A History of Surnames

Pinterest Origin: Spanish Meaning: Zapata is a Spanish and Galician surname derived from an occupational name for someone who was a cobbler or shoemaker or who sold shoes, from Spanish zapato meaning "shoe" or "boot".

Pinterest Origin: Polish Meaning: Zarowny seems to be a Polish surname although I couldn't find the meaning behind the name. Variants : Zarowna 

Pinterest Origin: Middle English Meaning: Witherspoon is a Scottish surname derived from a place name now long lost, perhaps from Old English wether (ram, sheep) and spong referring to a narrow strip of land, so the surname essentially means "a narrow strip of land where sheep dwell". Variants : Witherspoons  Wetherspoon Wotherspoon  Wetherspong 

Pinterest Origin: Latin Meaning: Austen is a vernacular form of Augustine which comes from Augustus,   originally an Ancient Roman title used by Roman emperors after the first and, by some accounts, greatest emperor of Rome, Gaius Octavius, who was the adopted son and heir of Julius Caesar. It means “majestic”, “venerable”, “great” from Latin  augere  (to increase). Austen is also used as a male given name. Variants : Austin  Auston Austins 

Pinterest Origin: Old Breton Meaning: Jernigan seems to be of uncertain etymology though it's been linked to an Old Breton personal name, Iarnuuocon , meaning "iron famous". Variants : Jernegan 

Pinterest Origin: English Meaning: Rothwell is an English surname derived from a place name meaning "stream in a clearing", originally used to refer to someone who lived in a clearing by a stream, the clearing beind made by ridding it of trees. Variants : De Rottweil

Pinterest Origin: Germanic Meaning: Watson is a patrynomic surname meaning "son of Wat/Watt", Wat/Watt being a medieval English diminutive of given name  Walter meaning "ruler of the army" from Germanic elements wald (rule) and hari (army). Variants : Wattson  Watts  Walterson  McWattie 

Pinterest Origin: Proto-Brythonic Meaning: Glasgow is the name of a city in Scotland. Though the name is uncertain it could mean "green hollow" or "gray hollow" from Proto-Brythonic elements glas (gray or green) and cau (hollow). It was likely given to someone who came from a place called Glasgow. Variants : Glasgu (Medieval English)

Pinterest Origin: English Meaning: Kenda is not a surname I could find much meaning on, though it could be from English meaning "water baby" although I'm not sure of the accuracy of that. Kenda has also been used as a female given name, used as a feminine form of Kendrick or Kendall.

Pinterest Origin: Gaelic, Latin Meaning: McFadden is a Scottish and Irish surname, a patrynomic surname meaning "son of little Patrick" from Gaelic Mac/Mc meaning "son of" and Fadden , from Irish  Pháidín and Scottish Phaid(e)in, a diminutive of given name Patrick which comes from Latin Patricus meaning “patrician” used to refer to the elite of the Roman aristocracy descended from the founding fathers of Rome, derived from Latin  patres  (father). It has since attained the idea of “nobleman, noble”. Variants : Mcfadden  MacPhaden  McFfaden  MacFadyen (Scottish) MacFadden  MacFadan  McFaddin Mac Phaidin  McFadin (Scottish) MacFadwyn  MacFadyean  MacFadzean  MacFadyon  McFayden  Fadden  Fadyen  Faden  Fadin  Fadwyn 

Pinterest Origin: Ancient Greek Meaning: Christie is a Scottish surname, originally a patronymic surname derived from Christian or Christopher, both deriving from Greek christos meaning "anointed". Variants : Chrysty (Medieval English) Criste (Medieval English)

Pinterest Origin: Hebrew Meaning: Mayhew comes from Norman French derived from given name Mahieu , a Norman form of Matthew meaning "gift of Yahweh". It could also be an anglicized form of Mailloux , a French surname meaning "big mallet". Variants : Mayhews Mayhou  Mayou  Mayhow  Mayo 

Pinterest Origin: French, Latin Meaning: Dumas is a French surname composed from the French definite article du (of the) and Occitan mas (rural homestead) derived from Latin mansum , so Dumas has the meaning "of the homestead" originally used to refer to someone who lived in an isolated home instead of in a village.

Pinterest Origin: Old English Meaning: Yates is an English surname, the plural form of Yate which comes from Old English geat meaning "gate", a topographical name for someone who lived near the gates of a walled city or an occupationl name for someone who was a gatekeeper. It could also have been used as a locational surname referring to someone who came from a town called Yate/Yates .