Popular English Surnames: Origins and Meanings

Names are an integral part of personal and family identities. They can also illuminate your cultural heritage or your ancestors’ lives. If you have English heritage, it is likely that you have some English surnames in your family tree.

Old English names were widely inspired by a multitude of cultural influences. They commonly include Viking, Nordic, Scandinavian, German, and French roots. English names also take inspiration from religion, familial lines, nature, occupations, physical characteristics, and so on. 

Start learning about your ancestry with your surname! A name's origins can explain a lot about where and how your family once lived.

English First Names

Whether you’re trying to find baby name ideas or you want to learn about English names in your family, this is a great place to look. Get an idea of name meanings and origins for English boy names and English girl names.

English Boy Names

By  FamilySearch

January 7, 2020

Your name is a significant part of your personal identity. It’s likely that your ancestors felt the same way about their names. If you have …

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English Girl Names

By  FamilySearch

January 7, 2020

Do you have English heritage? If so, your grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and beyond might have English names. Popular English girl names …

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25 Common English Surnames, Their Origins, and Their Meanings

The following is a list of some of the most common surnames in England today, or read about English names for boys or English names for girls. Learn a little about the origins of the names and their meanings, which possibly can tell you about your ancestors’ lives if these names are in your family tree.

1. Smith (smith)

   1. Origin: English
   2. Meaning: Blacksmith or metal worker
   3. In Old English, smitan means “to strike.” Smith is an occupational name, meaning your ancestors were probably blacksmiths, who were valuable members of society and who contributed weapons and tools.

2. Jones (jōnz)

   1. Origin: Welsh
   2. Meaning: God is gracious
   3. The meaning comes from the name John, which evolved from the Hebrew word Yochanan.

3. Williams (wil-yəmz)

   1. Origin: English
   2. Meaning: Son of William
   3. Originally from the Germanic Willahelm, William means “desire helmet or protection” or “brave protector.” You can be proud of your possible warrior lineage.

4. Brown (brau̇n)

   1. Origin: English
   2. Meaning: The color brown
   3. Brown was often a name given to someone with brown hair or skin.
      

      

5. Taylor (tā-lər)

   1. Origin: English
   2. Meaning: A clothing tailor
   3. Your ancestors were likely tailors. Did you inherit the skills?

6. Davies (dā-vēz)

   1. Origin: English, Welsh, or Scottish
   2. Meaning: Son of David
   3. David is a biblical Hebrew name meaning “beloved” or “uncle.”

7. Evans (e-vənz)

   1. Origin: Welsh
   2. Meaning: Son of Evan
   3. Evan is the Welsh version of John,coming from the Hebrew word Yochanan, which means “God is gracious.”

8. Thomas (tä-məs)

   1. Origin: Greek or Aramaic 
   2. Meaning: Twin
   3. While it is possible that your ancestors were twins, Thomas was more likely passed down as a given name made popular by Saint Thomas Becket or others.

9. Johnson (jän-sən)

   1. Origin: English
   2. Meaning: Son of John
   3. This is the third name on this list derived fromJohn, meaning “God is gracious.” It was clearly a popular choice.

10. Roberts (rä-bərts)

    1. Origin: English
    2. Meaning: Bright fame
    3. Robert is an English name from the Germanic roots hrod, meaning “fame,” and beraht, meaning“bright.” Perhaps one of your ancestors was famous?

11. Lee (lē)

    1. Origin: English
    2. Meaning: Field or meadow
    3. Your ancestors probably lived near an Old English lea, or meadow—sounds picturesque.
       

       

12. Walker (wȯ-kər)

    1. Origin: English
    2. Meaning: Someone who walks on raw, wet wool to clean and thicken it
    3. This outdated occupation could also be called a fuller.

13. Wright (rīt)

    1. Origin: English
    2. Meaning: Carpenter, craftsman, or wagon maker
    3. Don’t you love these occupational names? Can you picture your ancestors at work?

14. Robinson (rä-bən-sən)

    1. Origin: English
    2. Meaning: Son of Robin
    3. Robin, similar to Robertearlier on this list, means “bright fame,” but it could also refer to the red-breasted bird.
       

       

15. Thompson (täm-sən)

    1. Origin: English or Scottish
    2. Meaning: Son of Thomas
    3. Thomas means “twin,” but the name may not indicate that your ancestors were twins; it was a popular name.

16. White (wīt)

    1. Origin: English
    2. Meaning: The color white
    3. White was a name often given to someone with white hair or a fair complexion.

17. Hughes (hyüz)

    1. Origin: German, Welsh, Irish, French
    2. Meaning: Bright heart, mind, and spirit
    3. Seems similar to hue, right? It’s actually from the Germanic word hug.

18. Edwards (ed-wərdz)

    1. Origin: English
    2. Meaning: Son of Edward
    3. Edward, meaning “wealthy guardian,” was the name of several Anglo-Saxon kings. It was a fitting name for a king, right?

19. Green (grēn)

    1. Origin: English or Irish
    2. Meaning: The color green or someone who lives near the village green
    3. “Village green” doesn’t actually refer to a village name but rather to the common area in a village.
       

       

20. Lewis (lü-əs)

    1. Origin: English, French, or German
    2. Meaning: Famous warrior
    3. Lewis is close cousins with the French name Louis and the German name Ludwig.

21. Wood (wu̇d)

    1. Origin: English or Scottish
    2. Meaning: Someone who lived or worked in a forest
    3. Wood is another picturesque name that hints at your ancestors’ homes.

22. Harris (her-əs)

    1. Origin: English
    2. Meaning: Son of Harry
    3. No, your ancestors weren’t named for being hairy. Rather, Harry means “army or estate ruler.”

23. Martin (mär-tᵊn)

    1. Origin: Latin or Roman
    2. Meaning: Servant of Mars, the Roman god of war
    3. Martin was made popular by Saint Martin of Tours, who legendarily ripped his cloak in half in the middle of winter to share with a cold beggar.

24. Jackson (jak-sən)

    1. Origin: English or Scottish
    2. Meaning: Son of Jack
    3. Jack is yet another name (fourth on this list) derived from John,a name with Hebrew roots meaning “God is gracious.”

25. Clarke (klärk)

    1. Origin: English
    2. Meaning: Clerk, cleric, or scribe
    3. Clerk in Old English was clerec,originally meaning “priest.” 

English Surnames in Your Family Tree

Do you have any of these common English names in your family tree? Use FamilySearch.org to see if you can find any! 

Did you find any of the names in your tree? Did we miss any of your family names? Or perhaps your favorite names? Let us know in the comments below.

Here are a few more resources to find English surnames that may be in your family tree:

• English Surnames from Old English
• Old English Origin Surnames
• British Surnames

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