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Hill Name Meaning
English: topographic name for someone who lived on or by a hill from Middle English hill hell hull ‘hill’ (Old English hyll). Compare Hiller . This surname is also very common among African Americans. English: possibly in some cases from the personal name Hille a pet form of some name such as Hilger or Hillary . German: from a short form of Hildebrand or any of a variety of other names male and female containing ancient Germanic hild ‘battle’ as the first element. Americanized form (translation into English) of Finnish Mäki ‘hill’ or of any of various other names formed with this element (see Maki ). Americanized form of various like-sounding Jewish surnames.
Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Similar surnames:
Gill, Will, Hild, Bill, Hell, Mill, Hils, Hall, Dill, Hilt
From: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/learn/facts

Horner Name Meaning
English (North Yorkshire) and German: from Horn 1 with the agent suffix -er; used either as an occupational name for someone who made or sold small articles made of horn (Middle English hornere) a metonymic occupational name for someone who played a musical instrument made from the horn of an animal or a topographic name for someone who lived at a ‘horn’ of land. In the Middle Ages whole horns were used for many purposes: as drinking vessels as containers as wind instruments for sounding an alarm and for signalling to others (e.g. when hunting). Pieces of horn were used to make spoons buttons combs handles decorative tips for rods and other things. The horner's craft could include making musical horns as well as sheets of translucent horn for windows and for covering books. For example Thomas Hornar of Petergate in York was paid for ‘hornyng et naillyng’ the superscribed covers of books in York Minster library in 142 German (also Hörner): from any of various places called Horn referring to their location at a spur of land at a horn shaped piece of land. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Horn 5.
Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Similar surnames:
Corner, Thorner, Horne, Borner, Berner, Hirner, Hober, Honer, Horter
From: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/learn/facts

Houseman Name Meaning
English: occupational name from Middle English hous ‘house’ + man ‘man’ denoting someone employed at ‘the house’ probably a religious house or convent. Compare House . English: altered form of Oulsnam (itself a variant of Wolstenholme ) with metathesis of final -nam to -man and development of inorganic initial H-. Americanized form of German Hausmann or Dutch Huisman Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Similar surnames:
Housman, Huseman, Roseman, Bousman, Horsman, Holsman, Hudman, Hausman
From: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/learn/facts

Inman Name Meaning
English (Yorkshire): occupational name for a keeper of a lodging house from Middle English inn ‘abode lodging’ + man ‘man’. Until recently there was in England a technical distinction between an inn where lodgings were available as well as alcoholic beverages and a tavern which offered only the latter.
Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Similar surnames:
Kinman, Zinman, Wyman, Ingman, Edman, Aikman, Osman, Byman, Lipman
From: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/learn/facts

Jackson Name Meaning
English Scottish and northern Irish: patronymic from Jack . In North America this surname has absorbed other patronymics beginning with J- in various European languages in particular those derived from equivalents or short forms and other derivatives of the personal name Jacob e.g. Norwegian Jacobsen or Jakobsen and in some cases Slovenian Jakše (from a derivative of the personal name Jakob ). This surname is also very common among African Americans (see also 2 below). African American: from the personal name Jackson (or Andrew Jackson) adopted in honor of Andrew Jackson the 7th president of the US; or adoption of the surname in 1 above in many cases probably for the same reason.
Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Similar surnames:
Jacobson, Jason, Jameson, Dickson, Hickson, Jamison, Nickson, Jacks
From: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/learn/facts

Jennings Name Meaning
English: variant of Jenning with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. German: patronymic from a pet form (see Jenning ) of the personal name Johannes (see John ).
Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Similar surnames:
Jenning, Penning, Denning, Kenning, Henning, Jenniges, Janning
From: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/learn/facts

Johnson Name Meaning
English and Scottish: patronymic from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Johan Jo(h)n (see John ) + -son. It was often interchanged with Jenson and Janson . In North America this surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Norwegian Danish or North German Johnsen Johannesen Johannsen Johansen Jansen Jantzen and Jensen Swedish Johnsson (see below) Johansson Jonsson and Jansson Dutch Janssen German Janz Czech Jansa 1 and Slovenian Janša (see Jansa ) and Janežič (see Janezic ). Johnson (including in the sense 2 below) is the second most frequent surname in the US. It is also the second most common surname among Native Americans and a very common surname among African Americans. Americanized form (and a less common Swedish variant) of Swedish Johnsson: patronymic from the personal name John a variant of Jon (see John ). Compare 1 above.
Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Similar surnames:
Johnston, Johnsen, Jonson, Jackson, Janson, Johansen, Jonsson, Ohlson
From: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/learn/facts

Kent Name Meaning
English and Irish: habitational name from the county of Kent. The surname is also established in Ireland where English bearers of this name settled in Meath in the 13th century. The name has been Gaelicized as Ceannt.
Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Similar surnames:
Gent, Dent, Ken, Bent, Best, Went, Kant, West, Belt, Kett
From: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/learn/facts

Knowles Name Meaning
English: topographic name from Middle English knol(le) ‘knoll hilltop’ (Old English cnoll) or from any of the many places (some lost) named with this word for example Knowle (Devon Dorset Lancashire Somerset Warwickshire and Yorkshire) and Knole (Kent Sussex). Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Tnúthghail (see Newell ). English: variant of Noel often with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s.
Source:
Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
Similar surnames:
Bowes, Toles, Fowle, Voyles, Kyles, Mowles, Downes, Koller, Powles
From: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/learn/facts