Last Names Starting With C: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you looking for a unique and meaningful last name that starts with the letter C? Look no further! This comprehensive guide explores a wide range of last names beginning with C, providing their origins, historical significance, and detailed meanings. Whether you're searching for a classic surname or a rare and distinctive option, this list has something for everyone.
1. **Campbell:** A Scottish surname meaning "crooked mouth" or "bent field." It is derived from the Gaelic words "cam" (crooked) and "beul" (mouth) or "baile" (field).
2. **Carter:** An occupational surname for a person who transported goods by cart. It is derived from the Old French word "charretier," meaning "cart driver."
3. **Chandler:** An occupational surname for a person who made or sold candles. It is derived from the Old French word "chandelier," meaning "candlestick maker."
4. **Chapman:** An occupational surname for a person who bought and sold goods, often traveling from town to town. It is derived from the Middle English word "chapman," meaning "merchant."
5. **Clark:** An occupational surname for a person who served as a scribe or secretary. It is derived from the Old English word "clerc," meaning "clerk."
6. **Clayton:** A place name surname derived from the Old English words "clay" and "tūn," meaning "clay farm."
7. **Collins:** A patronymic surname meaning "son of Colin." Colin is a Scottish form of the name Nicholas.
8. **Cooper:** An occupational surname for a person who made barrels, tubs, and other wooden containers. It is derived from the Middle English word "coopers," meaning "barrel maker."
9. **Crawford:** A place name surname derived from the Old English words "cræft" (craft) and "ford" (crossing). It is believed to have originated in Scotland.
10. **Cunningham:** A place name surname derived from the Gaelic words "cù" (dog) and "inghean" (daughter), meaning "daughter of the dog."
11. **Curtis:** A place name surname derived from the Old French word "court," meaning "court" or "yard."
12. **Caldwell:** A place name surname derived from the Old English words "cold" and "well," meaning "cold spring."
13. **Calhoun:** A place name surname derived from the Gaelic words "caladh" (harbor) and "dùn" (fort), meaning "fort at the harbor."
14. **Cameron:** A place name surname derived from the Gaelic words "cam" (crooked) and "shròn" (nose), meaning "crooked nose."
15. **Carey:** A place name surname derived from the Gaelic word "cairigh," meaning "sheep."
16. **Carroll:** A place name surname derived from the Gaelic word "cairéal," meaning "marshland."
17. **Carson:** A place name surname derived from the Gaelic word "càr," meaning "rock."
18. **Case:** An occupational surname for a person who made or repaired cases, such as for clocks or instruments. It is derived from the Middle English word "case," meaning "box" or "container."
19. **Castle:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "castel," meaning "castle."
20. **Catalano:** An Italian surname meaning "Catalan." It is derived from the region of Catalonia in Spain.
21. **Causey:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "causeway," meaning "raised road."
22. **Cavanagh:** An Irish surname meaning "handsome" or "white-haired." It is derived from the Gaelic words "caoin" (handsome) and "fhionn" (white).
23. **Cecil:** A personal name surname derived from the Latin word "Caecilius," meaning "blind."
24. **Chaffin:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "ceaf," meaning "chaff" or "husk."
25. **Chambers:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "chambre," meaning "chamber."
26. **Chance:** An occupational surname for a person who was a gamekeeper or who worked in a game preserve. It is derived from the Middle English word "chance," meaning "opportunity" or "luck."
27. **Charles:** A personal name surname derived from the Germanic word "Karl," meaning "free man."
28. **Chase:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "chase," meaning "hunting ground."
29. **Chavez:** A Spanish surname meaning "key" or "lock." It is derived from the Arabic word "al-Khawwas," meaning "the locksmith."
30. **Cheney:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "cēne," meaning "bold" or "brave."
31. **Cherry:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "cēorran," meaning "to turn."
32. **Chester:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "ceaster," meaning "camp" or "fort."
33. **Childers:** A patronymic surname meaning "son of Child." Child is a common English name.
34. **Chin:** A Chinese surname meaning "chin" or "jaw." It is derived from the character 秦, which is the name of an ancient Chinese dynasty.
35. **Christian:** A religious name surname derived from the Greek word "Christos," meaning "anointed one."
36. **Church:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "cyrice," meaning "church."
37. **Cline:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "clīn," meaning "slope" or "hill."
38. **Clinton:** A place name surname derived from the Old English words "clīn" and "tūn," meaning "hill farm."
39. **Close:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "clōse," meaning "enclosure."
40. **Cloud:** A place name surname derived from the Old English word "clūd," meaning "hill" or "cliff."