Unique Last Names with Meaning: Discover Rare and Meaningful Surnames

Looking for a unique last name that holds special meaning? Perhaps you're searching for a name that reflects your family history, cultural heritage, or personal values. This list of unique last names with detailed meanings offers a diverse selection of options, ranging from ancient origins to modern creations. Whether you're searching for a name for a new family, exploring your ancestry, or simply seeking inspiration, this comprehensive list has something for everyone.
1. **Abernathy:** From the Gaelic "abhair" (river) and "ath" (ford), meaning "river ford."
2. **Ainsworth:** Old English origin, meaning "one who lives near a clearing in the woods."
3. **Alaric:** A Germanic name meaning "ruler of all."
4. **Alvord:** From the Old English "ælf" (elf) and "weard" (guardian), meaning "elf guardian."
5. **Amory:** French origin, meaning "love," "work," or "armor."
6. **Anselm:** Germanic name meaning "god helmet" or "divine protection."
7. **Arden:** English origin, meaning "valley" or "forest."
8. **Astor:** Latin origin, meaning "star."
9. **Atticus:** From the Greek "Attikos," meaning "from Attica."
10. **Avalon:** Welsh origin, meaning "apple orchard."
11. **Bartholomew:** Aramaic origin, meaning "son of Talmai," a biblical figure.
12. **Baudelaire:** French origin, meaning "builder of the wood" or "carpenter."
13. **Beckett:** Old English origin, meaning "little brook" or "stream."
14. **Belmont:** Italian origin, meaning "beautiful mountain."
15. **Benedict:** Latin origin, meaning "blessed."
16. **Bertram:** Old German origin, meaning "bright raven."
17. **Blair:** Old English origin, meaning "plain" or "clearing."
18. **Bodley:** Old English origin, meaning "dweller by the barley field."
19. **Breton:** French origin, meaning "person from Brittany."
20. **Cadogan:** Welsh origin, meaning "little lord."
21. **Calvert:** Old English origin, meaning "bald head."
22. **Cassius:** Latin origin, meaning "empty" or "hollow."
23. **Chandler:** Old English origin, meaning "candle maker."
24. **Charlton:** Old English origin, meaning "farm on the chalky hill."
25. **Clement:** Latin origin, meaning "merciful."
26. **Colby:** Old English origin, meaning "coal black."
27. **Corvus:** Latin origin, meaning "raven."
28. **Cygnus:** Latin origin, meaning "swan."
29. **Darrow:** Old English origin, meaning "deer park."
30. **Devereaux:** Old French origin, meaning "divine strength."
31. **Dorian:** Greek origin, meaning "gift of God."
32. **Drake:** Old English origin, meaning "dragon."
33. **Eamon:** Irish origin, meaning "rich" or "wealthy."
34. **Edgar:** Old English origin, meaning "prosperous spear."
35. **Edmund:** Old English origin, meaning "wealthy protector."
36. **Elio:** Greek origin, meaning "sun."
37. **Emmett:** German origin, meaning "powerful" or "strong."
38. **Enoch:** Hebrew origin, meaning "dedicated."
39. **Estelle:** Latin origin, meaning "star."
40. **Everett:** Old English origin, meaning "strong boar."
41. **Fabian:** Latin origin, meaning "bean grower."
42. **Faulkner:** Old English origin, meaning "falconer."
43. **Felix:** Latin origin, meaning "happy" or "lucky."
44. **Finnegan:** Irish origin, meaning "fair" or "white."
45. **Fletcher:** Old English origin, meaning "arrow maker."
46. **Fordham:** Old English origin, meaning "ford" or "crossing."
47. **Forester:** Old English origin, meaning "keeper of the forest."
48. **Franklin:** Old English origin, meaning "free landowner."
49. **Frederick:** German origin, meaning "peaceful ruler."
50. **Garrison:** Old French origin, meaning "fort" or "castle."
51. **Geoffrey:** German origin, meaning "peace of God."
52. **Gerard:** German origin, meaning "spear ruler."
53. **Giles:** Greek origin, meaning "goat."
54. **Graham:** Old English origin, meaning "gravelly field."
55. **Grant:** Old French origin, meaning "large" or "great."
56. **Gregory:** Greek origin, meaning "watchful" or "vigilant."
57. **Hadley:** Old English origin, meaning "heath" or "moorland."
58. **Hamilton:** Old English origin, meaning "high hill."
59. **Harper:** Old English origin, meaning "harp player."
60. **Hawthorne:** Old English origin, meaning "hedge of whitethorn."
61. **Heathcliff:** Old English origin, meaning "heath" or "moorland" and "cliff."
62. **Hendrix:** Old German origin, meaning "ruler of the home."
63. **Henry:** German origin, meaning "ruler of the home."
64. **Heron:** Old English origin, meaning "heron."
65. **Holbrook:** Old English origin, meaning "hollow brook."
66. **Holland:** Old English origin, meaning "hollow land."
67. **Horatio:** Latin origin, meaning "hour" or "time."
68. **Howard:** Old English origin, meaning "brave" or "courageous."
69. **Humphrey:** Old German origin, meaning "home protector."
70. **Hunter:** Old English origin, meaning "hunter."
71. **Ivor:** Welsh origin, meaning "archer" or "bowman."
72. **Jasper:** Persian origin, meaning "treasure" or "bringer of good luck."
73. **Jayden:** Hebrew origin, meaning "thankful."
74. **Jefferson:** English origin, meaning "son of Jeffrey."
75. **Jeremiah:** Hebrew origin, meaning "Yahweh has exalted."
76. **Jerome:** Greek origin, meaning "sacred name."
77. **Jocelyn:** French origin, meaning "joyful."
78. **Jonah:** Hebrew origin, meaning "dove."
79. **Jonathan:** Hebrew origin, meaning "Yahweh has given."
80. **Jordan:** Hebrew origin, meaning "to descend" or "flow down."
81. **Julian:** Latin origin, meaning "youthful."
82. **Keenan:** Irish origin, meaning "ancient."
83. **Kendrick:** Old English origin, meaning "powerful king."
84. **Kennedy:** Irish origin, meaning "head of the tribe."
85. **Kent:** Old English origin, meaning "corner."
86. **Kerrigan:** Irish origin, meaning "little black."
87. **Kingston:** Old English origin, meaning "king's town."
88. **Knox:** Scottish origin, meaning "hill."
89. **Laird:** Scottish origin, meaning "lord" or "landowner."
90. **Lancaster:** Old English origin, meaning "land of the Lancasters."
91. **Langston:** Old English origin, meaning "long stone."
92. **Lawrence:** Latin origin, meaning "laurel wreath."
93. **Leander:** Greek origin, meaning "lion man."
94. **Leon:** Greek origin, meaning "lion."
95. **Levi:** Hebrew origin, meaning "joined."
96. **Lincoln:** Old English origin, meaning "pool of the Lincolne."
97. **Lloyd:** Welsh origin, meaning "grey" or "silver."
98. **Logan:** Scottish origin, meaning "little hollow."
99. **Loren:** Latin origin, meaning "laurel" or "bay tree."
100. **Loring:** Old English origin, meaning "dweller by the meadow."
101. **Lucian:** Latin origin, meaning "light."
102. **MacGregor:** Scottish origin, meaning "son of Gregor."
103. **Madden:** Irish origin, meaning "son of Madoc."
104. **Malachi:** Hebrew origin, meaning "my messenger."
105. **Malcolm:** Scottish origin, meaning "devotee of Saint Columba."
106. **Marlowe:** Old English origin, meaning "meadow by the lake."
107. **Marston:** Old English origin, meaning "marshy farm."
108. **Maxwell:** Old English origin, meaning "great meadow."
109. **McAllister:** Scottish origin, meaning "son of the strong."
110. **McArthur:** Scottish origin, meaning "son of Arthur."
111. **McBride:** Scottish origin, meaning "son of the prince."
112. **McConnell:** Irish origin, meaning "son of Connall."
113. **McDaniel:** Scottish origin, meaning "son of Daniel."
114. **McFarlane:** Scottish origin, meaning "son of the farmer."
115. **McGee:** Irish origin, meaning "son of the son."
116. **McGowan:** Irish origin, meaning "son of the son of John."
117. **McGuire:** Irish origin, meaning "son of the son of the knight."
118. **McKinley:** Scottish origin, meaning "son of the handsome."
119. **McKnight:** Scottish origin, meaning "son of the knight."
120. **McLean:** Scottish origin, meaning "son of John."
121. **Melvin:** Celtic origin, meaning "sea lord."
122. **Mercer:** Old French origin, meaning "merchant."
123. **Micah:** Hebrew origin, meaning "who is like Yahweh."
124. **Miles:** Latin origin, meaning "soldier."
125. **Miller:** Old English origin, meaning "one who grinds grain."
126. **Montgomery:** Old French origin, meaning "mount of the gomery."
127. **Morgan:** Welsh origin, meaning "sea defender."
128. **Mortimer:** Old French origin, meaning "dead sea."
129. **Murphy:** Irish origin, meaning "sea warrior."
130. **Murray:** Scottish origin, meaning "sea defender."
131. **Nash:** Old English origin, meaning "near the ash tree."
132. **Neal:** Irish origin, meaning "champion."
133. **Nelson:** Old English origin, meaning "son of Neil."
134. **Nero:** Latin origin, meaning "strong."
135. **Newton:** Old English origin, meaning "new town."
136. **Nicholas:** Greek origin, meaning "victory of the people."
137. **Nigel:** Latin origin, meaning "black."
138. **Nolan:** Irish origin, meaning "champion."
139. **Norman:** Old French origin, meaning "northern man."
140. **Oakley:** Old English origin, meaning "oak clearing."
141. **Oliver:** Latin origin, meaning "olive tree."
142. **Oswald:** Old English origin, meaning "divine power."
143. **Owen:** Welsh origin, meaning "noble" or "well-born."
144. **Palmer:** Old French origin, meaning "pilgrim."
145. **Parker:** Old English origin, meaning "park keeper."
146. **Pascal:** Latin origin, meaning "Easter."
147. **Patrick:** Latin origin, meaning "nobleman."
148. **Paul:** Latin origin, meaning "small."
149. **Payne:** Old French origin, meaning "bread maker."
150. **Percy:** French origin, meaning "piercing."
151. **Philip:** Greek origin, meaning "lover of horses."
152. **Pierce:** French origin, meaning "piercing."
153. **Porter:** Old English origin, meaning "gatekeeper."
154. **Preston:** Old English origin, meaning "priest's town."
155. **Price:** Old French origin, meaning "prince."
156. **Quinn:** Irish origin, meaning "descendant of Conn."
157. **Raleigh:** Old English origin, meaning "rook's clearing."
158. **Randolph:** Old German origin, meaning "shield wolf."
159. **Raymond:** Old German origin, meaning "wise protector."
160. **Reginald:** Old German origin, meaning "ruler of counsel."
161. **Rhodes:** Greek origin, meaning "rose."
162. **Richard:** Old German origin, meaning "strong ruler."
163. **Ridley:** Old English origin, meaning "clearing in the rye."
164. **Riley:** Old English origin, meaning "rye field."
165. **Roberts:** Old English origin, meaning "bright fame."
166. **Robinson:** Old English origin, meaning "son of Robin."
167. **Rogers:** Old English origin, meaning "famous spearman."
168. **Roland:** German origin, meaning "famous land."
169. **Romero:** Spanish origin, meaning "pilgrim."
170. **Rowan:** Irish origin, meaning "little redhead."
171. **Royce:** French origin, meaning "king."
172. **Russell:** Old English origin, meaning "red fox."
173. **Ryan:** Irish origin, meaning "little king."
174. **Salvatore:** Italian origin, meaning "savior."
175. **Samuel:** Hebrew origin, meaning "God has heard."
176. **Sanders:** Old English origin, meaning "son of Alexander."
177. **Sawyer:** Old English origin, meaning "woodcutter."
178. **Schuyler:** Dutch origin, meaning "protector of the woods."
179. **Sebastian:** Greek origin, meaning "venerable."
180. **Selkirk:** Scottish origin, meaning "seal-covered rock."
181. **Seymour:** Old French origin, meaning "lord of the manor."
182. **Shepherd:** Old English origin, meaning "one who tends sheep."
183. **Sheridan:** Irish origin, meaning "descendant of the warrior."
184. **Silas:** Latin origin, meaning "forest."
185. **Simon:** Hebrew origin, meaning "listener."
186. **Skylar:** Greek origin, meaning "scholar."
187. **Smith:** Old English origin, meaning "blacksmith."
188. **Solomon:** Hebrew origin, meaning "peace."
189. **Spencer:** Old English origin, meaning "steward" or "storehouse keeper."
190. **Stanley:** Old English origin, meaning "stone clearing."
191. **Stephen:** Greek origin, meaning "crown" or "wreath."
192. **Stewart:** Scottish origin, meaning "steward."
193. **Stone:** Old English origin, meaning "dweller by the stone."
194. **Sullivan:** Irish origin, meaning "black-eyed."
195. **Sutton:** Old English origin, meaning "south town."
196. **Swanson:** Old English origin, meaning "son of Swan."
197. **Sweeney:** Irish origin, meaning "sweet."
198. **Sylvester:** Latin origin, meaning "forest."
199. **Talbot:** Old French origin, meaning "badger."
200. **Tanner:** Old English origin, meaning "leather worker."
201. **Taylor:** Old English origin, meaning "tailor."
202. **Theodore:** Greek origin, meaning "gift of God."
203. **Thomas:** Aramaic origin, meaning "twin."
204. **Thornton:** Old English origin, meaning "thorny clearing."
205. **Tobias:** Hebrew origin, meaning "God is good."
206. **Todd:** Old English origin, meaning "fox."
207. **Travis:** Old French origin, meaning "crossing."
208. **Tucker:** Old English origin, meaning "cloth maker."
209. **Turner:** Old English origin, meaning "one who turns wood."
210. **Tyler:** Old English origin, meaning "tile maker."
211. **Ulysses:** Greek origin, meaning "wrathful."
212. **Valentine:** Latin origin, meaning "strong" or "healthy."
213. **Vance:** Old French origin, meaning "victorious."
214. **Vaughn:** Welsh origin, meaning "small" or "young."
215. **Vincent:** Latin origin, meaning "conquering."
216. **Virgil:** Latin origin, meaning "strength."
217. **Vivian:** Latin origin, meaning "alive" or "lively."
218. **Wade:** Old English origin, meaning "ford" or "crossing."
219. **Walker:** Old English origin, meaning "one who walks."
220. **Wallace:** Welsh origin, meaning "foreigner."
221. **Walter:** Old German origin, meaning "ruler of the army."
222. **Warren:** Old English origin, meaning "keeper of the rabbit warren."
223. **Washington:** Old English origin, meaning "dweller by the spring."
224. **Watson:** Old English origin, meaning "son of Walter."
225. **Wayne:** Old English origin, meaning "wagon maker."
226. **Webster:** Old English origin, meaning "weaver."
227. **Weldon:** Old English origin, meaning "clearing in the woods."
228. **Wells:** Old English origin, meaning "dweller by the springs."
229. **Wesley:** Old English origin, meaning "west meadow."
230. **Weston:** Old English origin, meaning "west town."
231. **Whitaker:** Old English origin, meaning "white acre."
232. **Wilbur:** Old English origin, meaning "bright will."
233. **Wilder:** Old English origin, meaning "wild."
234. **Wiley:** Old English origin, meaning "deceitful."
235. **Williams:** Old German origin, meaning "resolute protector."
236. **Wilson:** Old English origin, meaning "son of Will."
237. **Winston:** Old English origin, meaning "joyful town."
238. **Woodward:** Old English origin, meaning "keeper of the woods."
239. **Wright:** Old English origin, meaning "artisan."
240. **Wyatt:** Old English origin, meaning "brave in war."
241. **Xavier:** Basque origin, meaning "new house."
242. **Yale:** Old English origin, meaning "clearing in the woods."
243. **York:** Old Norse origin, meaning "boar's enclosure."
244. **Zachary:** Hebrew origin, meaning "Yahweh remembers."
245. **Zephyr:** Greek origin, meaning "west wind."