A History of Surnames

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: 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: 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.

Origin: French, Latin, English Meaning: As a surname, Bessey has several possible origins. It could be derived from a place name in France, which seems to come from Bassiacum, a Gallo-Roman name made up of Latin given name Bassius which either comes from Greek bassos "fox" or from Latin bassus "short, low".  Another possible meaning is that is comes from French besson meaning "twin", "twice" or "double" from Latin bissus, originally used as a nickname for someone who was a twin. It could also have started out as a matrynonic for Elizabeth  or its nickname Bess , a female given name meaning "God is my oath" or "God is my abundance". Pinterest Variants : Besse Beesey  Bessen 

Pinterest Origin: Latin Meaning: Esposito is an Italian surname meaning "exposed" which comes from the Latin verb  exponere (to place outside, to expose); it was originally given to abandoned children or those given over to an orphanage. Variants : Esposuto  Esposto  Esposti  Exposi  Espote  Sposito  Exposito  D'Esposito  Degli Esposti  E spósito (Spanish) Ex pósito (Spanish)