Rare Last Names: Discover Unique and Uncommon Surnames

Are you looking for a unique and uncommon last name? Perhaps you're a genealogist tracing your family tree or simply curious about the origins of names. Whatever your reason, this list of rare last names will provide you with a fascinating journey through history and culture. From ancient origins to modern creations, these surnames offer a glimpse into the diverse tapestry of human identity. Get ready to discover the stories behind these extraordinary names, and find the perfect rare surname for you or your character.
1. **Abernathy:** From the Gaelic "abhar" meaning "river" and "nathair" meaning "snake" - "river of snakes".

2. **Ainsworth:** Meaning "a clearing in the woods" or "a place near a wooded hill".

3. **Albright:** Meaning "bright hill" or "bright light".

4. **Aldridge:** Meaning "old ridge" or "ancient ridge".

5. **Amory:** From the French "amour" meaning "love".

6. **Ancrum:** Meaning "valley of the ants" or "place of ants".

7. **Arden:** Meaning "forest clearing" or "valley".

8. **Ashworth:** Meaning "ash wood" or "clearing in an ash wood".

9. **Atterbury:** Meaning "clearing at the river".

10. **Axton:** Meaning "oak grove" or "place of oaks".

11. **Badenoch:** Meaning "little valley" or "small valley".

12. **Baird:** Meaning "bard" or "poet".

13. **Balfour:** Meaning "beautiful farm" or "pleasant estate".

14. **Barclay:** Meaning "birch wood" or "clearing in a birch wood".

15. **Barrington:** Meaning "place of the barrows" or "settlement near burial mounds".

16. **Bartholomew:** Meaning "furrow of the plough" or "son of Talmai".

17. **Baskerville:** Meaning "badger valley" or "place of badgers".

18. **Beaumont:** Meaning "beautiful mountain" or "handsome hill".

19. **Belfort:** Meaning "beautiful fortress" or "handsome castle".

20. **Bellweather:** Meaning "leading sheep" or "leader".

21. **Bertram:** Meaning "bright raven" or "famous raven".

22. **Bicknell:** Meaning "clearing in the woods" or "place of the beech trees".

23. **Blackwood:** Meaning "dark wood" or "black forest".

24. **Bloomfield:** Meaning "flowering field" or "field of flowers".

25. **Blythe:** Meaning "joyful" or "happy".

26. **Bodley:** Meaning "place by a tree" or "clearing near a tree".

27. **Bolingbroke:** Meaning "dwelling by a brook" or "house by the stream".

28. **Boothroyd:** Meaning "building in the wood" or "house in the woods".

29. **Boswell:** Meaning "wood of the wild boar" or "forest of boars".

30. **Bowman:** Meaning "archer" or "one who uses a bow".

31. **Bradbury:** Meaning "broad clearing" or "wide meadow".

32. **Brixton:** Meaning "brick town" or "settlement of brickmakers".

33. **Broadbent:** Meaning "wide bank" or "large riverbank".

34. **Bromley:** Meaning "broom clearing" or "place where broom grows".

35. **Burnett:** Meaning "dark brook" or "black stream".

36. **Calvert:** Meaning "bald head" or "smooth head".

37. **Campbell:** Meaning "crooked mouth" or "bent mouth".

38. **Carlisle:** Meaning "fort on the hill" or "castle on the hill".

39. **Carrington:** Meaning "settlement near a rock" or "place by the rock".

40. **Caswell:** Meaning "castle well" or "fortress by the spring".

41. **Chappell:** Meaning "chapel" or "place of worship".

42. **Cheever:** Meaning "a person who lives near a goat pasture".

43. **Cheshire:** Meaning "cheese maker" or "cheese seller".

44. **Chilton:** Meaning "hill of the churl" or "place of the peasant".

45. **Cholmondeley:** Meaning "hill by the stream" or "settlement near the watercourse".

46. **Clackett:** Meaning "one who makes a rattling noise".

47. **Claremont:** Meaning "clear mountain" or "bright hill".

48. **Cleveland:** Meaning "cliff near a meadow" or "hill by the field".

49. **Clifton:** Meaning "cliff" or "high ground".

50. **Cobb:** Meaning "shoemaker" or "cobblers".

51. **Coddington:** Meaning "settlement at the head of a valley" or "place by the hilltop".

52. **Colby:** Meaning "blacksmith's dwelling" or "house of the smith".

53. **Coldwell:** Meaning "cold spring" or "place of cold water".

54. **Coker:** Meaning "cook" or "one who prepares food".

55. **Collier:** Meaning "coal miner" or "one who works with coal".

56. **Compton:** Meaning "settlement near a hill" or "place by the hill".

57. **Conley:** Meaning "valley of the rabbits" or "place of rabbits".

58. **Conway:** Meaning "valley of the white river" or "place of the white stream".

59. **Cooke:** Meaning "cook" or "one who prepares food".

60. **Cooper:** Meaning "barrel maker" or "one who works with wood".

61. **Corbett:** Meaning "raven" or "crow".

62. **Cormier:** Meaning "wild pear" or "pear tree".

63. **Corrigan:** Meaning "warrior" or "strong man".

64. **Cotterell:** Meaning "cottage by the hill" or "house near the hill".

65. **Crabtree:** Meaning "tree with forked branches" or "place of the crabapple tree".

66. **Crawley:** Meaning "place where crows gather" or "crow's nest".

67. **Crenshaw:** Meaning "shaggy" or "rough-haired".

68. **Culpepper:** Meaning "pepper grower" or "one who sells pepper".

69. **Dalby:** Meaning "valley" or "dale".

70. **Daley:** Meaning "of the valley" or "from the dale".

71. **Danvers:** Meaning "valley of the Danes" or "place of the Danes".

72. **Darby:** Meaning "dear friend" or "beloved".

73. **Davenport:** Meaning "David's port" or "settlement at David's harbour".

74. **Davidson:** Meaning "son of David".

75. **Davis:** Meaning "son of David".

76. **Dawes:** Meaning "son of David" or "descendant of David".

77. **Deacon:** Meaning "servant" or "church official".

78. **Delaney:** Meaning "champion" or "warrior".

79. **Denning:** Meaning "valley" or "low-lying area".

80. **Derby:** Meaning "deer park" or "place of deer".

81. **Devereux:** Meaning "strong as a wild boar".

82. **Dewhurst:** Meaning "hill by the watercourse" or "settlement near the river".

83. **Dickinson:** Meaning "son of Richard".

84. **Dimmock:** Meaning "dark meadow" or "black field".

85. **Dodson:** Meaning "son of Dodd" or "descendant of Dodd".

86. **Donnelly:** Meaning "descendant of Donal" or "son of Donal".

87. **Dorsey:** Meaning "deer field" or "place of deer".

88. **Dougherty:** Meaning "dark man" or "black man".

89. **Douglas:** Meaning "black water" or "dark river".

90. **Downey:** Meaning "downy" or "covered in soft feathers".

91. **Doyle:** Meaning "black" or "dark".

92. **Drake:** Meaning "dragon" or "serpent".

93. **DuBois:** Meaning "of the wood" or "from the forest".

94. **Dudley:** Meaning "meadow in the valley" or "field by the dale".

95. **Dunham:** Meaning "hill by the home" or "settlement near the hill".

96. **Dyer:** Meaning "one who dyes cloth" or "colorer".

97. **Eames:** Meaning "strong" or "brave".

98. **Easley:** Meaning "east clearing" or "place to the east".

99. **Eaton:** Meaning "settlement by the river" or "place by the watercourse".

100. **Eccles:** Meaning "church" or "place of worship".