A History of Surnames

Pinterest Holmes is an English surname with several possible origins: it be be derived from Old English holegn meaning "holly", referring to someone who lived near  some holly trees, though it may also likely refer to the holly oak; it may also come from Middle English holm meaning "island", derived from Old Norse holmr (island); I've also seen it listed as possibly being derived form haugum, derived from Old Norse haugr meaning "high hill, mound"; it may also be an anglicized form of Gaelic surname  Mac Thomáis, meaning "son of Thom" Origin: Old English, Old Norse, Gaelic  Variants : Holme  Hulme  Holms 

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: 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: Germanic Meaning: Huggins is a patrynomic surname coming from given name Hugh, a male given name meaning "heart, mind, spirit" from Germanic element hug . Variants : Huggin 

Pinterest Origin: Gaelic Meaning: McShane is an Irish and Scottish surname, the Anglicised form of Gaelic  Mac Seáin meaning "son of Sean" or "son of Shane", both being the Irish form of given name  John meaning "Yahweh is gracious". It was a patrynomic surname referring to the son of a man with that name.

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: English Meaning: Addams is a patrynomic surname meaning "son of Adam", Adam being a given name derived from Hebrew name which has various meanings such as "man", "red", or "ground, earth" and "blood". Variants : Adams  Adamson 

Pinterest Origin: Hebrew Meaning: Davis is a patrynomic surname meaning "son of David", David coming from a Hebrew masculine name meaning "beloved". Variants : Davies (Welsh, English) Davie (Scottish, English) Davidson (English) Davison (English) Davidsen (Danish) McDevitt (Irish; Anglicized form of Mac Daibh éid) Mac Daibh éid (Irish) Dawson (English) Davidovi ć (Serbian)