Redneck Last Names

These redneck last names are real surnames common across the rural American South, with English, Scots-Irish and other roots, listed with their meanings and a respectful look at the history of the word itself.

184 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Allison

Son of Alan, or of Alice; Alabama racing family

Scottish
Ayers

Heir, from Middle English eir; common in the rural South

English

B

Barfield

Dweller by a barley field; Georgia and Florida family

English
Beasley

Lancashire place, bent-grass clearing; common in the rural South

English
Bishop

Nickname, pageant role or servant of a bishop; Southern family

English
Blalock

Nickname for someone with black hair, black lock

English
Bledsoe

From Bledisloe in Gloucestershire; common in the rural South

English
Bobo

Americanised French Beaubeau, handsome; Mississippi and Alabama family

French
Boggs

Dweller by a bog, or Scots bogach; common in the rural South

Scottish
Bonnett

Maker of bonnets or caps; Alabama racing family

English
Boudreaux

From a Germanic personal name; a Louisiana Cajun country family

French
Bozeman

Possibly Dutch Bosman, woodsman; Southern family

Dutch
Buckner

Keeper of goats, or German Buchner, beech dweller

English
Bullard

Nickname for a bull-like or boastful man; Southern family

English
Burrell

Maker of coarse woollen cloth called burel; Southern family

English

C

Cagle

Americanised German Kegel, skittle or bowling pin; Southern family

German
Cantrell

Possibly from Cantrill, a Norman place; Southern family

English
Carter

Driver of carts; common in the rural South

English
Cato

From the Roman Cato, or a pet form of Catherine; Southern family

English
Crenshaw

Lancashire place, crow wood; common in the rural South

English
Crump

Nickname for a crooked or bent person; common in the rural South

English
Culpepper

Spice dealer, perhaps one who picked pepper; Virginia family

English

D

Dees

Possibly from Welsh Dai, a pet form of David; Carolina family

Welsh
Dobbins

Son of Dobbin, a pet form of Robert; Southern family

English
Duke

Leader, or a pageant role; common in the rural South

English
Dukes

Son of a duke, or a servant in a lord's house

English
Dupree

From French du pré, of the meadow; Southern family

French

E

Earnhardt

Americanised German Ehrenhardt, honour and hardy; NASCAR racing family

German
Easley

Place name, eastern clearing; South Carolina family

English
Eason

Son of Eadu, or a variant of Easton; Southern family

English
Elliott

From Old English Aethelgeat, noble Geat; Georgia racing family

English
Elrod

Americanised German Ellrodt, clearing; Georgia and Carolina family

German
Eubanks

Dweller by a yew bank; common in the rural South

English

F

Faircloth

Seller of fine cloth; common in the rural South

English
Flock

Americanised German Flock; the Flock brothers of early stock car racing

German
Futch

Probably Americanised German Fuchs, fox; Georgia and Florida family

German

G

Gaddy

Possibly Irish Mac Giolla Dhé; North Carolina family

Irish
Gaskins

From Gascony in France; common in the rural South

English
Gatlin

Possibly a variant of Gatling, companion; Texas country music family

English
Gilley

Irish or Scots Gille, servant; Mickey Gilley's Texas honky-tonk

Irish
Goforth

Nickname for a messenger, one who goes forth

English
Goolsby

Possibly from an English place ending in -by; Southern family

English
Grimes

From Old Norse Grimr, masked one; common in the rural South

English
Gunter

From Germanic Gunther, battle army; common in the rural South

German

H

Haggard

Nickname for a wild person; Merle Haggard, country legend

English
Hardee

Nickname for a hardy, bold person; Georgia and Florida family

English
Hardin

Son of Harding, hardy one; common in the rural South

English
Hargrove

Dweller by a hare grove; common in the rural South

English
Harrell

Possibly from Harold, army ruler; common in the rural South

English
Harville

Possibly from a Norman place; North Carolina family

English
Hatcher

Dweller by a hatch gate; common in the rural South

English
Hebert

From Germanic Herbert, bright army; common in Cajun country

French
Hester

From the biblical Esther, or German Hester; Southern family

English
Hightower

Dweller by a high tower; a well-known Texas and Georgia name

English
Hinson

Son of Hine, a servant; common in the rural South

English
Holcomb

From Old English hol and cumb, deep or hollow valley; Southern family

English
Hollingsworth

Cheshire place, enclosure with holly; Southern family

English
Holloway

Dweller by a sunken road; common in the rural South

English
Honeycutt

From Huncote or Hunnacott, Huna's cottage; Carolina family

English
Huckabee

Possibly from Huckaby in Devon, hook-shaped hill; Southern family

English
Hutto

Probably of German origin, meaning uncertain; South Carolina family

German

I

Inman

Innkeeper or lodging-house keeper; Southern family

English
Ivey

From Ivy, a place, or the plant; common in the rural South

English

J

Jarrett

From Gerard, spear-hardy; North Carolina racing family

English
Jennings

Son of little John; Waylon Jennings, outlaw country star

English
Jernigan

Possibly Breton or English Jernegan; eastern North Carolina family

English
Jeter

Possibly from Old French jetteur, thrower; Virginia and Carolina family

French

K

Kersey

Suffolk place known for woollen kersey cloth; Southern family

English
Kornegay

Eastern North Carolina family of uncertain, probably German, origin

German

L

Labonte

From French la bonté, goodness; Texas racing brothers

French
Lambert

Germanic land and bright; common in the rural South

English
Lanier

French wool merchant, lanier; old Southern family

French
Lassiter

From Leicester, Roman fort of the Ligore people; Carolina family

English
Ledbetter

Worker in lead, a lead beater; common in the rural South

English
Loftin

From Lofthouse, a house with an upper floor; Carolina family

English
Lollar

Possibly of Dutch or German origin; Alabama family

English
Lott

From the biblical Lot, or an allotted share; Southern family

English

M

Mabry

From Mabire, a Norman personal name; Virginia and Carolina family

English
Marlin

Possibly from Merlin or a Norman place; Tennessee racing family

English
Mathis

From Matthew, gift of God; common in the rural South

English
McRae

Son of grace, Gaelic Mac Rath; Carolina Scots family

Scottish
Mims

Possibly from Mimms in Hertfordshire; Southern family

English
Mizell

Possibly from a Norman place; old Florida pioneer family

English
Mobley

From Mobberley in Cheshire; common in the rural South

English
Mullis

Possibly from Old French moulin, mill; Carolina and Georgia family

English

N

Nance

Pet form of Agnes or Ann; common in the rural South

English
Nesmith

Knife smith, a maker of knives; Southern family

English
Nix

Pet form of Nicholas; common in the rural South

English
Nobles

Nickname for a dignified person; common in the rural South

English

O

Odom

Son of Odo, or Norse Oddr; common in the rural South

English
Outlaw

One placed outside the law; an old North Carolina family

English
Overby

Dweller at the upper farm, Old Norse; Virginia family

English

P

Pace

Nickname for a peaceful person, or born at Easter

English
Parrish

Dweller by the parish, or from Paris; Southern family

English
Pate

Pet form of Patrick, or a bald head; Southern family

English
Pearson

Son of Piers; David Pearson, South Carolina racing great

English
Peavy

Possibly from Old French pevrel, peppery; Georgia and Texas family

English
Pettus

Old Norfolk family name of uncertain origin; Virginia and Alabama

English
Petty

From Old French petit, small; the Petty stock car dynasty

English
Pickens

Son of Pick, or a pointed hill; South Carolina family

English
Pickett

Diminutive of Pick, a pointed hill; common in the rural South

English
Poole

Dweller by a pool; common in the rural South

English
Poteet

From French Potet, a pet form of a personal name; Southern family

French
Pruitt

From Old French preux, brave; common in the rural South

French
Puckett

Diminutive of puck, a goblin; common in the rural South

English
Purvis

Supplier of provisions, a purveyor; Southern family

English

Q

Quattlebaum

Americanised German Quattelbaum, uncertain meaning; South Carolina family

German

R

Rabon

Possibly French Rabon; South Carolina family

French
Rackley

Possibly from a Somerset place, Rackley; Carolina family

English
Ragsdale

Leicestershire place, Ragdale; Southern family

English
Rawls

Son of Raoul, a Norman name; Southern family

English
Register

Keeper of records; a distinctive North Carolina and Georgia name

English
Renfroe

From Renfrew in Scotland, point of the current; Southern family

Scottish
Revels

Nickname for a reveller or festive person; Southern family

English
Rhodes

Dweller by a clearing, Old English rod; Southern family

English
Rountree

Dweller by a rowan tree; eastern North Carolina family

English
Rucker

Americanised German Rucker, from Rüdiger; Southern family

German

S

Sapp

Possibly German Sapp or English sap; Georgia family

German
Satterfield

Dweller by a field with a sheep fold; Southern family

English
Scoggins

Possibly a jester's nickname or a place; Southern family

English
Screws

Possibly a variant of Scruggs or Crewes; Alabama family

English
Scruggs

Dweller by brushwood; Earl Scruggs, banjo great

English
Sessions

From Soissons in France; common in the rural South

English
Shackleford

Surrey place, ford by a shackle post; Southern family

English
Shumate

Americanised French Chaumette, thatched hut; Virginia and Carolina family

French
Sikes

Dweller by a ditch or stream, Old English sic

English
Skaggs

Possibly from Old Norse skeggi, bearded; country music family

English
Skipper

Ship's master, or a dancer; common in the rural South

English
Smithwick

Place name, the smith's farm; Carolina family

English
Snipes

Dweller by boggy ground, Old English snipe; Southern family

English
Spires

Dweller by a spire or tall reed; Southern family

English
Spivey

Possibly from a Yorkshire place; Carolina and Georgia family

English
Stancil

Possibly from Stancill in Yorkshire; North Carolina family

English
Strait

Dweller by a narrow way or street; George Strait, Texas country

English
Strickland

Westmorland place, pasture for young cattle; very Southern name

English
Stroud

Dweller by marshy scrubland; common in the rural South

English
Stuart

Steward of a household; common in the rural South

Scottish
Suggs

Possibly from a bird name or place; common in the rural South

English
Sutton

South farm; common in the rural South

English
Swilley

Possibly from a place with a swallow hole; Georgia family

English

T

Tadlock

Of uncertain English origin; common in Southern families

English
Talley

Welsh place, Talyllychau, head of the lakes; Southern family

Welsh
Tarver

Possibly from an English place name; Georgia family

English
Tate

Possibly from Old Norse teitr, cheerful; common in the rural South

English
Tatum

From Tatham in Lancashire, Tata's farm; common in the rural South

English
Teague

Irish Tadhg, poet; common in the rural South

Irish
Thibodeaux

From Germanic Theudebald, bold people; Louisiana Cajun country family

French
Thigpen

Possibly from an English place name; Carolina family

English
Thrash

Americanised German Drösch, thresher; Southern family

German
Threadgill

Nickname for a thread seller, or a place; Southern family

English
Tidwell

From Tideswell in Derbyshire; common in the rural South

English
Tillis

Possibly a pet form of Matilda; Mel Tillis, country singer

English
Tillman

Tiller of land, or German Tillmann from Dietrich

English
Tippin

Pet form of Tibb, from Theobald; Aaron Tippin, country singer

English
Tolbert

From the Norman name Talbot; Southern family

English
Travis

Toll collector at a crossing; country music and Texas name

English
Trawick

Possibly from a Scottish place; Alabama and Georgia family

Scottish
Tritt

Americanised German Tritt, step; Travis Tritt, Georgia country singer

German
Truitt

Nickname for a trusty person, from true; Southern family

English
Tucker

Cloth finisher who tucked or fulled cloth; common in the rural South

English
Turnage

Possibly a Norman place name; eastern North Carolina family

English
Twiggs

Nickname for a thin person; Georgia family

English
Tyner

Possibly Irish Ó Teimhnín, or German; Southern family

Irish

U

Upchurch

Kentish place, the upper church; North Carolina family

English

V

Varnadore

Southern family name of uncertain, possibly French or German, origin

German
Varner

Americanised German Werner, army guard; Southern family

German
Vickers

Son of the vicar; common in the rural South

English

W

Wagoner

Wagon driver or maker; Porter Wagoner, country star

English
Walden

Valley of the Britons; common in the rural South

English
Walker

Fuller who trod cloth to thicken it; common in the rural South

English
Waltrip

Possibly an English place name; Kentucky racing family

English
Weatherford

Ford for wethers, castrated rams; Texas and Alabama family

English
Weatherly

Place name, clearing for wethers; early NASCAR champion family

English
Wheeler

Maker of wheels; common in the rural South

English
Whisnant

Americanised form of a German name; Carolina Piedmont family

German
Whitley

White clearing; common in the rural South

English
Wofford

Possibly from Woolford, wolf ford; South Carolina family

English
Womack

Possibly from Wymondham, Norfolk; common in the rural South

English
Wooten

Farm by a wood; common in the rural South

English
Worley

Clearing by a weir; common in the rural South

English

Y

Yancey

Possibly Americanised Dutch Jansen, son of Jan; Southern family

English
Yarborough

Lincolnshire place, earthwork fort; a South Carolina racing name

English
Youngblood

Americanised German Jungblut, young blood; Southern family

German
Yow

Possibly from a yew tree; North Carolina Piedmont family

English

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Results (6)

Duke

Leader, or a pageant role; common in the rural South

English
Tate

Possibly from Old Norse teitr, cheerful; common in the rural South

English
Elliott

From Old English Aethelgeat, noble Geat; Georgia racing family

English
Pettus

Old Norfolk family name of uncertain origin; Virginia and Alabama

English
Stancil

Possibly from Stancill in Yorkshire; North Carolina family

English
Outlaw

One placed outside the law; an old North Carolina family

English

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The history of the word redneck

Redneck began as a description of sunburn. Farm laborers who worked in the fields all day ended up with red necks, and by the late nineteenth century the word was used for poor white farmers in the South, often by wealthier people looking down on them. In the 1920s coal miners in West Virginia wore red bandanas during their union struggles, and the name was attached to them as well, this time as a badge of solidarity.

Today the word is used in very different ways. Some people call themselves rednecks with pride, as a sign of hard work, country living and independence, while others hear it as a class insult. This page uses the term only because people search for these names with it. The surnames themselves are the ordinary family names of farmers, mechanics, nurses, preachers and teachers across the South, and they deserve the same respect as any other.

Redneck last names and what they mean

Many of the most familiar rural Southern names are English and describe old trades. Tucker and Walker both come from the medieval cloth industry, where workers pounded or trampled wet cloth to thicken it. Carter drove carts, and Bishop was probably a nickname or a name for someone who worked in a bishop's household or played a bishop in a pageant. Holcomb is a place name from Old English words meaning hollow valley.

Other names arrived with Scots-Irish and French settlers or came from older English roots. Pruitt, also spelled Prewitt, comes from the Old French preux, meaning brave or valiant, and was a compliment for a fearless person. Tate may come from an Old Norse personal name meaning cheerful. Boggs described someone who lived near a bog or marsh. Spelling in rural records was often phonetic, so the same family can appear under several versions of the name in different decades.

Using Southern names with respect

If you are writing a Southern character, a real regional surname adds authenticity, but the name should not do all the work. Stereotyped characters with comic names have a long history in films and cartoons, and many rural Southerners find them tiresome. A name like Tucker or Pruitt can belong to a surgeon, a pilot or a poet as easily as a farmer. Let the character be a full person, and the name will sound right.

For genealogists, these names are often the start of a long trail through county courthouses, church records and census returns. Many rural Southern families moved west over generations, from Virginia and the Carolinas into Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas, so the same surname can appear in several states. The origin line in the list shows where a name came from before it reached America, and the search box helps you check spelling variants.

Frequently asked questions

What are common redneck last names?

Names long common in the rural South include Tucker, Walker, Carter, Pruitt, Holcomb, Tate, Boggs, Bishop and Tidwell. Most come from English, Scots-Irish or Welsh roots. They are everyday family names shared by Southerners from all walks of life, not labels for any type of person.

Is redneck an insult?

It depends on who says it and how. Historically it was often used to belittle poor white rural workers, and many people still hear it that way. Others use it proudly to describe country life. This page uses it only as a search term, not to describe anyone.

Where did the word redneck come from?

It comes from the sunburned necks of farm laborers who worked outdoors. The word was in use in the South by the late nineteenth century, and in the 1920s it was also applied to striking coal miners in West Virginia who wore red bandanas as a sign of union membership.

What does the surname Pruitt mean?

Pruitt, also spelled Prewitt and Pruett, comes from the Old French preux, meaning brave, valiant or worthy, with a diminutive ending. It was a nickname for a bold person. The name reached America early and is found throughout the South today.