Rare Last Names: A Unique and Intriguing List

Are you looking for a unique and uncommon last name? Maybe you're writing a character for a fictional story or you're just curious about the origin and meaning of rare surnames. Whatever your reason, this list of rare last names will spark your imagination and provide a glimpse into the rich tapestry of human history and culture. These names, often found in small communities or specific regions, offer a fascinating insight into family heritage and ancestral origins.
1. **Abernathy:** A Scottish surname meaning "from the place of the oak tree." It is derived from the Gaelic words "abhar" (oak) and "cnath" (nut).
2. **Ackerley:** An English surname meaning "at the oak tree meadow." It combines the Old English words "ac" (oak) and "leah" (meadow).
3. **Ainsworth:** An English surname meaning "at the ash tree's settlement." It comes from the Old English words "æsc" (ash tree) and "worth" (settlement).
4. **Albright:** An English surname meaning "bright hill." It is derived from the Old English words "al" (all) and "beorht" (bright).
5. **Aldridge:** An English surname meaning "alder tree ridge." It is derived from the Old English words "alder" (alder tree) and "hrycg" (ridge).
6. **Allerton:** An English surname meaning "at the alder tree settlement." It combines the Old English words "alder" (alder tree) and "tūn" (settlement).
7. **Alston:** An English surname meaning "old town." It comes from the Old English words "ald" (old) and "tūn" (town).
8. **Amory:** A French surname meaning "a moor" or "a heath." It is derived from the Latin word "amorem."
9. **Ancrum:** A Scottish surname meaning "a narrow place." It is derived from the Gaelic word "ancrum."
10. **Anderton:** An English surname meaning "at the end of the valley." It comes from the Old English words "ende" (end) and "tun" (valley).
11. **Arden:** An English surname meaning "a valley near a river." It is derived from the Old English word "ærden."
12. **Ashworth:** An English surname meaning "at the ash tree's settlement." It is derived from the Old English words "æsc" (ash tree) and "worth" (settlement).
13. **Atherton:** An English surname meaning "at the ford by the heather." It is derived from the Old English words "æþer" (heather) and "ford" (ford).
14. **Audley:** An English surname meaning "old clearing." It is derived from the Old English words "ald" (old) and "lēah" (clearing).
15. **Bagley:** An English surname meaning "at the beech tree clearing." It combines the Old English words "bēac" (beech tree) and "lēah" (clearing).
16. **Balfour:** A Scottish surname meaning "white farm." It is derived from the Gaelic words "baile" (farm) and "fuar" (white).
17. **Barclay:** A Scottish surname meaning "birch clearing." It is derived from the Gaelic words "beith" (birch) and "leac" (clearing).
18. **Barker:** An English surname meaning "one who barks." It is derived from the Old English word "bærcan."
19. **Barlow:** An English surname meaning "at the barrow hill." It is derived from the Old English words "beorg" (barrow) and "hlaw" (hill).
20. **Barnett:** An English surname meaning "son of Bernard." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Germanic name "Bernard."
21. **Barrington:** An English surname meaning "at the barley field." It is derived from the Old English words "bere" (barley) and "tūn" (field).
22. **Barton:** An English surname meaning "barley field." It is derived from the Old English words "bere" (barley) and "tūn" (field).
23. **Bateman:** An English surname meaning "son of Bateman." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Old French name "Bateman."
24. **Bates:** An English surname meaning "one who works with bats." It is derived from the Old English word "bāt."
25. **Baxter:** An English surname meaning "baker." It is derived from the Old English word "bæcere."
26. **Beaumont:** A French surname meaning "beautiful mountain." It is derived from the French words "beau" (beautiful) and "mont" (mountain).
27. **Bedford:** An English surname meaning "ford at the bed of the river." It is derived from the Old English words "bed" (bed) and "ford" (ford).
28. **Beecham:** An English surname meaning "at the beech tree meadow." It combines the Old English words "bēac" (beech tree) and "hām" (meadow).
29. **Bell:** An English surname meaning "one who makes bells." It is derived from the Old English word "bellan."
30. **Bennett:** An English surname meaning "little Benedict." It is a diminutive of the Germanic name "Benedict."
31. **Bentley:** An English surname meaning "at the bend in the road." It is derived from the Old English words "bend" (bend) and "lēah" (road).
32. **Berkeley:** An English surname meaning "birch clearing." It is derived from the Old English words "beorc" (birch) and "lēah" (clearing).
33. **Bertram:** A German surname meaning "bright raven." It is derived from the Old High German words "berht" (bright) and "hraban" (raven).
34. **Beverley:** An English surname meaning "at the beaver meadow." It is derived from the Old English words "beofor" (beaver) and "lēah" (meadow).
35. **Bickerstaff:** An English surname meaning "at the staff of the bicker brook." It is derived from the Old English words "bīcan" (bicker) and "stæf" (staff).
36. **Bindloss:** An English surname meaning "blind path." It is derived from the Old English words "blind" (blind) and "los" (path).
37. **Birmingham:** An English surname meaning "at the hamlet of the beeches." It is derived from the Old English words "beorg" (beech) and "ham" (hamlet).
38. **Blackburn:** An English surname meaning "black burn." It is derived from the Old English words "blæc" (black) and "burna" (burn).
39. **Blackett:** An English surname meaning "black little one." It is derived from the Old English words "blæc" (black) and "et" (little).
40. **Blades:** An English surname meaning "one who makes blades." It is derived from the Old English word "blæd."
41. **Blakeley:** An English surname meaning "at the black clearing." It is derived from the Old English words "blæc" (black) and "lēah" (clearing).
42. **Blenkinsop:** An English surname meaning "at the blind slope." It is derived from the Old English words "blind" (blind) and "sloppe" (slope).
43. **Bloomfield:** An English surname meaning "flowering meadow." It is derived from the Old English words "blōma" (bloom) and "feld" (meadow).
44. **Blythe:** An English surname meaning "joyful." It is derived from the Old English word "blīþe."
45. **Bolton:** An English surname meaning "at the dwelling of the bull." It is derived from the Old English words "bulla" (bull) and "tūn" (dwelling).
46. **Bond:** An English surname meaning "one who binds." It is derived from the Old English word "bindan."
47. **Booth:** An English surname meaning "dwelling." It is derived from the Old English word "bōth."
48. **Bowen:** A Welsh surname meaning "son of Owen." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Welsh name "Owen."
49. **Boyle:** An Irish surname meaning "red." It is derived from the Irish word "buí."
50. **Bradshaw:** An English surname meaning "broad meadow." It is derived from the Old English words "brād" (broad) and "scaga" (meadow).
51. **Braithwaite:** An English surname meaning "broad meadow." It is derived from the Old English words "brād" (broad) and "wæth" (meadow).
52. **Branston:** An English surname meaning "at the crow's settlement." It is derived from the Old English words "brān" (crow) and "tūn" (settlement).
53. **Brewer:** An English surname meaning "one who brews." It is derived from the Old English word "brywere."
54. **Bridgeman:** An English surname meaning "bridge builder." It is derived from the Old English words "brycg" (bridge) and "mann" (man).
55. **Briggs:** An English surname meaning "one who lives by a bridge." It is derived from the Old English word "brycg."
56. **Brinkley:** An English surname meaning "at the brink of the meadow." It is derived from the Old English words "brinca" (brink) and "lēah" (meadow).
57. **Briscoe:** An English surname meaning "briars." It is derived from the Old English word "brys."
58. **Brock:** An English surname meaning "badger." It is derived from the Old English word "brocc."
59. **Bromley:** An English surname meaning "broom meadow." It is derived from the Old English words "brōm" (broom) and "lēah" (meadow).
60. **Brook:** An English surname meaning "stream." It is derived from the Old English word "brōc."
61. **Brooks:** An English surname meaning "stream." It is derived from the Old English word "brōc."
62. **Brown:** An English surname meaning "brown." It is derived from the Old English word "brūn."
63. **Browning:** An English surname meaning "one who lives near a brook." It is derived from the Old English word "brūn."
64. **Bruce:** A Scottish surname meaning "a thicket of brambles." It is derived from the Gaelic word "bruach."
65. **Bryan:** An Irish surname meaning "strong." It is derived from the Irish word "bríain."
66. **Buckingham:** An English surname meaning "at the hill of the bucks." It is derived from the Old English words "buc" (buck) and "ham" (hill).
67. **Burnett:** An English surname meaning "brown little one." It is derived from the Old English words "brūn" (brown) and "et" (little).
68. **Burrows:** An English surname meaning "at the burrow." It is derived from the Old English word "burh."
69. **Bush:** An English surname meaning "bush." It is derived from the Old English word "busch."
70. **Butler:** An English surname meaning "bottle maker." It is derived from the Old French word "bouteiller."
71. **Byrne:** An Irish surname meaning "strong." It is derived from the Irish word "bríain."
72. **Cadogan:** A Welsh surname meaning "little warrior." It is derived from the Welsh words "cad" (warrior) and "og" (little).
73. **Calvert:** An English surname meaning "bald head." It is derived from the Old English words "cal" (bald) and "weard" (head).
74. **Campbell:** A Scottish surname meaning "crooked mouth." It is derived from the Gaelic word "cam."
75. **Canning:** An English surname meaning "one who cans." It is derived from the Old English word "cann."
76. **Cantrell:** An English surname meaning "at the well of the cantel." It is derived from the Old English words "cant" (well) and "trel" (cantel).
77. **Carlisle:** An English surname meaning "castle on the hill." It is derived from the Old English words "ceaster" (castle) and "hlaw" (hill).
78. **Carpenter:** An English surname meaning "one who works with wood." It is derived from the Old French word "charpentier."
79. **Carruthers:** A Scottish surname meaning "love." It is derived from the Gaelic word "carr."
80. **Carson:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of the peat digger." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Gaelic word "carsan."
81. **Carter:** An English surname meaning "one who transports goods by cart." It is derived from the Old English word "cartan."
82. **Cartwright:** An English surname meaning "one who makes carts." It is derived from the Old English words "cart" (cart) and "wright" (maker).
83. **Cary:** An English surname meaning "wood." It is derived from the Old French word "carr."
84. **Caswell:** An English surname meaning "at the well of the cask." It is derived from the Old English words "casc" (cask) and "well" (well).
85. **Cavendish:** An English surname meaning "at the valley of the caves." It is derived from the Old English words "cæf" (cave) and "dene" (valley).
86. **Cecil:** A Latin surname meaning "blind." It is derived from the Latin word "caecus."
87. **Chadwick:** An English surname meaning "at the meadow of the well." It is derived from the Old English words "cēad" (well) and "wic" (meadow).
88. **Chalmers:** A Scottish surname meaning "chamber." It is derived from the Gaelic word "seomar."
89. **Chamberlain:** An English surname meaning "one who manages a chamber." It is derived from the Old French words "chambre" (chamber) and "lain" (one who).
90. **Chandler:** An English surname meaning "one who makes candles." It is derived from the Old French word "chandelier."
91. **Chapman:** An English surname meaning "merchant." It is derived from the Old English words "cheap" (market) and "man" (man).
92. **Charlton:** An English surname meaning "at the farm by the hill." It is derived from the Old English words "ceorl" (farm) and "tūn" (hill).
93. **Chase:** An English surname meaning "one who hunts." It is derived from the Old French word "chasse."
94. **Chaucer:** An English surname meaning "shoemaker." It is derived from the Old French word "chaussier."
95. **Cheever:** An English surname meaning "one who works with goats." It is derived from the Old English word "ceaf."
96. **Chester:** An English surname meaning "castle." It is derived from the Old English word "ceaster."
97. **Chilton:** An English surname meaning "at the hill of the spring." It is derived from the Old English words "cild" (spring) and "tūn" (hill).
98. **Chinn:** An English surname meaning "chin." It is derived from the Old English word "cinn."
99. **Churchill:** An English surname meaning "at the church by the hill." It is derived from the Old English words "cyrice" (church) and "hlaw" (hill).
100. **Clack:** An English surname meaning "one who makes a clatter." It is derived from the Old English word "clac."
101. **Claiborne:** An English surname meaning "clay hill." It is derived from the Old English words "clæf" (clay) and "beorg" (hill).
102. **Clark:** An English surname meaning "scribe." It is derived from the Old English word "clerc."
103. **Clayton:** An English surname meaning "at the clay town." It is derived from the Old English words "clæf" (clay) and "tūn" (town).
104. **Clemens:** A Latin surname meaning "merciful." It is derived from the Latin word "clemens."
105. **Cleveland:** An English surname meaning "cliff by the meadow." It is derived from the Old English words "clif" (cliff) and "lēah" (meadow).
106. **Clifton:** An English surname meaning "at the cliff settlement." It is derived from the Old English words "clif" (cliff) and "tūn" (settlement).
107. **Cobb:** An English surname meaning "one who works with cobs." It is derived from the Old English word "cob."
108. **Cochran:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of the red-haired one." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Gaelic word "cochair."
109. **Coffey:** An Irish surname meaning "blacksmith." It is derived from the Irish word "cafaidh."
110. **Cohen:** A Hebrew surname meaning "priest." It is derived from the Hebrew word "kohen."
111. **Cole:** An English surname meaning "charcoal burner." It is derived from the Old English word "col."
112. **Coleman:** An English surname meaning "coalman." It is derived from the Old English words "col" (coal) and "mann" (man).
113. **Collier:** An English surname meaning "coal miner." It is derived from the Old French word "collier."
114. **Collins:** An English surname meaning "son of Colin." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Latin name "Colinus."
115. **Colman:** An English surname meaning "dove." It is derived from the Old English word "columba."
116. **Compton:** An English surname meaning "at the settlement by the hill." It is derived from the Old English words "cumbe" (settlement) and "tūn" (hill).
117. **Conley:** An English surname meaning "at the hill by the spring." It is derived from the Old English words "cumb" (hill) and "lēah" (spring).
118. **Conner:** An English surname meaning "counselor." It is derived from the Old English word "cunnan."
119. **Conway:** A Welsh surname meaning "valley of the white river." It is derived from the Welsh words "conwy" (white river) and "afon" (river).
120. **Cook:** An English surname meaning "one who cooks." It is derived from the Old English word "cōc."
121. **Cooper:** An English surname meaning "barrel maker." It is derived from the Old French word "cuvier."
122. **Corbett:** An English surname meaning "raven's hill." It is derived from the Old English words "corf" (raven) and "beorg" (hill).
123. **Cordova:** A Spanish surname meaning "cordovan leather." It is derived from the Spanish word "cordobés."
124. **Cormier:** A French surname meaning "wild pear tree." It is derived from the French word "cormier."
125. **Cornwell:** An English surname meaning "at the well of the corn." It is derived from the Old English words "corn" (corn) and "well" (well).
126. **Corrigan:** An Irish surname meaning "little lord." It is derived from the Irish word "corra."
127. **Costello:** An Irish surname meaning "castle." It is derived from the Irish word "caislén."
128. **Cotton:** An English surname meaning "one who works with cotton." It is derived from the Old French word "coton."
129. **Coulter:** An English surname meaning "one who works with ploughs." It is derived from the Old English word "culter."
130. **Courtney:** An English surname meaning "courteous." It is derived from the Old French word "courtois."
131. **Cowan:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of the smith." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Gaelic word "gobha."
132. **Cox:** An English surname meaning "one who works with cocks." It is derived from the Old English word "cox."
133. **Craig:** A Scottish surname meaning "rock." It is derived from the Gaelic word "craig."
134. **Crawford:** A Scottish surname meaning "crooked ford." It is derived from the Gaelic words "crò" (crooked) and "ford" (ford).
135. **Crenshaw:** An English surname meaning "at the willow meadow." It is derived from the Old English words "crægen" (willow) and "scaga" (meadow).
136. **Crichton:** A Scottish surname meaning "rocky hill." It is derived from the Gaelic words "crioch" (rocky) and "tòn" (hill).
137. **Croft:** An English surname meaning "enclosed field." It is derived from the Old English word "croft."
138. **Cromwell:** An English surname meaning "crooked hill." It is derived from the Old English words "crum" (crooked) and "hlaw" (hill).
139. **Crouch:** An English surname meaning "one who crouches." It is derived from the Old English word "crucian."
140. **Crow:** An English surname meaning "one who works with crows." It is derived from the Old English word "crāwe."
141. **Culpepper:** An English surname meaning "one who picks pepper." It is derived from the Old French words "cul" (bottom) and "pepper" (pepper).
142. **Cunningham:** A Scottish surname meaning "son of the white warrior." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Gaelic words "cuan" (white) and "gille" (warrior).
143. **Currie:** A Scottish surname meaning "a wood." It is derived from the Gaelic word "cuir."
144. **Curtis:** A Latin surname meaning "courteous." It is derived from the Latin word "curtis."
145. **Dalton:** An English surname meaning "at the dale settlement." It is derived from the Old English words "dæl" (dale) and "tūn" (settlement).
146. **Daniel:** A Hebrew surname meaning "God is my judge." It is derived from the Hebrew words "Dani" (God) and "el" (judge).
147. **Darby:** An English surname meaning "deer park." It is derived from the Old English words "deor" (deer) and "bēah" (park).
148. **David:** A Hebrew surname meaning "beloved." It is derived from the Hebrew word "David."
149. **Davies:** A Welsh surname meaning "son of David." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Welsh name "David."
150. **Davis:** A Welsh surname meaning "son of David." It is a patronymic surname derived from the Welsh name "David."