English Last Names
- Richardson
Description:
Richardson is a masculine name with English origins, traditionally used as a surname meaning 'son of Richard.' Richard itself combines Germanic elements meaning 'powerful' and 'ruler,' making Richardson essentially mean 'son of the powerful ruler.' As a first name, Richardson is uncommon, having never ranked among popular given names in the US or UK. It represents the trend of using surnames as first names, appealing to families looking for formal, distinguished-sounding names or those wishing to honor someone with the Richardson surname. The name offers friendly nicknames like Rich, Rick, or Richie. It carries connotations of dignity and tradition while maintaining its distinctiveness as a first name.
- Hedges
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"one who lives near the hedge"Description:
You might consider Hedges for a first name if you find the surname on your family tree.
- Atkinson
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"son of Atkin"Description:
Atkinson has never made it onto the American charts, although historical records provide evidence that it has been used as a given name before. Atkin is a Medieval nickname for Adam, making Atkinson a sneaky and unique way to honor an important Adam in your life.
- Fleming
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"man from Flanders"Description:
If it's not too phlegmatic for you, this surname and name of a Scottish clan could honor a number of people, especially Alexander Fleming, the father of antibiotics, and Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond.
- Rawlings
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"son of Raul"Description:
Rawlings was a surname brought to England with the Norman invasion and has ties to the name Raul, which means "wolf counsel."
- Nichols
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"son of Nichol"Description:
Nichol, a Medieval English form of Nicholas, has been pretty much lost to history but survives today in the surname form of Nichols.
- Haviland
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"goat estate"Description:
Although it's more commonly seen as a surname, Haviland is occasionally used as a first name, particularly for girls.
- Marks
Origin:
English, Dutch, or German surnameMeaning:
"son of Mark"Description:
Marks is a surname that independently arose in several languages, most all of them as a patronymic form of Mark. Among Jewish families, Marks is typically a variation of Marx. Marx was a given name derived from Marcus that Ashkenazi Jews used as a Germanized form of Mordechai.
- Hartland
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"stag land, deer land"Description:
An English surname with a nature and animal connection, Hartland also feels soulful and heartfelt thanks to its sounds. Hartley and Hart have been quietly on the rise and Hartland might be a longer form that appeals to those who also enjoy Landon, Leland, and Holland.
- Simpson
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Simon"Description:
Try Simon. Or Homer.
- Sweeney
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"the little hero"Description:
Friendly-sounding name with big "Sweeney Todd" downside.
- Epes
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"aspen tree; red; shriek"Description:
Epes is often considered a variation of the surname Epps, which typically refers to the aspen tree, from the Old English word æpse. Some branches of Epes may have derived from the Middle English given name Eppe — Eoppa in Old English — from a root meaning "red". It has also been proposed the Eppe came from the Old Norse Øpi, meaning "cry out" or "shriek".
- Simmons
Origin:
Hebrew or Norse, variation of Simon or SimundDescription:
Simmons is one of the S-ending popular American last names that are starting to be used as firsts.
- Knowles
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"one who lives by the knoll"Description:
Beyoncé's surname could be considered for a less-obvious honorific.
- Bellow
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"bellows maker"Description:
Might be an honorific for novelist Saul Bellow, although bellowing is not the gentlest of sounds. Consider Saul instead.
- Chamberlain
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"royal official"Description:
A distinguished English occupational surname referring to a senior official who managed the household of a noble or monarch. The best known historical bearer is British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who was in office at the start of the Second World War.
- Jacobs
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"son of Jacob"Description:
This surname could work as a given name to honor an ancestral Jacob.
- Cleaver
Origin:
English occupational nameDescription:
More familiar from TV -- Rake, Leave It To Beaver -- than real life, and perhaps likely to stay that way, given the gruesome association with a butcher's knife. Cleaver was, for instance, the title of the violent mob movie Christopher wrote in the world of The Sopranos.
- Larimer
Origin:
English and Scottish surnameMeaning:
"maker and seller of spurs"Description:
Larimer is an occupational surname that originally denoted someone who made and sold spur bits, along with other equine hardware. It could be a fitting choice for a child of a horse-enthusiast.
- Jacobson
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"son of Jacob"Description:
Jameson has cracked the Top 100, so you may want to look towards greener pastures. Jacobson has the same appeal, and — trivia bonus — Jacob and James are variations of the same name.