Royal Last Names

These royal last names are the real names of royal and princely houses, from Tudor and Windsor to Habsburg, Bourbon and Medici, listed A to Z with the story behind each one.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Abbasid

Caliphal dynasty of Baghdad, from Abbas

Arabic
Aberffraw

Welsh royal house of Gwynedd

Welsh
Adil Shahi

Sultans of Bijapur

Indian
Aghlabid

Arab dynasty of Ifriqiya

Arabic
Aisin-Gioro

Imperial house of the Qing dynasty, golden clan

Chinese
Al Khalifa

Ruling house of Bahrain, successor

Arabic
Al Maktoum

Ruling house of Dubai

Arabic
Al Mualla

Ruling house of Umm Al Quwain

Arabic
Al Nahyan

Ruling house of Abu Dhabi

Arabic
Al Nuaimi

Ruling house of Ajman

Arabic
Al Qasimi

Ruling house of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah

Arabic
Al Sabah

Ruling house of Kuwait, morning

Arabic
Al Said

Royal house of Oman, fortunate

Arabic
Al Saud

Royal house of Saudi Arabia, from Saud

Arabic
Al Sharqi

Ruling house of Fujairah, eastern

Arabic
Al Thani

Ruling house of Qatar, from Thani

Arabic
Alaouite

Royal house of Morocco, descendants of Ali

Arabic
Alba

Dukes of Alba, from Alba de Tormes

Spanish
Albret

Gascon house of Henry IV's mother

French
Albuquerque

Portuguese noble house, from Alburquerque in Spain, possibly white oak

Portuguese
Aldobrandini

Papal family of Clement VIII

Italian
Almohad

Berber caliphal dynasty of Morocco and Spain

Royal
Almoravid

Berber dynasty of Morocco and Spain

Royal
Angelos

Byzantine imperial dynasty, from angel or messenger

Greek
Anjou

Angevin royal house from the county of Anjou

French
Argyros

Byzantine imperial family, from silver

Greek
Armagnac

Counts of Armagnac in Gascony

French
Asaf Jahi

Nizams of Hyderabad, from Asaf Jah

Indian
Asakura

Warlord clan of Echizen, morning storehouse

Japanese
Ascania

Ducal house of Anhalt, from Aschersleben

German
Ashikaga

Shogunal house 1336 to 1573, from Ashikaga town

Japanese
Aviz

Royal house of Portugal, from the Order of Aviz

Portuguese
Ayyubid

Dynasty of Saladin, from Ayyub

Arabic

B

Babenberg

Austrian margraves and dukes before the Habsburgs

German
Baden

Grand ducal house from Baden, meaning baths

German
Balliol

Scottish royal house, from Bailleul in Picardy

Scottish
Barberini

Papal family of Urban VIII, from Barberino

Italian
Barcelona

Royal house of Aragon, from the city of Barcelona

Spanish
Battenberg

Princely house from Battenberg in Hesse

German
Beaufort

Dukes of Somerset, from Beaufort castle in Champagne

English
Bentinck

Anglo-Dutch comital house, Dukes of Portland

Dutch
Bentivoglio

Lords of Bologna, from I wish you well

Italian
Bernadotte

Royal house of Sweden since 1818, French origin

Nordic
Bhati

Rajput royal house of Jaisalmer

Indian
Bhonsle

Maratha royal house of Shivaji

Indian
Bille

Danish noble house of Jutland

Nordic
Bismarck

Princely house of the Iron Chancellor

German
Bjelbo

Swedish royal house of the Folkungs

Nordic
Blois

Royal house of King Stephen, from Blois in France

French
Boleyn

Family of Anne Boleyn, from Boulogne in France

English
Bonaparte

Imperial house of Napoleon, Italian for good part

French
Bonde

Swedish royal house of Charles VIII, from farmer

Nordic
Borghese

Papal family of Paul V, from borghese, townsman

Italian
Borgia

Papal family of Valencian origin, from Borja

Spanish
Borjigin

Mongol imperial clan of Genghis Khan and the Yuan

Royal
Botaneiates

Byzantine imperial family of Nikephoros III

Greek
Bourbon

Royal house of France and Spain, from Bourbon-l'Archambault

French
Braganza

Royal house of Portugal, from the city of Braganca

Portuguese
Brahe

Danish and Swedish noble house of Tycho Brahe

Nordic
Brederode

Noble house of Holland, from broad reeds

Dutch
Bruce

Scottish royal house of Robert the Bruce

Scottish
Brunswick

Ducal house from Braunschweig, Bruno's settlement

German
Bryennios

Byzantine noble family of Adrianople

Greek
Bundela

Rajput royal house of Bundelkhand

Indian
Burgundy

Ducal house of Burgundy and first kings of Portugal

French
Butler

Earls of Ormond, chief butlers of Ireland

Irish
Buyeo

Royal house of Baekje, from the Buyeo kingdom

Korean
Bylandt

Comital house of Guelders

Dutch

C

Caetani

Papal family of Boniface VIII, from Gaeta

Italian
Campbell

Dukes of Argyll, from Gaelic crooked mouth

Scottish
Cao

Ruling house of Cao Wei, from Cao Cao

Chinese
Capet

Founding royal house of France, from Hugh Capet

French
Caracciolo

Neapolitan princely house

Italian
Carafa

Neapolitan papal family of Paul IV

Italian
Carolingian

Frankish royal dynasty of Charlemagne

French
Carrara

Lords of Padua, from Carrara near Padua

Italian
Castro

Noble house of Galicia and Portugal, from castle

Portuguese
Cavendish

Dukes of Devonshire, from Cavendish in Suffolk

English
Cecil

Marquesses of Salisbury, from Welsh Seisyll

English
Chalukya

Deccan royal dynasty of Badami and Kalyani

Indian
Chauhan

Rajput royal house of Prithviraj Chauhan

Indian
Chen

Imperial house of the Chen dynasty, to display

Chinese
Chera

Ancient royal dynasty of Kerala

Indian
Chigi

Sienese banking and papal family

Italian
Chola

Tamil imperial dynasty of the south

Indian
Chōsokabe

Warlord clan of Tosa province

Japanese
Clifford

Barons Clifford, from ford by a cliff

English
Coligny

Huguenot noble house, from Coligny in Burgundy

French
Colonna

Roman papal family, from the column

Italian
Condé

Princely branch of Bourbon, from Conde-en-Brie

French
Contarini

Venetian doge family that gave eight doges

Italian
Corsini

Florentine papal family, from Corso

Italian
Courtenay

Earls of Devon, from Courtenay in France

English
Czartoryski

Princely house from Czartorysk in Volhynia

Polish

D

Dalassenos

Byzantine noble family from Dalassa

Greek
Dandolo

Venetian doge family of Enrico Dandolo

Italian
Date

Daimyo clan of Sendai, from Date district

Japanese
Demidov

Industrial princely house, son of Demid

Russian
Devereux

Earls of Essex, from Evreux in Normandy

English
Dinefwr

Welsh royal house of Deheubarth

Welsh
Diogenes

Byzantine imperial family of Romanos IV

Greek
Dolgorukov

Princely house, from long armed

Russian
Doria

Genoese admirals, from the personal name Oria

Italian
Douglas

Scottish earls, from Gaelic dark stream

Scottish
Doukas

Byzantine imperial family, from Latin dux, leader

Greek
Dreux

Capetian ducal house of Brittany

French
Dudley

Dukes of Northumberland, from Dudley in Worcestershire

English
Dunkeld

Scottish royal house of Malcolm Canmore

Scottish

E

Egmont

Counts of Egmont, from Egmond in Holland

Dutch
Enríquez

Admirals of Castile, son of Enrique

Spanish
Este

Dukes of Ferrara and Modena, from the town of Este

Italian
Estridsen

Danish royal house, son of Estrid

Nordic
Évreux

Royal house of Navarre, from Evreux in Normandy

French

F

Fairhair

Norwegian royal house of Harald Fairhair

Nordic
Farnese

Dukes of Parma, from the town of Farneto

Italian
Fatimid

Caliphal dynasty of Egypt, from Fatima

Arabic
FitzAlan

Earls of Arundel, son of Alan

English
FitzGerald

Earls of Kildare and Desmond, son of Gerald

Irish
FitzRoy

Son of the king, borne by royal illegitimate sons

English
Foix

Counts of Foix in the Pyrenees

French
Foscari

Venetian doge family of Francesco Foscari

Italian
Fugger

Augsburg banking dynasty of the Renaissance

German
Fujiwara

Regent clan of Heian Japan, wisteria field

Japanese
Fürstenberg

Princely house, from prince's mountain

German

G

Gaekwad

Maratha royal house of Baroda

Indian
Gagarin

Princely house, from gagara, loon bird

Russian
Glücksburg

Royal house of Denmark, Norway and Greece

Nordic
Go

Royal house of Goguryeo, meaning high

Korean
Godunov

House of Tsar Boris Godunov, claimed Tatar descent

Russian
Godwin

Anglo-Saxon earls, from Old English good friend

English
Golitsyn

Princely house descended from Gediminas

Russian
Gonzaga

Dukes of Mantua, from the town of Gonzaga

Italian
Gordon

Dukes of Gordon, from spacious fort

Scottish
Grey

Noble family of Lady Jane Grey, probably from Graye in Normandy

English
Grimaldi

Princely house of Monaco, from Genoese Grimaldo

Italian
Grosvenor

Dukes of Westminster, from French for great huntsman

English
Guise

Ducal branch of Lorraine, from Guise in Picardy

French
Gupta

Golden age imperial dynasty, protector

Indian
Guzmán

Ducal house, possibly from Germanic good man

Spanish
Gyldenstierne

Danish noble house, from golden star

Nordic

H

Habsburg

Austrian imperial house, from Habsburg castle in Switzerland, traditionally hawk's castle

German
Hada

Chauhan branch ruling Bundi and Kota

Indian
Hafsid

Tunisian dynasty, from Abu Hafs

Arabic
Hamdanid

Arab dynasty of Aleppo and Mosul

Arabic
Hamilton

Dukes of Hamilton, from crooked hill

Scottish
Hanover

British royal house 1714 to 1901, from Hanover

German
Al-Hashimi

Hashemite royal house of Jordan, from Hashim

Arabic
Herbert

Earls of Pembroke, from Germanic bright army

Welsh
Hesse

Grand ducal house from the Hessian region

German
Hohenlohe

Princely house, from Hohenloch castle in Franconia

German
Hohenstaufen

Imperial house of Barbarossa, from Staufen castle

German
Hohenzollern

Prussian royal house, from Zollern castle in Swabia

German
Hōjō

Regents of the Kamakura shogunate, north stripe

Japanese
Holkar

Maratha royal house of Indore

Indian
Holstein-Gottorp

Royal house of Sweden and Russia

Nordic
Horne

Counts of Horne, from Horn in Limburg

Dutch
Hosokawa

Shogunal deputies and daimyo, narrow river

Japanese
Howard

Dukes of Norfolk, possibly from Old Norse Havardr

English
Hoysala

Kannada royal dynasty, strike Sala

Indian

I

Ichijō

Regent family of the Fujiwara, first avenue

Japanese
Idrisid

Moroccan dynasty descended from Idris

Arabic
Imagawa

Warlord clan of Suruga, now river

Japanese

J

Jadeja

Rajput royal house of Kutch and Nawanagar

Indian
Jagiellon

Royal house of Poland and Lithuania, from Jogaila

Polish
Jhala

Rajput royal house of Jhalawar

Indian
Ji

Royal house of the Zhou dynasty

Chinese
Jiménez

Royal house of Navarre, son of Jimeno

Spanish

K

Kachwaha

Rajput royal house of Amber and Jaipur

Indian
Kakatiya

Telugu royal dynasty of Warangal

Indian
Kantakouzenos

Byzantine imperial family, from Kouzenas in Bithynia

Greek
Khalji

Turko-Afghan sultans of Delhi

Indian
Kim

Royal house of Silla, meaning gold

Korean
Komnenos

Byzantine imperial dynasty, from Komne in Thrace

Greek
Konoe

Highest regent family of the Fujiwara, near guard

Japanese
Kujō

Regent family of the Fujiwara, ninth avenue

Japanese
Kulasekhara

Royal house of Travancore

Indian
Kurakin

Princely house of Gediminid descent

Russian
Kuroda

Daimyo clan of Fukuoka, black rice field

Japanese

L

De la Gardie

Swedish comital house of French origin

Nordic
Lancaster

Royal house named for Lancaster, Roman fort on the Lune

English
Laskaris

Emperors of Nicaea, possibly from Persian soldier

Greek
Lekapenos

Byzantine imperial family from Lakape

Greek
Leszczyński

Royal house of Stanislaw I, from Leszno

Polish
Li

Imperial house of the Tang dynasty, plum

Chinese
Liechtenstein

Princely house from Liechtenstein castle near Vienna

German
Lindsay

Earls of Crawford, from Lindsey in Lincolnshire

Scottish
Liu

Imperial house of the Han dynasty, battle axe

Chinese
Llywelyn

Welsh princely name, possibly leader or lion

Welsh
Lodi

Afghan sultans of Delhi

Indian
Lorraine

Ducal house from the Duchy of Lorraine

French
Lusignan

Crusader kings of Jerusalem and Cyprus, from Poitou

French
Luxembourg

Holy Roman emperors from the county of Luxembourg

German

M

MacCarthy

Irish kings of Desmond, son of Carthach

Irish
Maeda

Daimyo clan of Kaga, front rice field

Japanese
Matsudaira

Original clan name of the Tokugawa, pine plain

Japanese
Maurya

Ancient imperial dynasty of Chandragupta and Ashoka

Indian
Medici

Florentine ruling house, from medico, doctor

Italian
Mendoza

Dukes of Infantado, from Basque cold mountain

Spanish
Merovingian

First Frankish royal dynasty, from Merovech

French
Metternich

Princely house of the Austrian chancellor

German
Min

Yeoheung Min clan of Empress Myeongseong

Korean
Minamoto

Imperial branch clan and first shoguns, source

Japanese
Montgomery

Earls of Eglinton, from Gomeric's hill

Scottish
Montmorency

Premier barons of France, from Montmorency near Paris

French
Mōri

Daimyo clan of Choshu, fur and profit

Japanese
Mortimer

Earls of March, from Mortemer in Normandy

English
Mountbatten

Anglicised Battenberg, family of Prince Philip

English
Mughal

Imperial house of India of Timurid descent

Indian
Murray

Dukes of Atholl, from the province of Moray

Scottish

N

Nasrid

Last Moorish dynasty of Granada, from Nasr

Arabic
Nassau

Princely house from Nassau castle on the Lahn

German
Neville

Earls of Warwick, from Neuville in Normandy

English
Normandy

Norman royal house of William the Conqueror

French

O

O'Brien

Irish royal house of Brian Boru

Irish
O'Connor

Irish royal house, descendant of Conchobhar

Irish
O'Neill

Irish royal house, descendant of Niall

Irish
Obolensky

Princely house from Obolensk

Russian
Oda

Clan of Oda Nobunaga, weaving rice field

Japanese
Oldenburg

Royal house of Denmark from 1448; its Glücksburg branch still reigns

Nordic
Orange-Nassau

Royal house of the Netherlands

Dutch
Orléans

Cadet royal house named for the city of Orleans

French
Orlov

Counts of Catherine's favourite, from oryol, eagle

Russian
Orsini

Roman papal family, from orso, bear

Italian
Ottonian

Saxon imperial dynasty of Otto the Great

German

P

Palaiologos

Last Byzantine imperial dynasty, from ancient word

Greek
Pallava

Tamil royal dynasty of Kanchipuram

Indian
Pandya

Ancient Tamil royal dynasty of Madurai

Indian
Park

First royal house of Silla, from gourd

Korean
Parmar

Rajput royal house of Malwa

Indian
Percy

Dukes of Northumberland, from Percy-en-Auge in Normandy

English
Piast

First royal dynasty of Poland

Polish
Plantagenet

English royal house, from sprig of broom, planta genista

English
Ponce de León

Ducal house of Arcos and Cadiz

Spanish
Poniatowski

House of Poland's last king, from Poniatowa

Polish
Potemkin

Princely house of Catherine's favourite

Russian
Potocki

Magnate house from Potok, meaning stream

Polish

R

Radziwiłł

Lithuanian princely house, from Radvila

Polish
Rathore

Rajput royal house of Marwar and Bikaner

Indian
Rohan

Breton ducal house, from Rohan in Brittany

French
Romanov

Imperial house of Russia 1613 to 1917

Russian
Della Rovere

Papal family of Julius II, from the oak

Italian
Rurik

Founding princely dynasty of Rus, Norse Hroerekr

Russian
Russell

Dukes of Bedford, from Old French little red one

English

S

Sanada

Samurai clan of Yukimura, true rice field

Japanese
Savoy

Royal house of Italy, from the Savoy region

Italian
Saxe-Coburg

Saxon ducal house that gave Britain Prince Albert

German
Della Scala

Lords of Verona, from the ladder

Italian
Scindia

Maratha royal house of Gwalior

Indian
Senussi

Royal house of Libya, from a Sufi order

Arabic
Seymour

Dukes of Somerset, family of Queen Jane Seymour

English
Sforza

Dukes of Milan, from sforzare, to force

Italian
Sheremetev

Boyar counts, from Turkic Sheremet

Russian
Shimazu

Daimyo clan of Satsuma, island port

Japanese
Sima

Imperial house of the Jin dynasty, master of horses

Chinese
Sinclair

Earls of Orkney, from Saint-Clair in Normandy

Scottish
Sisodia

Rajput royal house of Mewar, from Sisoda village

Indian
Sobieski

Royal house of John III, from Sobieszyn

Polish
Solanki

Rajput royal house of Gujarat

Indian
Somerset

Dukes of Beaufort, from the county of Somerset

English
Spencer

Noble family of Diana, from dispenser of provisions

English
Stanley

Earls of Derby, from stony clearing

English
Stewart

Royal stewards of Scotland who became kings

Scottish
Stroganov

Merchant counts, possibly from strogat, to plane

Russian
Stuart

Scottish royal house, from steward of Scotland

Scottish
Sun

Ruling house of Eastern Wu, grandson

Chinese

T

Tachibana

Ancient noble clan, mandarin orange

Japanese
Taira

Imperial branch clan, peaceful or flat

Japanese
Takeda

Warlord clan of Kai, warrior rice field

Japanese
Talbot

Earls of Shrewsbury, from a Germanic personal name

English
Thurn und Taxis

Princely postmasters of the Holy Roman Empire

German
Tokugawa

Shogunal house 1603 to 1868, virtue river

Japanese
Tomar

Rajput royal house that founded Delhi

Indian
Toyotomi

Clan of Hideyoshi, abundant minister

Japanese
Trastámara

Royal house of Castile and Aragon, from Trastamara county

Spanish
La Trémoille

Ducal house from La Trimouille in Poitou

French
Trubetskoy

Princely house from Trubchevsk

Russian
Tudor

Welsh royal house ruling England 1485 to 1603

Welsh
Tughlaq

Turkic sultans of Delhi

Indian

U

Uesugi

Warlord clan of Echigo, upper cedar

Japanese
Umayyad

First Islamic caliphal dynasty, from Umayya

Arabic

V

Valois

Royal house of France 1328 to 1589

French
Vasa

Royal house of Sweden, from a sheaf emblem

Nordic
de Vere

Earls of Oxford, from Ver in Normandy

English
Visconti

Dukes of Milan, from viscount

Italian

W

Wadiyar

Royal house of Mysore, from odeya, lord

Indian
Wang

Royal house of Goryeo, meaning king

Korean
Welf

Guelph dynasty, from Germanic whelp or young wolf

German
Wellesley

Dukes of Wellington, from Wellesley in Somerset

Irish
Wessex

Anglo-Saxon royal house of the West Saxons

English
Wettin

Saxon royal house, from Wettin castle on the Saale

German
Windsor

Royal house of the United Kingdom since 1917

English
Wittelsbach

Bavarian royal house, from Wittelsbach castle

German
Wu

House of Empress Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty

Chinese
Württemberg

Royal house of Wurttemberg, from Wirtemberg castle

German

Y

Yang

Imperial house of the Sui dynasty, poplar

Chinese
Yi

Royal house of Joseon 1392 to 1910, plum tree

Korean
York

Royal house named for the city of York

English
Yusupov

Princely house of Tatar origin, from Yusuf

Russian

Z

Zhao

Imperial house of the Song dynasty

Chinese
Zhu

Imperial house of the Ming dynasty, vermilion

Chinese

Generate random royal surnames

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Results (6)

Almohad

Berber caliphal dynasty of Morocco and Spain
Llywelyn

Welsh princely name, possibly leader or lion

Welsh
Zhu

Imperial house of the Ming dynasty, vermilion

Chinese
Al Nahyan

Ruling house of Abu Dhabi

Arabic
Montmorency

Premier barons of France, from Montmorency near Paris

French
Medici

Florentine ruling house, from medico, doctor

Italian

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Do royal families even have last names

Most reigning monarchs never use a surname. They are known by a first name and a number, and their family is described as a house or dynasty named after a territory, a founder or a symbol. The Plantagenets took their name from planta genista, the sprig of broom said to be worn by Geoffrey of Anjou. The House of Windsor was created in 1917, when George V dropped the German name Saxe-Coburg and Gotha during the First World War and chose the name of a castle instead.

So a royal last name is really a house name, and house names fall into a few patterns. Some come from territory, such as York, Lancaster, Savoy and Luxembourg. Some come from a founder, like Capet from Hugh Capet or Carolingian from Charles. Others come from a castle: Habsburg is the Habichtsburg, the hawk's castle in what is now Switzerland. The list also includes great noble families who stood close to the throne, such as Howard, Percy and Neville.

Royal houses across Europe

Britain supplies the most familiar names: Tudor, a Welsh family that ruled England from 1485 to 1603; Stuart, from the office of steward of Scotland; Bruce and Balliol from the Scottish wars of independence; and older Welsh dynasties such as Aberffraw and Dinefwr. France gives Capet, Valois, Bourbon and Orléans. The Holy Roman Empire produced a long run of German houses, including Hohenzollern, Wittelsbach, Wettin and Hanover, which also gave Britain its Georgian kings.

Southern Europe adds a different texture. Spain and Portugal contribute Trastámara, Braganza and Aviz. Italy is full of princely families who ruled cities rather than kingdoms: the Medici of Florence, who began as bankers, the Sforza of Milan, the Este of Ferrara and the Gonzaga of Mantua. Savoy rose from a duchy in the Alps to become the royal family of united Italy, and the Grimaldi still rule Monaco. Each entry notes the country and the period.

Unique royal last names for fantasy stories

Famous houses carry baggage. Say Tudor and readers picture Henry VIII, and a character called Habsburg will be read as Austrian no matter where you set the story. For a fantasy court, the lesser known houses on this list are often more useful. Lusignan were crusader kings of Jerusalem and Cyprus, Zähringen and Babenberg were German ducal families, and Mathrafal was the seat of the princes of Powys in Wales. They are real, but few readers will attach a history to them.

You can also adapt a real house name. Drop the particle, change a vowel, or combine a place with a founder the way real dynasties did, so a kingdom founded by a warlord named Aldric might produce the House of Aldrican. Use the letter filter to browse by sound, and read the meanings for ideas about heraldry and origin myths. For quick random picks, the royal generator linked on this page draws from the same list.

Frequently asked questions

What is the British royal family's last name?

The royal house is Windsor, adopted in 1917. Since 1960 descendants of Queen Elizabeth II who need a surname can use Mountbatten-Windsor, combining her name with that of Prince Philip, whose family had anglicised Battenberg to Mountbatten. Most senior royals rarely use any surname at all.

What are good royal last names for fantasy?

Lesser known real houses work well because they sound authentic without dragging in famous history. Try Lusignan, Trastámara, Zähringen, Dinefwr or Aviz, or adapt one by changing a syllable. Names built from a place, like York or Savoy, are easy to imitate for an invented kingdom.

Why is a royal family called a house?

In medieval usage a house meant a family line together with its lands, titles and household, not just a building. Calling a dynasty the House of Tudor or the House of Bourbon treats the family as an institution that lasts longer than any single ruler.

Can I use a real royal house name in my story?

Yes. Historical house names are not owned by anyone, and novelists use them all the time. If you give a real house name to an invented family, a short note or a clearly fictional setting helps readers understand that you are not describing the actual dynasty.