200+ Medieval Last Names 2026 (With Meanings)

Last names, or surnames, give an outreach to the past and thus provide some hints into how our ancestors lived and worked and where they might have come from.

In the medieval era, surnames were not just inherited family names—some, such as trade, town of origin, physical characteristics, or even personality traits, described that person.

Medieval surnames evolved in some interesting ways, from the noble houses of Europe down to poorer blacksmiths and farmers.

In this post, we shall delve into the history, meanings, and stories of some of the most common and uncommon medieval surnames that provide insight into how they constructed the identities and legacies that endure to this day.

Medieval last names

Smith – Blacksmith or metalworker

Baker – Bread maker

Fletcher – Arrow maker

Cooper – Barrel maker

Chandler – Candle maker

Miller – Grain grinder

Carpenter – Woodworker

Shepherd – Herdsman of sheep

Tanner – Leather worker

Wainwright – Wagon builder

Clerk – Scribe or scholar

Gardener – One who cultivates gardens

Butcher – Meat seller

Tailor – Clothing maker

Vintner – Wine merchant

Turner – Wood or metal lathe worker

Webster – Weaver of cloth

Sexton – Church caretaker

Hunter – One who hunts game

Mason – Stoneworker

Brewster – Brewer of ale or beer

Parker – Keeper of the park or gamekeeper

Farmer – Agricultural worker

Wright – Builder or maker, especially of ships

Saylor – Sailor or seafarer

Grimshaw – From a dark or gloomy wood

Harrison – Son of Harry (a diminutive of Henry)

Blackwood – Living near a dark forest or wood

Redman – Person with red hair or complexion

Knight – A soldier in the medieval feudal system

Montague – From the mountain ridge

Fitzgerald – Son of Gerald, or “son of a ruler”

Greenfield – From a green field or meadow

Wells – One who lived near a well

Pettit – Small or little, often used for a smaller person

Chaucer – Maker of shoes or a “shoemaker”

Devereux – From a town named Devereux

Lamb – Often used as a nickname for a gentle or innocent person

Barton – From a barley town or settlement

Glover – One who makes gloves

Hobson – Son of Hob, a common diminutive of Robert

Rivers – Living by the river

Waldron – From the valley of the river

Tudor – One who descends from the Welsh royal family

Ashford – From the ash tree ford (a river crossing)

Stuart – A steward or household manager

Reynolds – Son of Reynold, meaning “ruler’s advisor”

Madden – A diminutive form of the name “Mathew,” meaning “gift of God”

Lyon – Derived from the lion, symbolizing strength and bravery

Carter – A person who transports goods by cart.

Abbot – A leader of a monastery

Alderidge – From the old ridge, referring to a location

Almond – Possibly from the personal name “Almund,” meaning “noble”

Armstrong – Strong arms, often a nickname for a strong person

Baldwin – Derived from the Old Germanic name “Baldwin,” meaning “brave friend”

Barrett – A strong or brave man

Basset – A nickname for a person with a low or short stature

Beaumont – Beautiful mountain

Belvoir – From the beautiful view (French origin)

Bendix – Derived from a personal name, meaning “blessed”

Berkeley – From the village of Berkeley in Gloucestershire

Beverley – From the beaver meadow, indicating a place near a beaver settlement

Blackwell – A dark or black spring or well

Blake – A nickname meaning “dark” or “fair,” depending on the interpretation

Booth – A person who lived in a shelter or small cabin

Bradshaw – From the broad or wide wood

Bright – A surname indicating brightness or intelligence

Brock – From the Old English word for badger

Buckley – From a deer meadow or clearing

Burnett – A person who lived by a stream or brook

Caldwell – From the cold spring or stream

Chadwick – From the village of Chadwick

Chamberlain – A person who managed household affairs

Charlton – From the town of Charles or the free man’s town

Clifton – From the town by the cliffs

Cunningham – From a place named Cunningham in Scotland

Dalton – From the valley town

Danvers – From the town of Danvers

Darcy – From the fortress or town of “D’Arcy”

Davies – Son of David, meaning “beloved”

Deacon – A member of the clergy

Derby – From the settlement near a deer park

Devon – From the county of Devon in England

Dickson – Son of Richard, meaning “brave ruler”

Dixon – Son of Dick, a diminutive of Richard

Douglas – From the dark stream or dark river

Dunbar – From the town or fortress on a hill

Durham – From the hill by the river, referring to the city of Durham

Edgar – A name meaning “wealthy spear”

Ellis – A diminutive form of the name Elijah or Elias

Fairchild – A nickname for a fair or beautiful child

Farnsworth – From the fern-swamp or fern-covered wood

Fowler – A person who caught birds

Gardiner – One who worked in or owned a garden

Gibbons – A diminutive of the name “Gibson,” meaning “son of Gilbert”

Gilbert – A name meaning “bright pledge”

Glendon – From the valley or glen with a hill or mound

Greenwood – A name referring to a green forest or wood

Harris – Son of Harry, a diminutive of Henry

Hawkins – Son of Hawkin, a diminutive of the name “Hawk,” meaning strong or brave

Aldershaw – From the alder tree grove.

Applemere – From the apple orchards by the lake.

Arkwright – Maker of chests and barrels.

Ashcombe – From the ash tree valley.

Atterley – From the meadow on the high ground.

Baconhouse – Dweller near the cured meat house.

Bailward – Bailiff or steward of the manor.

Barkestone – From the birch-stone settlement.

Barrowfield – Field by the burial mounds.

Beaumont – From the beautiful hill.

Beckworth – From the stream settlement.

Blackbarrow – Dark barrow landmark.

Boleyn – Derived from French boulin (dovecote keeper).

Bookbinder – Maker of books and manuscripts.

Brockhurst – From badger hill.

Brookmere – From the brook at the lake.

Buryfield – From the enclosed settlement by fields.

Caerwood – Forest near the old fort.

Chadwicke – From the ford near the wood.

Chamberlayne – Keeper of the lord’s household.

Churchgate – From the gate near the church.

Cliffenton – From the cliff-town settlement.

Cobblecross – Junction of stone-paved paths.

Coldbrook – From the cold running stream.

Corbinshaw – From the raven-wood grove.

Craneford – Near the crane-frequented ford.

Crossleigh – From the meadow by the cross.

Cumberland – From the Cumbria region.

Daubeney – From the old Norman estate.

Denehouse – From the valley homestead.

Devonshire – From the county of Devon.

Dunforde – From the fortified river crossing.

Eaglestone – From the rock where eagles nested.

Earlwood – Wood near the earl’s domain.

Eastbrook – From the eastern stream.

Fenwicke – From the marshland settlement.

Fisherly – Maker or catcher of fish.

Fitzwalter – “Son of Walter,” noble descent.

Foxgrave – From the fox’s burial ground.

Gainsford – From the ford at the gains (market).

Gallowsford – Crossing by the execution grounds.

Garnetcliffe – From the garnet-rich cliff.

Gresham – Settlement of the gravel homestead.

Haldenridge – From the high valley ridge.

Hardwick – From the hard (fertile) farm settlement.

Hawkridge – Ridge where hawks nested.

Hedgerow – From fields bordered by hedges.

Heronshaw – From the heron-wood grove.

Hillcombe – From the valley by the hill.

Hollingworth – From the holly-tree farm.

Ironwall – Sentinel of the fortified wall.

Kingsdale – From the king’s valley lands.

Knightley – From the knightly meadow.

Lancaster – From the Roman canal city in England.

Langthorne – From the long thorn hedge.

Leadbeater – Worker of lead materials.

Leicesterly – From the estate near Leicester.

Linforde – From the woodland river crossing.

Loxley – From the enclosure by the fox glade.

Maidstone – From the stone marking the maid’s land.

Marketon – From the marketplace town.

Meadowcroft – From the meadow-held farm.

Meredon – From the sea-hill settlement.

Middleham – From the settlement in the mid valley.

Moorcroft – Farm by the moor.

Mossfield – Field near the moss marsh.

Northgate – Northern entrance to the walled city.

Oakenshield – From the oak-tree protector line.

Redcarter – Worker of red cloth or wagons.

Roseworthy – Meadow of pale roses.

Ryehill – Hill where rye grown.

Sablewood – Forest of dark timber.

Sandwych – Sandy settlement.

Scarborough – From the fortress on rocky hills.

Shepherdson – “Son of the shepherd.”

Silverthorn – Thorn hedge with shiny sheen.

Springvale – From the fresh spring valley.

Stainford – From the stone-made river crossing.

Steadman – Farmstead manager or caretaker.

Stonehewer – Worker who cut stone blocks.

Stormbridge – Bridge over the raging waters.

Stratfield – From the road next to fields.

Suttonby – From the southern farmstead.

Thatcherly – Maker of thatched roofing.

Twyford – Double river crossing.

Upminster – From the upper church settlement.

Valemont – From the valley hilltop.

Wainwright – Builder of wagons and carts.

Waverleigh – Meadow by the riverside currents.

Weatherby – Homestead by the windy fields.

Westwick – From the western homestead.

Whitehaven – From the pale stone harbor.

Windermere – From the lake of winds.

Woolscroft – Farm of the wool workers.

Wraxall – From the ridge over the hollows.

Yarborough – Fortified settlement by the river.

Yeomanry – Land-holder class of free men.

Yellowcroft – Meadow of fair grasses.

Blackwater – From the dark river water.

Greenfield – From the fertile fields.