western european surnames
( origin, meaning )

aalto ( finnish, wave )
abbott ( english/scottish, priest )
abernathy ( scottish, mouth of the river nethy )
accetta ( italian, well-liked )
ahonen ( finnish, glade )
alderidge ( anglo-saxon, son of aldrich )
allard ( french, noble )
alström ( swedish, old river )
amsel ( german, blackbird )
ancrum ( scottish, from roxburghshire )
andersen ( danish, son of anders )
anderson/andersson ( english/swedish, son of andrew )
anson ( english, son of hann )
anttila ( finnish, works on antilla farm )
archambeau ( french, bold )
ardon ( dutch, brave friend )
argento ( italian, grey-haired )
arsenault ( french, gunmaker )
arvidsson ( swedish, son of arvid )
astor ( french/german, hawk )
atkinson ( scottish, red earth )

baker ( old english, maker of bread )
bakker ( german, baker )
barbier ( french, barber )
bathgate ( scottish, from west lothian )
baudelaire ( french, dagger )
baxter ( ango-saxon, female baker )
beauregard ( french, beautiful outlook )
beausoleil ( french, beautiful sun )
bechtel ( german, son of betto )
bellamy ( french, beautiful friend )
bennett ( english, blessed )
berg ( swedish, mountain )
berger ( french, shepherd )
berkshire ( english, hilly place )
berrevoets ( dutch )
bianchi ( italian, from cosenza )
bjorke ( swedish, birch )
bjorklund ( swedish, forest of birches )
black ( scottish, black-haired/dark complexion )
blanchet ( french, blonde )
blom ( scandinavian/german/dutch, flower )
blomqvist ( swedish, flower branch )
bohr ( german, son of boris )
bonetti ( italian, hatmaker )
boot ( dutch/english, boatman )
borghese ( italian, burgher )
bradford ( anglo-saxon, from bradford )
brandt ( german, burnt )
brickenden ( english, maker of bricks )
bright ( english, fair )
brooker ( english, dweller by the brook )
brouwer ( dutch, brewer )
brown ( english, brown hair/dark skin )
bruni ( italian, dark-haired person )
buckley ( irish, descendant of the cow herder )

cabot ( norman, head )
caputo ( italian, strong-headed )
carew ( welsh, hill )
carmichael ( scottish, fort )
carpenter ( english, maker of wooden objects )
carre ( french, square )
carter ( irish/scottish/english, transporter of goods )
chadwick ( english, from chadwick )
chapelle ( french, near the chapel )
charbonnier ( french, one who sells charcoal )
chastain ( french, chestnut tree )
chatelain ( french, constable )
cheeseman ( english, maker of cheese )
christiansen ( danish, son of christian )
christensen ( danish, son of christen )
clarke ( english/irish, scholar/cleric/secretary )
clausen ( danish, son of claus )
cleary ( irish, son of a cleric )
clemonte ( anglo-saxon, son of clement )
coldwell ( old english, by the cold well )
collins ( irish, young hound )
cook ( anglo-saxon, cook/butcher )
cooper ( english, wooden bucket maker )
cowan ( scottish, son of the yew tree )
crimson ( english, dark red )
cunningham ( scottish, rabbit's home )

dahlström ( swedish, river valley )
dane ( anglo-saxon, valley )
d'angelo ( italian, angel )
darwin ( old english, dear friend )
davies ( welsh, son of david )
davis ( welsh, son of david )
de boer ( dutch, farmer )
de graaf ( dutch, the count )
de groot ( dutch, the great )
de jonge ( dutch, the young )
de la cour ( french, of the court )
de la croix ( french, of the cross )
de la rue ( french, of the street )
de loughrey ( gaelic, rushes )
de luca ( italian, son of luca )
de rossi ( italian, red-haired )
de vries ( dutch, frisian )
dekker ( dutch, to cover )
di maggio ( italian, eldest son )
donahue ( irish, son of donnacha )
donnelly ( irish, brown valor )
dorst ( dutch, thirst )
doyle ( irish, black valor )
draper ( english/irish, maker/seller of woolen cloth )
drummond ( scottish, ridge )
dubbelman ( german, twice a man )
dubois ( french, by the woods )
dunne ( irish, brown )

ebony ( english, dark black-wooden tree )
eklund ( swedish, oak forest )
ekström ( swedish, oak tree by the river )
elenbaas ( dutch, edge of sword )
engelsen ( norwegian )
english ( old english )
eriksen ( danish, son of erik )
escoffier ( french, to dress )

ferguson ( scottish, son of the angry one )
findlay ( scottish, fair hero )
fisher ( english, catcher of fish )
fitzpatrick ( irish, follower of saint patrick )
fletcher ( english/scottish/irish, maker of arrows )
florentino ( italian, from florence )
fluor ( swiss )
fontaine ( french, fountain )
forbes ( scottish, field )
foreman ( english, pig farmer )
forester ( english, one in charge of king's forest )
forsberg ( swedish, mountain with a waterfall )
frandsen ( danish, son of frands )
frederiksen ( danish, son of frederik )
freud ( german, joy )

gagneux ( french, farmer )
gallagher ( irish, descendant of gallchobhar )
garcon ( french, servant )
garnier ( french, keeper of the granary )
geluk ( dutch, fortune )
gillies ( scottish, servant of Jesus )
giuliani ( italian, youthful )
granger ( english/french, farm bailiff )
gregory ( english, watchful )
griffiths ( welsh, chief )
grimaldi ( german, helmet )
guillaume ( french, strength )

hage ( german, enclosure )
halla ( finnish, frost )
hämäläinen ( finnish, from tavastia )
hansen ( danish, son of hans )
harding ( english, strong )
harrington ( english, he-goat )
harris ( english/welsh, son of harry )
harrower ( scottish, person who harrowed cultivated land )
hawthorne ( english/scottish, by the hedge )
hayward ( english, one responsible for fence/wall repair )
hearst ( anglo-saxon, by the hill )
heijboer ( dutch )
heikkinen ( finnish, home ruler )
heisenberg ( german )
henriksen ( danish, son of henrik )
hirsch ( german, stag )
hogan ( irish, of youth )
holm ( danish, small island )
holmberg ( swedish, hill on an island )
horne ( anglo-saxon, one who makes musical instruments )
hughes ( welsh/gaelic/french, son of hugh )
humphries ( german, bear cub )
hunter ( scottish, son of the hunter )
huntington ( english, hunter by the hill )

irvine ( scottish, fresh water )
iversen ( danish, son of iver )

jackson ( english, son of jack )
jakobsen ( danish, son of jakob )
janssen ( dutch, son of jan )
järvinen ( finnish, small lake )
jensen ( danish, son of jens )
jeppesen ( danish, son of jeppe )
jespersen ( danish, son of jesper )
johansen ( danish, son of john )
johnson ( english/scottish, son of john )
jokinen ( finnish, river )
jones ( welsh, son of loan )
jørgensen ( danish, son of jørgen )
jourdain ( french, one who descends )

kanerva ( finnish, heather )
kelly ( irish, descendant of ceallach )
kennedy ( irish, descendant of cennétig mac lorcáin )
kilner ( english, potter )
kivi ( finnish, stone )
kjær ( danish, fen )
kline ( german, small )
kloet ( dutch, lump )
knudsen ( danish, son of knud )
köhler ( german, charcoal burner )
könig ( german, king )
korhonen ( finnish, poor hearing )
koskinen ( finnish, small rapids )
krii ( swedish )
kristensen ( danish, son of kristen )
krüger ( german, tavern keeper )

laad ( welsh, to destroy )
laaksonen ( finnish, valley )
laferriere ( french, near an iron mine )
lafitte ( french, near the border )
laframboise ( french, raspberry )
lagrange ( french, near a granary )
laine ( finnish, wave )
lang ( german, tall )
langlois ( french, englishman )
larsen ( danish, son of lars )
lassila ( finnish, lasse's place )
lastra ( italian, flat slab of rock )
lauder ( scottish, trench )
lauridsen ( danish, son of laurids )
laursen ( danish, son of laurs )
leavenworth ( welsh, level farm )
leclerc ( french, clerk )
lee ( old english/korean, forest/plum tree )
lehtinen ( finnish, leaf )
lehtonen ( finnish, small grove )
lenoir ( french, black )
leroux ( french, redhead )
lexington ( english, town of the new law )
lindgren ( swedish, branch of a lime tree )
lindqvist ( swedish, linden twig )
lister ( english, textile dyer )
livermore ( welsh, great light )
lowell ( anglo-norman, wolf )
lucas ( english/french/spanish, man of lucania )
ludwig ( german, renowned warrior )
lund ( danish, grove )
lundberg ( swedish, mountain grove )
lynch ( irish, descendant of loingseach )
lyne ( irish, of the spear )

macduff ( scottish, son of the black-haired )
macmillan ( scottish, son of tonsure )
madsen ( danish, son of mads )
maher ( irish, of the generous )
mäkinen ( finnish, small hill )
mancini ( italian, left-handed )
mannering ( english, manly)
manzo ( italian, resembling an ox )
maris ( norman, marsh )
mason ( italian/french/english, stone mason )
mccarthy ( irish, son of cárthach )
mccoy ( scottish, son of aodh )
mcdermott ( irish, son of diarmait )
mcgowan ( irish, son of blacksmith )
mcmahon ( irish, son of mathghamhna )
meijer ( dutch, steward )
mercer ( english/scottish, merchant )
merrick ( welsh, roman )
meyer ( german, higher )
mikkelsen ( danish, son of mikkel )
milanesi ( italian, from milan )
miller ( old english, one who mills grain )
moeliker ( dutch )
mogensen ( danish, son of mogens )
møller ( danish, miller )
monroe ( scottish, man from river roe )
montgomery ( english/scottish, powerful man's hill )
moore ( english, open land )
moreau ( french, dark-skinned )
morelli ( italian, dark complexion )
morgan ( celtic, sea )
mortensen ( danish, son of morten )
moss ( welsh, peat bog )
moulin ( french, miller )
mulder ( dutch, miller )
mullen ( irish, descendant of maelan )
müller ( german, miller )
mulligan ( irish, descendant of the bald man )
murphy ( irish, sea warrior )
murray ( irish, seaman )

nash ( english, dweller by ash tree )
newton ( english, settlement )
nielsen ( danish, son of niels )
nieminen ( finnish, small peninsula )
nissen ( danish, son of nis )
nordlund ( swedish, small forest in the north )
norgaard ( danish, north of the farm )
nurmi ( finnish, pasture )

o'brien ( irish, descendant of brian boru )
o'connor ( irish, descendant of conchubhair donn )
o'dwyer ( irish, black )
o'keeffe ( irish, of the noble )
o'leary ( irish, descendant of laoghaire )
olsen ( danish, son of ole )
o'neill ( irish, descendant of niall noigallach )
o'reilly ( irish, descendant of raghallaigh )
orman ( anglo-french, bottle )
o'rourke ( irish, descendant of ruarc )
o'shea ( irish, descendant of the majestic )
østergaard ( danish, east of the farm )
o'sullivan ( irish, descendant of the dark-eyed )

payne ( english, pagan )
pedersen ( danish, son of peder )
pesci ( italian, fisherman )
petersen ( danish, son of peter )
peura ( finnish, deer )
pfeiffer ( german, piper )
piazza ( italian, town square )
poirier ( french, near a pear tree )
polderman ( german )
pomeroy ( french, apple orchard )
porzio ( italian, hog )
poulsen ( danish, son of poul )
poyner ( welsh, honored )
price ( welsh, son of rhys )
proulx ( french, brave )
pruitt ( french/english, valiant )

quinn ( irish, descendant of conn )
quist ( swedish, twig )

radcliffe ( old english, red cliff )
ranta ( finnish, shore )
rasmussen ( danish, son of rasmus )
rees ( welsh, fiery warrior )
regan ( irish, descendant of riagáin )
rhodes ( english, clearing of woods )
ricci ( italian, curly-haired )
richelieu ( french, place of wealth )
ripley ( english, wood clearing )
roche ( french, near a rocky hill )
rockefeller ( german, open country )
rolfe ( english, wolf )
rolle ( english, son of rowland )
roth ( german, red-haired )
rothschild ( german, with the red sign )
roy ( scottish, king )
ruoho ( finnish, grass )
rush ( old english, rush )
rutherford ( old english, cattle )

saccone ( italian, bag maker )
sartre ( french, tailor )
sawyer ( english, one who saws wood )
schäfer ( german, shepherd )
schmidt ( danish, blacksmith )
schreiber ( german, scribe )
schulz ( german, one in charge of a village )
seppälä ( finnish, blacksmith )
serrurier ( french, locksmith )
sheeran ( irish, descendant of sírín )
shepherd ( english, one who watches over sheep )
simonsen ( danish, son of simon )
sjöberg ( swedish, mountain in the sea )
slater ( english, one who works with slate )
smith ( english, one who works with metal )
søndergaard ( danish, south of the farm )
sørensen ( danish, son of søren )
stewart ( scottish, warden )
stryker ( dutch, one who levels grain )
sullivan ( gaelic, hawk-eyed )
svendsen ( danish, son of sven )
sweeney ( irish, son of suibhne )

taylor ( english/scottish, maker of clothes )
thibaut ( french, brave )
thomas ( english/welsh/irish, twin )
thomsen ( danish, son of thomas )
toussaint ( french, all saints )
tyler ( english, maker or layer of tiles )

vachon ( french, cowherd )
vaillancourt ( french, low-lying farm )
van de velde ( dutch, from the field )
van der berge ( dutch, from the mountain )
van der werf ( dutch, from the yard )
van dijk ( dutch, from a dike )
van doren ( dutch, from the bush )
van leeuwen ( dutch, from lions )
van oeveren ( dutch )
vanhanen ( finnish, old )
verton ( dutch )
vesper ( latin, evening )
vestergaard ( danish, west of the farm )
vieux ( french, old )
virtanen ( finnish, small stream )
visser ( dutch, fisherman )
vitale ( italian, life )
voland ( french, one who flies )
vos ( dutch, fox )

wallace ( scottish, foreigner )
walsh ( irish, welshman )
walter ( english, dweller by water )
ward ( old english, guardian )
webb ( english/scottish, weaver )
weber ( german, weaver )
webster ( norman french, weaver )
whelan ( irish, of the wolf )
white ( english, white )
williams ( english/welsh/french, son of william )
wilson ( english/scottish, protection )
windsor ( english, riverbank with windlass )
wogan ( welsh, to frown )
wolf ( old english, wolf )
wood ( old english, dweller by the woods )
wright ( old english, maker of wooden objects )

zinmermann ( german, carpenter )

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