240 Last Names Starting With M: Origins and Meanings

Surnames starting with M cover an unusual spread of origins, from the Mac and Mc names of Ireland and Scotland to Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and Arabic family lines. Miller alone was the seventh most common surname in the United States in the 2010 Census, recorded 1,161,437 times, with Martinez tenth at 1,060,159 ⁽¹⁾.

There is plenty to pick from. The Census Bureau’s 2010 surname file lists 162,253 names that were reported 100 or more times ⁽²⁾, so a single letter can hold thousands of options.

The 240 names below are grouped into popular, common, and rare, each with its origin and meaning. Many of them double as first names, so where the Social Security Administration has a record, we note where the name landed for U.S. babies in 2025.

80 Popular Last Names Starting With M

These are the M surnames you meet most often, on class rosters, mailboxes, and old census returns.

1. Ma: Chinese for the word horse. The name traces back to Mafu, an ancient city in Hebei province.
2. Mabon: Rooted in Maponos. Maponos was the Celtic god of youth. He was also the son of the earth mother goddess.
3. MacAdam: A Scottish-Gaelic and Irish patronymic. It reads plainly as son of Adam.
4. Macaluso: An Italian-Sicilian nickname from the Arabic makhūlus, meaning freed or liberated.
5. MacCarthy: In Irish, MacCarthy translates to son of the loving one, a name tied to the MacCarthy clan of Munster.
6. MacCoy: From the Irish Mac Aodha, translating to son of Aodh, the god of the underworld.
7. Macek: A Czech pet form of Matěj. Matěj is one of the Slavic versions of Matthew.
8. Machado: Portuguese for ax or hatchet. It’s an occupational name dating back to the 2nd century.
9. Macina: From the Italian màcina, which translates to millstone, a name once carried by a miller.
10. Macneil: It means son of Neil, though the name is often written the Gaelic way as McNeill.
11. Macri: A plural of macro, built on the Latin macer, meaning lean or thin.
12. Madden: From the Irish “madra” (little dog) or the Welsh name Madin. It crosses over easily, ranking #676 for U.S. babies in 2025.
13. Maddox: Welsh for “son of Madoc,” marking the bearer as “fortunate.” It is one of the strongest crossovers here, #210 for U.S. babies in 2025.
14. Maffeo: A medieval variation of Matteo. It also stands as an Italian given name in its own right.
15. Magee: It combines “Mag” (son of) and “aodh” (fire). Together they give the name its fiery meaning.
16. Maggio: Italian for the month of May. It was once given to a child born during that month.
17. Maguire: From the Gaelic MacUidhir, which means son of the dark one.
18. Mahoney: An Anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó’Mathghamhna. It translates to descendent of the good calf.
19. Malloy: “Noble chief,” an Irish name first recorded in County Offaly. It still turns up faintly on the baby charts at #11,503 in 2025.
20. Malone: Based on the Irish Ó’Maoileoin, a “servant or a disciple of Saint John.” It reached #7,021 as a U.S. baby name in 2025.
21. Manning: From the Old Norse “manningi,” a “brave or valiant man,” and #5,329 for U.S. babies in 2025.
22. Marchese: Originally the Italian title marchése. It became a nickname for a man who carried himself like a marquis.
23. Marek: Currently #2,629 for U.S. babies in 2025, this is a Polish form of Mark from the Latin Marcus, and also a Czech nickname for Martin.
24. Mariani: Taken from the Italian Mariano, marking someone from Mariano in Bergamo or Como. Its best year as a baby name is the most recent one, #8,672 in 2025.
25. Marino: From the Latin Marinus, translating to of the sea, and in 2025 it sat at #5,330 among U.S. baby names.
26. Marquez: A Spanish patronymic for the son of Marcos, first used in Castille. As a first name, 2025 put it at #2,965 among U.S. birth records.
27. Marseille: A habitational name for someone from Marseille. It is popular as a Haitian nickname.
28. Marshall: A French occupational name for a “farrier,” in use in England since the 1066 Norman Conquest. As a first name it ranked #340 in 2025.
29. Martin: This one honors Mars, the Roman god of fertility and war, through the Latin Martinus, and 2025 left it at #335 on the U.S. baby name charts.
30. Martinelli: An Italian patronymic form of Marino, which translates to of the sea as well.
31. Martinez: “Son of Martin,” and the 10th most common U.S. surname in the 2010 Census. As a first name it stays rare, #11,518 in 2025.
32. Masaki: Japanese for correct tree. It’s a name carried in the Fujiwara and Minamoto clans.
33. Massey: From the Middle English Massy. It was used as a nickname for Matthew.
34. Mathieu: The French form of the Hebrew Matatyahu, meaning gift of God. U.S. babies put it at #4,978 in 2025.
35. Matos: From the Spanish-Galician mato; it means brushwood scrub, and it also serves as a habitational name in Portugal.
36. Matthews: Son or descendant of Matthew. The name itself reads as gift of God. In 2025 U.S. birth records put it at #8,024.
37. Maxwell: Originally a place name in Roxburghshire, Scotland, meaning Mack’s spring, and parents borrow it constantly, putting it at #189 in 2025.
38. McAfee: An Anglicized Gaelic name meaning son of Duibhshíth. It is also read as black peace.
39. McBride: A form of Mac Brighde, which means son of the servant of Saint Brigit.
40. McCarthy: Mac Cárthaigh in Irish, translating to son of the loving one.
41. McClure: From the Gaelic MacGill Uidhir, which translates to son of the pale one or son of the cold one.
42. McDonald: From the Gaelic MacDomhnaill; it means son of the mighty ruler.
43. McFarland: Based on the Gaelic Mac Pharlain, meaning son of Parlan, the Irish form of Bartholomew.
44. McKinney: The Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnigh, which means son of Coinneach.
45. McPherson: Appearing in Gaelic as Mac a’Phearsain. This translates to son of the parson.
46. Meadows: A topographic name. It comes from the Old English mead. It marked a family that lived near a meadow.
47. Medina: From the Arabic madīnah, meaning city, and shaped by Arab rule in Sicily. As a baby name it sat at #4,138 in 2025.
48. Mehta: From the Sanskrit mahita, translating to great or praised, and the name is common in Hindu and Sikh communities.
49. Melendez: The American spelling of Menendez. Menendez is a medieval Spanish form of Hermenegildo.
50. Mendel: A Yiddish form of the Hebrew Menachem, which translates to he who comforts, and by 2025 it had settled at #1,846 in the national rankings.
51. Messer: An occupational name built from the Old German “maz” (food) and “sahs” (knife). 2025 was its best year yet as a baby name, at #4,641.
52. Meyer: From the German “mei(g)er,” the manager of a lord’s country estate. It ranked #1,693 for U.S. babies in 2025, well off its 1913 peak of #311.
53. Meža: A Slovenian nickname from mežati; it means to have one’s eyes half-closed.
54. Michelin: A pet form of Michel, the French version of Michael, meaning who is like God.
55. Mills: For a family living near a mill, or a descendant of Miles, and 2025 placed it at #2,783 on the U.S. rankings.
56. Miranda: A lovely Spanish surname meaning worthy of admiration. It also works as a well-used first name at #656 in 2025.
57. Miroslaw: The Polish equivalent of Miroslav. It joins miro (peace) and sław (glory).
58. Mitchell: A common form of Michael, meaning one who is like God, and in 2025 it held #954 among U.S. newborns.
59. Molina: A Spanish surname for a miller. It comes from the Latin mola. It reached #14,373 as a baby name in 2025.
60. Monroe: “Mouth of the River Roe,” a Gaelic name pointing at a river in Northern Ireland. Its best year as a first name is 2025, at #467.
61. Montoya: From the Basque region of Spain, which means hills and valleys.
62. Moore: A short Gaelic surname. It reads as bog, stately, or noble.
63. Mora: A medieval Spanish topographic name for a blackberry. By 2025 it had reached #7,771 among U.S. families.
64. Morales: A Spanish topographical surname from moral, translating to mulberry tree.
65. Moran: The name means descendant of Mórán, combining the Gaelic mor (great) and an (the).
66. Morgan: From the Welsh Morcant; it means son or descendant of Morgan, and it is the steepest faller among the charted names here, down about 60 percent over the last decade of births against the ten years before and now #312 in 2025.
67. Morris: Derived from Morres, for someone living on the Morre (moors), and 2025 left it at #1,762 among U.S. babies.
68. Morrison: The name means son of Morris. It’s built on the Norman Maurice. By 2025 U.S. parents had it at #2,705.
69. Morrow: From the Gaelic Moireach, meaning seafarer, a name inspired by Moray in Scotland.
70. Morse: An Old English and Welsh surname, which means son of Maurice.
71. Moser: A German name from mōs. It marked a family living near a peat bog.
72. Moses: Associated with the Hebrew Moshe, translating to conceived by a certain God, and it ranks #515 as a first name in 2025.
73. Mosley: This one combines two Old English words. “Mos” means peat bog. “Leah” means woodland clearing.
74. Moss: From the Old English mos. It designated someone living at a boggy place. U.S. families ranked it #5,334 this year.
75. Mullins: Derived from the Old French molins, which translates to mills.
76. Mulrooney: Based on the Gaelic O’Maolruanaidh; it means a follower of Ruanaidh.
77. Munoz: From the Basque muinoa, meaning hill, and it’s used across New Castile and Andalusia.
78. Murphy: An Anglicized variant of Ó Murchadha, which means descendent of the sea battle warrior, and it is the fastest riser on this list, up more than tenfold over the last decade of births against the ten before, with 2025 its best year yet at #397.
79. Murray: Translating to descendant of Ó’Muireadhaigh, the name is linked to the Scottish area of Moray, and it closed out 2025 at #2,633 on the national list.
80. Myers: A German occupational name for the steward or bailiff of a town, and U.S. babies made it #3,725 in 2025.

80 Common Last Names That Start With M

These surnames starting with M appear frequently across multiple cultures and languages.

1. Maas: A Dutch pet form of Thomas. It also serves as a catch-all for short names starting with M.
2. Mabins: Related to the Welsh Mabon. It reads simply as a child.
3. Macak: A Slovak patronymic form of Matej. Matej is their version of Matthew.
4. Macall: The Anglicized spelling of MacCathail, which translates to son of Cathal, and Cathal itself was known as powerful in battle.
5. Mace: A Middle English nickname for Matthew or Thomas, from Masse. It still charts for babies at #2,503 in 2025.
6. Macedo: A Portuguese surname from macedo; it means apple grove.
7. Machala: A Czech-Slovak offshoot of Mach, coming from machać, meaning swing or sway.
8. Mack: From the Old Norse Makkr or the Gaelic prefix Mac, meaning son. Short and blunt, 2025 put it at #463 among U.S. newborns.
9. Mackie: Based on the Gaelic MacAodha, which means son of Aodh, or fire, and U.S. parents ranked it #8,661 this past year.
10. Mackintosh: From the Scottish Mac an Tòisich clan, translating to son of the chief.
11. Mador: Associated with the Breton Madoré. It’s a nickname meaning good help.
12. Madrigal: A topographic name from Spain, derived from matricale, which translates to a river bed.
13. Madsen: A Danish patronymic meaning son of Mads (Matthew). U.S. babies ranked it #8,662 this year.
14. Maeda: A Japanese name meaning front rice paddy. It’s found mostly in Kyūshū.
15. Magana: A habitational name for someone from Magaña. The town sits in Spain’s Soria or Córdoba regions.
16. Magnuson: A variation of the Scandinavian Magnússon; it means son of Magnus.
17. Maher: Originally the Gaelic Ó Meachair, “descendant of Meachar,” kindly and noble. It ranked #2,741 for babies in 2025.
18. Mais: From the Middle German “meiz,” meaning “cleared land.” It is the rarest of the charted names here, #16,371 in 2025, or roughly one in every 333,333 U.S. births.
19. Mak: A Slavic occupational name from mak, meaning poppy. It named someone who grew poppies. It closed 2025 at #7,050 on the U.S. charts.
20. Maksimov: Built on the Russian first name Maksim. It is also spelled Maximov.
21. Maldonado: A Spanish nickname composed of two parts. “Mal” means badly. “Donado” means given.
22. Mallory: From the Old French maloret, meaning ill-fortuned or unlucky, though it reads far softer today. In 2025 it held #372 among U.S. newborns.
23. Malouf: A nickname from the Arabic maʿlūf, meaning fattened.
24. Maltsberger: Taken from the German town of Maltsberg. The surname marks a family’s origin there.
25. Mandić: A Serbo-Croatian surname. It grew out of Mandalena.
26. Manfredi: An Italian plural of Manfredo, which originally meant man of peace in German.
27. Mangold: Originated as the Germanic Managwald, combining manag, meaning much, and wald, meaning rule.
28. Manson: An Anglicized variant of the Scandinavian Magnusson, which translates to son of Magnus.
29. Manzo: From the Latin mansus; it means tame, and it was often the name of an oxherd.
30. Marchenko: A Ukrainian patronymic name, meaning son of Marko.
31. Marconi: An Italian plural form of Marcone. It derives from the Latin Marcus.
32. Marcum: A habitational name from Marcham. The place sits in Oxfordshire and Nottinghamshire.
33. Marcus: Refers to Mars, the Roman god of war, and doubles as a personal name; 2025 held it at #258 among U.S. babies.
34. Markopoulos: A patronymic meaning son of Marcus. It applies to the Greek name Markos.
35. Marlowe: An English surname meaning from the hill by the lake. 2025 was its best year as a first name, at #523.
36. Maroun: Related to the Arabic Mārūn. It was named after a 4th-century Syrian monk.
37. Marquis: A nobleman, or lord of the borderlands, and U.S. babies ranked it #1,672 this past year.
38. Masters: Dates back to the Roman magister, which means a person in charge.
39. Mathis: A French and Flemish variation of Matthias, itself a form of Matthew. It ranked #3,356 for babies in 2025.
40. Matias: Means “gift of God” in Hebrew. In 2025 it was the highest-ranked first name on this whole list, at #170 among U.S. babies.
41. Matić: Based on the Serbo-Croatian Matija and Matej. Both are variations of Matthew.
42. McAllister: A Scottish form of the Gaelic Mac Alasdair, translating to son of Alexander.
43. McCourt: Originally the Gaelic MacCuairt, which translates to the son of a visitor.
44. McDermott: An Anglicized variation of Mac Diarmada; it means son of Diarmaid.
45. McEnroe: From the Gaelic Mac ConRubha, meaning hound of the promontory.
46. McKenzie: Based on the Gaelic MacCoinnich, “son of Coinnich,” the fair or handsome one. It ranked #576 for babies in 2025.
47. McNamara: From the Gaelic Cú Mhara, combining cú (hound) and muir (sea).
48. Mead: An English surname. It comes from the Old English mǣd. It marked someone living by a meadow.
49. Medved: A Slavic word meaning bear, once used as a nickname for a strong person.
50. Meier: A German occupational title. It named a steward or bailiff. The word also covered a tenant farmer.
51. Meinberg: Originated as a place name in Westphalia. The region is in Germany. The town is called Bad-Meinberg.
52. Melvin: Based on the Gaelic Ó Maoil Mhín, meaning the gentle chieftain. In 2025 U.S. parents ranked it #959.
53. Mendenhall: From the Old English name Milda. It also carries halh. Halh means a nook or corner of land.
54. Mendez: A Spanish name, which translates to son or descendant of Mendel or Mendo.
55. Menendez: Taken from Menendo. The name is composed of ermen, meaning whole. It also carries gild, meaning tribute.
56. Mercado: Spanish for market. It was given to traders or to families living near a plaza.
57. Merchant: An Old French occupational name; it means a trader.
58. Merritt: Meaning “boundary gate” in Old English, and a variation of Marriott. Its best year as a baby name is 2025, at #703.
59. Metzger: A German occupational name for a “butcher.”
60. Middleton: Comes from the Old English “midel” (middle) and “tūn” (enclosure settlement).
61. Milić: A Serbo-Croatian name using the Slavic root “mil,” meaning “dear.”
62. Mishra: An Indian surname derived from the Sanskrit “mišra,” meaning “mixed manifold.”
63. Monaghan: An Anglicized form of O’Manacháin, “descendant of the monk.”
64. Monk: Based on the Middle English “monkes,” for someone living at the monk’s quarters.
65. Montalvo: Inspired by Spanish place names, from the Latin “montem albus” (white mountain).
66. Monte: A topographic name for a family “living on or near a mountain,” and #1,473 for babies in 2025.
67. Montgomery: Drawn from French place names such as Sainte-Foy-de-Montgomery, and 2025 left it at #962 on the U.S. baby name list.
68. Morcos: An Arabic-Egyptian form of Mark, used by Coptic Christians.
69. Moreau: A French nickname from the Old French “more,” for a “dark-skinned” person.
70. Moriarty: An Anglicized variation of Ó Muircheartaigh, meaning “navigator.”
71. Morton: Combines the Old English “mōr” (moor) and “tūn” (farmstead).
72. Mosqueda: A Spanish nickname using the root “mosca,” meaning “fly.”
73. Moua: Named after the Moua clan of the Hmong people in Laos, China, and Vietnam.
74. Moyer: A French name for a “sharecropper,” from the Old French “moie” (half).
75. Mueller: The German spelling of “miller,” and the fifth most common surname in Austria.
76. Mughrabi: Associated with the Arabic “maghreb” (west), pointing to North Africa.
77. Muir: A Scottish topographic name for someone “living beside a moor.”
78. Muniz: A Spanish patronymic meaning “Muno’s son” or “son of Mummius.”
79. Munson: A patronymic form of the Danish Monsen, meaning “son of Mund.”
80. Murdoch: Combines the Gaelic mur (sea) and murchadh (sea warrior). U.S. parents gave it to #13,291 in the 2025 rankings.

80 Rare Surnames Starting With M

For something distinct, check out these unique and uncommon M surnames.

1. Mabuchi: A Japanese name with several readings, including “abyss,” “deep pool,” or “horse.”
2. MacAmhalghaidh: The Gaelic inspiration for McCaulley, appearing in both Scotland and Ireland.
3. Maes: A Welsh surname for someone “living in or near a field,” said MIZE.
4. Magalhães: A Portuguese-Galician surname based on various places in Spain.
5. Magdy: Meaning “glorious” in Arabic, and written as Magdi in Egypt.
6. Mahar: An Irish variation of Maher (noble), or an Arabic term for an “expert.”
7. Mahmoud: From the Arabic maḥmūd, meaning praiseworthy, and 2025 held it at #2,220 among U.S. families.
8. Maine: From the Old French “maine,” meaning “dwelling” or “residence.”
9. Makowski: Based on Polish locations called Maków, from the root “mak” (poppy).
10. Manjarrez: A Spanish topographical surname taken from the village of Manjarrés.
11. Manumaleuna: A Samoan surname.
12. Manzanares: Meaning “apple orchard,” after the Spanish city of Manzanares.
13. Marangoz: A Turkish occupational surname for a “joiner” or “carpenter.”
14. Marchand: A French occupational name for a “merchant,” from the Old French “march(e)ant.”
15. Marmo: From the Italian “marmo” (marble), and given to a quarryman.
16. Marmolejo: A habitational name from a town in Jaén, Spain, built on “mármol” (marble).
17. Marquardt: From the Old German “marka” (border) and “wart” (protector).
18. Marrero: A Spanish occupational name for a “stone breaker,” from “marra” (hammer).
19. Marron: A form of the Irish Monaghan and the Gaelic Ó Mearáin.
20. Mascorro: A Basque surname originating in the area between Spain and Italy.
21. Masih: Means messiah in Arabic, or anointed one in Hebrew, and 2025 put it at #13,231 in the U.S. records.
22. Massengill: Originally Masongill, from the Old Norse “meisingr” (titmouse) and “gil” (ravine).
23. Mateev: Comes from the Hebrew “mattathiah,” meaning “gift of the Lord.”
24. Matevosyan: Built on Matevos, the Armenian variation of Matthew.
25. Matsumoto: A Japanese habitational name meaning “place of the (divine) pine tree.”
26. Matsuoka: A Japanese surname meaning “pine tree hill.”
27. Mazzola: A Southern Italian diminutive of Mazza, an occupational name for a toolmaker.
28. McAlpin: An Anglicized spelling of the Gaelic MacAilpein, from “alp” (lump).
29. McElrath: Derived from the Gaelic Mac Gille Riabhaigh, “son of the brindled lad.”
30. Meaux: A French surname derived from the Gaulish Meldi tribe.
31. Medeiros: A Portuguese topographic name from “meda,” meaning “shock” (stacks of grain).
32. Meeuwissen: A Dutch and Flemish patronymic from a short form of Bartholemew.
33. Megalos: A rare form of Greek surnames meaning “big.”
34. Meissner: Means “someone from Meissen” in Germany, on record since the 10th century.
35. Mejia: A variant of the Spanish name Matías, their equivalent of Matthew.
36. Melanson: A Breton nickname from the French “mélasson,” meaning “clumsy.”
37. Mellor: Originally Melver, an English place name, or “bare hill” in Welsh.
38. Mencher: A Jewish occupational name for a “flour dealer.”
39. Meng: A Chinese name meaning “eldest among brothers and sisters born of a concubine.”
40. Mensah: A Ghanaian name used for a “third-born son.”
41. Merckx: Taken from the given name Merk, a Dutch form of Mark.
42. Metaxas: A Greek occupational name for a “silk merchant.”
43. Metcalfe: An Old English nickname based on “mete-calf,” the fattened up calf.
44. Michalak: A Polish patronymic meaning “son of Michał” (Michael).
45. Miele: Means “honey” in French and Italian, and doubles as a German town in Saxony.
46. Mifsud: A Maltese surname from the Arabic “mifṣad,” meaning “lancet.”
47. Mijares: Inspired by Spanish place names in Ávila, from “mijar” (millet field).
48. Mikell: From the Hebrew version of Michael, meaning “who is like God?”
49. Mikesell: The Anglicized variation of the German Meixell (Michael).
50. Mikhail: The Arabic form of Michael, used mainly by Christians.
51. Mistry: An occupational Indian surname from the Portuguese “mestre,” meaning “master” or “skilled craftsman.”
52. Moctezuma: A spelling of Montezuma, inspired by the last Aztec ruler.
53. Moen: From the Old Norse “mór” (heath), and used for various farmsteads in Norway.
54. Moffat: A habitational name from Moffat in Dumfriesshire, meaning “the long plain.”
55. Moghadam: A Persian surname from “muqaddam,” a rank or occupational title.
56. Mollown: Originally the Gaelic O’Maoileoin, meaning “devoted to St. John.”
57. Montalbano: A Sicilian place name that takes its cue from Mont Blanc.
58. Montano: Derived from the Italian “montano” (mountain).
59. Monteith: Combines the Gaelic “monadh” (hill pasture) and the River Teith.
60. Montenegro: A habitational name from Spain, Portugal, and Italy meaning “black mountain.”
61. Montserrat: Meaning “jagged mountain” in Catalan, after the peak near Barcelona.
62. Moon: Meaning “full” and “complete” in Cantonese, or the Irish form of Mohan.
63. Moose: An Anglicized form of the German Moos, or a Native American-Dakota word.
64. Morais: A Portuguese variation of Moraes, for a family living “among mulberry trees.”
65. Moranville: Associated with the French Morand and the Latin “villa” (estate).
66. Moravec: A Czech and Slovak surname for someone “from Morava.”
67. Morishita: A Japanese topographic name for “one who lives below the forest.”
68. Morrissette: A French surname based on Mauritius, meaning “eastern.”
69. Mottershead: Combines the Old English “mōtere” (speaker) and “hēafod” (top of a hill).
70. Mousavi: A Persian name from the Arabic “mūsawī,” meaning “descendent of Musa.”
71. Mouser: A Middle English nickname for the “mouse ear hawkweed” plant.
72. Mulrennan: From the Gaelic O’Maoilriain, a “descendent of the worshiper of Rian.”
73. Mulvihill: Based on the Gaelic Maoil Mhichil, meaning “servant of St. Michael.”
74. Mumford: Derived from the Old French “mont” (hill) and “fort.”
75. Mundt: A German nickname for a “guardian” or a “trustworthy person.”
76. Murgatroyd: Combines the Middle English Mergret and “rode” (clearing).
77. Musgrave: Based on locales in Northern England called Great Musgrave and Little Musgrave.
78. Mustafa: Taken from the Arabic “muṣṭafā,” meaning “chosen” or “pure.”
79. Myrick: Originally a Latin boy’s name meaning “dark-skinned” or “Moorish.”
80. Myška: A Czech nickname from “myš,” meaning “mouse.”