English Last Names

Julia Styles used Newcomb as the middle name for her son Strummer.

Groves has yet to secure a place on the baby name charts, but we could see that changing very soon. Groves combines surname style with a nature meaning and a hotter-than-hot S ending. It's a recipe for success — just ask Banks, Brooks, and Wells.

This English surname was originally a nickname for someone with a pock-marked face. It's a less-than-ideal meaning, but Greeley's upbeat sound and modern unisex style keep it on our lists.

A habitational surname denoting ancestors from one of the numerous English towns called Holloway. It first broke into the charts as a female name in 2020, when it was given to six baby girls.

Beyoncé's surname could be considered for a less-obvious honorific.

At one time, the surname Poole denoted someone who lived near a pool. Not in the chlorinated sense — pool was another word for pond.

Can be used as a middle name to honor Dad or Grandpa David.

Hunter is gaining favor among girls—for those in search of something less common, we recommend Hutton.

Putting a C before Albert doesn't make this old occupational name any more contempo.

A possibility for fans of the mystery writer, but most parents would prefer Dashiell.

Epes is often considered a variation of the surname Epps, which typically refers to the aspen tree, from the Old English word æpse. Some branches of Epes may have derived from the Middle English given name Eppe — Eoppa in Old English — from a root meaning "red". It has also been proposed the Eppe came from the Old Norse Øpi, meaning "cry out" or "shriek".

Literary, occupational, and very neglected.

Simple and down-to-earth, but would probably work best as a middle name.

Hatchell is an attractive English surname that feels ripe for discovery — assuming you're looking for a rare and preppy surname. There are many theories on the origins of Hatchell. It may derive from a given name such as Hacche, Haeccel, or Hake, or be a habitational surname related to a number of "lost" English places. Another theory suggests that Hatchell is derived from the Old English word haecel, meaning "hooded cloak" as well as "flax comb." This theory connects Hatchell to the West Germanic word for "hook."