100 Cool African American Last Names
African American last names are historically significant, representing decades of survival, identity, and cultural change.
Some names are from the African heritage, slavery, emancipation, and migration.
These last names reflected the social and political realities of the times.
Some of these received from the enslavers, and others chose as expressions of freedom and self-determination after emancipation.
Today, these names are a potent communication channel to ancestry and personal history.
This article goes through an exploration of the origins, meanings, and cultural reality of African American family names, shedding light on the tradition behind them.
African American last names
Johnson – Son of John; a common surname among freed African Americans.
Williams – A patronymic surname meaning “son of William.”
Brown – Originally a nickname for someone with brown hair or a dark complexion.
Davis – A patronymic surname meaning “son of David.”
Miller – Occupation-based surname for a miller, someone who works at a mill.
Jackson – Son of Jack; a common surname passed down from enslaved ancestors.
Harris – Derived from the name Harry or Henry, meaning “son of Harry.”
Robinson – Meaning “son of Robin” or “son of Robert.”
Clark – Occupation-based surname for a clerk or scholar.
Lewis – Meaning “famous warrior,” derived from the Old French name Louis.
Walker – An occupational surname for someone who walked or worked with cloth.
Young – A surname possibly given to younger sons or someone young in age.
Allen – Meaning “little rock” or “harmony,” derived from Gaelic origins.
King – Could refer to a person of royal descent or someone with a leadership role.
Scott – Originally meaning “from Scotland” or a person of Scottish descent.
Nelson – Meaning “son of Neil,” a common surname in African American communities.
Adams – Meaning “son of Adam,” derived from the Hebrew biblical name.
Carter – Occupational surname for a cart driver.
Mitchell – Derived from the given name Michael, meaning “who is like God.”
Evans – A patronymic surname meaning “son of Evan,” an Anglicized version of John.
Thomas – Derived from the Aramaic name meaning “twin.”
Jackson – Meaning “son of Jack” or “son of John,” reflecting a common surname passed down.
Baker – Occupation-based surname for someone who bakes.
Grant – Meaning “great” or “large,” often associated with nobility or high status.
Turner – Occupation-based surname for a person who worked with a lathe.
Phillips – Meaning “son of Philip,” derived from the Greek name meaning “lover of horses.”
Roberts – Derived from the given name Robert, meaning “bright fame.”
Simmons – Derived from Simon, meaning “to hear” or “God has heard.”
Parker – Occupation-based surname for someone who worked as a park keeper or gamekeeper.
Evans – Derived from the Welsh name for “son of Evan.”
Gordon – Meaning “great hill,” derived from Scottish Gaelic.
Collins – Meaning “son of Colin,” or “young creature.”
Gray – Refers to someone with gray hair or a gray complexion.
Foster – Originally meaning “to nurture or care for.”
Ross – A Scottish surname meaning “from the peninsula” or “headland.”
Morris – Derived from the Latin name Mauritius, meaning “dark-skinned.”
Howard – Meaning “high guardian” or “brave heart.”
Barnes – Derived from the Old English word “bern,” meaning “barn” or “house.”
Long – Could describe someone of tall stature or a long-lasting family.
Reed – Derived from the Old English word for a reed or tall plant, possibly a topographical surname.
Sullivan – Of Irish origin, meaning “dark-eyed” or “hawk-eyed.”
Morris – Meaning “dark-skinned” or “Moorish,” possibly linked to African roots.
Ward – Occupational surname for someone who was a guard or watchman.
Bell – Originally referring to someone who lived near a bell tower or bell maker.
Coleman – Derived from the Old English personal name Col, meaning “charcoal burner.”
Chavez – Of Spanish origin, meaning “house” or “dwelling.”
Fletcher – Occupational surname for an arrow maker.
Howard – Meaning “high guardian” or “brave heart.”
Sims – Derived from the given name Simeon, meaning “one who hears.”
Hughes – Derived from the given name Hugh, meaning “mind” or “intellect.”
Wright – Occupational surname for a craftsman or builder.
Jackson – Derived from the given name Jack, meaning “son of Jack.”
Wallace – Derived from the Old French “walais,” meaning “foreigner” or “Welshman.”
Bryant – Meaning “strong,” derived from the Celtic name “Brían.”
Roberts – Derived from the name Robert, meaning “bright fame.”
Mason – Occupational surname for a stone worker or builder.
Stewart – Derived from the Old English “stigweard,” meaning “house guardian” or “steward.”
Mitchell – Derived from the name Michael, meaning “who is like God.”
Price – Originally meaning “son of Rhys,” from Welsh origin.
Ferguson – Meaning “son of Fergus,” from Gaelic origin, meaning “man of strength.”
Harrison – Meaning “son of Harry,” derived from the given name Henry.
Tucker – Occupational surname for someone who worked with wool, such as a fuller or cloth worker.
Graham – Derived from a place name, meaning “gravelly homestead” in Old English.
Campbell – Scottish surname meaning “crooked mouth,” originally a nickname.
Stevens – Derived from the name Stephen, meaning “crown” or “garland.”
Bennett – Derived from the Latin name Benedictus, meaning “blessed.”
Hayes – A surname of English origin, meaning “hedged area” or “enclosure.”
Hawkins – A diminutive form of the name Hawk, possibly referring to someone who worked with hawks or birds of prey.
Jordan – Derived from the River Jordan in the Middle East, meaning “to descend” or “flow down.”
Evans – Derived from the Welsh name “Evan,” meaning “young warrior.”
Simpson – Meaning “son of Simon,” from Hebrew, meaning “one who hears.”
Chavez – Spanish surname, meaning “house” or “dwelling.”
Sutton – Meaning “southern town” or “settlement,” from Old English.
Hunter – Occupational surname for someone who hunted game.
Marshall – Occupational surname for a person in charge of horses or a court official.
James – Derived from the Hebrew name Jacob, meaning “supplanter” or “one who follows.”
Carson – Meaning “son of the marsh-dwellers,” derived from Gaelic.
Ford – Topographical surname for someone who lived near a ford or shallow part of a river.
Russell – Derived from the Old French word “rous,” meaning “red” or “red-haired.”
Jenkins – Meaning “son of Jenkin,” derived from the Welsh diminutive of John.
Patterson – Meaning “son of Patrick,” derived from the Irish name “Pádraig.”
Chapman – Occupational surname for a merchant or trader.
Bailey – Occupational surname for a steward or official in charge of a manor or estate.
Henderson – Meaning “son of Hendry,” derived from the name Henry, meaning “ruler of the household.”
Simmons – Derived from the name Simon, meaning “to hear” or “God has heard.”
Watson – Meaning “son of Walter,” derived from Old German, meaning “army ruler.”
Grant – Meaning “great,” typically referring to someone of noble or high status.
Bishop – Originally an occupational surname for someone who worked as a bishop or religious leader.
Hines – Derived from the old English word “hine,” meaning “young man” or “servant.”
Collins – Meaning “son of Colin,” from the Scottish Gaelic “Coilin,” meaning “young creature.”
Bishop – Originally an occupation for a high-ranking church official, now a surname.
Riley – Derived from Old Irish, meaning “valiant” or “courageous.”
Daniels – Derived from the name Daniel, meaning “God is my judge” in Hebrew.
Murray – Originating from the Scottish region of Moray, meaning “sea settlement.”
Cameron – Of Scottish origin, meaning “crooked nose.”
White – A descriptive surname for someone with fair hair or complexion.
Thomas – Derived from the Aramaic name meaning “twin.”
Freeman – Originally a term referring to someone who was free, not a serf or slave.
Bates – A medieval surname derived from the Old French word for “son of Bartholomew.”
Morris – Derived from the Latin word “Maurus,” meaning “Moorish” or “dark-skinned.”
