100 Unique Noble Last Names

Noble last names have a rich history because they have a history of aristocratic bloodlines, ancient rituals, and the rise of empire.

These last names were often passed down.

They conjure up images of wealth, prestige, and family lineage colors.

But what do these names mean?

How did they come to mean noble, and what history does their noble background hold?

In this blog, we explore noble last names for families see what their name means, and why it is still important today.

Take a journey with us if you are tracing your ancestry, or if you just want to know the incredible stories of royalty and nobility.

noble last names

Abernathy – Scottish origin, meaning “mouth of the stream.”

Ainsley – English origin, meaning “one’s own meadow.”

Albright – German origin, meaning “noble, bright.”

Aldridge – Old English origin, meaning “old, wise ruler.”

Alford – English origin, meaning “ford of the elder tree.”

Armstrong – Scottish origin, meaning “strong arm.”

Ashford – Old English origin, meaning “ash tree ford.”

Astor – Old French origin, meaning “hawk.”

Atherton – Old English origin, meaning “town by the ash tree.”

Baring – Old English origin, meaning “hill of the bear.”

Barrett – English origin, meaning “strength, power.”

Beaumont – French origin, meaning “beautiful mountain.”

Bellamy – Old French origin, meaning “good friend.”

Berkeley – Old English origin, meaning “birch tree meadow.”

Bingham – Old English origin, meaning “homestead of the people.”

Blount – Old French origin, meaning “blond, fair.”

Borden – Old English origin, meaning “ford of the boar.”

Bristol – Old English origin, meaning “the place by the bridge.”

Brooke – Old English origin, meaning “stream or brook.”

Buckingham – Old English origin, meaning “homestead of the buck.”

Burghley – Old English origin, meaning “fortified place.”

Cabot – Old French origin, meaning “cable” or “ship’s rope.”

Cadogan – Welsh origin, meaning “honor in battle.”

Cameron – Scottish origin, meaning “crooked nose.”

Campbell – Scottish origin, meaning “crooked mouth.”

Carter – Old English origin, meaning “one who transports goods.”

Chamberlain – Old French origin, meaning “servant to the king.”

Chaucer – Old French origin, meaning “shoemaker.”

Clarendon – Old English origin, meaning “clear hill.”

Clifford – Old English origin, meaning “ford by the cliff.”

Coleman – Irish origin, meaning “descendant of Colmán.”

Conway – Welsh origin, meaning “hound’s dwelling.”

Cornwall – Old English origin, meaning “dweller by the horned hill.”

Courtenay – Old French origin, meaning “domain of the court.”

Cromwell – Old English origin, meaning “crooked well.”

Curzon – Old French origin, meaning “high hill.”

Dacre – Old English origin, meaning “water meadow.”

Darcy – French origin, meaning “from Arcy,” a place name.

Devereux – Old French origin, meaning “river bank.”

Drake – Old English origin, meaning “dragon.”

Durham – Old English origin, meaning “hill of the oak tree.”

Duke – Old English origin, meaning “leader.”

Dunbar – Scottish origin, meaning “from the fortress.”

Dunsmore – Old English origin, meaning “hill by the marsh.”

Earl – Old English origin, meaning “nobleman, leader.”

Eaton – Old English origin, meaning “town by the water.”

Edwards – English origin, meaning “son of Edward.”

Eldridge – Old English origin, meaning “old ruler.”

Ellis – Welsh origin, meaning “benevolent.”

Fitzgerald – Norman origin, meaning “son of Gerald.”

Fitzpatrick – Irish origin, meaning “son of Patrick.”

Fletcher – Old English origin, meaning “arrow maker.”

Gainsborough – Old English origin, meaning “town by the stream.”

Gillingham – Old English origin, meaning “homestead of the people of Gilla.”

Godfrey – Old French origin, meaning “God’s peace.”

Graham – Scottish origin, meaning “gravelly homestead.”

Greystoke – Old English origin, meaning “town of the gray stones.”

Hamilton – Scottish origin, meaning “hamlet of the flat-topped hill.”

Hardwick – Old English origin, meaning “hearth or settlement.”

Harris – Old English origin, meaning “son of Harry.”

Hastings – Old English origin, meaning “settlement of Haesta.”

Hawkins – English origin, meaning “son of the hawk.”

Hayward – Old English origin, meaning “keeper of the hedged enclosure.”

Hildreth – Old English origin, meaning “battle counselor.”

Howard – Old English origin, meaning “high guardian.”

Huntington – Old English origin, meaning “hunting town.”

Ingram – Old German origin, meaning “angelic raven.”

Irving – Scottish origin, meaning “green river.”

Kendall – Old English origin, meaning “valley of the river Kent.”

King – Old English origin, meaning “king or ruler.”

Lancelot – Old French origin, meaning “servant.”

Lennox – Scottish origin, meaning “with many elm trees.”

Livingston – Scottish origin, meaning “town of the place of the willow tree.”

Lloyd – Welsh origin, meaning “gray-haired.”

Montgomery – French origin, meaning “Gomer’s mountain.”

Northcliffe – Old English origin, meaning “northern slope.”

Norwich – Old English origin, meaning “north town.”

Pembroke – Old English origin, meaning “hill by the mouth of the river.”

Percy – Old French origin, meaning “pierced or pierced valley.”

Peverell – Old French origin, meaning “from the wood of the oak.”

Pitt – Old English origin, meaning “dweller by the pit.”

Radcliffe – Old English origin, meaning “red cliff.”

Raleigh – Old English origin, meaning “roe deer meadow.”

Rothwell – Old English origin, meaning “red well.”

Salisbury – Old English origin, meaning “fortress by the willows.”

Selwyn – Old English origin, meaning “manor by the willow.”

Stanley – Old English origin, meaning “stone clearing.”

Sutherland – Scottish origin, meaning “southern land.”

Swinton – Old English origin, meaning “town near a swine pasture.”

Templeton – Old English origin, meaning “town by the temple.”

Tudor – Welsh origin, meaning “ruler.”

Turner – Old French origin, meaning “lathe worker.”

Valmont – French origin, meaning “mountain valley.”

Vaughan – Welsh origin, meaning “small, little.”

Waldorf – Old German origin, meaning “forest village.”

Wellington – Old English origin, meaning “wealthy estate.”

Weston – Old English origin, meaning “west town.”

Wharton – Old English origin, meaning “from the farm of the white meadow.”

Willoughby – Old English origin, meaning “willow farm.”

Windsor – Old English origin, meaning “riverbank with a winch.”