100 Rare Last Names With Meanings

A surname, or last name, is traditionally a family name used to differentiate between individuals bearing the same forename or first name. There is evidence to suggest that the Romans were among the first people to make use of surnames. Surnames provide an enormous amount of information and are fundamental in family research. Not only do they reveal your ancestors' identities, but they can also tell you details about their lives. Most people look to their ancestry to research the story of their name, but sometimes the spelling of the word itself is also changed through time, and though the origin may be the same, the ideas behind them can be quite different! This article will look at some of the rarest last names. We will also look at the origin of these names, from Italian origins to names inspired by Old English and more.

What Parents Should Know

Some surnames that weren’t uncommon centuries ago have started to die out recently. A few surnames are categorized as "endangered" and "extinct".

Surnames can be mainly categorized into four groups - Geographical, which means names originating from places. Patronymic, which means names that are passed down from father to son. Occupational means names that originate from jobs, and Descriptive, which are names that describe physical aspects.

Last names are a great way of getting children interested in family history and genealogy.

What To Discuss With Kids

Last names are a great way of learning languages, geography, and history. You can learn about people and their stories just by learning more about surnames.

If you are interested in your family's roots, researching your surname can help you discover more about your family's legacy and genealogy.

Surnames are a symbol of family. You carry your family's name and will always be a part of them wherever you go.

1. Bauguess (Welsh Origin) - It originated as a nickname for a small or short man, derived from the Welsh word "bach," which means "little."

2. Birkeland (Norwegian Origin) - It is a geographical name for people who come from places called Birkeland.

3. Winterton (English Origin) - Derived from two places in Lincolnshire and Norfolk named Winterton.

4. Freimuth (German Origin) - Originating from Middle High German, 'vrī and muot' means 'mind spirit'. It denotes someone of a free and courageous disposition.

5. Hoberg (German, Danish Origin) - It is a geographical last name.

6. Homola (Czech, Slovak Origin) - Originates from 'homole', meaning 'cone'. Denotes someone with a pointed or cone-shaped head.

7. Kadel (German Origin) - Originating from the Slavic word 'kadel', meaning 'soot, dust', it is an occupational name for chimney-sweepers.

8. Kozłowski (Polish and Jewish Origin) - It is a geographical name for someone from a place named Kozłów.

9. Lefrancois (French Origin) - It is a geographical name for the people from Île-de-France region.

10. Luquin ( Spanish Origin) - It is a name for people from Luquin in Navarre, Spain.

11. MacDonnell (Scottish, Irish Origin) - It is an Americanized form of the name 'Mac Dhòmhnaill', meaning 'son of Dòmhnall'.

12. Nudelman (Jewish, Polish Origin) - An occupational name for a tailor or a maker of needles.

13. Reidenbach (German Origin) - Originating from the place of the same name in Palatinate.

14. Schermer (German, Dutch Origin) - Originating from the region of Polder Schermer in the North Holland province. In German, it is an occupational name originating from the word 'schermere' meaning 'fencer street player'.

15. Solivan (Irish Origin) - It was first found in the territory of Cahir in County Tipperary, in the province of Munster.

16. Börjesson (Swedish Origin) - Means 'one who saves, protects, or helps'.

17. Caniglia (Italian Origin) - An occupational name for a miller or a cereal grower.

18. Cipollone (Italian Origin) - It originates from a nickname for someone with a big head from the augmentative of the Italian word 'Cipolla', meaning 'onion'.

19. Denslow (English Origin) - Originating from places named Denslow or Dinsley.

20. Eargle ( Bavarian Origin) -This last name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. The Eargle family declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region.

21. Korf (German Origin) - It originates from the word 'Korb', meaning 'basket'. It is an occupational last name used for a maker or vendor of baskets.

22. Majid (Arabic Origin) - Meaning noble, glorious, and magnificent.

21. Milhoan (English origin) - It originates from the Old English words 'Myln and Ham', meaning 'homestead or village with a mill'. It was first found in Mid Norfolk at Mileham, a village mid-way between East Dereham and Fakenham.

22. Pinelli (Italian Origin) - Originates from the Italian name Pinello.

23. Prestage (Anglo-Saxon Origin) - Originating from Prestwick, Northumberland, or Prestwich, in Cheshire.

24. Scolaro (Italian Origin) - Originates from the nickname 'Scolaro', meaning 'scholar pupil'.

25. Sperl (German Origin) - Originates from the nickname 'spar(e)', meaning ‘sparrow’. It is also an occupational name for pin makers originating from the dialect word 'Sperl'.

26. Speight (English origin) - Derived from a nickname, 'the Speight' or 'Specht,' meaning 'woodpecker'.

27. Amerine (Italian Origin) - Originating from the Tuscany region in central Italy.

28. Autin (French Origin) - Originates from the personal name Autin or Augustin.

29. Bea (Old English Origin) - The surname was first found in Oxfordshire.

30. Carraher (Irish Origin) - It is the shortened Americanized form of 'Mac Fhearchair', meaning 'son of Fearchar'.

31. Denver (Old English Origin) - Originates from 'Dene-fær', meaning 'crossing or passing of the Danes', or from 'den-ōfer', meaning 'valley-bank'.

32. Dierkes (Dutch Origin) - It became noted for its many branches in Holand, each house acquiring a status and influence envied by the region's princes.

33. Dumler (German Origin) - A variant of Dümmler or Thümmler. Originates from 'Tumel' meaning 'loud noise' or 'Tummel' meaning 'noisy movement racket'. It is also an occupational name for a traveling entertainer from 'Tummell', meaning 'to move quickly or irregularly'.

34. Dutka (Multiple Origins) - It originates from 'Dutka', the Polish, Ukrainian, Slovak, Czech and Hungarian name of a coin of a small value used in the 17th century. It also comes from the Polish, Ukrainian, Rusyn Slovak, and Czech variants of 'Dudka', meaning 'small bagpipe'.

35. Hosek (Czech Origin) - It originates from a pet form of the Czech name Hodislav. 'hod' means ‘to do good to please’, and 'slav' means ‘glory’ or ‘famous’.

36. Kassner (German Origin) - It is a variant of Kastner, meaning 'steward' or 'joiner'.

37. Manko (Polish, Slovak, Ukrainian Origin) - Comes from the name Emanuel.

38. Nearing (German Origin) - It is the Americanized form of German 'Niering' a geographical name from a place in Westphalia.

39. Norquist (Swedish Origin) - Composed of 'Nor', meaning 'narrow stream', and 'quist', meaning 'twig'.

40. Quaid (Irish Origin) - It is a shortened form of McQuaid.

41. Ryser (Swiss, German Origin) - It is a variant of Reiser.

42. Sammarco (Italian Origin) - Originating from places in southern Italy named San Marco or Sammarco.

43. Turnmire (German Origin) - The Americanized form of German 'Dürnmeyer' or 'Dürrenmayera', a name for a 'tenant farmer' with 'Dur' meaning 'water' and 'dürr' meaning 'dry'.

44. Wittkamp (German Origin) - 'Wit' means 'white' or 'wēte' means 'wheat or buckwheat', and 'Kamp' means 'enclosed field pasture meadow'. It is also a geographical name from a place so named near Münster Westphalia.

45. With (German Origin) - It is a short form of a Slavic name based on 'Vit' meaning 'mighty powerful'.

46. Sallow (English Origin) - Derived from 'Salwe', meaning a 'sallow' tree, which is a kind of willow.

47. Fernsby (English Origin) - It is a hybrid of the word 'Fearn' meaning 'fern' and the Danish suffix '–by', indicating a settlement or even a farmstead. The surname means 'a dwelling near the ferns'.

48. Villan (English Origin) - Derived from an occupation, 'the villain' means small farmer, bondman, or servant.

49. Miracle (German Origin) - Variant of Maracle.

50. Dankworth (German Origin) - Derived from the forename 'Tancred', which mutated to a hard D in English, combined with the English 'Worth' meaning 'a farmstead'.

51. MacQuoid (Gaelic Origin) - an Americanized form of the 'Mac Aodha' from the word 'Adoha', which means 'fire'. Aodha is also the name of a pagan god.

52. Loughty (Scottish Origin) - The word 'loch' means 'a lake or inlet'. The suffix '-ty' usually signified the diminutive, the implied meaning 'of, or by a small lake'.

53. Birdwhistle (English Origin) - Derived from Birtwistle, near Padiham, in the county of Lancashire. The town was named for the Old English words bird or 'brid', meaning 'young bird or nestling', and 'twissel', meaning 'to a fork in a stream'.

54. Berrycloth (English Origin) - Originates from 'Barrowclough' near Halifax in West Yorkshire. Derived from the word 'beara' meaning 'grove, or wood' and 'cloh' meaning 'a ravine or steep slope'.

55. Bread (English Origin) - Derives from the word 'braedu', meaning a 'wide expanse of land', as in the place name 'Brede' in Sussex.

56. Maccaa (Scottish Origin) - The surname was found in Scotland between 1841 and 1881.

57. Weismann (German Origin) - Meaning 'white man'. Common variants in spelling are Weismann, Weissman, Weisman, Waismann, and Vaisman.

58. Wibowo (Chinese Origin) - It is found in Indonesia among its Chinese community. It is the transliteration of a Chinese surname meaning 'yellow or to fall through'.

59. Westenhaver (German Origin) - An Americanized form of German Westenhöfer. It is a geographical name for someone from Westenhofen in Bavaria.

60. Wahlberg (Swedish Origin) - Derived from 'Vall' meaning 'pasture' and 'berg' meaning 'mountain'.

61. Albair (French Origin) - It was first found in Burgundy, an administrative and historical region of east-central France, where the family held a family seat from very early times.

62. Alme (Norwegian Origin) - It is a geographical name for farms named in Norway.

63. Andreadis (Greek Origin) - Meaning 'the son of Andreas'.

64. Anniello (Italian Origin) - It is a variant of Agnello, meaning 'lamb'.

65. Balson (English origin) - Originates from Cambridgeshire at Balsham, a rural village and civil parish which dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Bellesham.

66. Baranello (Italian Origin) - It is a geographical name for Baranello, a mountain community in Campobasso province.

67. Bartle (Cornish Origin) - Originates from Les Bottereaux in Eure, France, so named from being infested with toads.

68. Bergmeier (German Origin) - A distinguishing name for a tenant farmer living on a mountainside composed of German 'Berc' meaning 'mountain' and 'Meier' meaning 'tenant farmer.'

69. Candy (English Origin) - It was first found in Suffolk, where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor.

70. Catlow (Anglo-Saxon Origin) - Originates from Catlow, the county of Lancashire.

71. Daou (Arabic Origin) - Meaning 'light'.

72. Darras (Norman, French, Huguenot origin) - Originates from Arras in northern France, Arras-en-Lavedan (Hautes-Pyrénées) or Arras-sur-Rhône (Ardèche).

73. Chips (Anglo-Saxon Origins) - Chips was a name used for a carpenter, from the wood chips that festooned a carpenter's hair and body.

74. Temple (Anglo-Saxon Origin) - It is a geographical name for families living close to a temple.

75. Bonneville (French Origin) - Derived from French 'bonne' meaning 'good' and 'ville' meaning 'settlement'. Also, a geographical name.

76. Tuffin (English Origin) - A variant of Tiffin, which roughly translates to “the manifestation of God”.

76. Bombardo (Spanish or Italian Origin) - Means a type of instrument

77. Stawarski (Polish Origin) - Derived from 'staw' meaning 'pod'.

78. Mosheyev (Hebrew Origin) - Meaning 'son of Moshe'.

79. Guillebeaux (French Origin) - 'Guille' means 'will/desire', and 'Beaux' means 'beautiful'.

80. Banasiewicz (Polish Origin) - Dervied from peasant form of Benedykt – Banaś

81. Choquet (French Origin) - The word referred to 'a tax on food and drink'. The name was conferred on the people who collected the taxes.

82. Altmark (Germanic Origin) - Originates from a region near Hamburg.

83. Apprill (Latin Origin) - A spelling variant of April derived from the Latin 'Aprilis'. It refers to the month.

84. Conyngham (Celtic Origin) - It’s derived from the Old Irish word 'Conn' which means chief. The descendants of a chief would adopt the name.

85. Remington (Old English Origin) - Means 'from the raven's home'.

86. Sharpe (Old English Origin) - 'scearp' means 'sharp' or 'keen'.

87. Beam (English Origin) - Derived from 'bem' meaning 'tree; beam post piece of timber'. It denoted the beam of a loom and was, in some cases, an occupational name for a weaver.

88. Wallington (English Origin) - Derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'Waletone' meaning 'village of the Britons'.

89. Carla (Scottish Origin) - It is a name whose ancestors lived among the Picts, a tribe in ancient Aberdeen, Scotland.

90. Grader (German Origin) - Geographical name for someone who lived on or near terraced terrain. Derived from 'grāt' meaning 'step ridge grade'.

91. Ehrlich (German/Yiddish Origin) - Meaning "honest" or "honorable".

92. Darino (Italian Origin) - A variant of Darino, a pet form of Dario .

93. Stong (Bavarian Origin) - The name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area of Franconia.

94. Mood (Anglo-Saxon Origin) - It was a name for a bold or impetuous person. The surname Mood is derived from the Old English word 'modig' meaning 'brave, impetuous, or bold'.

95. Heisel (German Origin) - Derived from a pet form of Heiss.

96. Care (Anglo-Saxon Origin) - Geographical name for a family residing at the carr, or low-lying meadow.

97. Miguez (Galician, Portuguese Origin) - Derived from the personal name Miguel a shortened form of Miguélez.

98. Warehime (Anglo-Saxon Origin) - Geographical name for the settlement of Wareham in Dorset or Warham in Herefordshire or Norfolk.

99. Tobé (German, Dutch Origin) - From a pet form of the Biblical personal name Tobias.

100. Odem (Anglo-Saxon Origin) - Geographical name for people of Oldham, in Lancashire. This was a town near Manchester; that city has since absorbed it.

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