Did you know that people didn’t begin using last names at the same time they started using given names?
The first recorded use of last names in Europe happened around the 11th century, during the Middle Ages. Until then, the idea of full names, i.e., your first name and your family name, didn’t exist.
Even back then, when the population was not as vast as it is today, there was a good chance that there were three Johns or Peters in the neighborhood. To distinguish them in a conversation, people would use something that sets the person in question apart from others.
Was John a good blacksmith? Or maybe he was unusually short? And even if nothing was remarkable about him, he could have been the only one with a father called Jack, so people would call him John, Jack’s son.
Later, these nicknames began to be passed down from generation to generation, which is how the modern surnames were born. By the way, “surname”, “last name”, and “family name” all mean the same thing so that you can use any of these words.
As time passed, some occupations changed their names or disappeared altogether, places were renamed or abandoned, and no one remembered that an ancestor from the 12th century had freckles all over his face. This is how most of the funny names you hear today exist. Back in the day, they would have made perfect sense.
For this article, we collected a list of surnames that may sound funny or unusual to English speakers. Have you ever heard any cool last names that made you wonder what their origin could have been? Share them with us in the comments!
#1
Brain - Brain is an English surname derived from a family who lived in Brain, Normandy. Gloucestershire was the location of the first Brain.
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#2
Assman - Assmann, or Aßmann is a German surname derived from the words "Erasmus", which means "beloved", and "mann", which means "man" in German.
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#3
Dikshit - Dikshit (also spelled Dixit) is an Indian surname that means "knowledge provider" in Sanskrit.
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#4
Bich - Bich is a common Vietnamese surname that translates as "blue-green" or "jade".
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#5
Peanisbreath - It is a rare surname in the United States and Australia.
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#6
Gopnik - The surname Gopnik is of Russian origin. It translates as "drunk hooligan."
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#7
Loser - Loser is a Saxon surname derived from the Old English Loesar or Lesar, which is derived from Lazarus.
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#8
Daft - The word daft comes from the Middle English word daffle, which means "mild," "gentle," or "meek."
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#9
Faartz - Faartz evokes candor, prudence, and decisiveness.
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#10
Seisdedos - Seisdedos is a Spanish surname that means “a person with six fingers.”
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#11
Longbottom - A Longbottom is a person who lives in a long valley.
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#12
Schmuck - The surname Schmuck is of German origin. It translates as "jewelry" or "cleanliness."
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#13
Pusey - Pusey is a surname derived from the Old English peose, which means "island," for families who lived in Pusey, Oxfordshire (previously Wiltshire).
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#14
Hardman - Hardman is an Anglo-Saxon name that means “person with a tough character.” It could also mean a person who is stubborn and completes their tasks.
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#15
Horsedick - Horsedick is a surname from England that means "brave horse rider."
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#16
Onions - In the 13th century, onions were popular in France and Ireland and were used to identify onion growers or sellers.
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#17
Shufflebottom - Shufflebottom originated in Lancashire and has several spellings, including Shovellbottom and Shoebottom. It refers to families who own land in a valley.
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#18
Medick - Medick is an English name derived from a physician's nickname.
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#19
Daniels - Daniels isn't a particularly amusing surname unless your name is Jack. It does, however, mean "God has judged."
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#20
Rollo-Koster - It is a common surname in the Netherlands and Germany.
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