Queen Elizabeth's Last Name: A Look at the Royal Family History

Queen Elizabeth II, the late monarch of the United Kingdom, did not have a last name in the traditional sense. As the reigning sovereign, she was simply known as "Her Majesty" or "The Queen." However, the royal family's last name is actually "Mountbatten-Windsor," a combination of the names of her husband, Prince Philip, and her father, King George VI. While this name is technically their last name, it is rarely used in official settings.
1. **Mountbatten-Windsor:** This name was adopted in 1960 as a compromise between Prince Philip's surname, Mountbatten, and the royal family's traditional surname, Windsor. "Mountbatten" is derived from the German word "Battenberg," while "Windsor" is the name of Windsor Castle, a royal residence.
2. **Windsor:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family in 1917, during World War I, as a way to distance themselves from their German heritage. "Windsor" is derived from the name of Windsor Castle, a royal residence.
3. **Saxe-Coburg and Gotha:** This was the original surname of the British royal family, adopted by Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert. "Saxe-Coburg and Gotha" is derived from the names of two German states.
4. **Hanover:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family in 1714, when George I, Elector of Hanover, became King of Great Britain. "Hanover" is derived from the name of the German state of Hanover.
5. **Stuart:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family in 1603, when James VI of Scotland became James I of England. "Stuart" is derived from the name of a Scottish noble family.
6. **Tudor:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family in 1485, when Henry VII, a Welsh nobleman, became King of England. "Tudor" is derived from the name of a Welsh noble family.
7. **Plantagenet:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family in 1154, when Henry II became King of England. "Plantagenet" is derived from the name of a French noble family.
8. **Norman:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family in 1066, when William the Conqueror, a Norman Duke, conquered England. "Norman" is derived from the name of a region in France.
9. **Anglo-Saxon:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family before 1066, when England was ruled by Anglo-Saxon kings. "Anglo-Saxon" refers to a group of Germanic tribes that settled in England during the 5th century AD.
10. **Wessex:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 9th century, when Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, unified England. "Wessex" is derived from the name of a kingdom in southwest England.
11. **Mercia:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 8th century, when Offa, King of Mercia, was one of the most powerful rulers in England. "Mercia" is derived from the name of a kingdom in central England.
12. **Northumbria:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 7th century, when Oswald, King of Northumbria, was a powerful Christian king. "Northumbria" is derived from the name of a kingdom in northeast England.
13. **Kent:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 6th century, when Æthelbert, King of Kent, was the first Anglo-Saxon king to convert to Christianity. "Kent" is derived from the name of a county in southeast England.
14. **Essex:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 6th century, when Æthelred, King of Essex, was a powerful king. "Essex" is derived from the name of a county in southeast England.
15. **Sussex:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 6th century, when Æthelwalh, King of Sussex, was a powerful king. "Sussex" is derived from the name of a county in southeast England.
16. **Wessex:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 5th century, when Cerdic, the first Saxon king of Wessex, established a kingdom in southwest England. "Wessex" is derived from the name of a kingdom in southwest England.
17. **Angles:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 5th century, when the Angles, a Germanic tribe, settled in England. "Angles" is derived from the name of a Germanic tribe.
18. **Saxons:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 5th century, when the Saxons, a Germanic tribe, settled in England. "Saxons" is derived from the name of a Germanic tribe.
19. **Jutes:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 5th century, when the Jutes, a Germanic tribe, settled in England. "Jutes" is derived from the name of a Germanic tribe.
20. **Roman:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 4th century, when the Romans withdrew from Britain. "Roman" refers to the Roman Empire.
21. **Picts:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 4th century, when the Picts, a Celtic tribe, lived in northern Britain. "Picts" is derived from the name of a Celtic tribe.
22. **Gaels:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 4th century, when the Gaels, a Celtic tribe, lived in Ireland and Scotland. "Gaels" is derived from the name of a Celtic tribe.
23. **Britons:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the 1st century, when the Romans conquered Britain. "Britons" refers to the Celtic people who lived in Britain before the Roman conquest.
24. **Celts:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the Iron Age, when the Celts, a group of Indo-European tribes, settled in Britain. "Celts" is derived from the name of a group of Indo-European tribes.
25. **Iberians:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the Bronze Age, when the Iberians, a group of people from the Iberian Peninsula, migrated to Britain. "Iberians" is derived from the name of a group of people from the Iberian Peninsula.
26. **Neolithic:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the Neolithic period, when people in Britain began to cultivate crops and domesticate animals. "Neolithic" refers to the New Stone Age.
27. **Mesolithic:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the Mesolithic period, when people in Britain were hunter-gatherers. "Mesolithic" refers to the Middle Stone Age.
28. **Paleolithic:** This surname was adopted by the British royal family during the Paleolithic period, when people in Britain were hunter-gatherers. "Paleolithic" refers to the Old Stone Age.
29. **Elizabeth:** This name is of Hebrew origin, meaning "my God is abundance." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
30. **Alexandra:** This name is of Greek origin, meaning "defender of mankind." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Russian.
31. **Victoria:** This name is of Latin origin, meaning "victory." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
32. **Mary:** This name is of Hebrew origin, meaning "bitter." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
33. **Anne:** This name is of Hebrew origin, meaning "grace." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
34. **George:** This name is of Greek origin, meaning "farmer." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
35. **Charles:** This name is of German origin, meaning "free man." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
36. **Philip:** This name is of Greek origin, meaning "lover of horses." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
37. **Edward:** This name is of Old English origin, meaning "wealthy guardian." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
38. **Henry:** This name is of German origin, meaning "ruler of the home." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
39. **James:** This name is of Hebrew origin, meaning "supplanter." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.
40. **William:** This name is of German origin, meaning "resolute protector." It is a popular name in many cultures, including English, French, German, and Spanish.