Last Names Starting with B: A Comprehensive List

Looking for a unique and meaningful last name that starts with the letter B? You've come to the right place! This comprehensive list features over 40 last names beginning with "B," each accompanied by a detailed explanation of its origins, meaning, and historical significance. Whether you're researching your family history or simply seeking inspiration for a new character in your novel, this resource will provide you with a wealth of knowledge.
1. **Baker**: From Old English "bācere," meaning "one who bakes bread." This occupational surname is commonly found in areas with a strong tradition of baking.
2. **Baldwin**: Of German origin, combining the elements "bald" meaning "bold" and "win" meaning "friend." It signifies a bold friend or a brave ally.
3. **Ball**: Derived from Middle English "balle," meaning "ball." It could have originated as a nickname for someone who was adept at playing ball games or who possessed a round physical characteristic.
4. **Banks**: An occupational surname for someone who lived near or worked on a bank or a steep slope.
5. **Barber**: From Old French "barbier," meaning "barber." This surname identifies those who worked as barbers, often combining the profession with that of a surgeon.
6. **Barnes**: A place name from Old English "berne," meaning "barley" or "barn," likely referring to a dwelling or farm where barley was grown or stored.
7. **Barrett**: An anglicized form of the Irish surname "Ó Barr," meaning "descendant of Barr." Barr was a personal name of uncertain meaning.
8. **Barton**: A place name from Old English "beorht" meaning "bright" and "tūn" meaning "settlement," indicating a bright settlement or a village with a notable landmark.
9. **Baxter**: An occupational surname from Middle English "baxter," meaning "baker," similar to "Baker" but with a slightly different spelling.
10. **Beaumont**: A French place name composed of "beau" meaning "beautiful" and "mont" meaning "mountain," suggesting a beautiful mountain or a hilltop location.
11. **Beck**: From Old English "bece," meaning "brook" or "stream." It likely denotes a place name associated with a nearby brook.
12. **Bell**: An occupational surname for someone who made or sold bells. It could also refer to a person with a bell-like voice or who lived near a church bell tower.
13. **Bennett**: A patronymic surname derived from the Old English personal name "Benedict," meaning "blessed." It signifies a descendant of a man named Benedict.
14. **Bentley**: A place name from Old English "bent" meaning "grassy slope" and "lēah" meaning "woodland," suggesting a woodland area with a grassy slope.
15. **Berg**: Derived from the Old Norse word "berg," meaning "mountain." It signifies a place name associated with a mountain or a hilltop dwelling.
16. **Berry**: From Old English "berie," meaning "berry." It may have originally been an occupational surname for someone who cultivated or sold berries.
17. **Bishop**: An occupational surname for a member of the clergy, specifically a bishop. It represents a religious authority figure.
18. **Black**: A descriptive surname for someone with dark hair or a dark complexion. It could also refer to someone who wore black clothing or who lived in a dark or gloomy area.
19. **Blair**: From Old English "blār," meaning "field" or "open space." It refers to a place name associated with a clear field or an open space.
20. **Blake**: A descriptive surname derived from Old English "blāc," meaning "black" or "pale." It could signify a person with a dark complexion or one who wore black clothing.
21. **Bloom**: From Middle English "blōme," meaning "blossom" or "flower." It may have originated as a nickname for someone who was known for their beauty or who lived in a place with abundant flowers.
22. **Blue**: A descriptive surname referring to someone with blue eyes or blue hair, or someone who wore blue clothing.
23. **Blythe**: From Old English "blithe," meaning "happy" or "joyful." It suggests a person with a cheerful disposition or a place known for its joyfulness.
24. **Boone**: From Old French "bonne," meaning "good" or "pleasant." It could have originated as a nickname for someone with a good reputation or a pleasant personality.
25. **Booth**: From Old English "bōþ," meaning "hut" or "booth." This occupational surname is likely associated with someone who lived in or owned a booth or a small dwelling.
26. **Bowman**: An occupational surname for a man who made or used bows and arrows, specifically a bowman.
27. **Boyd**: An anglicized form of the Gaelic surname "Ó Buidhe," meaning "descendant of the yellow one." It refers to someone with a yellow complexion or who wore yellow clothing.
28. **Bradley**: A place name from Old English "brād" meaning "broad" and "lēah" meaning "woodland," suggesting a woodland area with a broad clearing.
29. **Bradshaw**: A place name from Old English "brād" meaning "broad" and "sceaga" meaning "woodland," denoting a woodland area with a broad clearing.
30. **Branch**: From Old English "brānce," meaning "branch" or "offshoot." It may have originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a branching path or stream.
31. **Bray**: From Old French "braie," meaning "bramble" or "thicket." It signifies a place name associated with a thicket or a bramble patch.
32. **Brewer**: An occupational surname for someone who brewed beer or other alcoholic beverages.
33. **Brown**: A descriptive surname for someone with brown hair or brown skin. It could also refer to someone who wore brown clothing.
34. **Bryant**: An anglicized form of the Welsh surname "Brycheiniog," meaning "from Brecon." Brecon is a town in Wales.
35. **Buckley**: A place name from Old English "būc" meaning "beech tree" and "lēah" meaning "woodland," denoting a woodland area with beech trees.
36. **Bull**: A descriptive surname for someone who was associated with bulls, either through their occupation or a physical characteristic.
37. **Burke**: An anglicized form of the Gaelic surname "Ó Burch," meaning "descendant of Burch." Burch is a personal name of unknown meaning.
38. **Burnett**: A place name from Old English "burne" meaning "stream" and "tūn" meaning "settlement," suggesting a settlement located near a stream.
39. **Bush**: From Old English "bysc," meaning "bush" or "shrub." It may have originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a bush or who had a bush-like beard.
40. **Butler**: From Old French "bouteillier," meaning "wine steward." This occupational surname signifies a person who served as a steward responsible for wine storage and distribution.