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Last name meaning: sourced etymology, not gift-shop guesses
Short answer
A last name's meaning tells you what an ancestor did, whose son they were, or where they lived — centuries ago. It doesn't tell you your ethnicity, and it doesn't prove you're related to everyone else with the same surname. Cross-check any etymology against an academic reference before adding it to a family tree.
- Occupational names: Smith, Baker, Weaver, Miller.
- Patronymic names: Johnson, Peterson, MacDonald, O'Brien.
- Locative names: Hill, Brook, Bradford, Lancaster.
- Descriptive names: Little, Brown, Strong, Whitehead.
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