Collins Dictionary Of Surnames

Dictionary of Surnames is the definitive guide to the origin and meaning of British surnames by one of Britain’s leading authority on names.

The essential A–Z companion to the study of names of the British Isles

Includes the oldest varieties of British names as well as recent arrivals such as Patel

As well as individual entries, includes collective entries on topics such as names which derive from the same first name, or names ending in -ton, etc.

Compiled by Leslie Dunkling, founder of the Names Society and author of many classic reference works, such as Our Secret Names and the Guinness Book of Names

About the author

Leslie Dunkling is one of the most respected and authoritative authors in the field of names. His previous book for HarperCollins, A Dictionary of Curious Phrases, was widely reviewed in Spring 1998, with extracts being published in the Sun, Daily Mirror and Daily Mail.