Collins Dictionary Of Surnames

Dictionary of Surnames is the new and definitive guide to the origin and meaning of British surnames by one of Britain’s leading authority on names.


The essential A–Z companion to the study of names of the British Isles


Includes the oldest varieties of British names as well as recent arrivals such as Patel


As well as individual entries, includes collective entries on topics such as names which derive from the same first name, or names ending in -ton, etc.


Compiled by Leslie Dunkling, founder of the Names Society and author of many classic reference works, such as Our Secret Names and the Guinness Book of Names