Last Names & Surnames

Medieval Last Names in 2021

Usually European history and civilization is more connected with the Mediaval period (from theĀ 5th to the late 15th century). Medieval surnames had a far more valuable meaning attached to them in Medieval England, so they do now inherit our surname effectively. Medieval names usually have something in it, and below are some of the most common surnames found in Medieval England and their meaning.

Medieval Last Names and Meanings

These are the most popular Medieval family names arranged in alphabetical order. Some of you may interested in nobles, fantasy or royal medival surnames, so that I have covered these categories at the end of this post.Ā 

medieval surnames

Names Start with A

Abbey ā€“ someone that works in an abbey

Arkwright ā€“ a person that makes arks

Aimar ā€“ A famous or noble individual

Anderson ā€“ Son of Andrew

Atkinson/ Atkins ā€“ Son of AtkinĀ 

B

Baker/ Baxter ā€“ A bread maker

Bauer ā€“ peasant

Bell ā€“ Bell-ringer

Brewster ā€“ Someone who works in a brewery

Bigge ā€“ A significant and robust individual

Bennett ā€“ A blessed individual

Blythe ā€“ Happy or joyous

Bonner ā€“ kind or courteous

Brownā€“ Someone with dark coloured hairĀ 

Bell ā€“ An individual that lives near a town bell

Bridge ā€“ Someone lives by a bridge

Bryson ā€“ Son of Brice

Medieval Last Names Start with C

Chamberlain ā€“ One that looked after mansions

Chandler ā€“ A candle maker

Chapman ā€“ Shopkeeper

Clarke ā€“ teacher, a scholar or a priest

Collier ā€“ coal miner

Cooper ā€“ Someone that made wooden buckets

Chance ā€“ A lucky person

Curtis ā€“ An elegant person

Cruikshank ā€“ One with bent legs

D

Dempster ā€“ Judge

Dearā€“ One that is loved

Devine ā€“ One that behaved in a divine manner

Daft ā€“ Someone with a mildĀ 

Dunn ā€“ Someone with dark-colored skin

E

Everett ā€“ BraveĀ 

Erickson ā€“ Son of Erick

F

Fish/ Fisher ā€“ Fisherman or a fish seller

Fish ā€“ Good swimmer

Fox ā€“ Crafty personĀ 

Fox ā€“ An individual with red hair

Forest ā€“ Someone lives by a forest

Old English Last Names Start with G

 

Gardner/ Gardiner ā€“ Person that owned a gardenĀ 

Grant ā€“ Someone great

Grey ā€“ Someone with grey clothes

H

Harper ā€“ Individual who made harps

Hardy ā€“ Bold

Hawk ā€“ Someone with a fierce temper

Hindman ā€“ A courteous person

Hughes ā€“ Son of Hugh

Hill ā€“ One who lives by a hillĀ 

medieval names

I

Inman ā€“ An innkeeper

Medieval Surnames Start with J

Jenner ā€“ Engineer

Jameson ā€“ Son of John

Johnson ā€“ Son of John

K

Kemp ā€“ A jouster

Kitchener ā€“ Person that works in the kitchen

Knight ā€“ knight

Koch ā€“ A cook

Kocher ā€“ A cook

Keen ā€“ Brave

Kennedy ā€“ Someone with an ugly face

Knapp ā€“ One that lives at the top of a hill

L

Lister ā€“ Dyer

Lightfoot ā€“ Someone that walks rapidly

Lancaster ā€“ One that comes from Lancaster

London ā€“ One that comes from London

M

There are many medieval names that can be use for females. And some of them are starting with M.

Miller ā€“ Person who works in a mill

Mannering ā€“ A manly person

Moody ā€“ Brave person

Mundy ā€“ A person born on Monday

Morrell ā€“ Short person with a dark complexion

Meredith ā€“ Descended from MareduddĀ 

Morrison ā€“ Son of MorrisĀ 

N

Norton ā€“ One that lives north of a town

P

Here are popular medieval english surnames starting with P. Some of these names are still common in England.

Packard ā€“ A person that sells stolen goods

Page ā€“ A young servant

Payne ā€“ A pagan

Palmer ā€“ A pilgrim

Parker ā€“ The keeper of the park

Porter ā€“ The doorkeeper

Peacock ā€“ The nickname for an arrogant person

Power ā€“ Poor person

Pratt ā€“ The nickname for a tricksterĀ 

Proude ā€“ A person who proud

Pruitt ā€“ A brave and fearless individual

Puttock ā€“ A greedy personĀ 

Park ā€“ One who lives by the park

Q

Quick ā€“ An agile person

R

Here are the medieval times names starts with letter R. Some of these old surnames are still popular in the world.

Rolfe ā€“ A peasant

Ryder ā€“ A warrior

Rey ā€“ Acts like a king

Rose ā€“ A person with a rosy complexion

Russ ā€“ a person with red hairĀ 

Root ā€“ One that is cheerful and happy

Russell ā€“ One with red hairĀ 

Robertson ā€“ Son of Robert

Rose ā€“ One who lives in an area where there are many roses

List of Medieval Last Names Start with S

Saylor ā€“ An acrobat or a dancer

Scrivens ā€“ A writer

Sommer ā€“ Farmer that had to pay taxes in the summer

Smith ā€“ Metalworker

Spinner ā€“ A person that spins wool

Steele ā€“ A person that works steel

Stoddard ā€“ A horse keeper

Swift ā€“ A messenger

Selly ā€“ a blessed individual

Sharp ā€“ An intelligent

Short ā€“ the short person

Sommer ā€“ a cheerful person

Sparks ā€“ a lively individual

Spear ā€“ Thin person

Stern ā€“ Someone that has a severe character

Swann/ Swan ā€“ People have known for their purityĀ 

Sweet ā€“ a nickname for a friendly and pleasant person

Sullivan ā€“ One with a good eyesight

Simson ā€“ Son of Simon

Shaw ā€“ One who lives by the woods

Sommer ā€“ One that lives in a sunny area

T

Taylor ā€“ A tailor

Tinker ā€“ Person that mends kitchen utensils

Toller ā€“ A person that collected taxes

Tait ā€“ someone cheerful, happy

Terrell ā€“ a suborn individual

Truman ā€“ a trustworthy person

Townsend ā€“ One who lives on the outskirts of the town

Tuft ā€“ One that lives near many trees and bushes

Tracey ā€“ One individual that comes from France

W

Wainwright ā€“ A person that made carts

Walter ā€“ Water-bearerĀ 

Ward ā€“ Guardian

Webb ā€“ Weaver ā€“ Last names that describe character traitsĀ 

Wallaceā€“ a Celt, or a foreigner, stranger

Wild ā€“ wild

Ware ā€“ An astute personĀ 

Whitehead ā€“ A person with blonde hair ā€“ Surnames that indicate family lineage

Williamson ā€“ Son of William

Like to see most weird last names in the world.

Y

Yohe ā€“ One who lives near a stream

York ā€“ One that comes from York

Medieval Last Names for Nobles

These are the top nobles last names and some of these names belongs to kings who lived in he Medival age.So, most of these last names also treated as royal last names.Ā 

Altard

Arden

Baudry

Beauchamp

Boleyn

Confessor

Clinchamps

Courteney

Dacre

De Braose

Damours

Evelyn

Faucon

Flambard

Gilpin

Guideville

Harold

Henry

Medieval Surnames of Kings and Queens

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This is another interesting list you may like to see. Maybe you have a family name that comes form these kings or queens.

Godwinson

Rufus

Beauclerc

Matilda

Plantagenet

Lackland

These are most famous medieval kings surnames and you can check more details from here.

Medieval Arabic Last Names

During the Medival era there was a simialar cultural approach in Arabian countries arround 900ā€“1300 CE. There were popular muslim family names used during that period.Ā 

Aban

Auriya

Bazzu

Dhayl

Gamama

Halhal

Jalib

Jasib

Mahua

Narjis

There are many online sources you can refer to find medival arabic last names. You can get more details from the above link, if you are interested.

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