jackofalltrades's Personal Name List
Adams
Usage: English, Jewish
Pronounced: AD-əmz(English)
Derived from the given name
Adam.
Allen
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: AL-ən(English)
Derived from the given name
Alan.
Anderson
Usage: English
Pronounced: AN-dər-sən
Andrews
Usage: English
Pronounced: AN-drooz
Arbore
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: AR-bo-reh
From Latin arbor meaning "tree".
Arce
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: AR-theh(European Spanish) AR-seh(Latin American Spanish)
Means "maple tree" in Spanish.
Argyri
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Αργύρη(Greek)
Aritza
From Basque aritz meaning "oak tree". This was a nickname of Iñigo, the first king of Pamplona, Spain (9th century).
Ash
Usage: English
Pronounced: ASH
From Old English
æsc meaning
"ash tree", indicating a person who lived near ash trees.
Bailey
Usage: English
Pronounced: BAY-lee
From Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", which comes via Old French from Latin baiulus "porter".
Báthory
Originally indicated a person from Bátor, a village in Hungary, which might be of Turkic origin meaning "hero". This was the surname of a Hungarian noble family who historically controlled the town. One of the family members, Stephen Báthory, became the king of Poland in the 16th century.
Baxter
Usage: English
Pronounced: BAK-stər
Variant (in origin a feminine form) of
Baker.
Beaumont
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: BO-MAWN(French) BO-mahnt(English)
From French place names derived from beau "beautiful" and mont "mountain".
Beech 2
Originally a name for a person who lived near a beech tree, from Old English bece.
Bell 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: BEHL
From Middle English belle meaning "bell". It originated as a nickname for a person who lived near the town bell, or who had a job as a bell-ringer.
Bellerose
Means "beautiful rose" in French.
Bellini
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: behl-LEE-nee
From Italian bello meaning "beautiful".
Bello
Usage: Spanish, Italian
Pronounced: BEH-yo(Spanish) BEHL-lo(Italian)
Means "beautiful" in Spanish and Italian, originally a nickname for an attractive person.
Belmont
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: BEHL-MAWN(French) BEHL-mahnt(English)
Black
Usage: English
Pronounced: BLAK
Means either "black" (from Old English blæc) or "pale" (from Old English blac). It could refer to a person with a pale or a dark complexion, or a person who worked with black dye.
Blanc
Usage: French
Pronounced: BLAHN
Means "white" in French. The name referred to a person who was pale, or whose hair was blond.
Blanchet
Usage: French
Pronounced: BLAHN-SHEH
Blum
Means "flower" in German and Yiddish.
Bowman
Usage: English
Pronounced: BO-mən
Occupational name for an archer, derived from Middle English bowe, Old English boga meaning "bow".
Brand 2
Usage: German, Dutch
Pronounced: BRANT(German)
From Old High German brant or Old Dutch brand meaning "fire", originally a name for a person who lived near an area that had been cleared by fire.
Bravo
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: BRA-bo(Spanish) BRA-voo(Portuguese)
From a nickname meaning "angry, bold, brave" in Spanish and Portuguese.
Brooks
Usage: English
Pronounced: BRUWKS
Bryant
Usage: English
Pronounced: BRIE-ənt
From the given name
Brian.
Burke
Usage: English, Irish
Pronounced: BURK(English)
Derived from Middle English burgh meaning "fortress, fortification, castle". It was brought to Ireland in the 12th century by the Norman invader William de Burgh.
Butler
Usage: English, Irish
Pronounced: BUT-lər(English)
Occupational name derived from Norman French butiller "wine steward", ultimately from Late Latin butticula "bottle". A famous bearer of this surname is the fictional character Rhett Butler, created by Margaret Mitchell for her novel Gone with the Wind (1936).
Campbell
Usage: Scottish
Pronounced: KAM-bəl
From a Gaelic nickname cam beul meaning "wry or crooked mouth". The surname was later represented in Latin documents as de bello campo meaning "of the fair field".
Caro
Usage: Spanish, Italian
Pronounced: KA-ro
From Spanish and Italian caro meaning "beloved".
Carraway
Usage: English (British)
Pronounced: KAYR-ə-way(British English)
The name Carraway belongs to the early history of Britain, and its origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of one having lived on a road near a field or piece of land that was triangular in shape. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English words gara, meaning "triangular piece of land," and weg, meaning "path" or "road."
Carter
Usage: English
Pronounced: KAHR-tər
Occupational name for a person who operated a cart to transport goods, from Norman French caretier. A famous bearer is the former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).
Charbonneau
Usage: French
Pronounced: SHAR-BAW-NO
Derived from a
diminutive form of French
charbon "charcoal", a nickname for a person with black hair or a dark complexion.
Clark
Usage: English
Pronounced: KLAHRK
Means "cleric" or "scribe", from Old English clerec meaning "priest", ultimately from Latin clericus. A famous bearer was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America.
Cleary
From Irish
cléireach meaning "clerk" (see
Clark).
Collins 1
Anglicized form of
Ó Coileáin. A famous bearer was Michael Collins, an Irish nationalist leader who was assassinated in 1922.
Connolly
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KAHN-ə-lee(English)
Anglicized form of Irish Ó Conghalaigh, which means "descendant of Conghalach". Conghalach is a nickname meaning "valiant".
Cooper
Usage: English
Pronounced: KOOP-ər, KUWP-ər
Means "barrel maker", from Middle English couper.
Cross
Usage: English
Pronounced: KRAWS
Locative name meaning
"cross", ultimately from Latin
crux. It denoted one who lived near a cross symbol or near a crossroads.
Delacroix
Usage: French
Pronounced: DEH-LA-KRWA
Means "of the cross" in French. It denoted one who lived near a cross symbol or near a crossroads. A notable bearer was the French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863).
Desjardins
Usage: French
Pronounced: DEH-ZHAR-DEHN
Means "from the gardens", from French jardin "garden".
Díaz
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: DEE-ath(European Spanish) DEE-as(Latin American Spanish)
Means
"son of Diego" in Spanish.
Durand
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: DUY-RAHN(French)
From Old French durant meaning "enduring", ultimately from Latin durans. This was a nickname for a stubborn person.
Elliott
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHL-ee-ət
Fay 1
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: FAY(English)
Referred to a person who came from various places named Fay or Faye in northern France, derived from Old French fau "beech tree", from Latin fagus.
Fay 2
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAY
From a nickname for a person who was thought to have magical qualities, from Middle English faie meaning "magical, enchanted".
Flores
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: FLO-rehs
Means
"son of Floro" in Spanish.
Florou
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Φλώρου(Greek)
Fontaine
Usage: French
Pronounced: FAWN-TEHN
Derived from Old French fontane meaning "well, fountain", a derivative of Latin fons.
Foster 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAWS-tər
Fox
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAHKS
From the name of the animal. It was originally a nickname for a person with red hair or a crafty person.
Fraser
Meaning unknown, originally Norman French de Fresel, possibly from a lost place name in France.
Frost
Usage: English, German
Pronounced: FRAWST
From Old English and Old High German meaning "frost", a nickname for a person who had a cold personality or a white beard.
Galani
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Γαλανή(Greek)
Gallardo
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ga-YAR-dho
Means "gallant, elegant" in Spanish.
García
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: gar-THEE-a(European Spanish) gar-SEE-a(Latin American Spanish)
From a medieval given name of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Basque word hartz meaning "bear". This is the most common surname in Spain.
González
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: gon-THA-leth(European Spanish) gon-SA-lehs(Latin American Spanish)
Means
"son of Gonzalo" in Spanish. This is among the most common surnames in Spain.
Gray
Usage: English
Pronounced: GRAY
From a nickname for a person who had grey hair or grey clothes.
Griffin 1
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: GRIF-in(English)
Hamid
Usage: Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Filipino, Tausug
Other Scripts: حامد, حميد(Arabic) حامد, حمید(Urdu) হামিদ(Bengali)
Pronounced: ha-MEED(Arabic) HA-meed(Arabic)
Hayes 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAYZ
From various English place names that were derived from Old English hæg meaning "enclosure, fence". A famous bearer was American President Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893).
Hernández
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ehr-NAN-deth(European Spanish) ehr-NAN-dehs(Latin American Spanish)
Hughes 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: HYOOZ
Patronymic of the given name
Hugh.
Jacobs
Usage: English, Dutch
Pronounced: JAY-kəbz(English)
Derived from the given name
Jacob.
Joly
From Old French joli meaning "happy, jolly, pretty".
Jones
Usage: English, Welsh
Pronounced: JONZ(English)
Derived from the given name
Jon, a medieval variant of
John.
Kaiser
Usage: German
Pronounced: KIE-zu
From Middle High German
keiser meaning
"emperor", originally a nickname applied to someone who acted kingly. The title ultimately derives from the Roman name
Caesar.
Karagianni
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Καραγιάννη(Greek)
Katsarou
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Κατσαρού(Greek)
Kelly 1
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KEHL-ee(English)
Anglicized form of Irish
Ó Ceallaigh meaning
"descendant of Ceallach". Famous bearers include actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).
Kennedy
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KEHN-ə-dee(English)
From the Irish name
Ó Cinnéidigh meaning
"descendant of Cennétig". This surname was borne by assassinated American president John F. Kennedy (1917-1963).
Kiefer 1
Usage: German
Pronounced: KEE-fu
Means "pine tree" in German.
Klein
Usage: German, Dutch, Jewish
Pronounced: KLIEN(German)
Means "small, little" from German klein or Yiddish kleyn. A famous bearer of this name is clothes designer Calvin Klein (1942-).
Kohl
Usage: German
Pronounced: KOL
Derived from Middle High German kol "cabbage".
Kokkinou
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Κόκκινου(Greek)
Labelle
Means "fair, beautiful" in French.
Lachance
Means "chance, luck" in French, a nickname for a lucky person.
Lang
Usage: German, Danish, Norwegian
Leblanc
Usage: French
Pronounced: LU-BLAHN
Means "the white" in French, from blanc "white". The name referred to a person who was pale or whose hair was blond.
Lee 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: LEE
Originally given to a person who lived on or near a
leah, Old English meaning
"woodland, clearing".
Leroux
Usage: French
Pronounced: LU-ROO
Means "the red", from Old French ros "red". This was a nickname for a person with red hair.
Lewis 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: LOO-is
Derived from the given name
Lewis. The author C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) was a bearer of this surname.
Lynn
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIN
From the name of a town in Norfolk (King's Lynn), derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake".
MacDonald
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic
MacDhòmhnaill meaning
"son of Donald". It originates from the Highland clan Donald.
Marinos
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Μαρίνος(Greek)
Derived from the given name
Marinos.
Marshall
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAHR-shəl
Derived from Middle English
mareschal "marshal", from Latin
mariscalcus, ultimately from Germanic roots akin to Old High German
marah "horse" and
scalc "servant". It originally referred to someone who took care of horses.
Martel 2
Nickname for a smith, derived from Old French martel "hammer", ultimately from Late Latin martellus.
Martínez
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: mar-TEE-neth(European Spanish) mar-TEE-nehs(Latin American Spanish)
Means
"son of Martín" in Spanish.
McAlister
From Scottish Gaelic
MacAlastair or Irish Gaelic
Mac Alastair meaning
"son of Alistair".
McLean
Usage: Scottish
Pronounced: mə-KLAYN
Anglicized form of Gaelic
MacGillEathain or
MacGillEain meaning
"son of the servant of Eòin".
Meyer 1
Usage: German
Pronounced: MIE-u
From Middle High German meier meaning "bailiff, administrator", derived from Latin maior meaning "greater". Later it also denoted a tenant farmer. The spellings Meier and Meyer are more common in northern Germany while Maier and Mayer are more common in southern Germany.
Miller
Usage: English
Pronounced: MIL-ər
Occupational surname meaning "miller", referring to a person who owned or worked in a grain mill, derived from Middle English mille "mill".
Mitchell 1
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: MICH-əl(English)
Derived from the given name
Michael.
Murphy
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: MUR-fee(English)
Anglicized form of Irish
Ó Murchadha meaning
"descendant of Murchadh". This is the most common Irish surname.
Murray 1
Usage: Scottish
Pronounced: MUR-ee
Derived from the region in Scotland called Moray (Gaelic Moireabh), possibly of Pictish origin, meaning "seashore, coast". A notable bearer of this surname was General James Murray (1721-1794), who was the first British Governor-General of Canada.
Nelson 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: NEHL-sən
Means
"son of Neil". This name was borne by the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805).
Newman
Usage: English
Pronounced: NOO-mən, NYOO-mən
Nicholson
Usage: English
Pronounced: NIK-əl-sən
Means
"son of Nicholas". A famous bearer of this surname is the American actor Jack Nicholson (1937-).
Novak
Usage: Slovene, Croatian, Serbian
Other Scripts: Новак(Serbian)
Derived from Slavic
novŭ "new", originally a name for someone who was new to a village.
Ó Coileáin
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: O KEH-lyan
Means
"descendant of Coileán" in Irish.
Oliveira
Usage: Portuguese
Pronounced: aw-lee-VAY-ru(European Portuguese) o-lee-VAY-ru(Brazilian Portuguese)
Means "olive tree" in Portuguese, ultimately from Latin oliva. It indicated a person who lived near or worked with olive trees.
Park 2
Usage: English
Pronounced: PAHRK
From Middle English park, from Latin parricus, of Frankish origin. This was a name for someone who worked in or lived in a park.
Parker
Usage: English
Pronounced: PAHR-kər
Means "keeper of the park" in Middle English. It is an occupational name for a person who was a gamekeeper at a medieval park.
Payne
Usage: English
Pronounced: PAYN
From a medieval given name or nickname derived from Latin paganus meaning "heathen, pagan" (from an earlier sense "rural, rustic"), which was given to children whose baptism had been postponed or adults who were not overly religious.
Peacock
Usage: English
Pronounced: PEE-kahk
From Middle English pecok meaning "peacock". It was originally a nickname for a proud or haughty person.
Pereira
Usage: Portuguese, Galician
Pronounced: pi-RAY-ru(European Portuguese) peh-RAY-ru(Brazilian Portuguese, Galician)
From Portuguese and Galician pereira meaning "pear tree", ultimately from Latin pirum meaning "pear".
Perkins
Usage: English
Pronounced: PUR-kinz
Perry 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: PEHR-ee
From Old English pirige meaning "pear tree", a derivative of peru meaning "pear", itself from Latin pirum. A famous bearer was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.
Peters
Usage: English, German, Dutch
Pronounced: PEET-ərz(English) PEH-tərs(Dutch)
Peterson
Usage: English
Pronounced: PEET-ər-sən
Porter
Usage: English
Pronounced: PAWR-tər
Occupational name meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French porte "door", from Latin porta.
Proulx
Derived from Old French preu meaning "valiant, brave".
Raine 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAYN
From a nickname derived from Old French reine meaning "queen".
Ramírez
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ra-MEE-reth(European Spanish) ra-MEE-rehs(Latin American Spanish)
Means
"son of Ramiro" in Spanish.
Reed
Usage: English
Pronounced: REED
Reyes
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: REH-yehs
Spanish variant of
Rey 1.
Reynolds
Usage: English
Pronounced: REHN-əldz
Derived from the given name
Reynold.
Richardson
Usage: English
Pronounced: RICH-ərd-sən
Rivera
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ree-BEH-ra
From Spanish ribera meaning "bank, shore", from Latin riparius.
Robinson
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAHB-in-sən(American English) RAWB-in-sən(British English)
Rogers
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAHJ-ərz(American English) RAWJ-əz(British English)
Derived from the given name
Roger.
Rousseau
Diminutive of
Roux. A famous bearer was the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) whose ideas influenced the French Revolution.
Roux
Derived from Old French ros meaning "red", from Latin russus, a nickname for a red-haired person.
Sala
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Romanian
Pronounced: SA-la(Italian, Spanish) SA-lə(Catalan) SA-lu(Portuguese)
Occupational name for a worker at a manor house, from the Romance word sala meaning "hall, large room", of Germanic origin.
Sánchez
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: SAN-cheth(European Spanish) SAN-chehs(Latin American Spanish)
Schmidt
Usage: German
Pronounced: SHMIT
Occupational name derived from Middle High German
smit "smith, metalworker", a
cognate of
Smith.
Schwartz
Usage: German, Jewish
Pronounced: SHVARTS(German)
Scott
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: SKAHT(American English) SKAWT(British English)
Originally given to a person from Scotland or a person who spoke Scottish Gaelic.
Shepard
Usage: English
Pronounced: SHEHP-ərd
Shine 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: SHIEN
Means "beautiful, attractive" from Old English sciene.
Simmons
Usage: English
Pronounced: SIM-ənz
Derived from the given name
Simon 1.
Sinclair
Usage: English
Pronounced: sin-KLEHR
Derived from a Norman French town called "
Saint Clair".
Spirou
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Σπύρου(Greek)
Stern 1
Usage: English
Pronounced: STURN
From Old English styrne meaning "stern, severe". This was used as a nickname for someone who was stern, harsh, or severe in manner or character.
Strong
Usage: English
Pronounced: STRAWNG
Nickname derived from Middle English strong or strang meaning "strong".
Summers 2
Usage: English
Pronounced: SUM-ərz
Sweet
Usage: English
Pronounced: SWEET
From a nickname meaning "sweet, pleasant", from Old English swete.
Taylor
Usage: English
Pronounced: TAY-lər
Derived from Old French tailleur meaning "tailor", ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".
Thomas
Usage: English, Welsh, French, German
Other Scripts: തോമസ്(Malayalam)
Pronounced: TAHM-əs(American English) TAWM-əs(British English) TAW-MA(French) TO-mas(German)
Derived from the given name
Thomas.
Thompson
Usage: English
Pronounced: TAHMP-sən(American English) TAWMP-sən(British English)
Torres
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: TO-rehs(Spanish)
Name for a person who lived in or near a tower, ultimately from Latin turris.
Turner
Usage: English
Pronounced: TUR-nər
Occupational name for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English turnian "to turn", of Latin origin. A famous bearer is the American musician Tina Turner (1939-2023), born Anna Mae Bullock.
Vale
Usage: Portuguese
Pronounced: VA-li(European Portuguese) VA-lee(Brazilian Portuguese)
Means "valley" in Portuguese, ultimately from Latin vallis.
Vásquez
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: BAS-keth(European Spanish) BAS-kehs(Latin American Spanish)
Velásquez
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: beh-LAS-keth(European Spanish) beh-LAS-kehs(Latin American Spanish)
Derived from the given name
Velasco.
Vogel
Usage: German, Dutch
Pronounced: FO-gəl(German)
From Old High German and Old Dutch fogal meaning "bird". It was originally an occupational name for a bird catcher, or a nickname for a person who liked to sing.
Walker
Usage: English
Pronounced: WAWK-ər
Occupational name for a person who walked on damp raw cloth in order to thicken it. It is derived from Middle English walkere, Old English wealcan meaning "to move".
Way
Usage: English
Pronounced: WAY
From Old English weg meaning "way, road, path".
Williams
Usage: English
Pronounced: WIL-yəmz
Wilson
Usage: English
Pronounced: WIL-sən
Means
"son of Will". A famous bearer was the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924).
Wood
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: WUWD(English)
Originally denoted one who lived in or worked in a forest, derived from Old English
wudu "wood".
Young
Usage: English
Pronounced: YUNG
Derived from Old English geong meaning "young". This was a descriptive name to distinguish father from son.
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