Witch Last Names

These witch last names mix real surnames with herbal, woodland and moonlit meanings and a smaller set of clearly marked original names, listed A to Z with the origin and meaning of each.

217 real and invented surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Adie

Little Adam; Lilias Adie of Torryburn, 1704

Scottish
Aitken

Little Adam; Margaret Aitken, the great witch of Balwearie

Scottish
Alden

Old friend; John Alden Jr., accused at Salem

English
Ash

Dweller by an ash tree

English
Ashveil

Original fantasy name; veil of ash

Fantasy

B

Balfour

Pasture village; Alison Balfour of Orkney, 1594

Scottish
Bell

Bell ringer or handsome; the Bell Witch of Tennessee

English
Belladonne

Original fantasy name; after the belladonna plant

Fantasy
Bibber

Tippler, from Latin bibere; Sarah Bibber, 1692

English
Bierley

Clearing by a byre; the Bierley women of Samlesbury

English
Birch

Dweller by birch trees

English
Bishop

Bishop; Bridget Bishop, first executed at Salem

English
Booth

Herdsman's hut; Elizabeth Booth, Salem 1692

English
Bracken

Dweller among bracken ferns

English
Bradbury

Broad fort; Mary Bradbury of Salisbury, 1692

English
Brambleweave

Original fantasy name; weaver of brambles

Fantasy
Brattle

Of uncertain origin; Thomas Brattle criticized the trials

English
Brewer

Brewer of ale

English
Briarmoon

Original fantasy name; briar under the moon

Fantasy
Bromfield

Field of broom

English
Bromley

Clearing where broom grew

English
Broom

Dweller where broom grew

English
Buckland

Land held by charter; Raymond Buckland, Wicca author

English
Buckley

Clearing with bucks; Sarah Buckley, Salem 1692

English
Bulcock

Possibly a bull keeper; Jane and John Bulcock

English
Burroughs

Dweller by a manor house; Rev. George Burroughs

English

C

Caldwell

Cold spring; sounds like cauldron

Scottish
Calef

Possibly from Caleb; Robert Calef, critic of the trials

English
Candlewhit

Original fantasy name; candle and whit

Fantasy
Carrier

Carter or porter; Martha Carrier of Andover, 1692

English
Cary

From Castle Cary, Somerset; Elizabeth Cary, 1692

English
Catt

Cat, a nickname

English
Cauldrake

Original fantasy name; cauldron and drake

Fantasy
Churchill

Church on a hill; Sarah Churchill, Salem 1692

English
Cinderhollow

Original fantasy name; hollow of cinders

Fantasy
Clarke

Clerk or scribe; Elizabeth Clarke of Manningtree, 1645

English
Cloyce

Possibly from Old French clos, enclosure; Sarah Cloyce

English
Corey

Possibly Old Norse Kóri; Giles and Martha Corey, Salem

English
Corwin

Shoemaker, from Cordwainer; Judge Jonathan Corwin

English
Crone

Irish Ó Cróin, saffron-colored

Irish
Crowe

Crow, a familiar bird

English
Crowley

Irish Ó Cruadhlaoich; occultist Aleister Crowley

Irish
Crowmantle

Original fantasy name; cloak of crow feathers

Fantasy
Culpeper

Possibly a spice or herb gatherer; herbalist Nicholas Culpeper

English

D

Dane

A Dane, or valley dweller; Rev. Francis Dane

English
Dee

Dark, Welsh du; John Dee, Tudor occultist

Welsh
Device

Possibly Old French devis, plan; Pendle family, 1612

English
Duncan

Brown warrior; Geillis Duncan, North Berwick 1590

Scottish
Dunlop

From Dunlop in Ayrshire, possibly fort at the bend; Bessie Dunlop of Ayrshire, 1576

Scottish
Duskbrew

Original fantasy name; potion brewed at dusk

Fantasy
Dustin

Thor's stone, Old Norse; Lydia Dustin, 1692

English

E

Easty

Possibly dweller to the east; Mary Easty, Salem 1692

English
Elder

The elder, senior; also the elder tree

English
Emberwick

Original fantasy name; ember and wick

Fantasy
English

An Englishman; Philip English, accused at Salem

English

F

Faulkner

Falconer; Abigail Faulkner of Andover, 1692

English
Faust

Fist; the legend of a pact with the devil

German
Fearn

Alder tree, Gaelic fearn

Scottish
Fennell

Grower or seller of fennel

English
Fian

Of uncertain origin; John Fian, North Berwick 1590

Scottish
Flower

Arrow maker, or flower; the Belvoir witches, 1619

English
Forman

Pig keeper, or foreman; Simon Forman, Elizabethan astrologer

English
Foster

Forester, or foster parent; Ann Foster of Andover

English

G

Gardner

Gardener; Gerald Gardner, founder of modern Wicca

English
Garlick

Grower or seller of garlic

English
Gedney

From Gedney, Lincolnshire; Judge Bartholomew Gedney

English
Gerard

Brave spear; herbalist John Gerard

English
Glanvill

From Glanville, Normandy; Joseph Glanvill wrote on witchcraft

English
Gloamwood

Original fantasy name; twilight wood

Fantasy
Good

Good-natured person; Sarah Good, accused at Salem

English
Gowdie

Possibly from goldie, golden; Isobel Gowdie of Auldearn

Scottish
Greenleaf

Green leaf

English
Greensmith

Coppersmith; Rebecca Greensmith, Hartford 1662

English
Greenwood

Dweller in the green wood

English
Grierson

Son of Gregor; Robert Grierson, North Berwick 1590

Scottish
Grimm

Fierce or stern; collectors of witch fairy tales

German

H

Hagg

Dweller by an enclosure or clearing

English
Hagthorn

Original fantasy name; hag and thorn

Fantasy
Hale

Nook or corner; Rev. John Hale of Beverly

English
Hare

Hare, a swift runner; witches were said to become hares

English
Hathorne

Dweller by hawthorn; Judge John Hathorne of Salem

English
Hawthorne

Dweller by hawthorn, a fairy tree in folklore

English
Hazel

Dweller by hazel trees, used for divining rods

English
Hazelwood

Hazel wood

English
Heath

Dweller on a heath

English
Hemlocke

Original fantasy name; after the hemlock plant

Fantasy
Henbaine

Original fantasy name; after henbane, a witch's herb

Fantasy
Hewitt

Little Hugh; Katherine Hewitt, Pendle 1612

English
Hexworth

Original fantasy name; hex plus an enclosure ending

Fantasy
Hoar

Gray-haired; Dorcas Hoar of Beverly, 1692

English
Hobbs

Son of Hob, from Robert; Abigail Hobbs, Salem

English
Hollowmere

Original fantasy name; lake in the hollow

Fantasy
Holly

Dweller by holly trees

English
Hopkins

Son of Hob; Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General

English
Horne

Horn maker; Janet Horne, Dornoch 1727

Scottish
Howe

Hill or burial mound; Elizabeth Howe, Salem 1692

English
Howgate

Road to the hill; Christopher Howgate, Pendle 1612

English
Hubbard

Bright mind; Elizabeth Hubbard, Salem 1692

English

I

Ingersoll

From Inkersall, Derbyshire; Salem Village tavern keepers

English

J

Jacobs

Son of Jacob; George Jacobs Sr., Salem 1692

English
Jones

Son of John; Margaret Jones, Massachusetts, 1648

Welsh
Junius

Latin, young; Johannes Junius of Bamberg, 1628

German

K

Kelley

Irish Ó Ceallaigh; Edward Kelley, John Dee's scryer

Irish
Kempe

Warrior or champion; Ursula Kempe of St Osyth

English
Kepler

Cap maker; Katharina Kepler, accused in 1615

German
Kettle

Old Norse Ketill, cauldron or helmet

English
Knapp

Hilltop; Goody Knapp of Fairfield, 1653

English
Kramer

Shopkeeper; Heinrich Kramer, author of the Malleus Maleficarum

German

L

Lacey

From Lassy in Normandy; Mary Lacey of Andover

English
Lavender

Launderer, Old French lavandier

English
Leland

Fallow land; Charles Leland, author of Aradia

English
Lewis

Famous warrior; Mercy Lewis, Salem 1692

Welsh
Lilly

Lily, or from Lilley; astrologer William Lilly

English
Lloyd

Gray; Temperance Lloyd, Bideford 1682

Welsh

M

MacCalzean

Scots form of Mac Cailein; Euphame MacCalzean, 1591

Scottish
Mandragore

Original fantasy name; from mandragora, mandrake

Fantasy
Martin

Of Mars; Susannah Martin of Amesbury, 1692

English
Mather

Mower; Cotton Mather, Puritan minister of the era

English
Mathers

Mower; Samuel Mathers of the Golden Dawn

English
Mistcoven

Original fantasy name; coven in the mist

Fantasy
Molland

From Molland, Devon; Alice Molland, Exeter 1685

English
Moon

From Moyon in Normandy, or Irish Ó Mócháin

English
Moonwhistle

Original fantasy name; one who whistles to the moon

Fantasy
Moss

Dweller by a bog

English
Mothwing

Original fantasy name; wing of a moth

Fantasy
Murray

From Moray, seaboard; Margaret Murray, witch-cult scholar

Scottish

N

Napier

Keeper of table linen; Barbara Napier, 1591

Scottish
Nettlebrook

Original fantasy name; stream among nettles

Fantasy
Nettles

Dweller by nettles

English
Nightbloom

Original fantasy name; flower that opens at night

Fantasy
Nowell

Born at Christmas; Roger Nowell, Pendle magistrate

English
Noyes

Dweller by a walnut tree; Rev. Nicholas Noyes

English
Nurse

Nurse or foster mother; Rebecca Nurse, Salem 1692

English
Nutter

Scribe or ox-herd; Alice Nutter of Roughlee, 1612

English

O

Oakes

Dweller by oak trees

English
Osborne

Divine bear, Old Norse Ásbjörn; Sarah Osborne, Salem

English
Owlhollow

Original fantasy name; hollow of owls

Fantasy

P

Pappenheimer

From Pappenheim; a Bavarian family tried in 1600

German
Parker

Park keeper; Alice and Mary Parker, Salem 1692

English
Parris

From Paris, or son of Patrick; Rev. Samuel Parris

English
Parsons

Parson's son or servant; Mary Parsons of Springfield

English
Pearson

Son of Piers; Margaret Pearson, Lancaster trials 1612

English
Phips

Son of Philip; Governor William Phips halted the trials

English
Post

Dweller by a post; Mary Post of Andover

English
Preston

Priests' farm; Jennet Preston, tried at York 1612

English
Primrose

From Primrose in Fife; also the flower

Scottish
Proctor

Steward or agent; John and Elizabeth Proctor, Salem

English
Pudeator

Of obscure origin; Ann Pudeator, Salem 1692

English
Putnam

Putta's homestead; Putnam family of Salem Village

English

R

Raven

Raven, or Old Norse Hrafn

English
Ravenmoss

Original fantasy name; raven and moss

Fantasy
Redd

Red-haired; Wilmot Redd of Marblehead, 1692

English
Redferne

Reed fern or red fern; Anne Redferne, Pendle

English
Reid

Red-haired; Tom Reid, spirit guide in Bessie Dunlop's tale

Scottish
Rimewood

Original fantasy name; frosted wood

Fantasy
Robey

From Roby, boundary farm; Isabel Robey, 1612

English
Rowan

Red-haired, Irish Ó Ruadháin; rowan wards off witches

Irish
Runebright

Original fantasy name; bright runes

Fantasy

S

Sage

Wise, learned person

English
Sagebramble

Original fantasy name; sage and bramble

Fantasy
Salem

Arabic, safe and sound; shares its name with Salem

Arabic
Saltonstall

From a Yorkshire place; Judge Nathaniel Saltonstall

English
Sampson

Sun, Hebrew Shimshon; Agnes Sampson, North Berwick

Scottish
Samuel

Name of God; Alice Samuel of Warboys, 1593

English
Sanders

Son of Alexander; Alex Sanders, Alexandrian Wicca

English
Scot

A Scot; Reginald Scot wrote The Discoverie of Witchcraft

English
Scott

A Scot; Margaret Scott of Rowley, 1692

Scottish
Seton

Sea farm; David Seton of Tranent, North Berwick case

Scottish
Sewall

Possibly sea wall or victory; Judge Samuel Sewall

English
Sheldon

Shallow valley; Susannah Sheldon, Salem 1692

English
Sherwood

Shire wood; Grace Sherwood, the Witch of Pungo

English
Shipton

Sheep farm; Mother Shipton, legendary Yorkshire prophetess

English
Sibley

From Sibyl, a prophetess; Mary Sibley of Salem Village

English
Sorrell

Reddish-brown hair; also a sour herb

English
Southerns

Southerner; Elizabeth Southerns, called Old Demdike

English
Southworth

Southern enclosure; Jane Southworth of Samlesbury

English
Spee

Of uncertain origin; Friedrich Spee opposed witch trials

German
Sprenger

Possibly a jumper or sprinkler; Jacob Sprenger, Dominican

German
Starr

Star, a bright or showy person

English
Starveil

Original fantasy name; veil of stars

Fantasy
Stearne

Stern or austere; John Stearne, Hopkins's colleague

English
Stoughton

Farmstead at an outlying place; Chief Judge William Stoughton

English

T

Tansyfield

Original fantasy name; field of tansy

Fantasy
Thistlewick

Original fantasy name; thistle and candle wick

Fantasy
Thorne

Dweller by a thorn bush

English
Throckmorton

Farmstead by a pool with a beam bridge; the Warboys case

English
Toadmorrow

Original fantasy name; toad and morrow

Fantasy
Toothaker

Of uncertain origin; Roger Toothaker, a folk healer, 1692

English
Towne

Dweller in a farmstead or town; Towne sisters of Topsfield

English
Trembles

Of uncertain origin; Mary Trembles, Bideford 1682

English
Trollope

Troll valley, Old Norse troll plus hop

English
Tyler

Tile maker; Tyler family of Andover, 1692

English

V

Valiente

Brave; Doreen Valiente, Wiccan writer

Spanish
Vervaine

Original fantasy name; after vervain, a charm herb

Fantasy

W

Waite

Watchman; A. E. Waite of the Rider-Waite tarot

English
Walcott

Cottage of the Britons; Mary Walcott, Salem 1692

English
Wall

Dweller by a wall; the Maggie Wall memorial

English
Wardwell

Watch spring; Samuel Wardwell of Andover, 1692

English
Warren

Game park, or from La Varenne; Mary Warren

English
Waterhouse

House by the water; Agnes Waterhouse, Chelmsford 1566

English
Webster

Weaver; Mary Webster of Hadley, accused 1683

English
Weir

Dam or weir; Major Thomas Weir, Edinburgh legend

Scottish
Wenham

Homestead by pasture; Jane Wenham, Hertfordshire 1712

English
Weyer

Dweller by a pond; Johann Weyer, early trial critic

German
Whittle

White hill; Anne Whittle, called Chattox, Pendle 1612

English
Wildes

Dweller by wild land; Sarah Wildes, Salem 1692

English
Willard

Resolute and bold; John Willard, Salem 1692

English
Williams

Son of William; Abigail Williams, Salem 1692

Welsh
Willoughby

Farm by willows

English
Wise

Wise or learned, like the cunning folk

English
Wishart

Wise and hardy; Janet Wishart of Aberdeen, 1596

Scottish
Woodruff

Sweet woodruff, a scented herb

English
Wortwhisper

Original fantasy name; one who whispers to herbs

Fantasy
Wyrdmoor

Original fantasy name; moor of fate, Old English wyrd

Fantasy
Wythe

Dweller by willows

English

Y

Yarrow

From the Yarrow Water, Selkirkshire

Scottish
Yarrowind

Original fantasy name; yarrow and wind

Fantasy

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Southerns

Southerner; Elizabeth Southerns, called Old Demdike

English
Yarrowind

Original fantasy name; yarrow and wind

Fantasy
Fennell

Grower or seller of fennel

English
Heath

Dweller on a heath

English
Junius

Latin, young; Johannes Junius of Bamberg, 1628

German
Leland

Fallow land; Charles Leland, author of Aradia

English

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Why some names feel like witchcraft

Folk magic lives in hedgerows, gardens and woods, so many witchy surnames come from plants and landscape. Rowan brings to mind the tree that country people once hung over doors for protection, even though the Irish surname means little red one. Hawthorne and Thorne describe thorn bushes, Heath and Moss describe open land, and Sage began as a nickname for a wise person. Birds help too: Crowe and Raven both suit a witch with a familiar.

The history of witch trials adds a more sober layer. The people accused in Salem in 1692, with surnames like Good, Nurse and Proctor, were ordinary villagers, and most of the victims of European witch hunts were poor women with very plain names. That is worth remembering when you write. A witch called Mary Good is quieter than one called Ravenna Nightshade, and the contrast between an ordinary name and a dangerous reputation can drive a story.

Herbs, trees and hedgerow meanings

The meaning column is where the craft starts. Hawthorne means dweller by the hawthorn, a tree tied to May Day and fairy lore. Hazelwood is a wood of hazel trees, and Greenwood is exactly what it says. Bracken is ground thick with ferns, the kind of place where a traveller might meet a stranger at dusk. These are all real English surnames, and they give a witch family a sense of place without inventing anything.

A smaller group of names were written for this site to fill gaps real surnames leave, such as names built on moon, mist and candle. These are marked as original in the list. They suit fantasy settings and games where real English place names would feel out of place. For a witch in a modern city, mix the two: a real surname on her driving licence and an older, invented family name used only inside the coven.

Choosing witch last names for a story

Start with the family. In many stories, witchcraft passes down the female line, so a surname might follow mothers and daughters rather than fathers. That gives you room to create an old witch family whose name has survived marriages for centuries, perhaps a Hawthorne or a Thorne that every woman keeps. It also gives you a reason for a character to hide the name when she moves to a new town.

Then decide how obvious you want the name to be. A surname like Raven tells readers immediately what they are dealing with, which suits a comic or cosy story. A name like Heath or Hazelwood lets the reveal come later. Use the letter filter to browse, check each meaning, and try the name with a first name before choosing. The wizarding generator linked on this page offers original names if you need more.

Frequently asked questions

Are these witch last names real?

Most are real surnames, largely English and Scottish, with meanings linked to plants, birds and landscape. A smaller set of original names is included and clearly marked, so you can choose real history for a grounded story or invented names for a fantasy one.

Which families were caught up in the Salem trials?

The accused in Salem in 1692 included people with ordinary names such as Good, Nurse, Proctor and Corey. They were not witches but villagers caught in a panic, and twenty people were executed. If you use these names, it is kind to treat that history with care.

What do names like Rowan and Hawthorne mean?

Hawthorne means someone who lived by a hawthorn tree. Rowan as a surname comes from an Irish name meaning little red one, but it shares its spelling with the rowan tree, which folklore says protects against witchcraft. That double meaning makes it a favourite for witch characters.

Can I use these names for a coven, shop or brand?

Yes. Real surnames are free to use, and the original names were written for readers to use too. For a business, search the name first to make sure no one nearby already trades under it, especially in the same line of work.