Surnames -- our last names -- each hold a story handed down for hundreds of years, and yet many people don't know what their story means, or where it originated. Most last names have a unique history that tells us something about the ancestors from medieval times who gave us our surnames.

There are thousands of names listed on these pages, the result of years of research from individual requests and do not represent a complete listing of all names. They were simply responses to requests for surname origins.

It's easy enough to find out what your name means and where it originated.

1. Click on the tab for the first letter of the name.
2. When the page loads, click Edit on the browser menu.
3. From the dropdown menu, click Find on This Page.
4. Type in the last name (or the first few letters).
5. If the name is in the database, it will be highlighted.
6. If not, try a spelling variation (ie Green for Greene).
7. Unlisted? Click the contact form.