English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

Etymology — The Origins of English Words

Where do words come from? Trace the origin and history of any English word, from its Latin, Greek or Old English roots through to its modern meaning. Every etymology is sourced.

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Variant of Elsworth.

From Humphrey plus the patronymic suffix -s.

From German Krüger and Afrikaans Kruger; see Krueger.

Transliteration of Gujarati મહેતા (mahetā).

* As a Spanish-Asturian-Leonese surname, from fierro (“iron”). Compare DelFierro. * As an Italian surname, variant of Ferro.

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Cochláin (“descendant of Cochlán”), a personal name derived from a diminutive of cochal (“cloak, hood”).

A reduced anglicized form of Irish Ó Maolagáin, from maolagán ("person with cropped hair").

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Miadhacháin (“descendant of Miadachán”), a diminutive of miadhach (“honourable”).

A less common spelling of the Italian surname De Marco.

From German Beckmann.

Anglicized from several East Asian surnames, including Cantonese, Hakka, and Korean forms.

From Old English hwīt (“white”) + mōr (“moor”).

From Hungarian Horváth, from horvát ("Croatian"). Doublet of Croat.

From Old Norse vrá (“nook, corner, recess”).

Anglicized from Irish Ó Manacháin, related to Monaghan.

Borrowed from the Danish/Norwegian surname Iversen, itself a patronymic from the name Iver.

Borrowed from Korean 윤(尹) (Yun).

Borrowed from Danish Sørensen, equivalent to Danish Søren + -son.

From Old English feld (“field”) + tūn (“enclosure; settlement, town”).

Borrowed from Spanish Tamayo, from Basque.

Variant of Molloy.

From Greek παπάς (papás, “priest”).

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Conraoi (“descendant of Cú Raoi”). It is also an Anglicized form of Irish Ó Conaire (“descendant of Conaire”).

Perhaps from Middle English purveys ("provisions, supplies"), an occupational surname for a supplies official.