Who Do You Think You Are? Encyclopedia of Genealogy (79 page)

Listed below are the 100 most popular surnames, drawn from both historic sources (the census returns) and modern electoral lists. If you can't find a surname listed below, some resources are listed at the end to help you track it down.

1       
 
SMITH – Old English for a ‘metal worker' or ‘blacksmith'

2       
 
JONES – Son of John, from the Welsh version of John, Ioan

3       
 
WILLIAMS – Son of William (William Germanic for ‘will' or ‘resolve helmet')

4       
 
BROWN – Old English for brown-haired or skinned

5       
 
TAYLOR – Old French for tailor, tailleor

6       
 
DAVIES – Son of Davys or David

7       
 
WILSON – Son of Will / William

8       
 
EVANS – A Welsh version of the name John

9       
 
THOMAS – Aramaic for twin, an apostle

10     
 
ROBERTS – Germanic for ‘fame bright'

11     
 
WALKER – Old English for the occupation of fuller (someone who would step on cloth during the ‘fulling' process)

12     
 
JOHNSON – Son of John (John being Hebrew for ‘Jehovah has favoured')

13     
 
WOOD – Meaning someone living near a wood

14     
 
WHITE – Meaning white or fair hair or complexion

15     
 
ROBINSON – Son of Robin, a diminutive for Robert (see Roberts)

16     
 
WRIGHT – Old English for ‘carpenter' or ‘joiner'

17     
 
THOMPSON – Son of Thomas

18     
 
CLARK – Originally referring to ‘a man in religious order, cleric', during the Middle Ages became ‘cleric or secretary' as writing was mostly done by clergy members

19     
 
HALL – Old English for someone residing or working in a hall or manor house

20     
 
HUGHES – Germanic for ‘heart or mind'

21     
 
JACKSON – Son of Jack, a diminutive of John

22     
 
EDWARDS – Old English for ‘prosperity' or ‘happiness guard'

23     
 
GREEN – Old English for residing near the village green

24     
 
TURNER – From the occupation of turner, someone who makes items from wood, bone or metal by using a lathe

25     
 
LEWIS – Germanic for ‘loud battle', used as the translation for the Welsh name Llewelyn

26     
 
SCOTT – One coming from Scotland

27     
 
HILL – One living on or near a hill

28     
 
HARRIS – Harry, Harry being the usual Middle English pronunciation of Henry

29     
 
MARTIN – A diminutive of Martius or Mars, the Roman God of war

30     
 
COOPER – Middle English term referring to makers of buckets, casks or tubs

31     
 
WATSON – Son of Wat(t), a diminutive of Walter (Germanic for ‘mighty army')

32     
 
MORRIS – From the Latin Mauritius meaning ‘dark' or ‘Moorish'

33     
 
HARRISON – (Son) of Harry, Harry being the usual Middle English pronunciation of Henry

34     
 
YOUNG – Used to differentiate the younger of two men, possibly for father and son

35     
 
DAVIS – Son of Davys or David

36     
 
WARD – Old English weard meaning ‘watching' or ‘guarding'

37     
 
KING – Working in the Royal Household, or performing as a King in a pageant, from the Old English Cyng

38     
 
BAKER – Literally a baker

39     
 
MITCHELL – A popular version of the name Michael, also Old English for ‘big'

40     
 
ANDERSON – Son of Andrew (Andrew meaning ‘manly' in Greek, the first disciple)

41     
 
MORGAN – Old Welsh for ‘circling sea' or ‘brightness'

42     
 
MOORE – Old French Maur meaning ‘the Moor', also for one living by the moor

43     
 
JAMES – A form of the name Jacob

44     
 
CLARKE – Originally referring to ‘a man in religious order, cleric', during the Middle Ages became ‘cleric or secretary' as writing was mostly done by clergy members

45     
 
BELL – Shortened version of Isabel, shortened version of Latin Bellus or Old French Bel meaning ‘beautiful', or being a bell-ringer

46     
 
COOK – An occupational surname for cook, or seller of cooked meats

47     
 
SHAW – Old English for ‘thicket' or ‘small wood', indicating someone who lived in or near such a place

48     
 
PARKER – Old French for parquier, meaning an individual who is responsible for a park

49     
 
ALLEN – The name of a Welsh and Breton saint, became a popular name with the Bretons who arrived after the Norman conquest

50     
 
MILLER – An occupational surname for a miller

51     
 
PHILLIPS – Greek for one who is ‘fond of horses', an apostle

52     
 
SIMPSON – Son of diminutive of Simon, Simon originating from the Hebrew Shimeon

53     
 
PRICE – From Welsh ‘ap' (son of) ‘Rhys', may also be a metonym for the occupation of price fitting

54     
 
ROBERTSON – Son of Robert (Robert Germanic for ‘fame bright')

55     
 
CAMPBELL – Scottish Gaelic for caimbeul, meaning ‘wry or crooked mouth'

56     
 
RICHARDSON – Son of Richard, Richard being Germanic for ‘powerful brave', the name being brought by the Normans

57     
 
MARSHALL – From the old French mareschal, meaning ‘tender of horses (mares)', especially caring for their medical needs

58     
 
MCDONALD – Son of Donald (Donald Scottish Gaelic for ‘world mighty')

59     
 
GRIFFITHS – From the Old Welsh Griph-iud, where ‘iud' indicates lord or chief

60     
 
CARTER – From Middle English cart(e), meaning someone who originated from Scandinavia

61     
 
LEE – From the locality of a lea

62     
 
BENNETT – A diminutive of Benedict (Latin Benedictus, meaning ‘blessed one')

63     
 
STEWART – Occupational surname for steward, an official responsible for being the keeper of the household