Last names tell a story; whether rooted in ancestry, occupation, or geography, they offer a glimpse into our family history. If your surname starts with ‘C,’ you’re in good company! From classic choices to rare gems, ‘C’ surnames span cultures and histories.
Below, we’ve compiled 150 unique last names starting with ‘C’, organized by origin and meaning. Whether you’re researching your genealogy, naming a character, or just curious, this list has something fascinating for you.
English & Celtic Surnames
These surnames often derive from occupations, locations, or personal traits.
- Carter – An occupational name for a cart driver or transporter.
- Clark – Originally denoted a clerk or scholar, often in religious contexts.
- Cooper – A barrel maker.
- Chapman – An old term for a merchant or trader.
- Chandler – A candle maker or seller.
- Clayton – Means “settlement on clay land.”
- Cunningham – Scottish or Irish, meaning “milk pail village.”
- Caldwell – “Cold well,” referring to a chilly water source.
- Crosby – “Village with crosses.”
- Crockett – Possibly derived from “little crook” or a place name.
Irish & Scottish Surnames
Many Celtic surnames start with ‘C’ and often begin with “Mac” or “O’,” meaning “son of” or “descendant of.”
- Callahan (O’Callaghan) – “Descendant of Ceallachán,” meaning “bright-headed.”
- Carroll (O’Cearbhaill) – “Descendant of Cearbhall,” meaning “hacking with a weapon.”
- Casey (O’Cathasaigh) – “Vigilant in war.”
- Connell (O’Conaill) – “Strong as a wolf.”
- Cullen – Derived from “cuileann,” meaning “holly.”
- Cahill (O’Cathail) – “Battle ruler.”
- Coffey (O’Cobhthaigh) – “Victorious.”
- Cronin (O’Cróinín) – “Saffron-colored” or “descendant of Crónán.”
- Coyle (Mac Giolla Chomhghaill) – “Devotee of St. Comhghall.”
- Cusack – From the Irish “de Cíosóg,” meaning “watchful.”
Italian Surnames
Italian last names often reflect geography, patronymics, or descriptors.
- Conti – Means “count” or “nobleman.”
- Costa – “Coast” or “riverbank.”
- Caruso – “Close-cropped hair,” possibly referring to a young apprentice.
- Colombo – “Dove,” symbolizing peace.
- Caputo – Derived from “capo” (head), meaning “stubborn.”
- Cavalli – “Horses,” likely an occupational name for a horseman.
- Castelli – “Castles,” indicating someone who lived near one.
- Cattaneo – “Captain” or “chief.”
- Cicero – From “chickpea,” possibly a nickname.
- Corradi – “Bold counsel.”
Spanish & Hispanic Surnames
Many Spanish surnames stem from places, occupations, or paternal lineage.
- Castro – “Fortress” or “castle.”
- Cortez – Derived from “courteous” or “courtly.”
- Campos – “Fields.”
- Cervantes – Possibly meaning “stag” or “servant.”
- Cardenas – From “thistle,” referencing a place.
- Cabrera – “Goat herd.”
- Calderon – “Cauldron,” possibly a maker of large pots.
- Cano – “White-haired” or “wise elder.”
- Chavez – Derived from “keys” or “someone who lived near gates.”
- Cruz – “Cross,” often religious in origin.
German & Dutch Surnames
Germanic surnames often reflect occupations or characteristics.
- Cramer – “Shopkeeper” or “merchant.”
- Conrad – “Brave counsel.”
- Christensen – “Son of Christian.”
- Clemens – “Merciful” or “gentle.”
- Casper – “Treasurer.”
- Cronenberg – “Crane mountain.”
- Caspers – Variant of Casper.
- Clausen – “Son of Claus” (Nicholas).
- Cornelius – Derived from the Latin “horn.”
- Cahill – Sometimes German, meaning “battle chief.”
French Surnames
French last names often stem from locations, nicknames, or professions.
- Chevalier – “Knight” or “horseman.”
- Charbonneau – “Charcoal burner.”
- Clément – “Merciful.”
- Courtois – “Courteous” or “polite.”
- Cartier – “Transporter of goods.”
- Chastain – From “chestnut,” possibly referring to hair color.
- Chauvin – Derived from “bald.”
- Couture – “Tailor” or “seamstress.”
- Caron – Possibly “cart” or “wagon.”
- Côté – “Hillside” or “coast.”
Eastern European (Polish, Russian, Slavic) Surnames
These often end in “-ski” or “-vich,” indicating lineage or origin.
- Czajkowski – “Teapot maker.”
- Czerwinski – “Red,” possibly referring to hair or complexion.
- Czarnecki – “Black,” possibly describing hair or a place.
- Chmielewski – “Hops grower.”
- Ciborowski – From “ciborium” (a vessel).
- Cybulski – “Onion seller.”
- Czerniak – “Black” in Polish.
- Czajka – “Lapwing” (a bird).
- Czapiewski – “Hat maker.”
- Czaja – “Tea” or “teapot.”
Scandinavian Surnames
Nordic names often end in “-son” or “-sen,” meaning “son of.”
- Christensen – “Son of Christen.”
- Carlson – “Son of Carl.”
- Clausen – “Son of Claus.”
- Clemensson – “Son of Clemens.”
- Cronstedt – “Crane homestead.”
- Cederqvist – “Cedar twig.”
- Caspersen – “Son of Casper.”
- Corneliussen – “Son of Cornelius.”
- Christoffersen – “Son of Christoffer.”
- Cronholm – “Crane island.”
Jewish (Hebrew & Yiddish) Surnames
Jewish surnames often reflect occupations, locations, or patronymics.
- Cohen – A priestly lineage in Judaism.
- Cantor – A synagogue singer.
- Chaim – Means “life.”
- Cahn – Variant of Cohen.
- Chazan – Another term for a cantor.
- Chodorow – From a Polish town.
- Cohn – Another spelling of Cohen.
- Chabon – Possibly “hawk.”
- Chait – Means “life” (from Chaim).
- Chomsky – From “Chomsk,” a place in Belarus.
Rare & Unique ‘C’ Surnames
These less common names have intriguing histories.
- Caddock – Welsh, meaning “battle sharp.”
- Caffrey – Irish, “helmet maker.”
- Calloway – “Peacock meadow.”
- Camber – “From the valley.”
- Carnahan – Irish, “victorious.”
- Carvell – “From the marshland.”
- Casterline – Possibly “castle dweller.”
- Chesney – French, “oak grove.”
- Chilcott – English, “cold cottage.”
- Cliburn – “Stream near a cliff.”
Greek & Mediterranean Surnames
These names often stem from ancient Greek roots, occupations, or geographic features.
- Christopoulos – “Son of Christos” (Christian).
- Constantinou – “Son of Constantine” (steadfast).
- Callas – Derived from “kalos,” meaning “beautiful.”
- Carides – Possibly “crab” or related to seafood.
- Chaconas – A variant of “Chacon,” meaning “from the hills.”
- Chronis – “Time” or “eternal.”
- Cosmos – “Order” or “universe.”
- Critias – Ancient Greek, possibly “judge.”
- Cyril – From “Kyrios,” meaning “lord.”
- Cyprian – “From Cyprus.”
African & African-American Surnames
Many African surnames have Arabic, colonial, or indigenous influences.
- Camara – West African (Mande), meaning “teacher” or “scholar.”
- Cisse – A common Malian surname, often linked to royalty.
- Chukwu – Igbo (Nigeria), meaning “God.”
- Coulibaly – A prominent West African name, possibly meaning “warrior.”
- Chidubem – Igbo, “God is my guide.”
- Chikezie – Igbo, “God strengthens.”
- Ceesay – Gambian, derived from the name “Sise.”
- Chabalala – South African (Tsonga), possibly meaning “one who walks fast.”
- Chibuzo – Igbo, “God is the way.”
- Chisom – Igbo, “God walks with me.”
Asian Surnames (Chinese, Korean, Indian, etc.)
‘C’ surnames in Asia vary widely by region and language.
Chinese:
- Chen (陳) – One of the most common Chinese surnames, meaning “to exhibit.”
- Cao (曹) – Refers to a historical state or “to grasp.”
- Chu (朱) – Means “vermilion” or “red.”
- Cui (崔) – “High” or “precipitous.”
- Cheng (程) – “Journey” or “process.”
Korean:
- Choi (최) – Means “pinnacle” or “high.”
- Cheon (천) – Means “heaven.”
- Cha (차) – Means “chariot” or “tea.”
Indian:
- Chakraborty – Bengali, “emperor” or “ruler of the wheel.”
- Chauhan – Rajput clan name, possibly meaning “fast.”
- Chatterjee – Bengali variant of “Chattopadhyay,” meaning “teacher.”
- Chawla – Punjabi, possibly meaning “fair-skinned.”
- Choudhary – Title for a landowner or village head.
Native American & Indigenous Surnames
Many Indigenous surnames reflect nature, animals, or personal traits.
- Cloud – Symbolic of sky and freedom.
- Craven – Possibly from a tribal name or meaning “brave.”
- Coyote – Represents the trickster figure in many Native cultures.
- Cedar – A sacred tree in many Indigenous traditions.
- Crow – A bird often associated with wisdom.
- Chaska – Sioux, meaning “firstborn son.”
- Chitto – Choctaw, meaning “brave.”
Fictional & Pop Culture ‘C’ Surnames
Some names gain fame through books, movies, and TV.
- Cullen – From Twilight (Edward Cullen).
- Craven – From The Night of the Hunter (villain surname).
- Corleone – The Godfather’s infamous crime family.
- Crane – Ichabod Crane (Sleepy Hollow).
- Cartwright – The Bonanza family.
- Cooper – Agent Dale Cooper (Twin Peaks).
- Cameron – Ferris Bueller’s best friend (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).
- Crusher – Dr. Beverly Crusher (Star Trek).
- Caulfield – Holden Caulfield (The Catcher in the Rye).
- Covington – From The Princess Diaries (Clarisse Renaldi’s maiden name).
Final Thoughts
Surnames are more than just identifiers; they carry legacies. Whether your last name is common like Clark or rare like Chilcott, each has a story waiting to be uncovered. Did you find your surname here? Or maybe a new favorite? Let us know in the comments!
And if you’re on a naming quest, whether for a baby, character, or just curiosity, we hope this list inspires you. Happy exploring!
Did we miss any interesting ‘C’ surnames? Share yours below!