Published on 12/09/2020 18:00 By Georgia Stone
Edited by | Fact-checked by
range from long and melodic to short and sweet.
Today it is all about the shortest surnames with this list of one syllable last names! Take a look through this list of names from all around the world and see if you can spot any you recognise.
These names come from all over the world, from the Old English surname Brown to the Latin James. There are also some great last names that can also be used as first names like Ash or Mauve.
For more, check out these one syllable girl names and these one syllable boy names.
Popular One Syllable Last Names
There are lots of popular short surnames, including James, derived from Latin name Jac, and the last name Black, from the Middle English word ‘blak(e)’. Find more popular surnames in this list!
1. Ash (Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “ash tree”, that indicates a person who lives near ash trees.
2. Aust (German and English origin) meaning “derived from Aust”, is the coolest last name.
3. Bai (Mongol and Chinese origin) meaning “the color white”.
4. Bain (Scottish origin) meaning “white”.
5. Baines (Old English and French origin) meaning “bones”.
6. Ball (Anglo-Saxon and Old English origin) meaning “someone who had a rotund or stocky stature.”
7. Banks (English and Scottish origin) meaning “someone who lived near a hillside or a bank of land,” is an interesting British last name.
8. Barnes (Old English origin) meaning “a person who worked or lived in a barn”.
9. Barr (English and Old French origin) meaning “someone who lived by a gateway or barrier”.
10. Bass (Old French origin) meaning “of humble origin”, is a cool surname.
11. Bates (English origin) meaning “son of Bate”.
12. Batts (Old English origin) meaning “son of Batt”.
13. Beake (Old English and Old French origin) meaning “the beak of a bird”.
14. Bean (English origin) meaning “farmer”, is a cool last name.
15. Beck (Germanic and Hebrew origin) meaning “brook”.
16. Bell (Irish origin) meaning “bell ringer or bell maker”, a common Irish last name.
17. Benn (Old English origin) meaning “bear cub” or “warrior”, this is one of the best last names.
Unique One Syllable Last Names
There are so many cool one syllable last names such as Bright, which originated from Anglo-Saxon tribes. Find more in this list!
18. Anse (Latin and French origin) meaning “cove”.
19. Aud (Danish, Norwegian and Swedish origin) meaning “wealthy”.
20. Bard (Old Norse origin) meaning “peace after a battle”.
21. Bast (French origin) meaning “saddle pad for a beast of burden”.
22. Bing (Old English and Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “dweller by the hollow”.
23. Bligh (Old English origin) meaning “cheerful”.
24. Boyne (Scottish and Irish origin) meaning “dweller by the river Boyne”.
25. Briggs (English origin) meaning “dweller by the bridge”.
26. Coe (English origin) meaning “jackdaw bird”, is a unique last name.
27. Dand (Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “the dweller in the valley”.
28. Daw (English, Welsh, and Irish origin) meaning “the beloved one”. It is also a nickname for David.
29. Dice (English origin) meaning “luck”, is one of the cool last names.
30. Elm (English and German origin) meaning “people who lived near an elm tree or in an elm grove”.
31. Flann (Irish and Gaelic origin) meaning “red haired”.
32. Frens (French origin) meaning “Frenchman”.
33. Hoyt (Old English origin) meaning “people who lived high, or on a hill”.
34. Ish (Indian origin) meaning “master”.
35. Jauns (Hebrew origin ) meaning “heel”.
36. Jepp (Danish origin ) meaning “son of Jeppe”.
37. Jex (Hebrew origin) meaning “Jehovah has favored”.
38. Karp (German, Polish, and Jewish origin) meaning “fisherman”.
39. King (English and Scottish origin ) meaning “originally a tribal leader”.
40. Lenz (German origin ) meaning “spring”.
41. Lev (Slavic origin ) meaning “lion”, is one of the coolest last names.
42. Loup (French origin) meaning “wolf”.
43. March (German origin) meaning “‘boundary”.
44. Mauve (American origin ) meaning “purplish color”.
45. Moi (African and French origin ) meaning “me”.
46. Neith (Greek form of Egyptian origin) meaning “water”.
47. Ner (Hebrew origin) meaning “‘lamp”.
48. Oz (Hebrew origin) meaning “strength”.
49. Pell (Middle English and Old French origin) meaning “dealer in furs”.
50. Pim (Old English origin) meaning “son of Euphemia”.
Ancient One Syllable Last Names
The list presents you with some ancient last names meanings that are one syllable long.
51. Knight (Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “serving lad”.
52. Prynne (Old French origin) meaning “superior”.
53. Red (Old English origin) meaning “red haired”.
54. Sadb (Irish origin) meaning “sweet” or “goodly”, is one of the unique Irish surnames.
55. Shir (Hebrew origin) meaning “song”.
56. Short (Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “short height person”.
57. Shri (Indian origin) meaning “diffusing light”.
58. Smith (Old English origin) meaning “one who works in a metal related job”.
59. Swift (Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “rapid runner”.
60. Tord (Scandinavian and Old Norse origin) meaning “peace” or “love”.
61. Tyne (Ancient English origin) meaning “to dissolve or disperse”.
62. Ull (German origin) meaning “wolf power”.
63. Var (Norse origin) meaning “Goddess of oaths and promises”.
64. Veigh ( origin) meaning “son of life”.
65. Wright (Old English origin) meaning “worker or shaper of wood”.
66. Zef (Albanian origin) meaning “from the Bible”.
Modern One Syllable Last Names
We have put together this list of one syllable last names that are cool and modern.
67. Anne (Old English origin) meaning “island, or land between streams”, is also used as a first name.
68. Bay (Middle English and Old French origin) meaning “reddish brown”.
69. Brooke (Old English and Irish origin ) meaning “one who lived at one of the villages called Brook”.
70. Bryn (Norman origin) meaning “hill”.
71. Cass (Anglo-Saxon and Old French origin) meaning “someone who worked as a maker of boxes or chests”.
72. Cher (French origin) meaning “dear one”.
73. Claire (French origin) meaning “bright”.
74. Dawn (Old English origin) meaning “first appearance of light”, is a beautiful surname.
75. Dee (English and Scottish origin) meaning “Goddess”.
76. Dew (Scottish, Irish and Gaelic origin) meaning “dark”.
77. Dot ( Old Celtic and Old English origin) meaning “deceiver or rascal”.
78. Dove (Old English and Old Norse origin) meaning “gentle person”.
79. Elle (Hebrew origin) meaning “Goddess”.
80. Eve (English and Hebrew origin) meaning “living”.
81. Faith (English origin) a surname meaning “loyalty”.
82. Fawn (English origin) meaning “young deer”.
83. Fay (Old French origin) a surname meaning “elf” or “fairy”.
84. Fern ( Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “someone who lived in a place where there are ferns “, an interesting surname.
85. Flo (Native American origin) meaning “arrow,” a surname that you will love to cherish.
86. Flor (Spanish origin) meaning “flower”.
87. Frost (Scandinavian origin) meaning “born at the time of frost”.
88. Gayle (ancient Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “a person who is pleasant and merry”.
89. Gem (English origin) meaning “person who resided near a river”.
90. Grace (Old French origin) meaning “charm”.
91. Greer (Scottish origin) meaning “watchful” or “guardian”.
92. Gwen (Welsh origin) meaning “blessed”.
93. Hope (Old English origin ) meaning “the side of a hill”.
94. Jade (Spanish origin ) meaning “precious green stone”.
95. Jai (Indian origin) meaning “victory”.
96. Jan (Scottish origin ) meaning “son of John”.
97. Jane (Hebrew origin ) meaning “graced by Yahweh”.
98. Jazz (American origin ) meaning “style of music”.
99. Jill (Latin origin ) meaning “child of the Gods”.
100. Joan (Hebrew and French origin) meaning “God is gracious”.
101. Joy (Latin origin) meaning ” joy and joyous”.
102. Joyce (Old French origin) meaning “Lord”.
103. Jules (Anglo-Saxon origin ) meaning “son of Joel”.
104. June (Old French origin) a surname meaning “young”.
105. Kat (Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “smallness in size”.
106. Kate (Irish origin ) meaning “pure and clear”.
107. Maude (Old English origin) meaning “a female relative”.
108. Nell (Dutch and German) a surname meaning “champion”.
has lots of great name articles to inspire you. If you liked our suggestions for one syllable last names then why not take a look at something different like these cool last names for your characters, or these Swedish last names with meanings and history?
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