Hyphenated Last Names

These hyphenated last names are real double-barrelled surnames from Britain, Europe and beyond, shown with the origin of each part, plus a clear explanation of how joined family names are formed and passed down.

216 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Acland-Hood

Hood joined with Acland; Barons St Audries

English
Agar-Robartes

Irish Agar joined with Cornish Robartes of Lanhydrock

English
Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe

Anstruther joined with Gough-Calthorpe; baronets

Scottish
Armstrong-Jones

Armstrong joined with Welsh Jones; Earls of Snowdon

Welsh
Ashley-Cooper

Cooper joined with Ashley; Earls of Shaftesbury

English
Assheton-Smith

Smith joined with Assheton; Welsh slate owners

English

B

Baden-Powell

Powell joined with Baden, a family given name

English
Baillie-Hamilton

Baillie joined with Hamilton; Earls of Haddington

Scottish
Bar-Ilan

Hebrew and Aramaic, son of the tree

Jewish
Bar-Lev

Hebrew and Aramaic, son of the heart

Jewish
Bar-On

Hebrew and Aramaic, son of strength

Jewish
Bar-Yosef

Hebrew and Aramaic, son of Joseph

Jewish
Bar-Zohar

Hebrew and Aramaic, son of radiance

Jewish
Baron-Cohen

Jewish Cohen, priest, joined with Baron

Jewish
Barrett-Lennard

Barrett joined with Lennard; Essex baronets

English
Bassermann-Jordan

German Bassermann joined with Jordan; Palatine wine family

German
Ben-Ami

Hebrew, son of my people

Jewish
Ben-Artzi

Hebrew, son of my land

Jewish
Ben-Eliezer

Hebrew, son of Eliezer, God is help

Jewish
Ben-Gurion

Hebrew, son of Gurion, a name linked to gur, lion cub; adopted by David Ben-Gurion

Jewish
Ben-Haim

Hebrew, son of Haim, life

Jewish
Ben-Shahar

Hebrew, son of the dawn

Jewish
Ben-Yehuda

Hebrew, son of Judah; adopted by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda

Jewish
Ben-Zvi

Hebrew, son of Zvi, deer; adopted by Yitzhak Ben-Zvi

Jewish
Bootle-Wilbraham

Wilbraham joined with Bootle; Earls of Lathom

English
Bowes-Lyon

Lyon of Glamis joined with the Bowes heiress's name, 1767

Scottish
Brillat-Savarin

French Brillat joined with Savarin; the gastronome's family

French
Brudenell-Bruce

Brudenell taking Bruce; Marquesses of Ailesbury

English
Bulwer-Lytton

Norfolk Bulwer joined with Lytton of Knebworth

English
Burdett-Coutts

Burdett joined with Coutts; borne by philanthropist Angela Burdett-Coutts

English

C

Campbell-Bannerman

Campbell taking Bannerman; borne by Prime Minister Henry Campbell-Bannerman

Scottish
Carr-Gomm

Carr joined with Gomm; English gentry

English
Cavendish-Bentinck

Dutch Bentinck joined with English Cavendish; Dukes of Portland

English
Charles-Roux

French Roux, red-haired, joined with Charles

French
Chetwynd-Talbot

Talbot joined with Chetwynd; Earls of Shrewsbury

English
Child-Villiers

Villiers joined with Child, banking family; Earls of Jersey

English
Clermont-Tonnerre

French Clermont joined with the county of Tonnerre

French
Clifton-Brown

Brown joined with Clifton; English politicians

English
Cochrane-Baillie

Cochrane joined with Baillie; Barons Lamington

Scottish
Cohn-Bendit

Jewish Cohn, priest, joined with Bendit

Jewish
Cornwallis-West

West joined with Cornwallis; Welsh landed family

English
Crewe-Milnes

Milnes joined with Crewe; Marquess of Crewe

English
Crichton-Stuart

Stuart joined with Crichton; Marquesses of Bute

Scottish
Cumming-Bruce

Cumming joined with Bruce of Kinnaird

Scottish
Cunliffe-Lister

Lister joined with Cunliffe; Earls of Swinton

English
Cunliffe-Owen

Owen joined with Cunliffe; English baronets

English

D

Dawson-Damer

Irish Dawson joined with Damer; Earls of Portarlington

Irish
Douglas-Hamilton

Douglas joined with Hamilton; Dukes of Hamilton

Scottish
Douglas-Home

Scottish Douglas joined with Home, from the Borders

Scottish
Douglas-Pennant

Douglas joined with Pennant of Penrhyn Castle

Welsh
Douglas-Scott-Montagu

Douglas-Scott with Montagu; Barons Montagu of Beaulieu

English
Drummond-Hay

Scottish Hay joined with Drummond; Earls of Kinnoull

Scottish
Duff-Gordon

Duff joined with Gordon; Scottish baronets

Scottish
Duncan-Sandys

Scottish Duncan joined with English Sandys, sandy ground

English
Dyke-Acland

Devon Acland joined with Dyke; baronets

English

E

Ebner-Eschenbach

Austrian Ebner joined with Eschenbach

German
Egerton-Warburton

Egerton joined with Warburton of Arley Hall

English
Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound

Elliot, Murray and Kynynmound; Earls of Minto

Scottish

F

Fernández-Armesto

Spanish Fernández, son of Fernando, joined with Armesto

Spanish
Finch-Hatton

Finch joined with Hatton; Earls of Winchilsea

English
Fitzalan-Howard

Howard joined with the ancient Fitzalan name; Dukes of Norfolk

English
Forbes-Leith

Scottish Forbes joined with Leith; baronets

Scottish
Forbes-Sempill

Forbes joined with Sempill; Lords Sempill

Scottish
Fownes-Luttrell

Fownes joined with Luttrell of Dunster Castle

English
Fox-Pitt

Fox joined with Pitt; descendants of General Pitt-Rivers

English
Fox-Strangways

Fox joined with Strangways of Dorset; Earls of Ilchester

English
Freeman-Mitford

Mitford joined with Freeman; Barons Redesdale

English
Freeman-Thomas

Thomas joined with Freeman; Marquesses of Willingdon

English
Fuller-Eliott-Drake

Fuller, Eliott and Drake; heirs of Sir Francis Drake

English

G

Gascoyne-Cecil

Cecil joined with Gascoyne; Marquesses of Salisbury

English
Gathorne-Hardy

Hardy family with Gathorne; Earls of Cranbrook

English
Gay-Lussac

French Gay joined with Lussac, a place name

French
Gómez-Acebo

Spanish Gómez joined with Acebo, holly

Spanish
Gordon-Cumming

Cumming joined with Gordon; baronets of Altyre

Scottish
Gordon-Lennox

Lennox joined with Gordon; Dukes of Richmond and Gordon

Scottish
Gore-Booth

Irish Gore joined with Booth; family of Constance Markievicz

Irish
Gore-Langton

Langton joined with Gore; Earls Temple of Stowe

English
Gough-Calthorpe

Gough joined with Calthorpe; Barons Calthorpe

English
Grant-Duff

Scottish Grant joined with Duff

Scottish
Grant-Suttie

Scottish Grant joined with Suttie; baronets

Scottish
Grey-Egerton

Egerton joined with Grey; Cheshire baronets

English
Griffith-Boscawen

Welsh Griffith joined with Cornish Boscawen

Welsh

H

Habsburg-Lorraine

House of Habsburg joined with the dukes of Lorraine

German
Hamilton-Dalrymple

Dalrymple joined with Hamilton; baronets of North Berwick

Scottish
Hamilton-Gordon

Gordon joined with Hamilton; Earls and Marquesses of Aberdeen

Scottish
Hamilton-Russell

Russell joined with Hamilton; Viscounts Boyne

English
Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood

Hamilton, Temple and Blackwood; Marquesses of Dufferin and Ava

Scottish
Hanbury-Tracy

Hanbury joined with Tracy; Barons Sudeley

English
Hanbury-Williams

Williams joined with Hanbury; Welsh gentry and diplomats

Welsh
Heath-Stubbs

Heath joined with Stubbs; borne by poet John Heath-Stubbs

English
Heathcoat-Amory

Heathcoat joined with Amory, from a Norman name; Devon baronets

English
Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby

Heathcote, Drummond and Willoughby; Earls of Ancaster

English
Heaton-Harris

Heaton, high farm, joined with Harris

English
Heber-Percy

Percy joined with Heber, a Yorkshire family

English
Hely-Hutchinson

Irish Hutchinson joined with Hely; Earls of Donoughmore

Irish
Hicks-Beach

Hicks joined with Beach; Earls St Aldwyn

English
Hill-Wood

Wood joined with Hill; English baronets

English
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen

Hohenzollern branch seated at Sigmaringen

German
Holland-Martin

Martin family joined with Holland; English bankers

English
Hope-Johnstone

Scottish Hope joined with Johnstone of Annandale

Scottish
Hope-Scott

Hope joined with Scott of Abbotsford by marriage

Scottish
Hope-Wallace

Scottish Hope joined with Wallace

Scottish
Hore-Belisha

Belisha joined with Hore; borne by Leslie Hore-Belisha

Jewish
Hore-Ruthven

Hore joined with Scottish Ruthven; Earls of Gowrie

Scottish
Hughes-Hallett

Welsh Hughes joined with Hallett

English

I

Innes-Ker

Scottish Innes joined with Ker; Dukes of Roxburghe

Scottish

J

Joliot-Curie

French Joliot joined with Curie through marriage

French
Jones-Parry

Welsh Jones joined with Parry, son of Harry

Welsh

K

Kay-Shuttleworth

Kay joined with Shuttleworth; Barons Shuttleworth

English
Knatchbull-Hugessen

Kentish Knatchbull joined with Hugessen through marriage

English
Knox-Johnston

Knox joined with Johnston; borne by sailor Robin Knox-Johnston

Scottish
Kramp-Karrenbauer

German Kramp joined with Karrenbauer, cart builder, by marriage

German

L

Lane-Fox

Fox family taking the Lane name by inheritance

English
Lefèvre-Utile

French Lefèvre, smith, joined with Utile; biscuit makers

French
Leigh-Pemberton

Pemberton joined with Leigh; Kent landowners

English
Leith-Hay

Scottish Leith joined with Hay of Rannes

Scottish
Lennox-Boyd

Scottish Lennox joined with Boyd; Viscounts Boyd

Scottish
Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger

German Leutheusser joined with Schnarrenberger by marriage

German
Leveson-Gower

Gower joined with Leveson of Staffordshire; Dukes of Sutherland

English
Lévi-Strauss

Jewish Lévi joined with German Strauss, ostrich

Jewish
Lindsay-Hogg

Scottish Lindsay joined with Hogg; baronets

Scottish
Llewellyn-Bowen

Welsh Llewellyn joined with Bowen, son of Owen

Welsh
Llewelyn-Davies

Welsh Llewelyn joined with Davies, son of David

Welsh
Lloyd-George

Welsh Lloyd joined with George; family of David Lloyd George

Welsh
Lloyd-Mostyn

Welsh Lloyd joined with Mostyn; Barons Mostyn

Welsh
López-Ibor

Spanish López, son of Lope, joined with Ibor

Spanish
Löwenstein-Wertheim

German counts of Löwenstein holding Wertheim

German
Lowry-Corry

Irish Lowry joined with Corry; Earls Belmore

Irish
Lyon-Dalberg-Acton

Acton with German Dalberg and Lyon; Barons Acton

English

M

Mallet-Stevens

French Mallet joined with Stevens through family

French
Martínez-Almeida

Spanish Martínez, son of Martín, joined with Almeida

Spanish
Maxwell-Fyfe

Scottish Maxwell joined with Fyfe; borne by David Maxwell-Fyfe

Scottish
Maxwell-Scott

Maxwell joined with Scott; heirs of Sir Walter Scott

Scottish
Maxwell-Stuart

Maxwell joined with Stuart; lairds of Traquair

Scottish
Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

Jewish Mendelssohn joined with Bartholdy on conversion

Jewish
Merleau-Ponty

French Merleau, little blackbird, joined with Ponty

French
Meyer-Landrut

German Meyer, steward, joined with Landrut

German
Meynell-Ingram

Meynell joined with Ingram of Temple Newsam

English
Milne-Home

Milne joined with Home of Wedderburn

Scottish
Money-Coutts

Money family taking Coutts, the banking dynasty name

English
Montagu-Douglas-Scott

Montagu, Douglas and Scott; family of the Dukes of Buccleuch

Scottish
Montagu-Dunk

Montagu taking Dunk; Earls of Halifax

English
Montagu-Stuart-Wortley

Montagu with Stuart-Wortley; Earls of Wharncliffe

English
Montmorency-Laval

French Montmorency joined with the Laval lordship

French
Mountbatten-Windsor

Mountbatten joined with Windsor; descendants of Elizabeth II

English
Müller-Armack

German Müller, miller, joined with Armack

German
Müller-Thurgau

German Müller joined with Thurgau, his Swiss canton

German
Müller-Westernhagen

German Müller joined with Westernhagen

German

N

Noel-Baker

Baker joined with Noel; borne by Philip Noel-Baker

English
Noel-Buxton

Buxton joined with Noel; Barons Noel-Buxton

English

O

Ormsby-Gore

Irish Gore joined with Ormsby; Barons Harlech

Irish

P

Pelham-Clinton

Clinton joined with Pelham; Dukes of Newcastle

English
Pelham-Clinton-Hope

Pelham-Clinton with Hope, heirs to the Hope diamond

English
Pérez-Llorca

Spanish Pérez joined with Catalan Llorca

Spanish
Pérez-Reverte

Spanish Pérez, son of Pedro, joined with Reverte

Spanish
Petty-Fitzmaurice

Irish Fitzmaurice joined with Petty; Marquesses of Lansdowne

Irish
Pitt-Rivers

Lane-Fox family taking the Pitt-Rivers name through inheritance

English
Pleydell-Bouverie

Huguenot Bouverie joined with Pleydell; Earls of Radnor

English
Ponsonby-Fane

Ponsonby joined with Fane; English courtiers

English
Pryce-Jones

Welsh Pryce, son of Rhys, joined with Jones

Welsh

R

Rees-Mogg

Welsh Rees joined with the Somerset Mogg family

English
Rhys-Jones

Welsh Rhys joined with Jones, son of John

Welsh
Rohan-Chabot

French Chabot joined with the Breton house of Rohan

French
Ruiz-Gallardón

Spanish Ruiz, son of Rodrigo, joined with Gallardón

Spanish

S

Sackville-West

West family joined with Sackville; Barons Sackville

English
Saint-Exupéry

French, from Saint-Exupère, a place named after a saint

French
Sánchez-Vicario

Spanish Sánchez, son of Sancho, joined with Vicario

Spanish
Sayn-Wittgenstein

German counts of Sayn joined with Wittgenstein

German
Schaumburg-Lippe

German house of Lippe holding Schaumburg

German
Schmidt-Isserstedt

German Schmidt joined with Isserstedt

German
Schmidt-Rottluff

German Schmidt, smith, joined with Rottluff, his birthplace

German
Schulze-Delitzsch

German Schulze, village mayor, joined with Delitzsch, his town

German
Scott-Ellis

Scott joined with Ellis; Barons Howard de Walden

English
Scott-Moncrieff

Scottish Scott joined with Moncrieff of Perthshire

Scottish
Sebag-Montefiore

Sephardic Sebag joined with Montefiore

Jewish
Selwyn-Lloyd

Welsh Lloyd joined with Selwyn; Barons Selwyn-Lloyd

Welsh
Servan-Schreiber

German Schreiber, scribe, joined with French Servan

French
Shaw-Lefevre

English Shaw joined with Huguenot Lefevre, smith

English
Shaw-Stewart

Stewart joined with Shaw; baronets of Greenock

Scottish
Smith-Barry

Smith joined with Irish Barry; Barons Barrymore

Irish
Smith-Dorrien

Smith joined with Dorrien, a Hertfordshire family

English
Spencer-Churchill

Spencer family taking the Churchill name of the Dukes of Marlborough

English
Spencer-Stanhope

Stanhope joined with Spencer; Yorkshire gentry

English
St Clair-Erskine

Erskine joined with St Clair; Earls of Rosslyn

Scottish
Steel-Maitland

Steel joined with Maitland; Scottish baronets

Scottish
Stewart-Mackenzie

Stewart joined with Mackenzie of Seaforth

Scottish
Stewart-Murray

Murray joined with Stewart; Dukes of Atholl

Scottish
Stirling-Maxwell

Stirling joined with Maxwell of Pollok; Scottish baronets

Scottish
Stopford-Sackville

Irish Stopford joined with Sackville of Drayton

English
Stuart-Menteth

Stuart joined with Menteth; Scottish baronets

Scottish
Stuart-Wortley

Scottish Stuart joined with Yorkshire Wortley

English
Sutherland-Leveson-Gower

Leveson-Gower with Sutherland; Dukes of Sutherland

Scottish

T

Talbot-Ponsonby

Ponsonby joined with Talbot; English gentry

English
Talleyrand-Périgord

French Talleyrand joined with the counts of Périgord

French
Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville

Five families joined; Dukes of Buckingham and Chandos

English
Tennyson-d'Eyncourt

Tennyson joined with Norman d'Eyncourt

English
Toulouse-Lautrec

French counts of Toulouse joined with the Lautrec lordship

French
Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes

Twisleton, Wykeham and Fiennes; Barons Saye and Sele

English
Twiston-Davies

Twiston joined with Welsh Davies; a racing family

Welsh
Tyrwhitt-Drake

Drake joined with Tyrwhitt; Buckinghamshire gentry

English

V

Vane-Tempest-Stewart

Vane, Tempest and Stewart families; Marquesses of Londonderry

English
Vaughan-Thomas

Welsh Vaughan, small, joined with Thomas

Welsh
Vesey-Fitzgerald

Irish Fitzgerald joined with Vesey

Irish
Vidal-Naquet

Jewish Provençal Vidal joined with Naquet

Jewish
Villiers-Stuart

Stuart joined with Villiers; Irish landed family

Irish
Viollet-le-Duc

French Viollet joined with le Duc, the duke

French

W

Wagner-Jauregg

German Wagner joined with Jauregg; Austrian ennobled family

German
Walker-Okeover

Walker joined with Okeover of Staffordshire

English
Wallace-Hadrill

Scottish Wallace joined with Hadrill; English historians

English
Watson-Wentworth

Watson joined with Wentworth; Marquesses of Rockingham

English
Wentworth-Fitzwilliam

Fitzwilliam joined with Wentworth; Earls Fitzwilliam

English
Williams-Wynn

Welsh Williams joined with Wynn of Wynnstay

Welsh
Wingfield-Digby

Wingfield joined with Digby of Sherborne Castle

English
Wyndham-Quin

Irish Quin joined with Wyndham; Earls of Dunraven

Irish
Wynn-Carington

Carington joined with Wynn; Marquess of Lincolnshire

Welsh
Wynne-Finch

Finch joined with Welsh Wynne

Welsh

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Results (6)

Bulwer-Lytton

Norfolk Bulwer joined with Lytton of Knebworth

English
Pitt-Rivers

Lane-Fox family taking the Pitt-Rivers name through inheritance

English
Money-Coutts

Money family taking Coutts, the banking dynasty name

English
Noel-Baker

Baker joined with Noel; borne by Philip Noel-Baker

English
Fownes-Luttrell

Fownes joined with Luttrell of Dunster Castle

English
Schulze-Delitzsch

German Schulze, village mayor, joined with Delitzsch, his town

German

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Where hyphenated last names come from

Double-barrelled surnames became common among the British landed gentry from the eighteenth century onward. When an estate passed through a daughter or a distant relative, the will often required the heir to take the family name as a condition of inheriting, and the heir would add it to their own. That is how names such as Spencer-Churchill and Bowes-Lyon came about. Some families went further and stacked three or four names together.

Elsewhere the tradition developed differently. In Spain and much of Latin America, people carry two surnames, the father's first and the mother's second, usually written with a space rather than a hyphen and sometimes joined by y. Portugal and Brazil tend to reverse the order. In France, compound names such as Lévi-Strauss are familiar, and German double names exist too, though the rules for creating new ones are set by each country's civil law.

Hyphenating a name at marriage

Today most new hyphenated names are created at marriage. One or both partners join their surnames, often choosing the order that sounds better or placing one partner's name first by agreement. In many countries this is handled through the marriage record itself, while in others it needs a separate name change. Rules vary, so check with the local registry or government office before updating a passport, bank account or driver's license.

Children are the next question. Parents can give a child the full hyphenated name, one half of it or a different surname entirely, depending on local law. The difficulty arrives a generation later, when two people with double names marry and face a possible four-part name. Most couples in that position simply choose one part from each side or keep one name, which is why long chains of names are rare outside old aristocratic families.

Hyphenated last names in daily life

A hyphen can cause small practical problems. Some computer systems drop the hyphen, merge the two parts or accept only a limited number of characters, so a name may appear differently on a ticket than on a passport. Airlines generally advise booking exactly as the travel document shows. Alphabetical filing is another quirk, since many directories sort by the first part while some people prefer to be listed under the second.

For writers and game designers, a double-barrelled name is a quick way to suggest old money, a blended family or a modern couple who shared their names. The list above shows real combinations along with the meaning of each part, and the generator underneath can join two surnames for you. Try pairing an occupational name with a place name, or an English name with a Spanish one, to see what sounds natural.

Frequently asked questions

How do hyphenated last names work?

Two surnames are joined into one legal name with a hyphen, and the person uses both parts together on documents. The name can be created at marriage, given to a child at birth or inherited from a family that joined names generations ago. Exact rules depend on each country's naming law.

Which well known families have double names?

Britain has many, such as Spencer-Churchill, the family of Winston Churchill, and Bowes-Lyon, the family of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Baden-Powell and the triple Vane-Tempest-Stewart are other examples. Most began when an heir added an inherited family name to their own.

Which name goes first in a double name?

There is no universal rule. Couples often choose the order that sounds best, and some follow family tradition by putting the father's name first. In Spanish-speaking countries the paternal surname normally comes first, while Portuguese custom usually puts the mother's surname first and the father's last.

Can children inherit a hyphenated name?

Yes, in most countries parents can register a child with the full double name, though some places limit how many parts a name may have. When that child later marries someone who also has a double name, the couple usually chooses one part from each to avoid a four-part surname.