker who cleansed and thickened wool

English

G

Gerber

Tanner of hides

German
Giffard

Norman house, nickname for a chubby-cheeked man

English
Girón

Castilian noble house; said to come from girones, strips torn from a king's cloak

Spanish
Glaser

Glazier, maker of glass

German
Glazier

Maker of glass windows

English
Glover

Maker or seller of gloves

English
Goldsmith

Worker in gold

English
Goodfellow

Nickname for a good companion

English
Goodman

Master of a household, a good man

English
Graf

Count, for a count's servant or a lordly man

German
Grant

Nickname for a tall man, Old French grand

English
Grenville

Norman house, from Grainville in Normandy

English
de Grey

Norman house, from Graye in Calvados

English
Guerrero

Warrior or soldier

Spanish
Guerriero

Warrior or fighting man

Italian
Gunnarsson

Son of Gunnar, warrior

Nordic

H

Haakonsson

Son of Haakon, high son

Nordic
Haraldsson

Son of Harald, army ruler

Nordic
Harcourt

Norman house, from Harcourt in Normandy

English
Hardrada

Nickname meaning hard in counsel, stern; borne by Harald III

Nordic
Hardy

Nickname for a courageous man, Old French hardi

English
Haro

Lords of Biscay, from Haro in La Rioja

Spanish
Harper

Player of the harp

English
Hastings

Norman house named for the town of Hastings

English
Hayward

Keeper of hedges and enclosures

English
Hedger

Man who planted and cut hedges

English
Herrera

Dweller by the ironworks

Spanish
Herrero

Blacksmith, worker in iron

Spanish
Herzog

Duke, for a duke's servant or a proud man

German
Hidalgo

Minor nobleman, son of something

Spanish
Hooper

Maker of hoops for barrels

English
Hosier

Maker of stockings and hose

English
Hunter

Huntsman or game hunter

English

I

Ironside

Nickname for a hardy warrior, borne by Bjorn Ironside

Nordic
Ivarsson

Son of Ivar, yew warrior

Nordic

J

Jäger

Hunter or gamekeeper

German
Joinville

Lords of Joinville, house of the chronicler Jean

French

K

Kämmerer

Chamberlain or treasurer

German
Kaufmann

Merchant or trader

German
Kemp

Wrestler or champion, from Old English cempa

English
Knecht

Servant or farmhand

German
Knight

Mounted armed servant of a lord

English
Knutsson

Son of Knut, knot

Nordic
Koch

Cook in a household

German
Krämer

Shopkeeper or pedlar

German
Kürschner

Furrier, worker in furs

German
Küster

Sexton or church caretaker

German

L

de la Pole

Merchant earls of Suffolk, dweller by the pool

English
de Lacy

Norman house from Lassy in Calvados

English
Lamb

Nickname for a gentle man or a shepherd

English
Lara

Castilian noble house from Lara de los Infantes

Spanish
Larcher

The archer or bowman

French
Latimer

Interpreter of Latin

English
Leclerc

The clerk or scholar

French
Lécuyer

The squire or shield bearer

French
Leech

Physician or healer

English
Lefevre

Smith, from Old French fevre

French
Lemaire

The mayor or village headman

French
Lévêque

The bishop, for a bishop's servant

French
Lightfoot

Nickname for a swift runner or messenger

English
Little

Nickname for a small man, or ironically a large one

English
Lloyd

Nickname for a grey-haired man, Welsh llwyd

Welsh
Lodbrok

Nickname meaning hairy breeches, borne by Ragnar

Nordic
Longfellow

Nickname for a tall companion

English
Longstaff

Nickname for a man who carried a long staff

English
Lorimer

Maker of bits, spurs and harness metalwork

English
Lovell

Norman nickname meaning little wolf

English
Lusignan

Poitevin house that ruled Jerusalem and Cyprus

French

M

MacMurrough

Son of Murchadh, Leinster kings

Irish
Maestri

Master craftsman or teacher

Italian
Makepeace

Nickname for a peacemaker

English
Malaspina

Marquess house of Lunigiana, bad thorn

Italian
Malet

Norman house, from Old French little mallet

English
Mallory

Norman nickname for an unlucky man

English
de Mandeville

Norman earls of Essex, from Manneville

English
Manfredi

Lords of Faenza, from Germanic man plus peace

Italian
Marchand

Merchant or trader

French
Marshall

Keeper of horses, later a high officer

English
Mason

Stonemason or builder

English
Maurer

Wall builder or bricklayer

German
Meier

Steward of a manor or tenant farmer

German
Mercer

Merchant of fine cloth and silks

English
Mercier

Dealer in small wares or fine cloth

French
Metzger

Butcher, seller of meat

German
Meunier

Miller at a grain mill

French
Miller

Keeper of a grain mill

English
Molina

Dweller by the mill

Spanish
Molinari

Miller at a grain mill

Italian
Møller

Miller at a grain mill

Nordic
Del Monte

Dweller on the mountain

Italian
de Montfort

Norman house of Simon de Montfort, strong hill

French
Mortimer

Norman marcher lords, from Mortemer, dead sea

English
Müller

Miller at a grain mill

German

N

Neville

Norman house, from Neuville, new town

English
Núñez

Son of Nuño

Spanish

O

O'Brien

Descendant of Brian, Irish royal house

Irish
O'Neill

Descendant of Niall, Irish royal house

Irish
Olafsson

Son of Olaf, ancestor's heir

Nordic
Ordóñez

Son of Ordoño

Spanish

P

Pacheco

Portuguese and Castilian noble house; of uncertain origin, possibly Latin Paciecus

Spanish
Palmer

Pilgrim who carried a palm branch from the Holy Land

English
Parker

Keeper of a deer park

English
Pastor

Shepherd, keeper of sheep

Spanish
Pastore

Shepherd, keeper of sheep

Italian
Peacock

Nickname for a vain, showy man

English
Pellegrino

Pilgrim to holy places

Italian
Percy

Norman house, from Percy-en-Auge

English
Porter

Gatekeeper or carrier of goods

English
Powell

Son of Hywel, from Welsh ap Hywel

Welsh
Price

Son of Rhys, from Welsh ap Rhys

Welsh

Q

de Quincy

Norman earls of Winchester, from Cuinchy

English

R

Reeve

Manorial official overseeing the lord's estate

English
Richter

Judge or village magistrate

German
Ritter

Knight or mounted warrior

German
de Ros

Barons of Helmsley, probably from Roos in Holderness

English

S

Sartori

Tailor of garments

Italian
Sawyer

Man who sawed timber

English
Schäfer

Shepherd, keeper of sheep

German
Schmidt

Smith, worker in metal

German
Schneider

Tailor, one who cuts cloth

German
Schreiber

Scribe or clerk

German
Schulz

Village headman, from Schultheiss

German
Sharp

Nickname for a keen or quick man

English
Shepherd

Tender of sheep

English
Sinclair

Norman house, from Saint-Clair-sur-Elle

Scottish
Skinner

Dealer in animal skins

English
Smith

Worker in metal, from Old English smith

English
Spencer

Dispenser of provisions in a great house

English
Stafford

Norman earls, from the ford by a landing place

English
Steward

Manager of a lord's household

English
Stewart

Hereditary stewards of Scotland

Scottish
Swift

Nickname for a fast runner

English

T

Talbot

Norman house, from a Germanic personal name

English
Tanner

Worker who tanned animal hides

English
Taylor

Tailor of garments, Old French tailleur

English
Thatcher

Roofer who worked with straw or reed

English
Della Torre

Dweller at the tower, lords of Milan

Italian
Tracy

Norman house, from Tracy-Bocage in Normandy

English
Turner

Craftsman who turned wood on a lathe

English
Tyler

Maker or layer of roof tiles

English

V

Vaccaro

Cowherd, keeper of cattle

Italian
Vaughan

Nickname for a small man, Welsh bychan

Welsh
Velázquez

Son of Velasco

Spanish
de Vere

Norman earls of Oxford, from Ver in Normandy

English
de Vesci

Norman barons of Alnwick, from Vassy

English
Villalobos

Dweller at the village of wolves

Spanish
Villani

Villager or peasant

Italian

W

Wagner

Wagon maker or cartwright

German
Walker

Cloth fuller who trod cloth in water

English
Wallace

Welshman or Briton, house of William Wallace

Scottish
Ward

Guard or watchman

English
de Warenne

Norman earls of Surrey, from Varenne in Normandy

English
Weaver

Weaver of cloth

English
Weber

Weaver of cloth

German
Webster

Weaver, originally a female weaver

English
Wheeler

Maker of wheels

English
Whitehead

Nickname for a fair-haired man

English
Wirth

Innkeeper or host

German
Wise

Nickname for a learned man

English
Wolfe

Nickname for a fierce man

English
Wright

Craftsman or builder, from Old English wyrhta

English

Z

Zimmermann

Carpenter, room builder

German

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Results (6)

FitzHerbert

Son of Herbert, Anglo-Norman house

English
Cruikshank

Nickname for a man with bent legs

Scottish
Deacon

Church deacon or his servant

English
Fairfax

Nickname for a man with fair hair

English
Reeve

Manorial official overseeing the lord's estate

English
Rochefort

Dweller at the strong rock

French

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How people got surnames in the Middle Ages

Before the eleventh century most people in England had a single name. As villages grew and written records multiplied, clerks needed a way to tell two men called John apart, so they added a description: John the fletcher, John at the wood, John son of Robert, John the short. At first these bynames could change from one generation to the next. Between roughly the twelfth and fourteenth centuries they settled down and became hereditary, passed to children even when the son no longer made arrows or lived by the wood.

The Norman Conquest of 1066 sped this up. Norman lords already used names drawn from their estates in Normandy, and they brought the habit of a fixed family name tied to land. By the poll taxes of the late fourteenth century most English people appear in the records with a surname, although spelling was still a matter of taste. That is why the same name can turn up as Smith, Smyth or Smythe in old records.

Trades, places, fathers and nicknames

Occupational names are the easiest to read. Fletcher made arrows, Chandler made candles, Cooper made barrels, Lorimer made bits and spurs, and Barker was a tanner who used tree bark. Life on the manor produced another set: Reeve, Steward, Chamberlain, Constable and Marshall, a word that began as keeper of horses and rose to mean a high officer. The church gave names like Sexton and Palmer, which described a pilgrim who carried a palm branch home from the Holy Land.

The other three groups are just as common. Place names describe where a family lived or held land, from simple features like Wood, Hill and Brook to Norman estates such as Mortimer and de Vere. Patronymics name a father, as in Johnson, Dickson or FitzAlan, son of Alan. Nicknames describe looks or character: Armstrong for a strong arm, Little for a small one. Each entry on this page shows which group it belongs to, so you can mix types in a cast.

Using medieval last names in fiction and games

Match the name to the character's place in society. A peasant or craftsman would usually carry a trade name or a local place name, while a knight's family tended to take its name from land, often with de in front. Some names are traps worth knowing. Knight first meant a mounted servant rather than a nobleman, and Bishop or Abbott often began as the name of a servant or a nickname from a village pageant, not an actual churchman.

Spelling is the other easy win for atmosphere. The list gives the modern standard form, but in a story set before 1500 you can safely roughen it: Smyth for Smith, Coke for Cook, Webbe for Webb. Keep one spelling per character once you choose it, or readers will think you made a mistake. When you want a quick batch for a tavern full of extras, the medieval generator linked on this page produces random picks from the same pool.

Frequently asked questions

What are some common medieval last names?

Occupational names dominate: Smith, Taylor, Cooper, Fletcher, Baker, Turner and Walker all come from medieval trades. Place names like Hill, Wood and Green, and patronymics like Johnson and Robertson, are just as old. All of them were in use in England by the fourteenth century.

When did surnames become hereditary in England?

Gradually, between about 1100 and 1400. Norman barons had fixed family names soon after 1066, merchants and townspeople followed, and by the late fourteenth century most ordinary people had a surname that passed to their children. In parts of northern England and Wales the process took longer.

Did peasants have last names in the Middle Ages?

By the later Middle Ages, yes. Manor court rolls and tax lists record peasants with surnames based on their trade, their father, their village or a nickname. Earlier on, many had only a first name plus a description that could change over their lifetime.

Why do some old names start with Fitz?

Fitz comes from the Anglo-Norman fiz, meaning son, so FitzAlan means son of Alan and FitzGerald means son of Gerald. The form was used by Norman families in England and Ireland. FitzRoy, son of the king, was given to some royal children born outside marriage.