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Magnificent Last Names That Start with M You May Want to Know

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This article is all about last names that start with M. Whether you’re interested in genealogy, naming your baby, or just curious about the origins of different surnames, this article is for you. We’ll explore the most common last names beginning with M, as well as some unique and lesser-known options.

Last Names That Start With M

Magnificent Last Names That Start with M You May Want to Know

Understanding Last Names that Start with M

Last names, also known as surnames, are an important part of our identity. They are passed down from generation to generation and can reveal a lot about our family history, culture, and even our profession. In this article, we will explore some of the most common last names that start with the letter M and their meanings.

One interesting fact about last names is that they can have different origins. Some last names are derived from a person’s occupation, while others are based on a person’s location or physical characteristics. For example, the last name Miller comes from the occupation of a miller, while the last name Martin comes from the Latin name Martinus, meaning warlike.

Top 10 Most Popular Last Names That Start With M

Here are the top 10 most popular last names that start with M, along with their meanings and origins:

Last Name Meaning Origin
Miller One who grinds grain English
Martin Warlike Latin
Moore A person who lived on a moor English
Mitchell One who is like God English
Murphy Sea warrior Irish
Martinez Son of Martin Spanish
Morgan Sea defender Welsh
Mason A worker in stone English
Myers A bailiff or steward English
Murray A person who lived by the sea Scottish

Less Common Last Names That Start With M

Here are some less common last names that start with M and their unique histories:

Last Name Meaning Origin
Macaluso Son of Luso Italian
Macri A massive person Greek
Mabins Child Welsh
Maldonado From Maldon Spanish
Medina City in Saudi Arabia Arabic
Mendez Son of Mendo Spanish
Meyer A farmer German
Mills Worker in a mill English
Morrison Son of Morris Scottish

Common Last Names That Start with M

In this section, we will take a look at some of the most common last names that start with the letter M. Whether you’re interested in genealogy, history, or just curious about the meaning behind your last name, we’ve got you covered.

Most Common Last Names

According to the latest census data, the most popular last name beginning with M in the United States is Miller, followed by Martin and Mitchell. Here are some more common last names that start with M:

  • Moore
  • Murphy
  • Morgan
  • Myers
  • Mason
  • Murray
  • Marshall
  • Montgomery
  • Manning
  • Medina

Last Names with Meanings

Many last names beginning with M have interesting meanings and origins. Here are some examples:

Last Name Meaning
Macdonald Son of Donald
Mackenzie Son of Kenneth
Maddox Beneficent
Mahoney Bear
Malone Descendant of the servant of St. John
Mann Man
Marquez Son of Marcos
Mathews Gift of God
Maynard Brave strength
Mcbride Son of Bridget

M Last Names from Different Origins

Last names that start with the letter M can be found all over the world, with different origins and meanings. In this section, we will explore the origins of M last names from different regions of the world.

European M Last Names

Many M last names in Europe have roots in Latin, Greek, or Germanic languages. Here are some examples:

Last Name Origin Meaning
Martin Latin “of Mars,” the Roman god of war
Miller Germanic occupational name for a miller
Meyer Germanic occupational name for a steward or administrator
Martinez Spanish patronymic from the personal name Martin
Mancini Italian from the Latin name Magnus, meaning “great”

Asian M Last Names

In Asia, M last names can be found in countries like China, Japan, and Korea. Here are some examples:

Last Name Origin Meaning
Ma Chinese from the name of a state in ancient China
Matsuda Japanese from the Japanese words for “pine tree” and “rice paddy”
Moon Korean from the Korean word for “door”
Mukherjee Indian from the Sanskrit words for “high” and “chariot driver”

African M Last Names

In Africa, M last names can be found in countries like Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa. Here are some examples:

Last Name Origin Meaning
Mohammed Arabic from the name of the prophet Muhammad
Moyo Swahili from the Swahili word for “heart”
Mandela Xhosa from the Xhosa word for “strength”
Mubarak Arabic from the Arabic word for “blessed”

M Last Names by Country

American M Last Names

In the Americas, M last names can be found in countries like the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Here are some examples:

Last Name Origin Meaning
Martinez Spanish patronymic from the personal name Martin
Murphy Irish from the Irish Gaelic word for “sea warrior”
Mendez Spanish patronymic from the personal name Mendo
Miller English occupational name for a miller

English Last Names

English last names that start with M often have meanings related to nature or location. For example:

Name Meaning
Marsh Dwells by a marsh
Meadows Lives near meadows
Moore Lives by a moor or boggy area
Moss Dwells near a peat bog or mossy area

Irish Last Names

Irish last names that start with M often have meanings related to clan names or locations. For example:

Name Meaning
MacCarthy Son of Carthach, an early Irish king
MacDermott Son of Diarmuid, a legendary Irish warrior
MacMahon Son of Mathghamhain, meaning bear
Murphy Descendant of Murchadh, meaning sea warrior

Scottish Last Names

Scottish last names that start with M often have meanings related to clan names or locations. For example:

Name Meaning
MacGregor Son of Gregory, meaning watchful or vigilant
MacIntyre Son of the carpenter
Mackenzie Son of Coinneach, meaning handsome
McLeod Son of Leod, meaning ugly

Italian Last Names

Italian last names that start with M often have meanings related to occupations or locations. For example:

Name Meaning
Marino Sailor
Martini Little Martin
Mazzini Little hammer
Monti From the mountain
Moretti From the moors

Spanish Last Names

Spanish last names that start with M often have meanings related to patronymics or locations. For example:

Name Meaning
Martinez Son of Martin
Mendoza From Mendoza, a city in Spain
Montoya From a mountain village
Munoz Son of Munio, meaning monk

Popular M Last Names in Detail

In this section, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular M last names, along with their meanings and origins.

Miller

Miller is currently the most popular last name starting with M in America, with over 1 million people having this surname. The name comes from the Old English word “mylenweard,” which means “guardian of the mill.” This name likely originated from someone who worked at a mill or owned one.

Moore

Moore is another popular last name beginning with M, with over 700,000 people having this surname. The name comes from the Old French word “more,” which means “dark-skinned.” This name was likely given to someone with dark skin or hair.

Martin

Martin is a common last name that comes from the Latin name “Martinus,” which means “of Mars.” This name was popularized by Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop who was known for his kindness and generosity.

Martinez

Martinez is a Spanish last name that means “son of Martin.” This name is a patronymic, meaning it was originally used to identify someone as the son of a man named Martin.

Murphy

Murphy is an Irish last name that means “sea warrior.” This name was likely given to someone who lived near the sea or worked as a sailor.

Mitchell

Mitchell is a last name that comes from the Old English name “Micahel,” which means “who is like God.” This name was popularized by Saint Michael the Archangel, a biblical figure who was known for his strength and bravery.

Morris

Morris is a last name that comes from the Old French name “Maurice,” which means “dark-skinned.” This name was likely given to someone with dark skin or hair.

Morgan

Morgan is a Welsh last name that means “sea-born.” This name was likely given to someone who was born near the sea.

Montgomery

Montgomery is a last name that comes from the Old French name “Gomeric,” which means “man power.” This name was likely given to someone who was strong and powerful.

Medina

Medina is a Spanish last name that means “city.” This name was likely given to someone who was from a city or lived in one.

Mendoza

Mendoza is a Spanish last name that means “cold mountain.” This name was likely given to someone who lived near a cold mountain.

Mullen

Mullen is an Irish last name that means “bald.” This name was likely given to someone who was bald or had very little hair.

Murray

Murray is a Scottish last name that means “sea warrior.” This name was likely given to someone who lived near the sea or worked as a sailor.

Myers

Myers is a last name that comes from the Old Norse name “Mýrar,” which means “marsh.” This name was likely given to someone who lived near a marsh or swamp.

Uncommon, Unique, and Famous M Last Names

Uncommon M Last Names

Here are some uncommon last names that start with M:

Last Name Meaning
Mabray Scottish surname meaning “son of the steward”
MacGowan Irish surname meaning “son of the smith”
Maddox Welsh surname meaning “son of Madoc”
Maguire Irish surname meaning “son of the carpenter”
Makin English surname meaning “son of the little one”
Malloy Irish surname meaning “descendant of the hero”
Manley English surname meaning “from the man’s meadow”
Marley English surname meaning “pleasant wood”
McAllister Scottish surname meaning “son of Alistair”
McMillan Scottish surname meaning “son of the tonsured one”

Unique M Last Names

Here are some unique last names that start with M:

Last Name Meaning
MacCormack Irish surname meaning “son of Cormac”
MacDowell Scottish surname meaning “son of Dougal”
MacGregor Scottish surname meaning “son of Gregor”
MacInnes Scottish surname meaning “son of Angus”
MacKinnon Scottish surname meaning “son of the fair one”
MacLeod Scottish surname meaning “son of Leod”
MacPherson Scottish surname meaning “son of the parson”
Maddalena Italian surname meaning “Magdalene”
Mancini Italian surname meaning “little left-handed one”
Marconi Italian surname meaning “son of Marcus”

Famous M Last Names

Here are some famous last names that start with M:

Last Name Notable Person
Mandela Nelson Mandela, South African anti-apartheid revolutionary
McCartney Paul McCartney, English musician and member of The Beatles
McConaughey Matthew McConaughey, American actor
McQueen Steve McQueen, American actor
Monroe Marilyn Monroe, American actress and model
Murray Bill Murray, American actor and comedian
Musk Elon Musk, South African-born American entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX
Myers Mike Myers, Canadian actor and comedian

How to Pronounce M Last Names

We have put together a list of common last names that start with M and included their pronunciation. Keep in mind that some of these names may have multiple pronunciations depending on the language or dialect.

Here are some of the most common last names starting with M and their pronunciation:

Last Name Pronunciation
Martinez mar-TEE-nez
Miller MIL-er
Mitchell MITCH-ell
Moore MOOR
Morales mo-RAH-les
Morgan MOR-gun
Morris MOR-iss
Murphy MUR-fee
Murray MUR-ee

Here are some other last names starting with M and their pronunciation:

Last Name Pronunciation
MacArthur mak-AHR-thur
Macdonald mak-DON-uld
Mackenzie mak-EN-zee
MacLeod mak-LOUD
Maddox MAD-ux
Maguire ma-GYRE
Mahoney ma-HO-nee
Malloy MAL-oy
Manning MAN-ing
Marquez mar-KEZ
Martin MAR-tin
Mason MAY-son
Mathews MATH-yooz
Maxwell MAKS-wel
Maynard MAY-nard
McAllister mak-AL-iss-ter
McCarthy muh-KAR-thee
McCarty muh-KAR-tee
McClain muh-KLAYN
McDaniel muh-DAN-yul
McDonald mak-DON-uld
McFarland muh-KAR-land
McGee muh-GEE
McGrath muh-GRATH
McGuire muh-GYRE
Mcintosh muh-KIN-tosh
McKay muh-KAY
McKinney muh-KIN-nee
McLaughlin muh-KLAWG-lin
McMahon muh-MAHN
McMillan muh-MIL-en
McNamara mick-NA-mar-uh
McNeil muh-NEEL
McPherson muh-FUR-sun

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some popular last names that start with M?

Here are some popular last names that start with M:

Last Name Meaning
Miller One who grinds or mills grain
Mitchell Son of Michael
Murphy Sea warrior
Martin From the Latin name Martinus, meaning “of Mars”
Moore One who lived on a moor or heath

What are some unique last names that start with M?

Here are some unique last names that start with M:

Last Name Meaning
MacGyver Son of Ivor
McCallister Son of Alasdair
McQuade Son of Walter
Morgenstern Morning star
Marzullo From the Italian word for “small march”

What are some good last names that start with M for a character?

Here are some good last names that start with M for a character:

Last Name Meaning
Montgomery From the hill belonging to Gumarich
Maverick An unbranded calf
McAllister Son of Alasdair
MacKenzie Son of Coinneach
Monroe From the mouth of the Roe River

What are some Mexican last names that start with M?

Here are some Mexican last names that start with M:

Last Name Meaning
Mendoza From the town of Mendoza in Spain
Morales From the Latin word moralis, meaning “moral” or “ethical”
Martinez Son of Martin
Montoya From the town of Montoya in Spain
Moreno Dark-skinned

Here are some popular last names that start with M:

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Last Name Meaning
Miller One who grinds or mills grain
Mitchell Son of Michael
Murphy Sea warrior
Martin From the Latin name Martinus, meaning \"of Mars\"
Moore One who lived on a moor or heath

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Last Name Meaning
MacGyver Son of Ivor
McCallister Son of Alasdair
McQuade Son of Walter
Morgenstern Morning star
Marzullo From the Italian word for \"small march\"

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Last Name Meaning
Miller One who grinds or mills grain
Moore One who lived on a moor or heath
Martinez Son of Martin
Murphy Sea warrior
Mitchell Son of Michael

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Last Name Meaning
Montgomery From the hill belonging to Gumarich
Maverick An unbranded calf
McAllister Son of Alasdair
MacKenzie Son of Coinneach
Monroe From the mouth of the Roe River

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Last Name Meaning
Mendoza From the town of Mendoza in Spain
Morales From the Latin word moralis, meaning \"moral\" or \"ethical\"
Martinez Son of Martin
Montoya From the town of Montoya in Spain
Moreno Dark-skinned

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Here are some girl last names that start with M:

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Last Name Meaning
McPherson Son of Pherson
Montgomery From the hill belonging to Gumarich
Martinez Son of Martin
Mitchell Son of Michael
Madison Son of Maud

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In this article, we covered popular, unique, and common last names that start with M in the US and Mexico, as well as good last names for a character and girl last names that start with M. We hope this information helps you in your search for the perfect last name.

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