Old English is a language that represents much of what makes English culture unique. Within these surnames are the ancient names of places, occupations, and landmarks that define England. Our compilation of the most popular Old English last names delves deep into the roots of a society that formed the English-speaking world. Our team searched through records to create a comprehensive list of these surnames and their meanings.
What are Old English Last Names?
Old English last names have origins in the Old English language and culture, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era, from the 5th to the 12th century. These surnames are rooted in the landscapes, occupations, familial relations, and unique characteristics of individuals from that period. Surnames in the Anglo-Saxon period did not function exactly as they do today. The concept of fixed surnames, identifying families across generations, was not common practice until the late medieval era.
Before the 14th century in England, names often described one’s job, for example, “Smith” for a blacksmith and “Baker” for someone who bakes, physical features, or even geographic locations. Patronymics were also common, with names like “Johnson” indicating “John’s son.” Over centuries, these identifiers, which initially were fluid, began to become hereditary and took on the role of surnames. Our extensive list of Old English last names and their meanings is an invaluable resource for anyone delving into English history and culture. We’ve looked through records of Old English last names throughout history and have curated lists of common Old English surnames and lists of Old English surnames by theme.
Top 100 Old English Last Names
Many Old English last names originated from geographical features, occupations, or personal characteristics of individuals. These surnames distinguished people based on their profession, location, or lineage, which helped identify individuals in smaller communities. Over time, these identifiers became hereditary and evolved into the surnames we recognize today.
- Smith – Worker in metal
- Johnson – Son of John
- Williams – Son of William
- Brown – Brown-haired or complexioned
- Miller – Grinder of grain
- Davis – Son of David
- Lee – Meadow or clearing
- Clark – Clerk or scholar
- Wright – Worker or shaper of wood
- Mitchell – Who is like God?
- Roberts – Son of Robert
- Cook – Cook or chef
- Cooper – Barrel maker
- Reed – Red-haired or ruddy complexioned
- Ward – Guard or guardian
- Brooks – Near the brook or stream
- Ross – Heath or moorland
- Perry – Near the pear tree
- Hamilton – Treeless hill
- Graham – Gravel homestead
- Wallace – Foreigner or stranger
- Hayes – From the hedged area
- Stevens – Son of Steven
- Harrison – Son of Harry
- Washington – From Washington, England
- Webb – Weaver
- Crawford – Ford by the crow’s tree
- Hunt – Hunter
- Stone – Dweller by the stone or rock
- Hawkins – Little hawk
- Hart – Stag
- Bradley – Broad meadow
- Riley – Rye clearing
- Jacobs – Son of Jacob
- Reid – Red-haired or ruddy complexioned
- Burton – Fortified enclosure
- Wade – River crossing
- Stanley – Stony meadow
- Caldwell – Cold spring
- Sutton – South town
- Becker – Baker
- Holt – Wooded hill
- Hale – Robust or healthy
- Benson – Son of Ben
- Horton – Muddy farmstead
- Bush – Bushy area or thicket
- Thornton – Thorny enclosure
- Dawson – Son of David
- Reeves – Bailiff or steward
- Ramsey – Garlic island
- Stevenson – Son of Steven
- Brady – Broad island
- Goodwin – Good friend
- Sherman – Shear man or wool cutter
- Hampton – High town
- Townsend – End of the town
- Barton – Barley settlement
- Strickland – Land with stumps of trees
- Harrington – Farmstead of the people of Harry
- Ball – One who lives by the ball or knoll
- Lindsey – Linden tree island
- Norton – North town
- Marsh – Marsh or wetland
- Drake – Dragon or male duck
- Morton – Moor town
- Holloway – Hollow way or road
- Clayton – Clay settlement
- Davenport – Town by the river
- Copeland – Bought land
- Bradford – Broad ford
- Kirby – Church settlement
- York – Wild boar settlement
- Dalton – Dale town
- Bond – Husbandman or farmer
- Melton – Mill town
- Beard – One with a beard
- Preston – Priest’s town
- Vance – Marsh
- Eaton – River settlement
- Blackwell – Black well or spring
- Stafford – Ford by a landing place
- Lester – Fortified camp
- Leach – Physician or healer
- Kent – Edge or border
- Durham – Island hill
- Browning – Son of the brown-haired one
- Middleton – Middle town
- Hardin – Valley of the hares
- Bradshaw – Broad wood
- Buckley – Meadow of the he-goat
- Bentley – Bent grass meadow
- Hurley – Sea tide
- Harding – Brave or strong
- Sampson – Sun
- Blackburn – Black brook
- Rivers – Dweller by the river
- Farley – Fern wood
- Ashley – Ash tree meadow
- Fry – Free
- Benton – Grass enclosure
Unique Old English Last Names
Despite their rarity, these unique surnames offer insights into the culture, lifestyle, and linguistic nuances of ancient England. Our unique Old English surnames list is packed with extraordinary names from ye olden times.
- Aldridge – Alder tree ridge
- Alford – Old river crossing
- Alston – Old stone or temple stone
- Arrington – Farmstead of Earring’s people
- Barlow – Bare hill
- Bingham – Homestead of the family of Binning
- Bolton – Enclosure or settlement with a house
- Brandon – Hill covered with broom
- Camden – Valley with camps or enclosures
- Cantrell – Song or singer
- Carlisle – Fort at Luguvalium
- Carlton – Free peasants’ settlement
- Clemons – Merciful or mild
- Clifford – River crossing by a cliff
- Clifton – Town by the cliff
- Compton – Valley settlement
- Cotton – Cottages
- Crowder – Fiddler or player of the crowd
- Denton – Valley settlement
- Dudley – People’s meadow
- Duke – Leader or noble
- Dukes – Son of the duke
- Dunham – Homestead on the hill
- England – From England
- Fulton – Settlement of the fowl or birds
- Gifford – Gift ford
- Godwin – Friend of God
- Hadley – Heather meadow
- Haley – Hay clearing
- Hanley – High clearing
- Hartley – Stag clearing
- Hastings – Son of the un-peaceful one
- Hayden – Hay valley or hill
- Helton – Farmstead on the hill
- Henley – High wood or clearing
- Hinton – Farmstead on the hill
- Holbrook – Stream in the hollow
- Hollingsworth – Enclosure of Holling’s people
- Hurt – Brave or hardy
- Kendall – Valley of the River Kent
- Lancaster – Roman fort on the River Lune
- Langford – Long ford
- Langley – Long meadow
- Langston – Long stone
- Law – Hill
- Lindsay – Linden tree island
- Lockwood – Enclosed wood
- Lynn – Lake or pond
- Manley – Common wood or clearing
- Mead – Meadow
- Milton – Middle town
- Newsome – New houses
- Payton – Pæga’s town
- Rutherford – Cattle ford
- Sanford – Sandy ford
- Sheffield – Open land by the River Sheaf
- Sheldon – Hill with a shelf or ledge
- Sherwood – Clear wood
- Shipley – Sheep clearing
- Shirley – Bright clearing
- Slaughter – Muddy place
- Stanford – Stone ford
- Stanton – Stone farmstead
- Stratton – Roman road town
- Sutherland – Southern land
- Sweet – Sweet or pleasant
- Swift – Quick or fleet-footed
- Tatum – Cheerful bringer of joy
- Thorpe – Village or hamlet
- Waddell – Ford with wattles
- Wesley – West meadow
- Westbrook – Western stream
- Weston – Western town
- Whaley – Clearing by a pool
- Whitfield – White field
- Whitley – White clearing
- Whitney – White island
- Yarbrough – Earthwork fort
Posh Old English Last Names
Posh Old English last names have associations with aristocracy, landed gentry, and noble lineages. These surnames convey prestige, reflecting historical wealth, esteemed professions, or connections to prominent places.
- Ainsworth – From Annes’ estate
- Ashton – Ash tree town
- Astbury – East fort
- Aston – East town
- Bristol – Meeting place by the bridge
- Buckingham – Home of Bucca’s people
- Buxton – Bow or arch stone
- Byron – At the byres or barns
- Carrington – From Carrington, Scotland
- Cavendish – From Cavendish, England. Bold, daring
- Churchill – Church on the hill
- Cromwell – Winding stream
- Ellington – Farmstead of Ella’s people
- Livingstone – Leving’s town
- Marlow – Drained lake
- Marlowe – Drained lake
- Oldham – Old homestead
- Pinkerton – Hill with a thicket
- Royal – Regal or kingly
- Saxton – Saxon town
- Smyth – Blacksmith
- Stapleton – Settlement with a post
- Upchurch – Church on higher ground
- Upton – Upper farm or settlement
- Wadsworth – Village enclosure
- Warwick – Dairy farm by the river
- Wellington – Wealthy or prosperous estate
- Wentworth – White estate
- Wharton – Settlement by the shore or bank
- Wigglesworth – Settlement of Wigilo’s people
- Willoughby – Farm by the willows
- Winchester – Roman fort
- Windsor – Winch shore
- Wingate – Path to the meadow
- Winterbourne – Stream that flows in winter
- Winthrop – Friend’s village
- Worthington – Estate of Weorth’s people
- Wrigglesworth – From Wrigglesworth, England
- Yardley – Enclosed meadow
See more English Aristocratic Last Names
Rare Old English Last Names
Only the most uncommon surnames made it onto our list of rare Old English last names.
Rare Old English last names have dwindled in usage over time or are less common. The rarity of these names today offers a distinctive sense of identity and a direct link to ancient English heritage.
- Ackley – Oak meadow
- Axton – Ash tree settlement
- Badger – Bag maker or badger catcher
- Berkeley – Birch tree meadow
- Bickel – Small pickaxe or hatchet
- Billingsley – Meadow of Billa’s people
- Blythe – Free spirit or happy and joyous
- Branson – Son of Brando or Brandon
- Brixton – Stone of Brixi
- Brownlee – Brown meadow
- Budd – Messenger
- Burchett – Birch wood
- Calver – Calf herder
- Cason – Son of Case
- Cayton – Settlement by the wetlands
- Coombs – Valley or hollow
- Crompton – Crooked enclosure
- Denning – Follower of Dionysius or from the fortress
- Digby – Dyke settlement
- Dilworth – Dill farm
- Dryden – Dry valley
- Duckworth – Duck enclosure
- Eggleston – Oak’s settlement
- Fenwick – Dairy farm by the marsh
- Foy – Faith
- Garrick – From a place covered by oaks
- Gildon – Gilded
- Greenlee – Green meadow
- Hargrave – Hare’s grove
- Harston – Heron’s town
- Higginbotham – Hicga’s valley
- Holcombe – Deep valley
- Huxley – Hugh’s meadow
- Hyland – High land
- Kinsley – King’s meadow
- Ledger – Spear tribe or enclosure
- Linden – Lime tree
- Maxey – Mack’s island
- Mendenhall – Dull or drab hill
- Merton – Farm by the sea or lake
- Milburn – Mill stream
- Nunley – New meadow
- Quarles – Quarry or stone pit
- Quinton – Queen’s settlement
- Rodney – Hroda’s island
- Rylan – Rye land
- Ryland – Rye land
- Shockley – Chicory clearing
- Sneed – Brave, bold
- Snowdon – Snow hill
- Spooner – Maker or seller of spoons
- Springfield – Field by the spring
- Stuckey – Tree stump
- Treece – Path through the trees
- Tunstall – Farmstead by the pasture
- Unwin – Non-friend
- Upshaw – Upper grove
- Utley – Outlying farm
- Waugh – Foreigner or stranger
- Whatley – Wheat meadow
- Whitehurst – White wooded hill
- Wilford – Willow ford
- Wolford – Wolf ford
- Woodall – Wooded valley
- Yelverton – Yellow settlement
Traditional Old English Last Names
Traditional Old English last names often stem from ancient professions, familial relationships, or geographic features from the landscape of medieval England. These surnames have persisted through centuries.
- Abney – Grove of the apple tree
- Adam – Red earth or man
- Beckwith – Meadow by the stream
- Blackwood – Dark woods
- Bourne – Stream or brook
- Bradbury – Broad fortress
- Brent – Steep hill
- Broughton – Settlement near the brook
- Burnham – Stream settlement
- Canfield – Reedy land
- Charlton – Settlement of free men
- Chisholm – Place of the pebbly ford
- Clinton – Settlement on the River Glyme
- Colburn – Cold stream
- Colton – Coal town
- Cosby – Koli’s village
- Cosgrove – Fringed with reeds or old cottage
- Dutton – Dudda’s settlement
- Earle – Nobleman or chief
- Felton – Settlement in the field
- Fenton – Marsh town
- Finney – Fen or marsh
- Gale – Pleasant or merry
- Grantham – Granta’s village
- Hailey – Hay clearing
- Hales – Hollow or nook
- Hardwick – Sheep farm
- Harlan – Rocky land
- Harley – Hare clearing
- Harwood – High wood
- Heaton – High settlement
- Holton – Hollow farm
- Hutton – High settlement
- Kersey – Watercress island
- Kirkwood – Church forest
- Knowlton – Hilltop settlement
- Landon – Long hill
- Langdon – Long hill
- Leighton – Leek town
- Lincoln – Lake colony
- Lindley – Lime tree meadow
- Linton – Linden tree town
- Littleton – Little settlement
- Marley – Meadow by the lake
- Morley – Marsh clearing
- Oakley – Oak clearing
- Paxton – Peace town
- Pickering – People of Picer
- Presley – Priest’s clearing
- Read – Red-haired or ruddy complexion
- Remington – Riming’s settlement
- Ridley – Reed clearing
- Rowley – Rough clearing
- Shelby – Willow farm
- Shelley – Clearing on a bank
- Stockton – Tree stump settlement
- Sydney – Wide meadow island
- Thorne – Thorn tree
- Wakefield – Wet field
- Wheatley – Wheat clearing
- Whitworth – White enclosure
- Willey – Will clearing
- Withers – Willow tree
Unusual Old English Last Names
Unusual Old English last names emanate from obscure occupations, lesser-known regional dialects, or specific localities in ancient England. Their uniqueness can be attributed to specific linguistic evolutions, cultural amalgamations, or isolated populations.
- Acker – Field or cultivated land
- Ashworth – Enclosure by ash trees
- Barney – From the town of Barns
- Barnhill – Hill by the barn
- Belton – Settlement with a bell
- Berryman – Berry seller or gatherer
- Busby – Bushy area or thicket
- Chadwick – Settlement of Chad’s people
- Cornish – From Cornwall
- Crist – Follower of Christ
- Drayton – Settlement where drays (carts) are used
- Easton – Eastern town
- Fullerton – Settlement by the fulling mill
- Gresham – Grazing village
- Hackney – Marshy island
- Halsey – Hall’s island
- Hammett – Little home
- Harwell – Army well or spring
- Hathaway – Heathland pathway
- Hawley – Hedged enclosure
- Haywood – Hedged wood
- Hogg – Young sheep
- Houghton – Settlement on the hill spur
- Huddleston – Huddel’s settlement
- Keene – Bold, sharp
- Kelsey – Island of the ships
- Kempton – Meadow town
- Lea – Meadow or clearing
- Leet – Manor court
- Lofton – High settlement
- Mears – Boundary or lake
- Merrell – Blackbird
- Moulton – Mill town
- Needham – Lower village
- Nesbitt – Nose-shaped bend
- Newberry – New fort or fortress
- Nye – Island or riverside landing
- Ogden – Oak valley
- Overton – Upper village
- Penny – Enclosure or fenced place
- Poston – Place by the post or pillar
- Prescott – Priest’s cottage
- Radford – Red ford or river crossing
- Ralston – Ralph’s town
- Ramsay – Garlic island
- Ridgeway – Path along the ridge
- Rust – Red-haired or ruddy complexion
- Seaton – Sea settlement
- Settle – Seat or dwelling
- Skelton – Shelter town
- Spalding – Settlement associated with Spald
- Stamper – Person who stamps
- Sweat – Sweet or pleasing
- Tilton – From Tilton, England
- Tinsley – Tynni’s clearing
- Trowbridge – Wooden bridge
- Warfield – Field by a weir or dam
- Watt – Ruler of the army
- Whiteside – White hill
- Wick – Village or settlement
- Wickham – Village by the river meadow
- Willingham – From Willingham, England
- Woodbury – Wooded fort
- Wyman – War man
More Lists:
Famous People with Old English Last Names
Sir Christopher Wren, born in England in 1632, was one of England’s most renowned architects. He studied at the University of Oxford. Many of his works, including churches, hospitals, and palaces, still stand. Wren comes from the Old English word ‘wrenna,’ a reference to the wren bird.
Florence Nightingale is considered to be the founder of modern nursing practices. She was born in Italy in 1820 and reformed nursing practices by enforcing strict sanitation and living standards. Her Old English surname references a nightingale and was a nickname for people with good voices.
Sir Robert Walpole was born in England in 1676 and is considered the first Prime Minister of Britain. While the years of his actual service are debated due to political tensions, he is deemed to have been Prime Minister for 20 years. His last name comes from the Old English words ‘welle’ and ‘pol,’ which means a pool surrounded by a well.
William Wilberforce was a politician and activist. He was born in England in 1759 and spent much of his life advocating for the abolition of slavery. His last name is a combination of an Old English name, ‘Wilburg,’ which means ‘war fortress,’ and ‘foss,’ meaning ‘ditch.’
Arthur Wellesley, born in Ireland in 1769, was a prominent military and political leader. He served at the Battle of Waterloo, which ended the Napoleonic wars and twice served as Prime Minister. Wellesley comes from the Old English words ‘wella,’ meaning ‘spring stream,’ and ‘Leah,’ meaning ‘woodland clearing.’
References
Information from Wikipedia on Old English last names was used in the collection of this data.
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