100 Last Names that Start with C With Meanings and History

Georgia Stone
Feb 15, 2024 By Georgia Stone
Originally Published on Oct 16, 2020
Wooden alphabet C
Age: 0-99
Read time: 8.2 Min



Surnames hold a lot of importance in some people's lives.

The most famous characters, whether Carleone or Cartman, hold a strong position in our hearts and souls. We really appreciate the writers for choosing last names that perfectly suited their characters whenever we think about them.

Our last names connect us with our history. Most last names are based on occupation, looks, character traits, and native places, but they have evolved over years which make it tough to find the origin of names. May it be Cacace, Italian last names that start with C  which means  'wicked', or Cabello, a Mexican last names that start with C which means 'hair', family names connect us with our past.

When naming, some people prefer the first syllables of the first and last names sound the same.  Cool last names leave a long-lasting impression. We present you with a list of the most popular last names beginning with 'C' from around the world so that you don't have to look anymore for C last names.  Make the best of these top surnames starting with the letter C to portray your imagination's character.

For more inspiration in your search for a last name, take a look at Last Names That Start With Letter S and Dominican Last Names.

Popular Last Names That Start With Letter C

Having a papular last name is a blessing; wherever you go, you can find a connection through your last name owing to the huge popularity of such last names. Here is the top list of the most popular last names that start with the  'C.' These last names that start with C are a huge resource for an author who wants to choose a character.

1.Cabrera (Spanish Origin) meaning 'goatherd.'

2.Camara (Portuguese Origin) meaning 'main room.'

3.Campos(Spanish and Portuguese Origin) meaning 'field.'

4.Cardoso (Spanish, Galician and Portuguese Origin) meaning 'the place of the thistles.'

5.Castro (Iberian Origin) meaning 'a castle' or 'fort.'

6.Cheng (Chinese Origin) is one of the most popular last names that start with C meaning 'high' or 'add.'

7.Choi ( Korean Origin) surname that starting with C meaning 'a governor who oversees the land and the mountain" is also used as surnames like Choe or Chwe.

8.Chan (Chinese Origin) meaning 'old.'

9.Chand (Indian Origin) meaning 'beautiful' or 'moon.'

10.Chowdhury (Indian Origin) meaning 'holder of four.'

11.Chandra (Indian Origin) meaning 'moon.'

12.Chang (Chinese Origin) meaning 'constant.'

13.Chamapiwa (African Origin) meaning 'that which you have been given.'

14.Chanz (Chinese and Korean Origin) meaning ''servant of God.'

15.Chaudhari (IndianOrigin) meaning 'head of a village or a person owning a significant area of land.'

16.Chauhan (Indian Origin) surname emerged from the sacrificial fire of the ancestors of the four Rajput clans (the Fire Tribes).

17.Chavez (Portuguese Origin) meaning 'key.'

18.Cheng (Chinese Origin) surname was adopted by descendants of the legendary emperor Zhuan Xu.

19.Chidozie (Igbo Origin) meaning 'the God repairs.'

20.Chowdhury (Indian Origin) meaning 'holder of four.'

21.Cisse (French Origin)surname is a habitational name from a place called Cisse.

22.Contreras (Spanish Origin) meaning 'from the surrounded area.'

23.Cortes ( Spain Origin) meaning 'a courteous man.'

24.Costa (Latin Origin) meaning 'rib, which has come to mean slope.'

25.Cruz (Iberian Origin) meaning 'cross' or 'often.'

Famous Last Names That Start With C

Some last names have attained such fame that you come across their surnames every day. We present a list of the most popular last names starting with 'C.' These top surnames starting with C could perfect your character.

26.Calhoun (Scottish Origin) meaning 'nook' or 'corner.'

27.Callahan (Irish Origin), meaning 'little Bright-headed One.'

28. Cameron ( Scottish Origin), meaning 'bent nose.'

29.Campbell( Scottish Origin), meaning 'crooked mouth.'

30.Carrey (Welsh and Cornish Origin), meaning 'Fiachra.'

31.Carson (Scottish Origin) meaning 'the son of Carr.'

32.Cartman (Anglo-Saxon Origin) meaning 'someone who worked as a person who builds carts.'

33.Carver (English Origin) surname is an occupational name for a carver of wood or a sculptor of stone.'

34.Caulfield (English, Scottish, and Irish Origin) habitational name from Caulfield near Langholm in Dumfriesshire.

35.Chadwick(Anglo-Saxon Origin) meaning 'town or village of chad.'

36.Chapek (Czech and Polish Origin) meaning 'hat.'

37.Chaplin (English and French Origin) means 'a priest endowed to sing mass daily on behalf of the dead souls.'

38.Clooney (Irish Origin) meaning 'meadow.'

39.Connery (Irish Origin) meaning 'a descendant of the follower of Conaire.'

40.Connor (Irish Origin) meaning 'descendant of Conchobhar.'

41.Cook (Anglo-Saxon Origin)  surname is an occupational name meaning 'a keeper of an eating-house' or 'someone who worked as a cook.'

42.Copernicus ( Latin Origin) meaning 'a metallurgist who dealt with the mining and smelting of copper.'

43.Corbat (Anglo-Norman French, Middle English, and Old French Origin) meaning 'dark hair or a dark complexion like the raven.'

44.Corleone (Italian Origin) a habitational surname derived from the Italian city of Corleone.

45.Cornell (English Origin) meaning 'horn'; probably a soldier's name.

46.Costanza (Italian Origin) meaning 'firm,' 'constant' or 'steadfast.'

47.Craig (Scottish, Irish & Welsh Origin), meaning 'rock.'

48.Cranston (Scottish Origin) meaning 'settlement.'

49.Crowe (English Origin) meaning 'crow.'

50.Cumberbatch (English Origin) meaning 'valley with a stream.'

Cool, Unique, And Impressive Last Names That Start With C

cool names that start with c along with meanings

Unique names stay stuck in our memory system for years. After all, the weirdness and uniqueness leave life long impressions. If you are searching for last names that start with C, check out our well-researched list of unique and cool last names that start with the letter 'C.' These last name that starts with C  can be ideal for the cool protagonist or weird antagonist character's name.

51.Carver (English Origin) meaning 'ploughman.'

52.Carter (English Origin) meaning 'carrier.'

53.Castillo (Latin Origin) meaning 'worker in a castle.'

54.Castle(Anglo-Norman French Origin) meaning 'fortified building' or 'set of buildings.'

55.Celino( Italian and Spanish Origin) meaning 'saint.'

56.Chahine (North African Origin) meaning ‘royal white falcon.'

57.Chuke (African Origin) meaning 'god's power.’

58.Clarke (Irish Origin) meaning 'clerk.'

59.Click (English Origin) derived from a piece of land meaning 'stepping stone or boundary stone.'

60.Coffin (English and French Origin) meaning 'a basket maker.'

61.Collins (English and Welsh Origin) meaning 'son of Colin'

62.Columbus(French Origin) meaning 'keeper of doves or pigeons'

63.Cooper (English Origin) meaning 'maker and repairer of wooden vessels.'

64.Creed (English Origin) meaning ' 'weeds' or 'plants.'

65.Crisp (English Origin) meaning ' man with curly hair.'

66.Cross (English Origin) meaning 'someone who lived near a stone cross set up by the roadside or in a marketplace.'

67.Cugat (Chinese Origin) with unknown meaning.

68.Cullen (Gaelic Origin) meaning 'holly.'

69.Curry (Anglo-Scottish Origin) was named after the river Curry.

70.Cyrus (Persian Origin), meaning ' Heir To The Throne.'

Short Last Names That Start With Letter C

Choosing a short and cute last name could leave a long-lasting impression on others. Short names stay anchored to our memory for lifelong. Here is a list of short last names beginning with 'C.' The surname starting with C goes very rhythmically with the name beginning with C. A cute family name beginning with C can be most preferably used as the last name for the protagonist family to highlight their positivity, coolness, and generosity.

71.Cai (Chinese Origin) was derived from the ancient Cai state.

72.Cal (Spanish Origin) meaning 'someone who lived by an area of limestone.'

73.Cam (Norman Origin) meaning 'Caen' in calvados.

74.Can (French Origin) meaning 'grey-haired man.'

75.Cao (Chinese Origin) is one of the very popular surnames starting from the letter 'C' was derived from a great-grandson of emperor Zhuan Xu. Other Romanized forms include surnames like Tso, Cho, Tsao, and Chou.

76.Cap ( Ukrainian Origin), meaning 'billy goat.'

77.Car (Croatian, Serbian and Slovenian Origin), meaning 'autocratic person.'

78.Cora (Galician Origin) meaning 'beautiful or distinctive face.'

79.Core (English Origin) meaning 'locksmiths.'

80.Card (English Origin) meaning ' someone who carded wool.'

81.Cea (Spanish, Galician, and Portuguese Origin) meaning 'habitational name from any of the places called Cea.'

82.Cece (Italian Origin) meaning 'Chickpea.'

83.Che (Chinese Origin) meaning 'cart.'

84.Cho (Burmese Origin) meaning 'sweet.'

85.Chu (Chinese Origin) one of the very popular surnames starting from the letter 'C' originated from the name of the founder of ChuState in the Western Zhou Dynasty.

86.Cox (English or Welsh Origin) meaning 'from the red hills.'

87.Coy(English Origin) meaning 'quiet and unassuming person.'

88.Cui (Chinese Origin) derived from the place named Cui

89.Cyr (French Origin), meaning ‘lord,’ ‘master.’

Long Last Names That Start With Letter C

Long and unusual surnames are a lifetime endurer of mispronunciation, but it also comes with a great advantage. It can act as a valuable genealogy tool. If you are in search of top surnames starting with C for such characters, you have landed in the right place. Here, we are presenting the ultimate list of long last names starting with 'C.' We have put all our efforts to find out long yet cool surnames so that you don't have to look anywhere else. These long C surnames can also be used as gender-neutral names for babies. Why settle for a last name starting with C containing just a few mere letters when you can choose long last names starting with C which are so much more striking?

90.Cadwallader (Welsh Origin) is derived from the name Cadwalader.

91.Charbonneau (French Origin) meaning 'Charcoal.'

92.Chamberlain (English Origin) one of the very popular surnames starting from the letter 'C' is the Occupational name for someone who looks after the inner room of a mansion.

93.Charpentier (French Origin) meaning 'Carpenter.'

94.Christiansen (Danish Origin) meaning 'son of Christian'

95.Christianson (English Origin) meaning 'son of Christian'

96.Christoffersen (Danish Origin) meaning 'son of Christofer'

97.Christophers (English Origin) derived from Christopher.

98.Christopherson (English Origin) meaning 'son of Christofer'

99.Courtemanche ( French Origin) meaning 'short sleeve.'

100.Czerniawski (Polish and Jewish Origin) one of the non so common surnames starting from the letter 'C' is the habitational name for some people from a place called Czerniawa, Czerniawka, or Czerniawy.

Kidadl has lots of great names articles to inspire you. If you liked our suggestions for Last Names That Start With C then why not take a look at the Top Girls Names Starting With C, or for something different take a look at Heroic Names.

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Written by Georgia Stone

Bachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art

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Georgia StoneBachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art

Georgia is an experienced Content Manager with a degree in French and Film Studies from King's College London and Bachelors degree from Université Paris-Sorbonne. Her passion for exploring the world and experiencing different cultures was sparked during her childhood in Switzerland and her year abroad in Paris. In her spare time, Georgia enjoys using London's excellent travel connections to explore further afield.

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