115 Great Roman Last Names: With Unique Meanings

Updated
These epic ancient Roman last names are fit for the finest of warrior families.

You’ll feel part of a budding, brilliant empire discovering these amazing Roman last names, hailing straight from ancient Rome.

Whether history, mythology, or innovation intrigues you the most, you’ll find it all within this list of spectacular and traditional Roman family names from the ancient empire.

Ideal for gens of all statuses and stature, these classic surnames are sure to inspire and amaze. Plus, with all the meanings and origins behind each one listed below, you’ll feel like a Roman god, goddess, gladiator, or general in no time!


115 Amazing Roman Last Names (For All the Family)

Start your own empire with these impressive Roman family names, fit for any warrior.

  1. Adrianus – a handsome choice derived from the ancient Italian river Adria.
  2. Aemilius – great for a competitive family; Aemilius means “rival.”
  3. Aeneas – this Roman surname is worthy of all its “praise and recognition.”
  4. Albinus – another form of Albus, with the luminating meaning of “white.”
  5. Albus – meaning “white,” this surname starting with A is positively glowing.
  6. Amabilia – a girly-sounding surname, bringing charm and happiness with its “lovable” meaning.
  7. Amadeus – meaning “love of God,” this strong name is full of spirit and grace.
  8. Amato – a Late Roman name meaning “beloved” and a town in Italy.
  9. Anatolia – a cool place name, especially if you have Roman and Turkish heritage.
  10. Antonius – the Roman root that gave us names such as Anthony, meaning “praiseworthy.”
  11. Aries – a popular pick among Roman family names, constellations, and Zodiac signs.
  12. Arria – despite having an unknown meaning, this charming and unusual pick sure is handsome.
  13. Atticus – for a family “from Attica,” the historical region surrounding Athens in Greece.
  14. Augustus – a “majestic, venerable” choice for a family full of summer sunshine.
  15. Aurelius – the most radiant of Roman surnames, meaning “golden.”
  16. Avitus – meaning “ancestral,” this name is like a family heirloom to treasure.
  17. Balbus – with the unique meaning of “stammerer,” this surname is a cool one to know.
  18. Barbara – meaning “stranger,” this familiar name still has a “foreign” feel.
  19. Benedictus – a “blessed” name for spiritual, worshiping families.
  20. Blandus – meaning “flattering, charming,” this name sounds perfect for princely boys.
  21. Blasius – with the unconventional meaning of “lisping,” this is a “blazing” pick among Roman family names.
  22. Brutus – this famous Latin name is “heavy” and commanding.
  23. Byzantine – a rare surname after an empire that ruled Rome during the Middle Ages.
  24. Caecillius – or the plebeian family name Caecilii, both hold the unusual meaning of “blind.”
  25. Caelius – derived from the Latin “caelum,” this family name dazzles with the meaning of “heaven.”
  26. Caesar – a famous name and emperor’s title from the Roman Empire, amusingly given to those “with a fine head of hair.”
  27. Candida – a fancy-sounding family name meaning “white.”
  28. Carina – a pretty surname and Roman feminine name for a “beloved” baby.
  29. Cassius – pretty in sound, but with the rather shallow meanings of “vain, empty.”
  30. Castor – a Roman mythological twin whose divine name means “shining.”
  31. Catallus – a late Roman era poet with a spritely name meaning “puppy.”
  32. Cato – meaning “intelligent, wise,” fit for a family of geniuses.
  33. Cestus – an obscure Latin name after a type of glove or binding tie.
  34. Christianus – a powerful and traditional surname for a “follower of Christ.”
  35. Cicero – adorably, this Roman last name means “chickpea” for the hummus lovers among us.
  36. Clarus – an Old Latin name meaning “clear, famous,” making way for the popular female name Clara.
  37. Claudius – despite meaning “lame, crippled,” this Roman surname has only the strongest of connotations.
  38. Cornelius – a regal Roman given and family name with the triumphant meaning of “horn.”
  39. Corvinus – with the haughty meaning of “raven,” this bird-like name is beady and mystifying.
  40. Crepereius – a Sabine-rooted, Roman surname of unknown meaning, though it makes us think of French pancakes!
  41. Decimus – meaning “tenth,” a nice, rounded pick among Roman family names meaning numbers.
  42. Delphi – a smart-sounding surname after an ancient Roman city, also perhaps meaning “womb.”
  43. Domitius – for a “tamed” family, this surname sounds fresh from the wild.
  44. Drusus – a perfect fit for a person who is “strong” and “courageous.”
  45. Ephesus – after an ancient Greek city that was taken over by the Roman Republic.
  46. Fabius – an ancient name with the wholesome meaning of “bean.”
  47. Falto – a strong and powerful pick, with the flighty meaning of “falcon.”
  48. Faunus – a rugged and earthy pick after the ancient Roman god of forests.
  49. Faustus – a cool literary pick among Roman surnames, with the sweet meaning of “fortunate, lucky.”
  50. Flaccus – with the unusual meanings of “flabby, droopy,” this surname is one of the more obscure in this list.
  51. Flamen – a spiritual pick given to a type of ancient Roman priest.
  52. Flavius – meaning “gold, yellow,” a perfect Roman name for a blonde-haired family.
  53. Florentius – a floral pick among ancient Roman surnames for a “flourishing, blooming” family.
  54. Fulgentius – if your family is “bright, brilliant,” this could be the shining Roman name for you!
  55. Gallus – meaning “rooster,” this surname will have you up bright and early.
  56. Geminius – meaning “twin;” the same root as the zodiac sign and constellation.
  57. Gordian – a locational name given to those “from Gordium,” an ancient city in Turkey.
  58. Hadrianus – a commanding surname after the ancient, northern Italian city of Hadria.
  59. Heraclius – a Byzantine dynasty name derived from the Greek goddess Hera.
  60. Hilarius – an amusing-sounding pick for the most “cheerful” of people.
  61. Horatius – after a mythical Roman hero who fought successfully against Etruscan invaders.
  62. Hortensius – meaning “garden,” this gorgeously nature-inspired name would suit a green-fingered family.
  63. Italus – if your family is “from Italy,” you’ll love this powerful surname used for the ancient founder of Rome.
  64. Janus – given in relation to the ancient Roman god of beginnings.
  65. Julius – one of the best-recognized Roman names, with the unusual meaning of “downy-bearded.”
  66. Junius – relating to the gorgeous goddess Juno, great for heavenly rulers.
  67. Juventus – meaning “youthful,” for a lively, bouncy family.
  68. Laelius – an unusual surname of unknown meaning, but with a gorgeous lilt and standout spelling.
  69. Laurentius – after the ancient city of Laurentum, also signifying the victorious “laurel leaves.”
  70. Livius – from the Latin verb “liveo,” Livius holds the green-eyed meaning of “envious.”
  71. Lorenzo – a variant of Laurentius, with the earthy meaning of “laurel leaves.”
  72. Lucilius – a glowing pick among Roman last names meaning “light.”
  73. Magnus – this one is “great,” “mighty,” and an all-around champion of a name!
  74. Manlius – meaning “morning,” this Roman family name signifies a bright future ahead.
  75. Marcellus – meaning “warlike, strong,” best bestowed in recognition of the Roman god of war, Mars.
  76. Martini – a boozy option referring to Mars, the Roman god of war.
  77. Martinus – like Martini, Martinus relates to the “war-like” deity Mars.
  78. Maximus – is the “greatest” of Roman last names for a family destined to achieve it all!
  79. Mors – the Latin word for “death” stands out as an especially morbid pick among Roman surnames.
  80. Octavius – another Roman number surname for the “eighth” family.
  81. Orbius – a plebeian Roman name, possibly meaning “orphan.”
  82. Otho – one of the shortest surnames on this list, with unknown meaning but with a unique flair.
  83. Ovidius – an occupational surname for a shepherd.
  84. Pacheco – a cool surname used to denote someone “from France.”
  85. Paulus – this Roman surname may mean “small,” but it sure is mighty!
  86. Pollux – after the mythological twin to Castor, Pollux adorably means “very sweet.”
  87. Pompeius – a unique-sounding family name meaning “five.”
  88. Porcius – a powerful Roman gens, with the farmyard meaning of “pig.”
  89. Postumulenus – an obscure name that’s also a bit of a mouthful, meaning “last.”
  90. Priscus – meaning “ancient,” this name is great for those who love heritage and history.
  91. Quirinius – meaning “spear,” this sharp-shooting name was also a Roman god.
  92. Romano – this Italian surname perfectly captures the power, majesty, and innovation of ancient Roman times.
  93. Romeo – a romantic given name and surname meaning “from Rome.”
  94. Rufus – meaning “red,” this one would be cute for an auburn-haired clan.
  95. Sabinus – refers to the Sabine people, who resided in central Italy before the Roman republic.
  96. Salvius – meaning “safe,” Salvius is a strong, confident bet among these Roman-era family names.
  97. Scipione – from the Latin “scipio,” this has the obscure meaning of “walking stick.”
  98. Senaca – this standout name option means “old,” connoting wisdom.
  99. Severus – meaning “stern,” Severus makes a great pick for a fictional bad guy.
  100. Sextus – this Roman family and given name means “sixth.”
  101. Soranus – a locational surname for a family hailing “from Sora.”
  102. Tatius – a traditional name after a king of the Sabines.
  103. Tiberius – fit for a family who resides on or near the Roman river Tiber.
  104. Titan – an epic name for a great warrior family, full of history and strength.
  105. Tullius – meaning “supporter, helper,” Tullius is an honest and loyal family name.
  106. Ulpius – a feisty, cunning, animal-inspired name, perhaps meaning “wolf” or “fox.”
  107. Umbrius – a rare surname given to a family residing in the central Italian region of Umbria.
  108. Valentinus – also from the Latin “valens,” this surname is romantic, “healthy,” and “strong.”
  109. Valerius – meaning “to be strong” in Latin, a virtuous name to see a family through tough times.
  110. Venator – the Latin word for “hunter” would be great for an eagle-eyed family.
  111. Venti – not a Starbucks term, but it refers to wind gods in Roman mythology!
  112. Virgilius – meaning “flourishing,” this handsome name is full of stature and pizzazz.
  113. Vita – meaning “life,” this dignified Latin name radiates warmth and possibility.
  114. Volpi – a badass pick for cunning clans, meaning “fox.”
  115. Vulcan – a scorching hot surname given in honor of the Roman god of fire.

Roman Last Names FAQs

Did the Romans Have Surnames?

As you can tell from this list, the Romans did have surnames! In fact, they used up to three various names, including a personal name and a hereditary/family name.

What Are Some Strong Roman Surnames?

Thanks to history, we view Roman last names such as Caesar, Maximus, Magnus, and Antonius as strong options for powerful warriors! Options such as Marcellus, Drusus, and Valerius also have strong, confident meanings.

Headshot of Madeleine Lily Webb

About the Author

Madeleine Lily Webb

Madeleine is a writer from somewhere near Manchester, England. Madeleine's background in languages and linguistics has led to baby names becoming one of her favorite topics to write about. When she's not fallen down a rabbit hole of stories behind unique names, Madeleine can be found hanging out with her cat, taking photos of flowers, or dancing.