100 Old Money Last Names With Timeless Charm

Old money last names have a certain allure—they hint at a legacy, subtle power, and enduring class.

These names didn’t pop up overnight or show off with glitz. They bear the mark of history, of wealth passed down through generations, built in private estates and murmured in exclusive clubs.

Whether you see them on the entrances of ivy-covered mansions or hidden in high society footnotes, these surnames mean more than just status—they point to tradition, sophistication, and a history of sway.

In this post, we’ll look at a hand-picked list of old money last names that still ring with wealth and standing through time.

Old Money Last Names

Astor (German) – Derived from a word for “hawk;” linked to immense New York wealth.

Vanderbilt (Dutch) – In this surname, van refers to “from” and der bilt to “the hill;” tied to railroads and luxury.

Rockefeller (German) – Taken from a place name meaning “rocky fields;” represents oil fortune and legacy.

Carnegie (Scottish) – The name refers to “fort at the gap;” remembered for steel empires and libraries.

Rothschild (German-Jewish) – In this surname, rot means “red” and schild stands for “shield;” rooted in European banking power.

DuPont (French) – Originates from the phrase for “of the bridge;” known for chemical innovations and prestige.

Morgan (Welsh) – The meaning of this name is “sea-born;” long associated with finance and influence.

Hearst (English) – This surname is based on the word for “wooded hill;” tied to media and political might.

Kennedy (Irish) – Ancestrally linked to “helmeted chief;” a name of American political royalty.

Ford (English) – Refers to a “shallow crossing point in a river;” represents the rise of industrial America.

Windsor (English) – The name translates to “riverbank with a winch;” adopted by British royalty in the 20th century.

Chase (French-English) – Taken from a term for “hunter;” symbol of elite finance.

Roosevelt (Dutch) – The meaning behind this surname is “field of roses;” connected to a powerful political family.

Lowell (French-English) – Derived from a word for “young wolf;” found among Boston’s oldest elite.

Cabot (French) – This last name refers to “seafarer;” tied to exploration and old merchant families.

Livingston (Scottish) – In this name, ton denotes “settlement;” linked to colonial leadership and landownership.

Lee (English) – A surname based on “clearing” or “meadow;” prominent in Southern aristocracy.

Adams (Hebrew-English) – Interpreted as “son of the earth;” associated with early American presidencies.

Winthrop (English) – This name carries the sense of “friendly village;” Puritan roots and long-standing influence.

Peabody (English) – Originates from a phrase for “battle victory;” recognized for banking and charity.

Biddle (English) – Derived from an Old English term for “messenger;” major name in early American finance.

Tudor (Welsh) – Refers to “ruler of the people;” royal lineage rooted in British monarchy.

Fitzgerald (Anglo-Norman) – In this surname, fitz signifies “son of” and Gerald means “ruler of the spear;” aristocratic and literary ties.

Whitney (English) – A toponym referring to a “white island;” among America’s earliest industrial families.

Prescott (English) – Formed from words meaning “priest’s cottage;” known in political and elite social circles.

Harriman (English) – This name comes from “army man;” historically linked to railroad wealth.

Taft (English) – Based on a term for “homestead;” notable in politics and Ivy League heritage.

Coolidge (English) – Taken from a name for “cool valley;” Calvin Coolidge’s legacy gave it prestige.

Delano (French) – Refers to “from the alder grove;” part of Franklin Roosevelt’s maternal line.

Huntington (English) – Named after a location meaning “hunter’s town;” tied to railroads and museums.

Parkhurst (English) – Combines words for “park” and “wooded hill;” an old landowning family name.

Belmont (French) – Translates to “beautiful mountain;” connected to finance and horse racing elite.

Langdon (English) – Refers to “long hill;” appeared among America’s earliest upper class settlers.

Thayer (English) – Comes from “tailor;” rose to wealth and influence in New England.

Ogden (English) – Taken from a term for “oak valley;” linked to merchant families and business dynasties.

Astley (English) – Based on “east meadow;” known in British gentry and American elite.

Kingsley (English) – Built from “king’s meadow;” aristocratic and literary associations.

Spencer (English) – In this surname, spens refers to “steward;” historically served nobility.

Claflin (English) – Possibly from “clay slope;” tied to early commerce and suffragist circles.

Winslow (English) – A name meaning “friend’s hill;” Mayflower roots and colonial affluence.

Hepburn (Scottish) – Refers to “high burial mound;” carries noble and celebrity ties.

Beekman (Dutch) – In this surname, beek means “stream” and man means “man;” known in old New York elite.

Remington (English) – From a place meaning “settlement of the raven;” linked to arms manufacturing wealth.

Barclay (Scottish) – Comes from “birch meadow;” long connected to banking and nobility.

Corbin (French-English) – Derived from the word for “raven;” sign of strength and mystery in heraldry.

Talcott (English) – Name for a “cold cottage;” colonial-era prominence in Connecticut.

Putnam (English) – This surname refers to “house by the pond;” Revolutionary War and publishing ties.

Winsor (English) – Variant of Windsor, also signifying “riverbank;” common among old coastal families.

Ingraham (English) – Built from “angel raven;” name found in merchant and naval circles.

Eliot (English) – Possibly shortened from “Elijah;” associated with scholars and East Coast elite.

Bradford (English) – Name of a town meaning “broad ford;” rooted in colonial governance.

Hollingsworth (English) – Refers to a “clearing of holly trees;” name linked to Quaker wealth and early American gentry.

Carrington (English) – A toponymic name for “settlement of Cara’s people;” featured in aristocratic British circles.

Delafield (French-English) – Built from elements for “of the field;” landed families carried this name in colonial New York.

Beaumont (French) – Translates directly to “beautiful hill;” prominent in both nobility and literary history.

Chadwick (English) – In this name, wic refers to “settlement” and Ceadda to a personal name;” found in textile fortunes.

Fairfax (English) – This surname conveys “beautiful hair;” associated with English nobility and colonial governance.

Montgomery (Norman-French) – Refers to “Gumarich’s hill;” traced back to Norman aristocracy and American gentry.

Stafford (English) – Taken from “ford by a landing place;” stronghold of noble families and early U.S. settlers.

Tremont (French) – Based on words for “three hills;” linked to Boston’s elite class.

Devereux (Norman) – Rooted in a place name near Évreux;” carried by families of French and English high rank.

Bromley (English) – Formed from “broom-covered clearing;” found among colonial-era property owners.

Cavendish (English) – Derived from “Cafna’s enclosure;” a ducal name in British peerage.

Haviland (French-English) – This name carries the idea of “high land;” tied to porcelain and East Coast wealth.

Caldwell (Scottish-English) – A place-based surname meaning “cold spring;” known among Southern and Scots-Irish aristocracy.

Kingsmill (English) – Refers to “the king’s mill;” held by landed families with royal ties.

Radcliffe (English) – Taken from “red cliff;” common in northern English gentry and Ivy League ancestry.

Wadsworth (English) – Composed of “watch” and “enclosure;” colonial family name and literary heritage.

Pembroke (Welsh) – Derived from a location meaning “headland fortress;” title held by British nobles.

Bancroft (English) – Refers to a “bean field settlement;” seen among old American families with educational endowments.

Lothrop (English) – Possibly rooted in “lot’s village;” Puritan preacher lineage and Harvard history.

Kingscote (English) – Named for “cottages of the king;” once prominent in British upper class and imported to New England.

Redwood (English) – Combines words for “reed” and “wood;” a name found in merchant dynasties and coastal wealth.

Middleton (English) – Built from “middle town;” still associated with British aristocracy.

Aldrich (English) – Based on Old English for “wise ruler;” connected to politics, business, and Rhode Island heritage.

Brinton (English) – Comes from “Bryni’s town;” known among Quaker and philanthropic families.

Wharton (English) – A place-based name meaning “farm near the river;” embedded in academia and elite commerce.

Oglander (English) – Likely refers to “island landholder;” carried by landed gentry on the Isle of Wight.

Endicott (English) – Refers to “dweller at the end of the cottage;” early governors and elite Puritan lineage.

Kingsbury (English) – This surname translates as “king’s fortress;” found in colonial Massachusetts aristocracy.

Bradstreet (English) – Possibly denotes “broad street;” historically tied to poets and governors.

Langley (English) – Refers to “long meadow;” an old Anglo-Saxon surname still linked to landed roots.

Waterhouse (English) – Based on “house by the water;” historically seen in merchant and shipping circles.

Templeton (Scottish) – Refers to “town of the temple;” wealthy Scottish-American families carried this name.

Chadbourne (English) – Combines “Ceadda” and “stream;” Puritan migration and elite New England ancestry.

Thornton (English) – Based on “thorn bush settlement;” frequently held by powerful planter families.

Blakemore (English) – From “dark moor;” emerged in both British peerage and Southern estates.

Winsmere (English) – Likely constructed from “wine lake;” seen in fictional depictions of aristocratic legacy.

Featherstone (English) – Refers to “feather-shaped stone;” minor noble lineage and country estates.

Hampton (English) – Refers to “home farm;” historically tied to Virginia and Southern old money.

Southwell (English) – Formed from “southern spring;” prominent in British ecclesiastical and noble ranks.

Eldridge (English) – Interpreted as “old ruler;” a name woven through colonial and Ivy League traditions.

Wentworth (English) – Translates as “village of Winta’s people;” aristocratic, historic, and deeply East Coast.

Allerton (English) – Denotes “alder tree farm;” appears on Mayflower rosters and merchant class records.

Goodwin (English) – From “good friend” in Old English;” found among early Boston elites.

Mayhew (English) – Derived from a form of “Matthew;” connected to colonial governance and missionary families.

Cotton (English) – Refers to “cottage town;” strongly linked to Puritan ministers and colonial power.

Parsons (English) – A name meaning “clergyman;” appears in early American elite circles.

Blackwood (Scottish-English) – Suggests “dark forest;” noble in tone, and present in Victorian society.

Croswell (English) – Combines “cross” and “stream;” held by New England elites in 18th century.

Darlington (English) – Name of a town meaning “Deornoth’s settlement;” landed families in early America carried it.

Closing Remarks

Old money last names are more than just what you think, they carry legacy, lineage and long standing social influence.

I hope you appreciate our collection of these prestigious last names, and thanks for being here.