200+ Romanian Last Names 2026 (With Meanings)
Romanian last names offer a glimpse of the various influences of diverse cultures, historical events, and language within Romania.
Besides names of Latin and Slavic origins, Romanian surnames reflect influences from Hungarian, Greek, and Turkish.
They also tell stories of ancestry, regions, and professions.
Be it for a family tree or just curious about Romanian heritage, knowing these names offers a thrilling look into the nation.
This article explores the meanings, origins, and peculiarities of Romanian surnames.
Romanian last names
Brutaru – “Baker” (from brutar, meaning baker)
Ciobanu – “Shepherd”
Cizmaru – “Shoemaker”
Croitoru – “Tailor” (from croitor, meaning tailor)
Dulgher – “Carpenter”
Fieraru – “Blacksmith” (from fierar, meaning smith)
Moraru – “Miller”
Olariu – “Potter”
Pescaru – “Fisherman”
Țăranu – “Peasant” or “Farmer”
Ungureanu – “Hungarian” (often given to people of Hungarian origin)
Rus – “Russian” or “Slavic”
Sârbu – “Serb”
Grecu – “Greek”
Tudose – Derived from Theodosius, meaning “Given by God”
Lupu – “Wolf”
Ursu – “Bear”
Leu – “Lion”
Codreanu – “From the forest” (codru means forest)
Munteanu – “From the mountains” (munte means mountain)
Bălan – “Blond” or “Fair-haired”
Negru – “Black” or “Dark-skinned”
Roșu – “Red-haired” or “Ruddy complexion”
Albescu – “White” or “Pale”
Chirică – Derived from the Greek name Kyriakos, meaning “of the Lord”
Stanciu – Derived from Stanca, meaning “Rock”
Dumitrescu – “Son of Dumitru” (Dumitru is the Romanian form of Demetrius)
Constantinescu – “Son of Constantin”
Ionescu – “Son of Ion (John)”
Petrescu – “Son of Petre (Peter)”
Popa – “Priest” (from preot, meaning priest)
Biserică – “Church”
Cristea – Derived from Cristos, meaning “Christ”
Hagi – “Pilgrim” (referring to those who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem)
Florea – “Flower”
Vasilescu – “Son of Vasile”
Radu – Meaning “Happy” or “Joyful”
Gheorghiu – “Son of Gheorghe (George)”
Baciu – “Farmer” or “Landowner”
Dascălu – “Teacher” (from dascăl, meaning teacher or scholar)
Moșneagu – “Elderly man” or “Respected old man”
Drăgan – Derived from drag, meaning “Dear” or “Beloved”
Stroe – Of Slavic origin, meaning “Strict” or “Strong”
Savin – Derived from Sabin, a name of Latin origin
Rusu – “The Russian”
Gavrilă – “Little Gabriel”
Nistor – Derived from Greek Nestor, meaning “Traveler”
Bodea – Of Hungarian origin, meaning “Little House”
Mazilu – “Disarmed soldier” (historically used for noblemen stripped of military rank)
Zamfir – Derived from Persian Zamfir, meaning “Precious Stone”
Albu – “White” (referring to a fair complexion or hair color)
Ardelean – “From Ardeal” (the historical name for Transylvania)
Bacalu – “Village chief” or “Nobleman”
Bădescu – “Son of Badea” (a common given name)
Băncilă – Derived from bancă (bench or bank), possibly indicating a trader
Barbu – “Bearded one”
Bejan – Derived from bej, meaning “Ottoman official”
Boariu – “Cattle herder” (boar means ox or cattle)
Bogdan – “God-given” (bog = God, dan = given)
Botezatu – “Baptized one” (botez means baptism)
Buzatu – “From Buzău” (a region in Romania)
Călin – Named after the Călin tree, a flowering plant
Cazan – “Kettle” or “Boiler maker”
Chelaru – “Cellar keeper” (chelar means steward of a wine cellar)
Chirică – Derived from Greek Kyriakos, meaning “Belonging to the Lord”
Cojocaru – “Furrier” (cojoc means sheepskin coat)
Coroian – Possibly derived from coroană (crown), indicating noble lineage
Costache – Diminutive of Constantin
Covaci – “Smith” (related to metalworking)
Crăciun – “Christmas” (crăciun means Christmas in Romanian)
Crețu – “Curly-haired” (creț means curly)
Cucu – Derived from cuckoo, possibly a nickname
Dăscălescu – “Son of a teacher” (dascăl means teacher)
Deac – “Deacon” (religious title)
Dincă – Diminutive of Dinu (short for Constantin)
Drăghici – Derived from drag, meaning “Dear” or “Beloved”
Făgărășanu – “From Făgăraș” (a region in Transylvania)
Florică – “Little Flower”
Frunză – “Leaf”
Ganea – Possibly derived from Hungarian Gányó, meaning “worker”
Gherman – “German” or of German descent
Ghiță – Diminutive of Gheorghe (George)
Gologan – Derived from gold, possibly indicating a wealthy person
Hodor – Likely of Slavic origin, meaning “fame” or “glory”
Iacobescu – “Son of Iacob (Jacob)”
Iliescu – “Son of Ilie (Elijah)”
Jipa – Derived from jipă (a type of traditional Romanian clothing)
Lazăr – Derived from biblical Lazarus
Macovei – Derived from Makarios, meaning “Blessed”
Mihăescu – “Son of Mihai (Michael)”
Moldoveanu – “From Moldova”
Năstase – Derived from Anastasios, meaning “Resurrected”
Neacșu – Diminutive of Neagu, meaning “Saint Nicholas”
Oprea – “Saved” or “Protected” (from opri, meaning “to stop or protect”)
Palade – Possibly derived from Greek Palaios, meaning “Ancient”
Pintea – Of Hungarian origin, meaning “Brave” or “Strong”
Prunaru – “Plum tree grower” (prun means plum)
Șerban – Derived from Slavic Serban, meaning “Defender”
Tănase – Derived from Greek Athanasius, meaning “Immortal”
Zaharescu – “Son of Zaharia (Zachary)”
Acsinte – from a family lineage name in Romania
Aderca – Romanian surname with unclear roots, but traditional usage
Aftene – Romanian family name listed in language categories
Agiul – Romanian surname from Agiu family line
Ailenei – likely derived from place or ancestral name
Antonescu – from the personal name Antonius
Albulescu – derived from alb meaning “white,” with patronymic suffix
Albuleț – diminutive form relating to alb (“white”)
Alecsandri – from Alexander/Alessandro roots
Barbaneagră – literally “black beard” in Romanian
Bădescu – patronymic form from bade (traditional term for “uncle”)
Berechet – possibly linked to beverages or Feast terms (heritage name)
Bibescu – historical aristocratic family name in Romania
Bordeianu – from village or border (“bordei”) region
Călugăru – from călugăr meaning “monk”
Ciobăniță – variant of shepherd (from cioban meaning “shepherd”)
Ciobanu – originally “shepherd” (occupational)
Ciubotaru – bootmaker (occupational)
Colceru – from colcer (Romanian for coop maker)
Corlan – possible geographical family name
Coroiu – tied to regional geographic names
Costachelu – diminutive/patronymic from Costache
Croitoru – meaning tailor, occupational surname
Crușoveanu – from crușova, a plant or place region
Dalban – related to dălb, an archaic Romanian descriptor
Delianu – geographic or family derivative name
Fieraru – literally “smith” (metal worker)
Fonău – form of surname with occupational roots
Funar – “rope maker” (occupational)
Gălățanu – from Galați region
Găină – originally “hen,” descriptive surname
Georgescu – son of George (patronymic)
Gheorghiu – another form of “son of George”
Girovanu – from Girova region
Grigorescu – son of Grigore
Iacobescu – son of Iacob (Jacob)
Ionescu – son of Ion (patronymic)
Iordăchescu – son of Iordache (from Jordan)
Istrătescu – son of Istrate (variant of Eustrate)
Jipa – from Gheorghe accent form
Lefter – from Greek Eleftherios, meaning “free”
Lupescu – son of a wolf (from lup “wolf”)
Mărginean – from margine meaning “edge” or border
Manea – from mană, an ethnic old family line
Marinache – diminutive form of Marin
Maier – farmer or land administrator
Maxim – from Latin maximus, meaning “greatest”
Negrean – from negru meaning “black/dark”
Nițu – from Nicu/Nicolae roots
Opreanu – from opri meaning “to stop/hold”
Păcurar – shepherd or herdsman (archaic form)
Pandele – root from Pandeli (given name variant)
Petran – from Petre (given name)
Petrescu – son of Petre (patronymic)
Pogăcean – from pogoan meaning “small hill dweller”
Plugaru – ploughman (occupational)
Prăjeanu – from prăj referring to toasted/roasted land
Răducanu – son of Radu (“happy”)
Rebreanu – possibly linked to rebre or old local variant
Roman – from Roman (given name or origin)
Sârbu – meaning “Serb” (ethnonymic)
Schneider – tailor, borrowed from German
Șerbănescu – son of Șerban
Stănescu – son of Stan
Străinu – “foreigner” or stranger
Sturza – noble family name, historic
Tănăsescu – son of Tănase
Țăranu – “peasant” (from țăran)
Tomașescu – son of Toma
Topocean – from topoare meaning “axes” suggesting wood cutting
Tudorescu – son of Tudor
Tulea – Romanian surname of ancient local lineage
Ursu – “bear” (descriptive animal surname)
Valeanu – from vale meaning “valley”
Vasilache – diminutive of Vasile
Vintilă – from given name Vintilă
Voicu – from Voichiț or Voicu meaning “lordly”
Vultur – “vulture” (descriptive bird name)
Zaharia – from Hebrew meaning “God remembers”
Zamfir – from safir, meaning “sapphire”
Zavăluță – local lineage surname with regional roots
Zeciu – from zeciu, old term for clerk or scribe
Zglăvan – originally linked to fish/river people
Zgripcea – from zgripț, meaning “scraggly/lean”
Zidaru – “builder” or “mason” (from zid)
Zlataru – “goldsmith” (from zlatar Hungarian/Romanian)
Zorileanu – from zorile meaning “dawn”
Zorilă – from zori meaning “sunrise”
Zorliu – regional form of zori-based surname
Zugrăvescu – son of painter/decorator (from zugravi)
Zurbagiu – from zurbagiu, old word for harvester
Bleahu – from bleah, old Romanian word meaning “ashen”
Crăciunescu – son of Crăciun (Christmas)
Dinciulescu – son of Dinicu
Grigoriu – variant of Grigore
Iacoboiu – son of Iacoboi (old name)
Mărăcineanu – from mărăcine meaning “bramble”
Rădescu – clearer patronym from Radu
Turcanu – ethnonymic (from Turc meaning “Turk”)
Ungureanu – meaning “Hungarian” (ethnonymic)
Vlădescu – son of Vlădescu (from Vlad)
