50 surnames on this site, with what each one means.
GainesNickname · rank 791An English surname of Norman origin, a variant of Gain from Old French engaigne, “cunning” or “ingenuity,” also tied to Engaine family places.
GalindoParent’s name · rank 961A Spanish surname from the medieval personal name Galindo, used as a patronymic; the given name’s deeper etymology is unexplained.
GallagherParent’s name · rank 488An Irish patronymic from Ó Gallchobhair, “descendant of Gallchobhar,” an old personal name traditionally linked with “foreign help.”
GallegosPlace · rank 498A Spanish surname meaning “Galicians” or “people from Galicia,” used as a regional or habitational byname.
GalvanParent’s name · rank 640A Spanish surname from the medieval personal name Galván, linked to Latin Galbanus and medieval romance forms of Gawain.
GarciaParent’s name · rank 6From the medieval given name García (deeper meaning of that name is disputed).
GardnerOccupation · rank 202English occupational surname for a gardener, from Middle English gardener and Old French gardinier.
GarnerOccupation · rank 449An occupational surname for a gardener or someone responsible for a granary or storehouse.
GarrettParent’s name · rank 301A surname from Gerald or Gerard, Germanic personal names traditionally associated with spear and strength or rule.
GarrisonParent’s name · rank 689An English surname from Gerardson, related to Dutch Gerritsen, and an Americanized form of related Germanic or Jewish names.
GarzaNickname · rank 189A Spanish surname from garza, “heron,” probably a bird nickname or an associated place-name.
GatesPlace · rank 648An English topographic or habitational surname for someone by a gate, gap, or town entrance.
GentryNickname · rank 821An English nickname from Middle English and Old French genterie, “nobility of birth or character.”
GeorgeParent’s name · rank 230Surname from the medieval personal name George, ultimately from Greek Georgios, associated with a farmer or earth-worker.
GibbsParent’s name · rank 523An English patronymic surname meaning “son of Gib,” with Gib a familiar form of Gilbert.
GibsonParent’s name · rank 136A patronymic surname meaning “son of Gib,” with Gib as a pet form of Gilbert.
GilbertParent’s name · rank 284A surname from the Germanic personal name Gilbert, used as a patronymic in English and French records.
GilesParent’s name · rank 861An English surname of Norman origin from the personal name Giles (Old French Gil(l)e(s), Latin Aegidius); also an Irish Anglicization of Ó Glaisne.
GillParent’s name · rank 424A surname from Gill, a pet form of Giles or William; other regional streams occur.
GillespieParent’s name · rank 836A Scottish and Irish surname from Gaelic Mac Gille Easbuig / Mac Giolla Easpaig, “son of the bishop’s servant” (Gille Easbuig).
GilmoreParent’s name · rank 721A Scottish and Irish surname, anglicized from Mac Gille Mhoire or Mac Giolla Mhuire, “son of the servant or devotee of Mary,” with an English place route also possible.
GlassOccupation · rank 843Often English/German occupational for a glazier or glassblower; also Gaelic glas “gray/green,” German short form of Nikolaus, and Jewish artificial/occupational Glass.
GlennPlace · rank 686A surname from Irish or Scottish glen, “valley,” and from places or personal names built on that landscape word.
GloverOccupation · rank 512An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of gloves.
GoldenNickname · rank 702An English nickname surname for someone with golden-blond coloring, with Irish patronymic routes also represented by the spelling.
GomezParent’s name · rank 49From the medieval personal name Gómez / Gome (Visigothic guma, “man”) — a given name turned Spanish surname.
GonzalesParent’s name · rank 114Spanish patronymic variant of González, “son of Gonzalo.”
GonzalezParent’s name · rank 13Son of Gonzalo — Spanish patronymic (Visigothic personal name).
GoodNickname · rank 996An English nickname from Middle English gode “good,” also from the personal name Gode/Goda, or a translation of German Gut / Dutch Goed.
GoodmanNickname · rank 469An English status or nickname surname for a householder (“goodman”), also from the personal name Godmund/Godeman.
GoodwinParent’s name · rank 472An English surname from the personal name Godwin (Old English Gōdwine), “good/god friend” or “friend of God.”
GordonPlace · rank 163A Scottish habitational surname from Gordon places, with a debated older interpretation of the place-name.
GouldNickname · rank 925An English spelling variant of Gold: nickname or goldsmith occupational name from “gold,” Old English personal name Golda/Golde, and Ashkenazic artificial Gold.
GrahamPlace · rank 123A habitational surname from Grantham, Lincolnshire; the place-name is associated with Old English grand “gravel” and ham “settlement.”
GrantNickname · rank 196A surname from Anglo-Norman French grant, “large” or “great,” used as a descriptive nickname; some lines are habitational.
GravesOccupation · rank 389An English occupational surname from a reeve-like steward or property official, with other regional routes.
GrayNickname · rank 89English and Scottish nickname for someone with gray hair or a gray complexion; some lines may be locational.
GreenNickname · rank 42Nickname (green clothing/youth) or place (village green)—both English origins occur.
GreeneNickname · rank 248English descriptive surname from the color word green, with overlapping nickname and green-place possibilities.
GreerParent’s name · rank 596A Scottish surname from Grier, a vernacular form of Gregory, ultimately from Greek Gregorios “watchful” or “vigilant.”
GregoryParent’s name · rank 360From Gregory, a personal name derived from Greek for “watchful” or “awake.”
GriffinParent’s name · rank 126A relationship-based surname from Welsh Gruffudd/Gruffin and Irish Ó Gríobhtha, “descendant of Gríobhtha.”
GriffithParent’s name · rank 425From Gruffudd or Gruffydd, the Welsh personal name traditionally glossed “strong lord.”
GrimesParent’s name · rank 709An English surname often meaning “son of Grim,” from the Norse or English personal name Grim, with nickname origins also possible.
GrossNickname · rank 455A German and Ashkenazic Jewish nickname surname from groß, “large,” “tall,” or “corpulent.”
GuerraNickname · rank 477A Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian surname from guerra, “war,” used as a nickname or personal-name byname.
GuerreroOccupation · rank 240Spanish occupational or descriptive surname from guerrero, “warrior” or “soldier.”
GuevaraPlace · rank 687A Spanish habitational surname from Guevara in Álava, a Basque place-name traditionally associated with a prominent or conspicuous site.
GutierrezParent’s name · rank 70Spanish patronymic: “son of Gutierre,” from a medieval personal name.
GuzmanPlace · rank 150A Spanish habitational surname associated with Guzmán place-names, with a debated older personal-name history.