A History of Surnames

Queen is an English surname with a variety of meanings depending on the origin: a short form of McQueen , the anglicized form of Gaelic  Mac Shuibhne meaning "son of Suibhne", a personal name meaning "well-going" or "pleasant"; it could also be derived from Old English cwen meaning "woman", likely originating as a nickname for a man who played the part of a queen in a play since back than women weren't allowed to be on the stage; another possible meaning I've seen attributed to the surname is that it may come from Old French word chene meaning "oak, oak tree" derived from  Gaulish word  cassanos  meaning "oak" from * cass- (twist); or it may have come about as an occupational name for a keeper of hounds, from Old French  chien from Latin canis meaning "dog"; it derives from the Proto-Indo-European word   *ḱwṓ- (dog).   Origin: Gaelic, Old English, Gaulish, Proto-Indo-European Pinterest V...

Turner is an English occupational surname with a few possible origins: it may refer to someone who was a turner, someone who turns and shapes wood, metal, or bone on a lathe derived from Latin tornus from the Proto-Indo-European word  *terh₁ (to rub turn); it may also have developed as a nickname for someone who was a fast runner from Middle English turnen (to turn) which comes from the same Proto-Indo-European word  *terh₁ plus hare , referring to the animal, likely in reference to its speed; Turner may also be a German surname for someone who was a gymnast; it may also have derived as an occupational name for an official who was in charge of a tournament, from Old French tournoi "tournament"; another possible meaning is that it may have originated from French Le  étourneau meaning "starling", over time becoming L e Turner and than Turner. Turner can also be used as a male given name. Origin: Proto-Indo-European, German, Old French Pinterest ...

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: 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 .

Pinterest Origin: Old French Meaning: Bunyan is an English surname which seems to have come about as a nickname for someone who had a lump or a hump, originating from Old French bugne meaning "swelling, protuberance". It could also have been an occupational surname for someone who made small pastries or fruit tarts, also from Old French bugnon . Variants : Bunyon Bunyen  Benyon  Bonyon Buniun  Banyan  Banion 

Pinterest Origin: Anglo-Norman Carter comes from an English surname, an occupational name which comes from Anglo-Norman  careter  meaning “cart-driver”, referring to someone who transported goods on a cart.

Pinterest Origin: Old English Meaning: Fowler was originally an occupational surname for a bird catcher or someone who hunted wild birds. It comes from Old English fugelere derived from fugol meaning "bird".

Pinterest Origin: Greek, Old English, Germanic Meaning: Sanders was originally a patrynomic surname meaning "son of Sander", originally given to someone who's father was named Sander or Alexander "defender of men" or "defending man". Sanders could also be derived from a place name in English, a village called Sanderstad , meaning "house on a sandy land". It's also an occupational surname referring to someone who worked with sand either for agriculture or construction. It comes from the Germanic word for sand. Variants : Saunders Sanderson Sandar Sandars

Pinterest Origin: Ancient Greek Meaning: Monk is an English surname that comes from Late Latin monachus from Ancient Greek monakhos meaning "single, solitary" from monos (alone). It was either an occupational surname for a servant who worked at a monastery, or had originally been given as a nickname to someone who had similar habits as a monk.

Pinterest Origin: Old English Meaning: Brewster is an occupational surname meaning "brewer of beer" or "brewer of ale", referring to someone who made and distilled beer for a living. Apparently the -ster suffix was used to refer to a woman's occupation and Brewer would have been the male form of the name used to indicate a male brewer, though somewhere down the line Brewster became popular for both sexes. The surname comes from Old English breowan meaning "to  brew" or "to distill". Variants : Brewer  Breuestere  Brewester  Broster  Brostar  Brouster