Search for 4 last names in your close family. For example: Your last name, Mom's maiden name, Uncle/Aunt's last name, and Cousin's last name. Must all be different names of course!
1. Find the country of origin (could be more than one possible)
Example: - Haan - Netherlands, Hahn - Germany
2. Find the meaning
Example - "A nickname for someone thought to resemble a cockerel, or a habitational name
from a house distinguished by the sign of a rooster."
Advice: Don't just Google Search "What does ____________ mean?" because it may direct you to some sites lacking in quality. Here are few places to search:
http://genealogy.familyeducation.com/family-names-surnames/meaning-origin
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts
3. Put your 4 names, origins, and meanings in the "Comment" section below. Make sure to include your name, so we know whose family it is!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1. Almquist-swedish-old spelling of twig
ReplyDelete2. Pierce-english,welsh,and Irish-from the personal name piers
3. Cully-irish-descendant of Colla
4. Heins-north german, Dutch, Frisan, Jewish-from the word Hein
MA
Lavin - Irish- A diminutive of flaith "prince" "ruler"
ReplyDeleteKarmazin - Bohemian- A metonynic occupational for a dyer
Maddox - English -Patronymic from the welsh personal name Madog
Willson - English - a very common name medieval short form of william
ELav
1.Faber-England,Scotland,German,Dutch,and French Canadian- Smith, Ironworker,Craftsman
ReplyDelete2.Blom-Scandinavian,German,Jewish, and Dutch-Flower
3.Auen-German-Floodplains
4.De Jong-Dutch-The Young
ACF
Delete1. Schnabel- German or Jewish- a nickname for gossip or glutten, beak or mouth
ReplyDelete2. DeVries- Dutch- ethinic name for someone from Friesland
3. De Jong- Dutch- the young, son from his father
4. Farnsworth- English- varient of Farnsworth
M.Sc.
Thurston- scandinavian- god of thunder
ReplyDeleteWalter- German, Sweeden, and English- elements of rule
Sperry- English- unexplained
Diegel- German- name for a potter
MT
Wilson- son of William German
ReplyDeleteGroen- nickname for someone who habitually wears green Dutch
SW
Kooistra-Dutch-decoy man from an agent clerative of middle dutch kooye 'decoy'.
ReplyDeleteOstberg-Swedish-east mountain
DeBoer-Dutch-occupational name for a farmer or landsman
Fear-English-nickname for a sociable person or comanion
I.K.
1.Harrison:Northern English midevil person named harry
ReplyDelete2.Moss:English & Welsh Biblical name for moses
3.Dudley:Old English person named Dudda
4.Ten Naple:Dutch at naple
E.H.
1. Koelewyn-Dutch,we think it might mean cool wine
ReplyDelete2. Kooiman-Dutch,a decoy man
3. DeKam-Dutch & Jewish,a comb maker for a wool comber
4. Moore-English & Scottish,from english "more" meaning area of uncultivated land
TK
1. Lounsbery- varient of Lounsbury, respelling of Lownsbrough- burh meaning "stronghold" (English)
ReplyDelete2. Buesman- (German) nickname for a gourmand, a person who likes to eat and often eats too much,, from a derivative of middle low German busan 'to induldge' + 'man'
3. Knudson- Americanized to Knudsen (Danish, Norwegian, German) Personal name derived from old norse knutr meaning "knot" Danish royal name, Latinized as Canutus
4. Erickson- (Sweedish, Danish, German, Dutch) respelled from eirikr composed of ei 'ever' 'always'.
Elo
Utzig-German-"inherited property", "fortune", or "power".
ReplyDeleteBulthuis-Dutch-a topographic name for a house on a low hill surrounded by marshland or a house inhabited by a hunchback.
Boer-Dutch/North German-occupational name for a farmer.
Jones-Middle English/Welsh-patronymic from the Middle English personal name Jon.
S. U.
1 smith
ReplyDeleteenglish
blacksmith
2 graham
english
gray home
3 krosschell
german
variant of grochel
4 fey
old french
fairy
JB
1. Nelson- English, Scottish, Sweden, comes from nel or neal
ReplyDelete2. Richert- Germen, Varient of Richer or Richard
3.Eggers- North Germen, Comes from Eggert
4. Allen- English and Scottish, Great antiquity and obscurity
PN
Van Egdom- Dutch, From the town of Egdom
ReplyDeleteHorstman- Dutch, A variant of Horst with the addition of man
Mulder- Dutch and German, From the occupation of mulder
Van Maanan- Dutch, Name from a place called Manen, Gelderland
KVE
Horstman-Dutch- Variation Horst with addition of man
ReplyDeleteMulder-Duch and German- Wooden bowl maker
Van Egdom-Dutch- From the town of Egdom
Timmerman-Dutch and English- Carpenter or timber merchant
DM
1) Crissman (English)- follower of Christ
ReplyDelete2) Lanoue (French)- nauda or water meadow, boggy place
3) Gustafson (Swedish)- patronymics from the Old Swedish personal name Gotstaf
4) Nicolaides (Greek)- patronymics from the name Nikolaos the -ides patronymics is classical and it was revived in the 19th century in particular by Greeks from the Black Sea area
Johnson- Scottish or English,patronymic for the name John
ReplyDeleteLarrabee- English, possibly means farmstead or settlement
Hopf- German, occupational name for a brewer or a person who deals hops/beer
Terall, Old english, from the name Tyrelle
A.J
Oostra-Dutch-From the east
ReplyDeleteHorstman-Dutch-variant of horst with the addition of man
Hoekstra-Dutch-from the corner
Van Buren- someone from any place in the Netherlands
MO
1. Fugleberg- Norwegian, bird on a mountain
ReplyDelete2. Giebink- Netherlands, baker or 'favored by God'
3. Tanner- English & Duth, Leather worker
4. Larson- Scandinavian, Laurel crowned
A.F.
Pater-DutchGerman+Polish:derived from latin father
ReplyDeletevan Englenhoven-Dutch:Angels courts
van Vliet-Dutch:those who lived by a stream
Meinders-German:might and bravery
DJP
1. Burns- Scottish and northen English- Topographic name from someone who lived by a stream.
ReplyDelete2. Reichert- German- German from the name Richard.
3. Broekhuis- Home where pants were made.
4. Smoot- Dutch- Someone who sold fat or lard.
MB
1.Fay-English, someone believed to have supernatural qualities
ReplyDelete2.Schneider- German and Jewish, tailor or cutter
3.Kinter- German, child
4.Bowen-English, victorious
C.F.
Harmelink- Dutch, from Harmeling.
ReplyDeleteLefever- New England and Canadian, the mighty warrior.
Terpstra- Frisian, denoting someone who lived on a terp, a prehistoric man made a mount.
Poppema- dollmaker from Freasland
TH.
Lamfers-(German) comes from the name Lambert
ReplyDeleteBolkema-(Friesland)meaning a pouting friestion
schaap-(Dutch and North German)-meaning sheep, also used to discribe someone who resembles a sheep,or a habitational name for someone living at a house disinguished by a picture of a sheep.
lindsey-(schotish and irish)name from an island
EL
1. Goodbary - Irish - good pluderer
ReplyDelete2. LeBrun - French - The brown one
3. Tencate - Dutch - possibly meaning at the cat
4. Long - English or French - nickname for tall person
MG
1. Sneed (English) Someone who lived by a detached piece of land or woodland
ReplyDelete2. Trumbull (English and Scottish) Strong, bold, and brave
3. Coppock (English) Unexplained
4. Bonfanti (Italian) Good child
A.S.
1) Maier - German and Dutch - A status name for a steward, bailiff, or overseer.
ReplyDelete2) Race - English possibly German or Dutch - Possibly means clean shaven.
3) Hoskinson - English - Patronymic from Hoskin
4) Brammer - Danish and Swedish - It is a town they could have possibly lived in.
C.M.M.
Dad's side:
ReplyDeleteAbraham-father of many nations-German
Bishop-from middle biscop, old English bisc(e)op-English
Mom's side:
Shudak-(different spelling that my mom does not know so no definition)-polish
O'neil-(no definition)-Irish
AA
1. Blankespoor -Dutch- white track
ReplyDelete2. Mastbergen- Dutch- Mast Mountains
3. Van Den Top- Dutch- From the top
4. Deboer- Dutch-the boer
SF
1. Sjaarda- (unknown)
ReplyDelete2. Kats- Dutch, from the personal name Kat
3. Iverson- Scottish, from the Old Norse personal name Ivarr
4. Baker- Old English, the owner of a communal oven used by the whole village
R.S.
Schipper-Dutch and North German-a ship man or ship builder
ReplyDeleteHansen-English-son of a Nobleman
Jenson-Danish, Norwegian and North German-a reduced formed of Johannes
Rowley-English-unevenley cleared medow
GS
1.McSherry-,Irish,son of Searrach
ReplyDelete2. Hartmann-German, strong man
3. Weis-German, wise, clever
4. Knoll-German, English, Polish, living near a hilltop or mountain peak
E.M.
Heethuis- Netherlands, means "Hot House"
ReplyDeleteWielinga- Netherlands, means "Wich Linga"
Wesselink- Netherlands and Australia, cant find meaning
DeRuiter- Netherlands, means "The Rider"
LH
Straight - English, means "Cudda + Moor"
ReplyDeleteDurst - German, means "Dry Location"
Knutson - Scandinavian. means "Patronymics from the personal name 'knuf'"
McNab - Scottish, means "From Northern Ireland"
(Grovenburg had no meaning)
DG
Runia - From the Netherlands - No Meaning Found
ReplyDeleteVermeer - From the Netherlands - Far Lake (Lives by a Lake)
Sikora - Polish and Jewish - Polish means short, dark person in Jewish means an ornamental name
Zimmer - German - Means Room, Motel or Hotel
MR
Stahl-(German) metonymic occupational name for a smith or rmorer,stāl ‘steel’,armour'.
ReplyDeleteSeverson-(Scandinavian) Americanized form of Scandinavian Sivertsen or Sivertson
VanDenHemel-(Dutch)"Heavenly One"
Velde-(Norweigen)habitational name from any of several farmsteads named Velle, from velli, the dative singular of Old Norse,meadow'
MSt
young. English, Scotish, northern Irish means younger of the two bearers usually a younger brother or son.
ReplyDeletegraves. English means patronymic from Grave. French means the plural of Old French grave "gravel"
Palmquist. Swedish means ornamental name composed of the elements Palm'Palm tree' plus quiet means an old or ornamental spelling of twig
Eliason. Swedish means patronymic from the personal name Elias
1. VanKalsbeek
ReplyDeleteNetherlands
from the babbling brook
2. Hagena
Germany
fenced in pasture with a brook running through it
3. Geels
Netherlands
a variant of Giles
4. Calkhoven
Netherlands
hoof or heel
-MVK
1. Short
ReplyDeleteEnglish and Gaelic
Meaning- Schort
2. Ching
English, Comwall
None meaning found
3. Halbersma
English Scottland
Meaning- none found
4. Pearson
English
Meaning a piercer
NS
1.Johnson- English and Scottish- son of John
ReplyDelete2. Liddiard- British- habitational name from lydeard in Somerset or Lydiard in Wiltshire
3. LeBaron- French German (Frankish)- French- barron meaning vassal or nobleman German- man or warrioror a night who owes service
4. Castro- Galician, Portuguese, and Jewish 'castle' 'fortress' (in Latin means fort or Roman walled city)
LJ
1. Jouwstra
ReplyDeleteFrisian, Your from Frisland
2. Crocker
English, Potter or Crock pot
3. Ruiter
Dutch, varient of Rutter
4. Postema
Frisian, varient of Posthumus
1.Shank
ReplyDeleteEnglish and Scottish,
Americanized spelling of Schank
2.Anderson
Scottish and Northern English,
a Northern Middle English form of Andrew
3.Workman
English,
An occupational name for a laborer,work+man
4.Tuschen
German and English,
likes to shape things to your own liking
ES
1.Tinklenberg - German - A village near a tinkling brook
ReplyDelete2.Groen - Dutch - A nickname for someone who wears green often
3.Kooima - Dutch - Someone who poses as a decoy
4.Lebrun - French - The dark one
RT
Reitsma-man-Dutch
ReplyDeleteWalhof-garden hedge-Dutch
Elgersma-spear-German
Vis-fish-Dutch
C.R.
Auen-(German) Water meadow or floodplain
ReplyDeleteFaber-(Dutch) Ironworker or craftsman
Driscoll-(Irish) Descendant of the messenger
Bouwman-(Dutch) Landworker
BA
Bird- (English & Scottish) bird catcher or young bird
ReplyDeleteStaggers- (English) enexplained
Browning- (English) personal name for Bruning
Boop- (German) spelling of German Bub
1. Olsen- Danish and German
ReplyDeleteAncestor, descendant or heir
2. Burgers- Dutch
A freeman of a borough with a governing status
3. Brauer- A brewer of ale or beer
4. Sprout- Dutch
A nickname for a young or delicate person
EO
DeJong-dutch- the young
DeleteSchelhaas-german- nickname for someone who is easily frightened
Moret-french- nickname from diminutive
De Vries-dutch- ethnic name for someone from friesland
CD
Garner - English, my anscestors were probably either gardeners or they worked at a grainery
ReplyDeleteSullivan - Irish, personal name from dark eyes
Van Dyke - Dutch, From the Dyke of Holland
Van Ruler - Dutch, I couldn't find any meanings
C.G.
1. Van Zanten- Dutch: habitational name for someone from La Rochelle, the Huguenot stronghold in France in the 17th century, which was vigorously supported by the Dutch and had numerous Dutch connections.
ReplyDelete2. Gilman- English- Pledge, Bright.
3. Van Zanten- Dutch or Belgian- From the Sand
4. Kooima- Frisian- Occupational name for a decoy man.
CVH
1. Nieuwendorp- new village,Dutch
ReplyDelete2. Mulder- maker of wooden bowls, Dutch
3. Hoffmeyer- supervisor of the manor farm estate, Dutch
4. Kleinwolterink- small town from wolterink, Dutch
HLN
Des Moines
ReplyDeletePopulation: In 2011 Des Moines had 206688 people and was ranked 104 in America.
Geography: Des Moines is on a hilly terrain and is located on about the middle of Iowa on the banks of the Des Moines river.
Tourist attraction: If you are in Des Moines you could visit the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
Industries: Des Moines has lots of insurance companies.
DM