Interesting Last Names: A Unique Guide to Origin and Meaning

Are you looking for a last name that stands out from the crowd? Do you want a name with a rich history and intriguing meaning? This list of interesting last names is here to help you discover unique and memorable options. Whether you're looking for inspiration for a character in your next novel or simply want to learn more about the origins of your own family name, this list is sure to spark your curiosity.
1. **Abernathy:** A Scottish surname meaning "from the town of the oak tree."
2. **Ackerman:** A German surname meaning "field man."
3. **Ainsworth:** An English surname meaning "from the meadow near the hill."
4. **Albright:** An English surname meaning "bright hill."
5. **Aldridge:** An English surname meaning "from the old ridge."
6. **Alden:** An English surname meaning "from the old town."
7. **Alexander:** A Greek surname meaning "defender of mankind."
8. **Allen:** An English surname meaning "handsome, noble, or fair."
9. **Allred:** An English surname meaning "old red (haired)."
10. **Anderson:** An English surname meaning "son of Andrew."
11. **Archer:** An English surname meaning "bowman."
12. **Armstrong:** An English surname meaning "strong arm."
13. **Arnold:** A German surname meaning "powerful eagle."
14. **Ashby:** An English surname meaning "from the ash tree."
15. **Ashley:** An English surname meaning "ash tree clearing."
16. **Atkins:** An English surname meaning "son of Atkins."
17. **Atwood:** An English surname meaning "from the wood by the house."
18. **Austin:** An English surname meaning "from the Augustinian monastery."
19. **Avery:** An English surname meaning "ruler of elves."
20. **Baldwin:** A German surname meaning "bold friend."
21. **Ballard:** An English surname meaning "one who lives in a valley."
22. **Barclay:** A Scottish surname meaning "birch tree meadow."
23. **Barnes:** An English surname meaning "son of Barnaby."
24. **Barnett:** An English surname meaning "son of Bernard."
25. **Barton:** An English surname meaning "from the barley field."
26. **Bates:** An English surname meaning "son of Bath."
27. **Bauer:** A German surname meaning "farmer."
28. **Beaumont:** A French surname meaning "beautiful mountain."
29. **Beckett:** An English surname meaning "small cottage."
30. **Bell:** An English surname meaning "bell maker."
31. **Bennett:** An English surname meaning "blessed."
32. **Bentley:** An English surname meaning "from the meadow by the bent grass."
33. **Bertram:** A German surname meaning "bright raven."
34. **Blackwood:** An English surname meaning "from the dark wood."
35. **Blair:** A Scottish surname meaning "plain."
36. **Blake:** An English surname meaning "black."
37. **Bloom:** An English surname meaning "flower."
38. **Boone:** An English surname meaning "dweller by a stream."
39. **Bowman:** An English surname meaning "arrow maker."
40. **Boyd:** A Scottish surname meaning "yellow."
41. **Bradshaw:** An English surname meaning "broad meadow."
42. **Bradley:** An English surname meaning "from the broad meadow."
43. **Brandon:** An English surname meaning "broom hill."
44. **Brewer:** An English surname meaning "beer maker."
45. **Briggs:** An English surname meaning "son of Bryce."
46. **Brooks:** An English surname meaning "from the brook."
47. **Brown:** An English surname meaning "dark complexion."
48. **Bryant:** An English surname meaning "bright."
49. **Buchanan:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of the white-haired one."
50. **Burke:** An Irish surname meaning "strong."
51. **Burns:** A Scottish surname meaning "dweller by a stream."
52. **Bush:** An English surname meaning "from the bush."
53. **Butler:** An English surname meaning "wine keeper."
54. **Byrd:** An English surname meaning "bird."
55. **Cameron:** A Scottish surname meaning "bent nose."
56. **Campbell:** A Scottish surname meaning "crooked mouth."
57. **Cannon:** An English surname meaning "cannon maker."
58. **Carlisle:** An English surname meaning "fort on the hill."
59. **Carpenter:** An English surname meaning "woodworker."
60. **Carroll:** An Irish surname meaning "strong."
61. **Carter:** An English surname meaning "cart driver."
62. **Case:** An English surname meaning "one who lives near a waterfall."
63. **Casey:** An Irish surname meaning "vigilant."
64. **Castle:** An English surname meaning "one who lives near a castle."
65. **Chafin:** An English surname meaning "from the clearing near the oak trees."
66. **Chambers:** An English surname meaning "from the chamber."
67. **Chandler:** An English surname meaning "candle maker."
68. **Chapman:** An English surname meaning "merchant."
69. **Chase:** An English surname meaning "hunter."
70. **Chester:** An English surname meaning "castle town."
71. **Childers:** An English surname meaning "son of Child."
72. **Churchill:** An English surname meaning "church by the hill."
73. **Clark:** An English surname meaning "clerk."
74. **Clayton:** An English surname meaning "from the clay town."
75. **Clemens:** A Latin surname meaning "merciful."
76. **Cleveland:** An English surname meaning "cliff by the meadow."
77. **Clifford:** An English surname meaning "cliff ford."
78. **Cline:** An English surname meaning "from the hill."
79. **Clinton:** An English surname meaning "from the hill town."
80. **Cobb:** An English surname meaning "shoemaker."
81. **Cochran:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of the red-haired one."
82. **Coe:** An English surname meaning "from the meadow."
83. **Coleman:** An English surname meaning "dove."
84. **Collins:** An English surname meaning "son of Colin."
85. **Conley:** An Irish surname meaning "son of Conn."
86. **Cook:** An English surname meaning "cook."
87. **Cooper:** An English surname meaning "barrel maker."
88. **Cordova:** A Spanish surname meaning "cord maker."
89. **Cortez:** A Spanish surname meaning "courtier."
90. **Cottrell:** An English surname meaning "small hill."
91. **Cox:** An English surname meaning "fox."
92. **Craig:** A Scottish surname meaning "rock."
93. **Crawford:** A Scottish surname meaning "crow's ford."
94. **Crenshaw:** An English surname meaning "from the hill by the oak trees."
95. **Crosby:** An English surname meaning "cross by the wood."
96. **Cunningham:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of Conn."
97. **Curtis:** An English surname meaning "courteous."
98. **Dale:** An English surname meaning "from the valley."
99. **Daniels:** An English surname meaning "son of Daniel."
100. **Davidson:** An English surname meaning "son of David."
101. **Davis:** An English surname meaning "son of David."
102. **Dawson:** An English surname meaning "son of David."
103. **Dean:** An English surname meaning "from the valley."
104. **Dennis:** A Greek surname meaning "belonging to Dionysus."
105. **Derby:** An English surname meaning "from the village by the oak tree."
106. **Dickson:** An English surname meaning "son of Dick."
107. **Dixon:** An English surname meaning "son of Dick."
108. **Dodson:** An English surname meaning "son of Dodd."
109. **Doherty:** An Irish surname meaning "son of Hugh."
110. **Donaldson:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of Donald."
111. **Donovan:** An Irish surname meaning "dark-haired warrior."
112. **Dorsey:** An English surname meaning "from the deer meadow."
113. **Douglas:** A Scottish surname meaning "dark water."
114. **Downey:** An Irish surname meaning "son of Owen."
115. **Drake:** An English surname meaning "dragon."
116. **Drayton:** An English surname meaning "from the dragon town."
117. **Drew:** An English surname meaning "from the place where the river is divided."
118. **Dudley:** An English surname meaning "from the meadow by the oak trees."
119. **Duncan:** A Scottish surname meaning "brown warrior."
120. **Dunn:** A Scottish surname meaning "brown."
121. **Durham:** An English surname meaning "deer farm."
122. **Dyer:** An English surname meaning "dye maker."
123. **Easley:** An English surname meaning "from the ash tree clearing."
124. **Eastman:** An English surname meaning "eastern man."
125. **Eaton:** An English surname meaning "from the place by the river."
126. **Edmonds:** An English surname meaning "son of Edmund."
127. **Edwards:** An English surname meaning "son of Edward."
128. **Eldridge:** An English surname meaning "from the old ridge."
129. **Elias:** A Hebrew surname meaning "my God is Yahweh."
130. **Elliott:** An English surname meaning "son of Elias."
131. **Ellis:** An English surname meaning "from the ash tree clearing."
132. **Emerson:** An English surname meaning "son of Emery."
133. **English:** An English surname meaning "from England."
134. **Erickson:** A Scandinavian surname meaning "son of Eric."
135. **Erwin:** A German surname meaning "strong warrior."
136. **Evans:** An English surname meaning "son of Evan."
137. **Everett:** An English surname meaning "strong boar."
138. **Ewing:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of Hugh."
139. **Fairchild:** An English surname meaning "beautiful child."
140. **Farmer:** An English surname meaning "one who farms."
141. **Faulkner:** An English surname meaning "sickle maker."
142. **Fenton:** An English surname meaning "from the swamp."
143. **Ferguson:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of Fergus."
144. **Fernandez:** A Spanish surname meaning "son of Fernando."
145. **Field:** An English surname meaning "one who lives in the field."
146. **Fisher:** An English surname meaning "fisherman."
147. **Fitzgerald:** An Irish surname meaning "son of Gerald."
148. **Fletcher:** An English surname meaning "arrow maker."
149. **Floyd:** An English surname meaning "blond."
150. **Flowers:** An English surname meaning "one who lives near flowers."
151. **Ford:** An English surname meaning "ford crossing."
152. **Foster:** An English surname meaning "one who nurtures."
153. **Fox:** An English surname meaning "fox."
154. **Francis:** A Latin surname meaning "French."
155. **Franklin:** An English surname meaning "free man."
156. **Fraser:** A Scottish surname meaning "strawberry."
157. **Frederick:** A German surname meaning "peaceful ruler."
158. **Freeman:** An English surname meaning "free man."
159. **French:** An English surname meaning "from France."
160. **Frost:** An English surname meaning "one who lives near a frozen place."
161. **Fuller:** An English surname meaning "one who makes cloth."
162. **Gaines:** An English surname meaning "from the meadows."
163. **Gallagher:** An Irish surname meaning "bold stranger."
164. **Gardner:** An English surname meaning "garden keeper."
165. **Garrett:** An English surname meaning "spear man."
166. **Garrison:** An English surname meaning "one who guards a fort."
167. **Gary:** A German surname meaning "spear warrior."
168. **Gates:** An English surname meaning "one who lives near a gate."
169. **Gault:** A Scottish surname meaning "grey."
170. **Gaylord:** An English surname meaning "happy lord."
171. **George:** A Greek surname meaning "farmer."
172. **Gibson:** An English surname meaning "son of Gilbert."
173. **Gilbert:** An English surname meaning "bright pledge."
174. **Gill:** An English surname meaning "from the valley."
175. **Gilliam:** An English surname meaning "young William."
176. **Glass:** An English surname meaning "glass maker."
177. **Glenn:** An English surname meaning "from the valley."
178. **Glover:** An English surname meaning "glove maker."
179. **Goddard:** An English surname meaning "God's gift."
180. **Goodman:** An English surname meaning "good man."
181. **Gordon:** A Scottish surname meaning "great lord."
182. **Graham:** A Scottish surname meaning "gravel."
183. **Grant:** A Scottish surname meaning "big."
184. **Graves:** An English surname meaning "from the grave."
185. **Gray:** An English surname meaning "grey."
186. **Green:** An English surname meaning "green."
187. **Griffin:** A Welsh surname meaning "strong lord."
188. **Grimes:** An English surname meaning "from the grimy place."
189. **Guthrie:** A Scottish surname meaning "from the grove."
190. **Hale:** An English surname meaning "healthy."
191. **Hall:** An English surname meaning "one who lives in the hall."
192. **Hamilton:** A Scottish surname meaning "from the town of the tall hill."
193. **Hammond:** An English surname meaning "home meadow."
194. **Hancock:** An English surname meaning "son of Hank."
195. **Harding:** An English surname meaning "from the hard hill."
196. **Hardy:** An English surname meaning "strong."
197. **Harmon:** A German surname meaning "army man."
198. **Harper:** An English surname meaning "harp player."
199. **Harris:** An English surname meaning "son of Harry."
200. **Harrison:** An English surname meaning "son of Harry."
201. **Hart:** An English surname meaning "deer."
202. **Harvey:** An English surname meaning "army warrior."
203. **Haskell:** An English surname meaning "from the hazel tree clearing."
204. **Hawkins:** An English surname meaning "son of Hawk."
205. **Hayden:** An English surname meaning "from the hedged-in valley."
206. **Hayes:** An English surname meaning "from the hedged-in valley."
207. **Hazelton:** An English surname meaning "from the hazel tree town."
208. **Heath:** An English surname meaning "from the heath."
209. **Henderson:** An English surname meaning "son of Henry."
210. **Henry:** A German surname meaning "ruler of the house."
211. **Herbert:** A German surname meaning "bright army."
212. **Hewitt:** An English surname meaning "white."
213. **Hicks:** An English surname meaning "son of Hick."
214. **Higgins:** An English surname meaning "son of Hugh."
215. **Hill:** An English surname meaning "one who lives on a hill."
216. **Hodges:** An English surname meaning "son of Hodge."
217. **Hoffman:** A German surname meaning "court man."
218. **Holland:** An English surname meaning "from the hollow land."
219. **Holmes:** An English surname meaning "from the holly tree clearing."
220. **Holt:** An English surname meaning "from the wooded area."
221. **Hood:** An English surname meaning "one who wears a hood."
222. **Hooker:** An English surname meaning "one who works with hooks."
223. **Hopkins:** An English surname meaning "son of Hopkin."
224. **Horne:** An English surname meaning "from the corner."
225. **Howard:** An English surname meaning "brave guardian."
226. **Hudson:** An English surname meaning "son of Hugh."
227. **Huffman:** A German surname meaning "court man."
228. **Hughes:** An English surname meaning "son of Hugh."
229. **Humphrey:** A German surname meaning "peace protector."
230. **Hunt:** An English surname meaning "hunter."
231. **Hunter:** An English surname meaning "hunter."
232. **Hurley:** An Irish surname meaning "son of Hugh."
233. **Hutchinson:** An English surname meaning "son of Hutchin."
234. **Hyde:** An English surname meaning "from the hill."
235. **Ingram:** An English surname meaning "son of Ingelram."
236. **Irwin:** A Scottish surname meaning "iron."
237. **Isaacson:** A Hebrew surname meaning "son of Isaac."
238. **Jackson:** An English surname meaning "son of Jack."
239. **James:** A Hebrew surname meaning "supplanter."
240. **Jarvis:** An English surname meaning "spear man."
241. **Jefferson:** An English surname meaning "son of Jeffrey."
242. **Jenkins:** An English surname meaning "son of Jenkin."
243. **Jennings:** An English surname meaning "son of Jenning."
244. **Jensen:** A Scandinavian surname meaning "son of Jens."
245. **Jerome:** A Greek surname meaning "sacred name."
246. **Johnson:** An English surname meaning "son of John."
247. **Jones:** An English surname meaning "son of John."
248. **Jordan:** A Hebrew surname meaning "to descend."
249. **Josephson:** A Hebrew surname meaning "son of Joseph."
250. **Joyce:** A French surname meaning "joyful."