WEST
West is a surname of English origin that derives from the Old English word west, meaning “west” or “western”. As a topographic or locational name, it originally denoted a person who dwelt to the west of a principal settlement or who originated from a place named West. In some instances the name also functioned as a descriptive nickname for an individual who exhibited characteristics associated with the western direction, such as adventurousness or a free‑spirited disposition.
The earliest documented instances of the surname occur in the 12th century. The name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Essex in 1152 as Maurice de West, and later in Norfolk in 1197 with the entry Goche West. Another early record is the appearance of William del West in the Select Pleas of Essex in 1292. Notably, the first recorded bearer of the name is found in the easternmost county of Essex, which underscores the topographic nature of the designation.
During the late medieval period the surname was borne by persons of consequence. Nicholas West (1461‑1533), who became Bishop of Ely, served on diplomatic missions to Scotland, Germany, France and Castile and acted as chaplain to Queen Catherine of Aragon. In the early modern era, John West embarked from London in May 1635 aboard the ship “Speedwell” and became one of the earliest settlers in the English colonies of the New World, arriving in Virginia.
Overall, the surname West exemplifies a common pattern in English onomastics whereby a simple directional term evolves into a hereditary family name, reflecting both the geographical origin of its early bearers and, occasionally, a characteristic attributed to them.
Typical given names associated with the West surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Stephen
Female
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Wasiuta
- Wassett
- Wast
- Wasta
- Waste
- Wasti
- Wastie
- Weast
- Weist
- Weiste
- Wesa
- Wess
- Westad
- Westal
- Westan
- Westar
- Westby
- Weste
- Westel
- Westen
- Wester
- Westh
- Westie
- Westin
- Westly
- Westo
- Westoe
- Weston
- Westow
- Westra
- Westre
- Westry
- Wests
- Westway
- Whessett
- Whest
- Whieside
- Whist
- Wiest
- Wissett
- Wist
- Wiste
- Woest
- Woeste
- Wost
- Wuest
- Wust
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname West in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname West are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Jaffa Cake.
There are approximately 51,918 people named West in the UK. That makes it the 128th most common surname in Britain. Around 797 in a million people in Britain are named West.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named West
- Kimberly Noel Kardashian West - American television and social media personality
- Kanye West - American rapper, record producer, singer, fashion designer, businessman, and actor
- Fred West - Serial killer (1941 to 1995)
- Dominic West - Film, television, and theatre actor
- Rosemary West - Serial killer
- Timothy West - Film, stage, and television actor
- John Bradley West - Actor
- Samuel West - Actor and director
- Chyler Leigh West - American actress, singer and model
- George Cornwallis-West - Army officer and author (1874 to 1951)
- Simon West - Film director
- Richard West - Musician
- Michael Alec Anthony West - Music producer
- Anthony West - Biographer and novelist (1914 to 1987)
- Alan West, Baron West of Spithead - First Sea Lord
- Catherine West - Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom
- Mae West - American actress and sex symbol (1893 to 1980)
- Geoffrey West - Physicist
- Lockwood West - Actor (1905 to 1989)
- Colin West - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.