250+ Kindred Last Names That Start With K

K surnames pack a punch. From the regal King to the friendly Kelly, these names span the globe, appearing in German, Japanese, Hawaiian, and English cultures.

Whether you are researching family history or naming a character, this list of 252 last names starting with K has you covered. Let’s dive into the meanings and origins behind these kickin’ names.

In This Article

Popular Last Names Starting With K
Unique Last Names Starting With K
Rare Surnames Starting With K
FAQs

80 Popular Last Names That Start With K

We rounded up the most recognizable K surnames from around the world.

Kaiser – Derives from the German word for “emperor”; a variation of the ancient Roman title Caesar.
Kalani – A Hawaiian surname composed of “ka” (the) and “lani” (heavens).
Kalua – Means “the second child” in Hawaiian.
Kamada – Japanese surname meaning “rice field” or “rice paddy”; can also mean “kettle pot.”
Kamaka – A boy’s name in Hawaiian meaning “rock” or “beloved child”; also means “rock” in Māori.
Kandiah – A Tamil-Indian surname and male name with an unknown meaning.
Kane – An Anglo form of the Gaelic Ó’Catháin, meaning “descendant of Cathán” or “warrior.”
Kaneko – Means “golden child” or “metal child” in Japanese; also serves as a place name.
Kang – A Chinese-Mandarin surname meaning “healthy”; inspired by the ancient title Kang Shu.
Kanye – Means “next in line” in Nigerian Yoruba and “let’s give” in Nigerian Igbo.
Kaplan – A Germanic and Slavic name for a “chaplain”; also means “tiger” in Turkish.
Kapoor – Indian-Punjab name meaning “camphor”; derived from the Sanskrit “karpūra.”
Karen – Derives from the Germanic given name Karel; means “ray of sunlight” in Hebrew.
Karim – Means “dignified” in Arabic; derived from “karama,” a name of God in Islam.
Karlsson – Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning “son of Karl”; extremely popular in Sweden.
Karr – Gaelic name meaning “swamp” or “from the marsh”; based on the Old Norse Kjarr.
Karsten – A Germanic surname derived from Christian, meaning “anointed.”
Kato – Japanese name meaning “add/increase” and “wisteria”; the 10th most popular surname in Japan.
Kaufman – Originally the German Kaufmann; a Jewish occupational surname for a “merchant.”
Kaur – A Punjabi-Indian surname from the Sanskrit “kumārī,” meaning “girl” or “daughter.”
Kazem – Arabic-Persian surname meaning “tolerant,” “forgiving,” or “having patience.”
Keating – From the Old English Cȳting, meaning “kite”; also a form of the Gaelic Céitinn.
Keefer – Associated with “pine trees” in German; an occupational equivalent to Cooper.
Keener – Variation of the German Kuehner; associated with the Old English “cȳna,” meaning “cow slope.”
Keita – Derived from the West African Keita clan; means “to inherit.”
Keith – A Celtic male name meaning “forest”; also a German nickname for “sprout” or “offspring.”
Keller – German occupational name for a “cellar master” or someone in charge of a cellar.
Kelly – Popular 5-letter surname from the Gaelic “ceallach,” meaning “bright-headed.”
Kelsey – Habitational name from Lincolnshire, England; means “Ceol’s island.”
Kemp – Based on the Old English “cempa” and Old Norse “kempa,” meaning “warrior.”
Kemper – German name for a “peasant farmer”; related to the surname Kamp.
Kennedy – Anglo variant of the Gaelic Ó’Ceannéidigh, meaning “descendant of Ceannéidigh.”
Kenney – Irish variation of Kenny; means “descendant of Coinneach” in Gaelic.
Kent – Comes from the Celtic “cant,” meaning “bordering of a circle” or “edge.”
Kenyatta – East African surname inspired by a beaded belt worn by the Maasai; means “jewel.”
Keough – Anglo form of the Gaelic MacEochaidh, meaning “son of Eochaidh.”
Kerns – Taken from the Gaelic Ó’Céirín, meaning “descendant of the dark one.”
Kerr – Describes someone “living near a marsh or swampy woodland”; also linked to Old Norse Kjarr.
Kerrigan – Gaelic surname Ó’Ciaragán; derived from “ciar,” meaning “dark-complexioned.”
Key – From the Old English “coeg,” meaning “key”; occupational name for a key-maker.
Khalid – Arabic name meaning “immortal” or “everlasting.”
Khan – Mongolian title for a “military chief” or “royalty”; from “khaan.”
Kidd – Scottish name meaning “young goat”; also a nickname for Christopher.
Kiernan – From the Gaelic MacKiernan, meaning “son of a lord.”
Killian – Based on the Celtic “ceallach,” meaning “bright-headed” or “little warrior.”
Kilpatrick – Gaelic name meaning “son of the servant of (Saint) Patrick.”
Kim – Means “gold” in Chinese; the most common surname in South Korea.
Kimmel – From the Middle German “kumin” (caraway); occupational name for a spice trader.
Kinder – Based on the German “kind” (child); often given to someone with many children.
King – Old English nickname for a “tribal leader” or someone acting “king-like.”
Kingsley – Old English name meaning “from the king’s wood, glade, or meadow.”
Kingston – English habitational name meaning “the king’s estate.”
Kipp – Middle German occupational name for a fur trader; means “bundle.”
Kirby – Anglo form of the Gaelic Ó’Ciarmhaic, meaning “church settlement.”
Kirk – Danish and Scottish name meaning “church”; for someone living near a church.
Kirkwood – Scottish habitational name meaning “the wood near the church.”
Kishi – Japanese name meaning “beach” or “seashore”; also a girl’s name in Japan.
Klement – Derived from the Latin “clement,” meaning “merciful” or “mild.”
Kline – Variation of Klein; means “wedge” or describes someone living near wedge-shaped land.
Knapp – German occupational surname from Knabe, meaning “young unmarried man.”
Knight – Royal last name from the Old English “criht,” meaning “servant” or soldier.
Knox – Scottish-Gaelic surname meaning “round-topped hill.”
Ko – Variant of the Mandarin “Gao,” meaning “high”; also means “stone” in Hungarian.
Kobayashi – Common Japanese surname meaning “small forest.”
Koch – German-Jewish occupational name for a “cook” or “chef.”
Kong – Chinese-Mandarin name meaning “hole”; related to the name Kong Fu.
Konstantinov – Slavic surname meaning “son of Konstantin.”
Kopp – Middle German name meaning “head”; for someone living on a hilltop.
Kostic – Serbian patronymic surname based on the Slavic name Kostadin.
Kovacs – Hungarian form of the Slavic Kovač, meaning “blacksmith.”
Kramer – Dutch and German last name for a “traveling merchant” or shopkeeper.
Krause – German name meaning “curly-haired”; also an occupational name for a jug seller.
Krieger – Germanic occupational surname for a “mercenary soldier.”
Kristiansen – Danish and Norwegian surname meaning “son of Christian.”
Krueger – German occupational name for a potter or maker of jugs and pitchers.
Kuhn – Derived from the German first name Kuno or Konrad; means “bold.”
Kumar – Sanskrit name meaning “prince”; title for the Hindu god Kārtikeya.
Kuo – Chinese surname meaning “vast”; related to the name Guo.
Kurosawa – Japanese surname meaning “black swamp”; famous via filmmaker Akira Kurosawa.
Kuykendall – Dutch name Koekendaal, meaning “chicken valley.”

85 Unique Last Names Starting With K

Want something that stands out? These distinctive surnames offer cool sounds and fascinating backstories.

Kaase – Middle German occupational name for a cheese maker or seller.
Kaczka – Polish last name and nickname meaning “duck.”
Kaczmarek – Polish diminutive for an “innkeeper.”
Kadeř – Form of the Arabic “qādir,” meaning “powerful”; common in Bangladesh.
Kadlec – Czech occupational surname for a “weaver.”
Kafka – Czech surname meaning “jackdaw” (a crow-like bird); famous via author Franz Kafka.
Kagawa – Japanese name meaning “fragrant river”; dates back to the Taira clan.
Kahale – Hawaiian surname meaning “the house”; also a variant of Mac Cathail.
Kahananui – Hawaiian name meaning “the great turning point.”
Kalama – Hawaiian name meaning “the torch”; related to the Kaonde tribe.
Kalili – Name of a Hawaiian violet flower; also means “the jealousy.”
Kaloyanchev – Russian and Bulgarian name meaning “son of Kaloyan.”
Kałuża – Polish and Slovenian nickname for someone living near a mud puddle.
Kameāloha – Hawaiian name meaning “the beloved thing.”
Kamei – Japanese surname meaning “turtle well.”
Kamil – Arabic name meaning “the perfect one.”
Kamiński – Polish occupational name for a stone carver; from “kamien” (stone).
Kamiyama – Japanese name meaning “God’s mountain” or “upper mountain.”
Kassab – Arabic occupational name for a “butcher.”
Kasun – German habitational name from Kassuhn near Salzwedel.
Kat – Middle Eastern surname; also a Hebrew diminutive for Katherine meaning “pure.”
Kataoka – Japanese name meaning “hill on the side”; originated with the Minamoto clan.
Kavalioŭ – Belarussian occupational name for a blacksmith.
Kawa – Polish nickname for a “jackdaw” bird; means “crow” in Sanskrit.
Kawabata – Japanese name meaning “river bank”; traced to the Saionji clan.
Kawasaki – Famous Japanese surname meaning “river cape.”
Kearney – Anglo variant of the Gaelic Ó’Catharnaigh, meaning “warlike.”
Keawe – Hawaiian name meaning “southern cross” or “the bearer.”
Keen – Linked to the Irish given name Cian (ancient) or Old English (brave).
Keenan – Irish name meaning “ancient” or “distant.”
Kekoa – Hawaiian name meaning “the warrior” or “the Koa tree.”
Kelekolio – Polynesian surname; a variation of Gregory meaning “watchful.”
Kellogg – English occupational nickname for a “pig-slaughterer.”
Kendrick – Welsh name meaning “greatest champion”; also implies “king.”
Kenyon – Derived from the Gaelic Mac Coinín, meaning “son of the wolf.”
Kessler – German-Jewish occupational name for a “coppersmith” or “kettle maker.”
Kido – Japanese name meaning “wooden door”; found mainly in western Japan.
Kijek – Polish nickname meaning “little stick.”
Kikelomo – African-Swahili name meaning “a child whom everyone loves pampering.”
Kikuchi – Japanese name meaning “chrysanthemum pond.”
Kilgore – Anglo form of the Gaelic name meaning “son of the short lad.”
Kilkenny – Gaelic name meaning “son of the servant of St. Cainneach.”
Kimball – Welsh name meaning “war chief”; also means “leader of warriors.”
Kimbrough – Old English name meaning “royal fortress.”
Kincaid – Scottish habitational name meaning “head of the battle.”
Kindall – Describes someone living in the “Kent River valley.”
Kinsella – Gaelic name meaning “proud” or “descendant of Cinnsealach.”
Kinsey – Old English name meaning “royal victory.”
Kirkland – Habitational name for someone living on church land.
Kirkpatrick – Scottish surname for land near a church of Saint Patrick.
Kitchen – Old English occupational name for someone running a kitchen.
Kladivo – Czech occupational surname for a blacksmith; means “hammer.”
Klíma – Czech nickname based on the given name Kliment (Clement).
Klingenberg – German and Scandinavian habitational name.
Knežević – Serbo-Croatian patronymic name meaning “son of the headman.”
Knott – Middle English name for someone living near a “small hill.”
Knowles – Old English name meaning “at the knoll” or summit.
Knutson – Scandinavian name meaning “son of Knut.”
Koehler – German occupational name for a “charcoal burner.”
Koenig – German nickname for a servant of the king.
Kokot – Slavic surname meaning “rooster.”
Kolář – Czech and Slovak occupational surname for a “wheelwright.”
Kolbeck – Old Norse name meaning “cold stream.”
Kolsrud – Norwegian habitational name meaning “Kolstad’s farm.”
Koon – American spelling of the German Kuhn, meaning “bold.”
Kopecký – Polish and Czech name for someone living by a hill.
Korošec – Slovenian name for someone from Koroška.
Kostelecký – Czech surname for someone from Kostelec.
Kovačič – Serbo-Croatian occupational name for a “smith.”
Kowalski – Polish occupational name for a “blacksmith.”
Kozioł – Polish nickname for a goatherd; means “billy goat.”
Kozlov – Russian surname meaning “goat.”
Kozłowski – Habitational name for someone from Kozlow; also means “he-goat.”
Kraft – German name meaning “strength” or “power”; nickname for a strong man.
Krajnc – Popular Slovenian surname for someone from Carniola.
Krakowski – Polish-Jewish surname for someone from Kraków.
Krog – German occupational name for a tavern keeper.
Krum – German nickname meaning “crooked.”
Kruse – German and Danish nickname for someone with curly hair.
Kubo – Japanese name meaning “sunken ground” or “long-time preserve.”
Kulkarni – Indian surname meaning “family archivist.”
Kuznetsov – Russian occupational name for a blacksmith.
Kvalheim – Old Norse name meaning “whale farmstead.”
Kwon – Korean name meaning “authority”; from the Andong Kwŏn clan.
Kyle – Gaelic name meaning “narrow” or “strait.”

87 Rare Surnames Starting With K

Digging deeper? These rare gems are hard to find but impossible to forget.

Kaʻanāʻanā – Hawaiian name meaning “the black magic.”
Kaart – Rare surname of unknown origin used in Estonia.
Kachen – Old German occupational name for a cook.
Kacprzak – Polish patronymic surname meaning “son of Kasper.”
Kadaffi – Arabic name meaning “God’s gift”; also spelled Gaddafi.
Kadam – Maharashtra surname dating back to the Kadamba dynasty.
Kadir – Arabic name meaning “capable” or “competent.”
Kaeb – Middle German occupational name for a butcher of calves.
Kaeswurm – German surname meaning “cheese worm.”
Kagia – African-Kenyan name for a “tricky” or “cunning” person.
Kahlke – Old German nickname for a bald man.
Kaikko – Derived from the Greek name Aikaterī́nē, meaning “pure.”
Kailasam – Indian boy’s name and surname inspired by Mt. Kailash.
Kairo – Egyptian name meaning “victorious one.”
Kaita – Japanese name meaning “ocean,” “sea,” or “rice field.”
Kajdan – Jewish acronym for the phrase “priests are the messengers of the merciful.”
Kakar – Sanskrit title meaning “one who holds fire in its hands.”
Kakum – Indian surname meaning “when many people gather to see a particular thing.”
Kalaç – Montenegrin surname of Turkish origin meaning “archer.”
Kalandadze – Famous Georgian surname borne by poet Ana Kalandadze.
Kalandar – Arabic title applied to certain Sufi mystics.
Kaldeman – Dutch habitational name for someone living near a cellar.
Kaleidos – Greek name meaning “beautiful kind.”
Kaliher – Variation of the Gaelic O’Ceileachair, meaning “descendant of Ceileachair.”
Kalinaukas – Lithuanian equivalent to the Polish name Kalinowski.
Kalinovskaja – Belarusian version of the Polish Kalinowski.
Kalkman – Dutch occupational name for a “lime man.”
Kalla – Indian Brahmin surname with an unknown meaning; also used in Europe.
Kallax – Finnish name meaning “fish bay.”
Kallifatides – Greek-Swedish name of unknown meaning.
Kalliope – Greek name meaning “beautiful voice”; from the muse of poetry.
Kalma – Girl’s name and surname inspired by the Finnish goddess of death.
Kalman – Hungarian name meaning “remainder”; used to protect babies from spirits.
Kalmus – Estonian occupational surname for herbalists.
Kama – Turkish nickname meaning “wedge” or “dagger.”
Kamalam – Sanskrit name meaning “pale pink” or “lotus.”
Kamaluddin – Arabic name meaning “perfection of the religion.”
Kambakhsh – Persian surname meaning “bringing happiness.”
Kamdar – Indian and Pakistani occupational surname for a “government servant.”
Kamerling – South German nickname for a “weak’ person.
Kamis – Hindi and Russian surname popular in Sudan.
Kammenga – Dutch last name meaning “someone from Camm.”
Kamps – German name for someone living near an enclosed field.
Kampusch – Surname using the root “kamp” (serf).
Kana – Czech nickname meaning “buzzard.”
Kandola – Indian-Punjab-Sikh family name of a Jat clan.
Kanellas – Greek nickname meaning “cinnamon.”
Kanen – Habitational name for someone “from Kaaden” in Germany.
Kappas – Shortened Greek surname meaning “large.”
Kapper – Dutch occupational name for a “hairdresser.”
Kapuran – Corsican surname linked to Capua in Campania.
Karamazovov – Literary name meaning “black stain.”
Karar – Hindi surname meaning “peaceful” or “tranquil.”
Karg – German nickname for a “clever” or “crafty” person.
Karimi – Arabic surname meaning “descendant of Karim.”
Karle – German variation of Karl, meaning “free man.”
Karlin – Belarussian form of the Latin Carolus (Charles).
Karon – Unique version of the Greek name Katarina, meaning “pure.”
Kartal – Turkish boy’s name and surname meaning “eagle.”
Karthikeyan – Sanskrit name for the Tamil god of war.
Kartodikromo – Indonesian surname of unknown origin.
Karvonen – Finnish nickname for a hairy man; from “fur.”
Kasabian – Armenian name for a “butcher.”
Kasakula – African-Zambian surname meaning “elder of all.”
Kascade – Rare spelling likely relating to a “cascade” of water.
Kasem – Variant of Arabic Qadim, meaning “happiness.”
Kashia – Diminutive of Katarzyna, the Polish Katherine.
Kasparow – Russian patronymic form of Kasper.
Kavalier – French surname meaning “horseman” or “knight.”
Kaya – Turkish surname meaning “rock.”
Kazi – Arabic name meaning “judge”; also a Celtic female name meaning “respect.”
Kealoha – Hawaiian name meaning “the love.”
Keenstone – English geographical surname.
Keperra – Australian surname from the Yuggera word for “young man.”
Kilfoyle – Gaelic name meaning “the follower of St. Paul.”
Kilgallon – Gaelic name meaning “son of the servant of Saint Caillín.”
Kilic – Turkish nickname meaning “sword.”
Kismet – Arabic name meaning “fate” or “destiny.”
Kithara – Greek name referring to an ancient musical instrument.
Koc – Chinese surname meaning “outer city wall.”
Koenigsberg – German habitational name meaning “king’s mountain.”
Koller – German occupational name for an armorer.
Kose – Turkish nickname for a “beardless man.”
Kriebel – German nickname meaning “to itch” or “tickle.”
Küçük – Turkish and Jewish surname meaning “little.”
Kuster – Germanic occupational name for a “sexton” or “guard.”

FAQs

What Is The Most Popular Last Name Starting With K?

In the United States, popular K surnames include King, Kelly, and Kennedy. On a global scale, Kim is incredibly common, used by over 20% of the South Korean population.

What Are Some Rare K Surnames?

Rare surnames starting with K include Kismet (meaning fate), Kithara (a Greek instrument), and Kascade. Surnames like Kaart and Kagia are also very uncommon in English-speaking regions.

Are There Royal Surnames Starting With K?

Yes. The most obvious is King, but other names imply royalty or leadership. Kaiser means “emperor” in German, Khan means “military chief” in Mongolian, and Kimball means “war chief” in Welsh.

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