English surnames and their meanings (N-Z)

English Surnames and their Meanings (N-Z)

In England our surnames have been with us since the Middle Ages. They all had a meaning originally but this is often lost in the mists of time. However, clues still exist. They also give a glimpse of how our ancestors lived in another age, trade names are especially interesting as so often the trade no longer exists.

Napier	Trade name, a napier sold or was in charge of table linen.
Newcome	A newly arrived person.
Norman	Either a Norseman or a man from Normandy.
Nunn	Nickname, for someone meek and demure like a nun.
Nutter	A writer or scribe, from the Old English notere'.

Osborne	Predates the Norman Conquest, the name derives from the Norse asbjourn 'bear-god'.
Osmond	From the Norman asmundr 'god protector'.

Pack	Possibly from the Old French pasques 'Easter' or form pax the Latin for 'peace'.
Page	Trade name - a page
Palmer	A pilgrim from the Holy Land or other religious shrine, it relates to the palm branch that such pilgrims carried.
Parker	Trade name for someone in charge of a park used for hunting
Percy	From French place names
Philips	From the Greek through Latin philippus 'lover of horses', it became a popular name with many variations.
Philpot	Son of Philip, again there are many spelling variants.
Pomfret	From the Yorkshire town of Pontefract.
Pratt	A nickname derived from the Old English praett meaning 'cunning' or 'astute'.
Purvis	A servant who acts as a purveyor, fromt he Old French puveier.
Pratt	A nickname derived from the Old English praett meaning 'cunning' or 'astute'.
Purvis	A servant who acts as a purveyor, fromt he Old French puveier.

Quin	From the Irish O Cuinn 'son of the wise man or freeman'.
Quine	Similar to Quin but usually with Manx connections.

Radcliffe	With many variations is relates to place names meaning 'red cliff'.
Rees	Welsh, from rhys meaning 'ardour'.
Rowntree	Someone who lives by the Rowan tree.
Russell	From the Old French rous-el, a diminutive of rous, 'red'. A nickname for someone with red hair or complexion.

Sadler	Trade name for maker of sadles.
Slater	From the Old English sealtere, a maker or seller of salt.
Scott	Old English, originally it referred to someone from Ireland but later from Scotland.
Sharpe	From the Old English scearp 'quick' or 'sharp'. A nickname.
Skinner	Trade name
Sutcliffe	Someone who lives by the South Cliff.
Sykes	Someone who lives by a stream or gully, from the Old English sic 'a stream'.

Tait	From the Norse teitr 'cheerful'.
Taylor	Trade name, tailor.
Tempest	Nickname for someone with a stormy nature.
Thomas	An Aramaic name, it became popular in England after the canonisation of St Thomas Becket.
Todd	From the Middle English tod, 'a fox'. Hence a nickname for someone sly or cunning.
Todhunter	A fox hunter.
Tyler	Trade name from the trade of tiler or tile making.

Underhill	A person who lives at the foot of a hill.
Upjohn	Welsh, son of John.
Usher	Trade name - someone who held the post of official doorkeeper at a court.

Vane	Nickname, from Middle English fein, 'cheerful'.
Vaughan	From the Welsh fychan, 'small'.
Vernon	Place name in Normandy.
Vyner	Trade name - a vine grower or dresser. Vines were much commonly cultivated in the middle ages England than they are now.

Wagstaff	Nickname for someone holding a beadle's office, who therefore carried a staff.
Wakeman	A watchman.
Walker	Trade name from the cloth making trade. Same as fuller or tucker.
Ward	A watchman or warden.
Weaver	Trade name, can also refer to a place name.
Wentworth	English place name, from Middle English meaning a home by the crossroads.

Yates	Variation of gate - a gatekeeper.
Yeo	Middle English attte yeo, someone who lives by the stream'.
Young	Used to differentiate a son from his father.
Yule	Born at Yuletide, ie Christmas.

Sources

Who's famous in your family
A Reader's Digest Guide to tracing your ancestry

Moonfleetonline

family history and genealogy

English Surnames and their Meanings (N-Z)