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Romanian Last Names

These Romanian last names are real family names from Romania and Moldova, listed A to Z with meanings. They range from Popa and Popescu, both tied to the village priest, to Christian first names, trades, nicknames and regional names.

296 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

  • Adam

    From Adam

  • Albu

    White, fair

  • Aldea

    Possibly from a Slavic or Cuman name

  • Alexandrescu

    Son of Alexandru (Alexander)

  • Andrei

    From Andrei (Andrew)

  • Andronache

    From Andronic (Andronicus)

  • Anghel

    Angel

  • Antonescu

    Son of Anton (Anthony)

  • Apostol

    Apostle

  • Ardeleanu

    Transylvanian, from Ardeal

  • Armașu

    Court officer, marshal

  • Aron

    From Aron (Aaron)

  • Avram

    From Avram (Abraham)

B

  • Bălan

    Blond, fair-haired

  • Bălănescu

    Son of Bălan, the fair-haired one

  • Bănățeanu

    From Banat

  • Barbu

    Bearded one

  • Bărbulescu

    Son of Barbu, the bearded one

  • Bârsan

    From Țara Bârsei

  • Bejan

    Possibly from bejenar, refugee (Slavic bežati, to flee)

  • Bivolaru

    Buffalo herder

  • Blaga

    Kind, gentle, from Slavic blag

  • Boboc

    Bud; newcomer

  • Bogdan

    God-given

  • Botezatu

    Baptized one; convert

  • Brad

    Fir tree

  • Brâncoveanu

    From Brâncoveni

  • Bratu

    Brother

  • Bucur

    Joyful, from bucura, to rejoice

  • Bulgaru

    Bulgarian

  • Burlacu

    Bachelor

  • Busuioc

    Basil (herb)

  • Butnaru

    Cooper, barrel maker

  • Buzatu

    Thick-lipped

  • Buzdugan

    Mace (weapon)

C

  • Călin

    From Călin, possibly Slavic kalina, viburnum

  • Călinescu

    Son of Călin

  • Călugăru

    Monk

  • Câmpeanu

    Dweller of the plains (câmp)

  • Cantemir

    Turkic: blood and iron

  • Căpățână

    Head; big-headed one

  • Căpraru

    Goatherd

  • Cârstea

    From Cristea; Christian

  • Cazacu

    Cossack

  • Chiriac

    From Chiriac (Cyriacus)

  • Chirilă

    From Chiril (Cyril)

  • Chiș

    Small, from Hungarian kis

  • Chivu

    Possibly from Chiriac (Cyriacus)

  • Ciobanu

    Shepherd

  • Ciocan

    Hammer

  • Ciocârlan

    Lark

  • Ciornei

    Dark one, from Slavic chorny

  • Ciubotaru

    Bootmaker

  • Ciubuc

    Tobacco pipe; tip

  • Cizmaru

    Bootmaker

  • Codreanu

    Forest dweller (codru)

  • Cojocaru

    Furrier, sheepskin coat maker

  • Coman

    Cuman

  • Constantin

    From Constantin (Constantine)

  • Constantinescu

    Son of Constantin (Constantine)

  • Corbu

    Raven

  • Costea

    From Constantin (Constantine)

  • Covaci

    Smith, from Hungarian kovács

  • Crăciun

    Christmas

  • Creangă

    Branch, twig

  • Crețu

    Curly-haired

  • Crișan

    From the Criș river area

  • Cristea

    From Cristea; Christian

  • Cristescu

    Son of Cristea

  • Croitoru

    Tailor

  • Cuza

    Possibly from a nickname of unclear origin

D

  • Dan

    From the given name Dan

  • Dănescu

    Son of Dan

  • Dănilă

    From Dănilă (Daniel)

  • Dascălu

    Teacher, schoolmaster

  • Diaconescu

    Son of the deacon

  • Diaconu

    Deacon

  • Dima

    From Dimitrie (Demetrius)

  • Dinu

    From Constantin (Constantine)

  • Dobre

    Good, from Slavic dobr

  • Dobrescu

    Son of Dobre, the good one

  • Dogaru

    Cooper, barrel maker

  • Drăgan

    Dear, beloved

  • Drăghici

    Son of Dragu, the dear one

  • Dragnea

    From a Slavic name with drag, dear

  • Drăgoi

    Dear one

  • Dragomir

    Slavic: dear peace

  • Dragu

    Dear, beloved

  • Drăgulescu

    Son of Dragu, the dear one

  • Dumbravă

    Oak grove

  • Duminică

    Sunday

  • Dumitrescu

    Son of Dumitru (Demetrius)

  • Dumitru

    From Dumitru (Demetrius)

E

  • Eminescu

    Romanianized from Eminovici

  • Enache

    Possibly from Greek form of Ioan (John)

  • Ene

    Possibly from Ioan (John) or Enea

  • Enescu

    Son of Ene

  • Epure

    Hare

F

  • Farcaș

    Wolf, from Hungarian farkas

  • Fătu

    Lad, young man

  • Fieraru

    Blacksmith

  • Filip

    From Filip (Philip)

  • Florea

    From Florea; flower

  • Florescu

    Son of Florea

  • Frunză

    Leaf

G

  • Gavrilă

    From Gavril (Gabriel)

  • Gavrilescu

    Son of Gavril (Gabriel)

  • Georgescu

    Son of George

  • Gheorghe

    From Gheorghe (George)

  • Gheorghiță

    Little Gheorghe (George)

  • Gheorghiu

    Son of Gheorghe (George)

  • Ghica

    Possibly from an Albanian given name

  • Ghiță

    Little Gheorghe (George)

  • Goga

    Possibly from Gheorghe (George)

  • Grădinaru

    Gardener

  • Grecu

    Greek

  • Grigore

    From Grigore (Gregory)

  • Grigorescu

    Son of Grigore (Gregory)

  • Grosu

    Thick, stout

  • Gușă

    Goitre; double chin

H

  • Hagi

    Pilgrim to a holy site (hajji)

  • Hațegan

    From Hațeg

I

  • Iacob

    From Iacob (Jacob)

  • Iancu

    Little Ion (John)

  • Iepure

    Hare

  • Iftimie

    From Eftimie (Euthymius)

  • Ilie

    From Ilie (Elijah)

  • Iliescu

    Son of Ilie (Elijah)

  • Ion

    From Ion (John)

  • Ionescu

    Son of Ion (John)

  • Ioniță

    Little Ion (John)

  • Iordache

    From Iordan (Jordan)

  • Iorga

    From Iorga (George)

  • Iosif

    From Iosif (Joseph)

  • Irimia

    From Irimia (Jeremiah)

  • Ispas

    Savior; Ascension Day

  • Istrate

    From Istrate (Eustratius), from Greek stratos, army

J

  • Jitaru

    Grain field guard

L

  • Lăcătuș

    Locksmith

  • Lazăr

    From Lazăr (Lazarus)

  • Leahu

    Pole

  • Lipoveanu

    Lipovan, Old Believer Russian

  • Luca

    From Luca (Luke)

  • Lungu

    Long, tall

  • Lupașcu

    Son of the wolf

  • Lupescu

    Son of the wolf

  • Lupu

    Wolf

M

  • Macovei

    From Macovei (Maccabee)

  • Manea

    From Emanuel or Manole

  • Manolache

    From Manole (Emmanuel)

  • Manole

    From Manole (Emmanuel)

  • Manolescu

    Son of Manole (Emmanuel)

  • Marcu

    From Marcu (Mark)

  • Mardare

    Possibly from a Slavic or Greek personal name

  • Marin

    From Marin; of the sea

  • Marinescu

    Son of Marin

  • Mateescu

    Son of Matei (Matthew)

  • Matei

    From Matei (Matthew)

  • Mazilu

    Dismissed official, from Turkish mazul

  • Micu

    Small

  • Mihai

    From Mihai (Michael)

  • Mihăilescu

    Son of Mihail (Michael)

  • Mihalache

    From Mihail (Michael)

  • Mircea

    From Mircea, from Slavic mir, peace

  • Mitrea

    From Dumitru (Demetrius)

  • Mitu

    From Dumitru (Demetrius)

  • Mocanu

    Mountain shepherd

  • Moldovan

    Moldavian

  • Moldoveanu

    Moldavian

  • Moraru

    Miller

  • Munteanu

    Mountain dweller, highlander

  • Mureșan

    From the Mureș river area

  • Muscalu

    Muscovite, Russian

N

  • Nae

    From Nicolae (Nicholas)

  • Neacșu

    Possibly from Neagu, the dark one

  • Neagu

    Dark, black-haired one

  • Neamțu

    German

  • Nechita

    From Nichita (Nicetas)

  • Nedelcu

    From Nedelea; born on Sunday

  • Nedelea

    Born on Sunday, from Slavic nedelja

  • Negoiță

    From Neagu, the dark one

  • Negrea

    Dark one

  • Negrescu

    Son of the dark one

  • Negru

    Black, dark

  • Nicoară

    From Nicolae (Nicholas)

  • Nicolae

    From Nicolae (Nicholas)

  • Nicolescu

    Son of Nicolae (Nicholas)

  • Nistor

    From Nistor (Nestor)

  • Niță

    From Nicolae (Nicholas)

  • Nour

    Cloud

O

  • Oancea

    From Ioan (John)

  • Olaru

    Potter

  • Olteanu

    From Oltenia

  • Onofrei

    From Onufrie (Onuphrius)

  • Onu

    Possibly from Ion (John)

  • Oprea

    From Oprea, a protective name meaning stop

P

  • Păcuraru

    Shepherd

  • Pădureanu

    Forest dweller

  • Pândaru

    Watchman

  • Paraschiv

    From Paraschiva; Friday

  • Pârcălab

    Castle governor

  • Pârvu

    First-born, from Slavic prvy

  • Pârvulescu

    Son of Pârvu, the first-born

  • Pătrașcu

    Son of Pătru (Peter)

  • Păun

    Peacock

  • Păunescu

    Son of Păun, the peacock

  • Pavel

    From Pavel (Paul)

  • Pescaru

    Fisherman

  • Petcu

    From Petre (Peter)

  • Petrache

    From Petre (Peter)

  • Petre

    From Petre (Peter)

  • Petrescu

    Son of Petre (Peter)

  • Pintea

    Possibly from Pintilie (Pantaleon)

  • Pintilie

    From Pintilie (Pantaleon)

  • Pitaru

    Baker of flatbread

  • Pop

    Priest

  • Popa

    Priest

  • Popescu

    Son of the priest

  • Popovici

    Son of the priest (Slavic form)

  • Porumbescu

    Son of the dove (porumbel)

  • Postolache

    From Apostol (Apostle)

  • Preda

    From a Slavic name such as Predislav

  • Prodan

    Sold one, a protective child name

R

  • Racoviță

    Possibly from Racova, a place name (Slavic rak, crayfish)

  • Rădoi

    From Radu

  • Radu

    From Radu, from Slavic rad, glad

  • Rădulescu

    Son of Radu

  • Roman

    From Roman

  • Roșca

    Red-haired one

  • Roșu

    Red

  • Rotaru

    Wheelwright

  • Rusnac

    Ruthenian

  • Rusu

    Russian or Ruthenian

S

  • Sabău

    Tailor, from Hungarian szabó

  • Sălăjan

    From Sălaj

  • Sandu

    From Alexandru (Alexander)

  • Sârbu

    Serb

  • Șchiopu

    Lame

  • Scurtu

    Short

  • Șerban

    Serbian; from the given name Șerban

  • Sima

    From Simion (Simon)

  • Simion

    From Simion (Simon)

  • Soare

    Sun

  • Solomon

    From Solomon

  • Someșan

    From the Someș river area

  • Spătaru

    Sword bearer

  • Spiridon

    From Spiridon (Spyridon)

  • Stan

    From Stan, short for Stanislav or Constantin

  • Stanciu

    From Stan or Stanislav

  • Stănescu

    Son of Stan

  • Ștefan

    From Ștefan (Stephen)

  • Stoian

    Steadfast, from Slavic stoj

  • Stoica

    From Stoica, steadfast (Slavic stoj)

  • Stoicescu

    Son of Stoica

  • Străinu

    Stranger, foreigner

  • Stroe

    From a Slavic personal name; meaning uncertain

  • Surdu

    Deaf

T

  • Tănase

    From Atanasie (Athanasius)

  • Tănăsescu

    Son of Tănase (Athanasius)

  • Țăranu

    Peasant

  • Tătaru

    Tatar

  • Teodorescu

    Son of Teodor (Theodore)

  • Toader

    From Toader (Theodore)

  • Tofan

    Possibly from Teofan (Theophanes)

  • Toma

    From Toma (Thomas)

  • Trandafir

    Rose

  • Tudor

    From Tudor (Theodore)

  • Tudorache

    From Tudor (Theodore)

  • Tudoran

    From Tudor (Theodore)

  • Tudose

    From Tudose (Theodosius)

  • Țurcanu

    Turk

  • Turcu

    Turk

U

  • Ungur

    Hungarian

  • Ungureanu

    Hungarian; also Romanian from Transylvania

  • Ursache

    Little bear

  • Ursu

    Bear

V

  • Văcaru

    Cowherd

  • Vâlcu

    Wolf, from Slavic vlk

  • Văleanu

    Valley dweller

  • Vărzaru

    Cabbage grower

  • Vasile

    From Vasile (Basil)

  • Vasilescu

    Son of Vasile (Basil)

  • Vasiliu

    Son of Vasile (Basil)

  • Vlad

    From Vlad; to rule

  • Vlădescu

    Son of Vlad

  • Vlaicu

    From Vlaicu, a Slavic pet name

  • Voicu

    From Voicu; warrior (Slavic voj)

  • Voinea

    Warrior, from Slavic voin

  • Vornicu

    Village magistrate, steward

  • Vrabie

    Sparrow

  • Vulpe

    Fox

  • Vulpescu

    Son of the fox

Z

  • Zaharia

    From Zaharia (Zachary)

  • Zamfir

    Sapphire

  • Zamfirescu

    Son of Zamfir

  • Zăvoianu

    Dweller by the riverside grove (zăvoi)

Generate random romanian surnames

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Results (6)

  • Nour

    Cloud

  • Constantinescu

    Son of Constantin (Constantine)

  • Prodan

    Sold one, a protective child name

  • Pârvu

    First-born, from Slavic prvy

  • Șerban

    Serbian; from the given name Șerban

  • Crețu

    Curly-haired

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    Common Romanian last names and where they come from

    The church is the biggest single source of the most frequent names. Popa and Pop mean priest, and Popescu means one of the priest's family, so all three honour the man who was often the most literate person in a village. Diaconu, the deacon, belongs to the same group. Other leaders come straight from Christian first names: Radu, Dumitru (Demetrius), Gheorghe (George), Constantin, Matei (Matthew), Ștefan and Toma all became surnames when a son was recorded by his father's name.

    Trade and origin names follow closely. Ciobanu means shepherd, Munteanu mountain dweller, Ungureanu someone who came from the Hungarian side of the Carpathians, and Moldovan someone from Moldavia. Mocanu refers to the mountain shepherds of southeastern Transylvania. Rusu can mean Russian or red-haired, Lungu tall and Barbu bearded. Stan and Stoica are old personal names of Slavic origin, a reminder that Romanian, although a Romance language, borrowed a great deal from its Slavic neighbours over many centuries.

    Patterns that run through the list

    Many names are simply given names used unchanged, such as Radu, Tudor, Marin, Toma or Sandu. Others carry a diminutive. Ioniță means little Ion, and Petrică little Petru. The -ache ending in Iordache, Enache and Dumitrache came from Greek and spread in the 18th century, when Phanariot Greek princes governed Wallachia and Moldavia. The final -u in names like Rusu, Lungu and Negru is a shortened form of the definite article, so these names mean the Russian, the tall one and the dark one.

    Nicknames about colour and character add variety: Negru and Neagu (dark), Albu (white or fair), Roșu (red) and Mocanu for a highland man. Animal names are common too, including Lupu (wolf), Ursu (bear), Vulpe (fox) and Iepure (hare). In Transylvania you will also meet Hungarian names like Szabó and Kovács and German Saxon names like Roth and Schuster, which belong to long-established minorities. Together they explain why a Romanian phone book mixes Latin, Slavic, Greek and Hungarian sounds.

    Tips for spelling and pronouncing Romanian names

    Romanian uses five special letters: ă, â, î, ș and ț. Emigrant records and many databases drop them, so Ioniță becomes Ionita and Ștefănescu becomes Stefanescu. In Moldova, surnames were written in Cyrillic during the Soviet period until 1989, which produced a second set of transliterations in Russian documents. If you are researching a family, check both forms. In the list above, the accented spelling is shown because that is how the name is written today in Romania.

    Pronunciation is mostly regular. Ș sounds like sh and ț like ts, so Ioniță is yo-NEE-tsa. Ci and ce sound like chee and cheh, which makes Ciobanu cho-BA-noo. The -escu ending is said ESS-koo. For a character, match the name to the region: a Bucharest family might be Ionescu or Dumitrescu, a Transylvanian village family Moldovan or Ardelean, and a family from the northeast might carry an -iuc or -uc name influenced by Ukrainian.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the most frequent of all Romanian last names?

    Popa is usually reported as the most frequent, with Popescu, Pop, Radu, Dumitru, Stan, Stoica and Gheorghe close behind. The top positions vary slightly between sources, but priest names and names taken from Christian first names dominate every ranking.

    Why do so many names mean priest?

    Orthodox village priests could marry and have children, and their families were well known and often literate. When surnames were fixed in the 19th century, many descendants were registered as Popa, Pop, Popescu or Popovici, all built on popă, priest.

    Are names from Romania related to Italian ones?

    Only loosely. Romanian is a Romance language, so some names share Latin roots, such as Lungu and the Italian Longo. Most Romanian surnames, however, come from Orthodox given names, Slavic words and local nicknames, which gives them a distinct sound from Italian names.

    How do you pronounce ș and ț?

    Ș is pronounced like sh in ship and ț like ts in cats. The letters are written with a small comma below. Older typefaces sometimes show them with a cedilla, which looks similar, and English records often drop the mark completely.

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