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