The gypsy, or Romani as most prefer to be called, carry last names that reflect the nomadic practice of many of their people. Spellings and meanings of gypsy last names can be quite different from other last names due to their nomadic practice of living. Here you’ll find a diverse list of gypsy surnames.
What are Gypsy Last Names?
As an often-nomadic people, the gypsy, also known as Romani, carried their last names across different national and cultural lines. While some from the community share last names with locals due to intermarriage or cultural exchange, many people of this community carry last names from Eastern Europe. The gypsy community is tied by a cultural history that survived genocide and oppression, and these ties are represented in their last names. Gypsy last names are often associated with Christian saints or characteristics deemed important within the community, such as courage and loyalty.
These last names were often carried across the world as the gypsy people emigrated, making them even more unique compared to the last names of locals. What makes these unique gypsy last names particularly special is that they also give insight into the migration journeys of the community, as names may often hold Indian or Eastern European characteristics. Here you’ll find a comprehensive and meticulously curated list of gypsy surnames.
Common Gypsy Last Names
These surnames can be found throughout the gypsy diaspora. They cover various origins and are a perfect starting point in your journey to finding a last name of gypsy origin.
- Boswell
- Loveridge
- Hoskins
- Lee
- Chilcott
- Skelton
- Gaskin
- Walsh
- Bushnell
- Cripps
- Butcher
- Gallagher
- Boyle
- Lynch
- Whorton
- Doyle
- Croucher
- Rafferty
- Granger
- Mcgregor
- Bagley
- Herron
- Hodgkins
- Squires
- Draper
- Sylvester
- Greenfield
- Biggs
- Lovell
- Brazil
- Scamp
- Ayres
- Shore
- Boss
- Hearn
- Heron
- Leigh
- Chapman
- Doe
- Holland
- Shepherd
- Lea
- Buckland
Unique Gypsy Last Names
Gypsy last names are often inherently unique due to a culture that practices nonconformity, but these last names were found to be the most memorable.
- Adcock
- Ashby
- Ashton
- Badger
- Barbee
- Barney
- Bateman
- Beaney
- Biddle
- Birch
- Blackman
- Blythe
- Bower
- Britannia
- Bull
- Burr
- Carrington
- Cartwright
- Castle
- Coates
- Codona
- Coles
- Coley
- Collett
- Corey
- Creamer
- Crocker
- Dowling
- Duckett
- Eason
- Elliot
- Ennis
- Faa
- Fay
- Fellows
- Felton
- Fenner
- Field
- Finney
- Gale
- Gardiner
- Griffiths
- Gritt
- Grove
- Hadley
- Hare
- Hero
- Hibbard
- Isaacs
- Jeffery
- Jeffrey
- Lavender
- Liberty
- Light
- Lister
- Macklin
- Mears
- Miley
- Nail
- Newland
- Nye
- Paige
- Pannell
- Pitman
- Pullen
- Ralph
- Rawlings
- Read
- Rowell
- Sampson
- Sayers
- Seal
- Sessions
- Sharkey
- Sherwood
- Stacey
- Stratton
- Streeter
- Wakefield
- Wallen
- Wicks
- Willett
- Winn
Irish Gypsy Last Names
Irish gypsy communities may have been in Ireland for over a thousand years, often called Irish Travelers. These last names show the cultural exchange between gypsy ideals and Irish history.
- Barry
- Bell
- Burns
- Casey
- Cunningham
- Daly
- Donnelly
- Donovan
- Duffy
- Fitzgerald
- Fitzpatrick
- Flynn
- Graham
- Griffin
- Hayes
- Higgins
- Hogan
- Johnston
- Kenny
- Macdonald
- Magee
- Maguire
- Mccarthy
- Mcdonnell
- Murray
- Nolan
- Quinn
- Reid
- Stewart
- Ward
- Whelan
British Gypsy Last Names
The British gypsy, also known as Romanichal, is unique because members speak a mixed language called Angloromani. This mixture of language is evident in the names we’ve gathered here.
- Atwell
- Baker
- Barnard
- Barnes
- Bartlett
- Bassett
- Batchelor
- Beckett
- Brewer
- Brinkley
- Buckley
- Burton
- Butler
- Carney
- Cole
- Cooper
- Davis
- Deacon
- Dixon
- Dow
- Eastman
- Flint
- Foy
- Goddard
- Gray
- Green
- Greenwood
- Grey
- Harrison
- Hitchcock
- Hodgson
- Houghton
- Huntley
- Jones
- King
- Kitt
- Lane
- Lawler
- Lock
- Matthews
- Mcgrath
- Miller
- Morley
- Naylor
- Nelson
- North
- Parker
- Pierce
- Ratcliff
- Reardon
- Redman
- Ridley
- Ripley
- Rowland
- Scott
- Shaw
- Slaughter
- Steel
- Street
- Swan
- Tanner
- Taylor
- Thatcher
- Thompson
- Thorpe
- Turner
- Wallis
- Wells
- Welsh
- Wheatley
- Williams
- Willis
- Winter
- Wood
- Young
Common Romany Gypsy Last Names
These Romany last names are some of the most common we found in the community, but rest assured, they are still uncommonly gypsy.
- Adams
- Bacon
- Ball
- Bird
- Black
- Bland
- Bolton
- Bowers
- Byers
- Camp
- Carey
- Collins
- Cooley
- Cox
- Curtis
- Dale
- Davies
- Eldridge
- Foreman
- Galloway
- Gamble
- Gregory
- Griggs
- Groves
- Hall
- Head
- Hicks
- Hughes
- Lamb
- Lambert
- Langley
- Manley
- Marks
- Mills
- Mitchell
- Page
- Pearce
- Peters
- Pickett
- Pike
- Ray
- Rollins
- Rose
- Sanders
- Sargent
- Saunders
- Simms
- Small
- Stanley
- Stephens
- Stevens
- Stokes
- Vincent
- Vinson
- Wheeler
- Wills
Uncommon Romany Gypsy Last Names
Here you will find rare last names from the gypsy community. Enjoy this list of uncommon Gypsy last names.
- Bath
- Beaumont
- Bexley
- Brighton
- Bufford
- Camfield
- Coneley
- Crutcher
- Dawes
- Deakins
- Dixie
- Eastwood
- Emmett
- Essex
- Forest
- Frankham
- Golby
- Gulumba
- Harfield
- Hibberd
- Jeffs
- Joles
- Keet
- Kempster
- Kircher
- Lakey
- Mustow
- Odam
- Orchard
- Pateman
- Penfold
- Pidgley
- Pinfold
- Proudley
- Rowlands
- Sheen
- Sherrard
- Sherred
- Sines
- Tene
- Wenman
- Western
- Yancer
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Famous Characters with Gypsy Last Names
Roibin Krisenki is a fictional character from the 1966 romantic drama movie Sky West and Crooked. While the movie hasn’t perfectly aged, it is a story that shows how love can surpass cultural differences and biases. The name Krisenki is like other Eastern European names that mean ‘beautiful’.
King Zharko Stepanowicz, called the ‘King of the Gypsies’, was a fictionalized version of a man named Steve Tene. The movie King of the Gypsies was released in 1978. It showed a dramatic and criminal perspective of a gypsy community in New York and was eventually denounced by Tene. The last name Stepanowicz means ‘son of Stepan’, or Steven, a name that means ‘victorious’.
Mickey O’Neil is the name of a fictional character depicted in the 2000 film Snatch. The film took viewers on a humorous adventure with a band of criminals of different backgrounds and motivations. The gypsy last name of O’Neil is of Irish origin, and it means ‘grandson of Niall’, a name that means ‘champion’.
Pio Amato is an actor most known for his role in the 2017 film A Ciambra, a powerful movie that depicts Amato as a young Italian gypsy who seeks to lead and support his family. The movie depicts the struggles and strength of gypsy youth. His last name, Amato, means ‘beloved’.
Bronislawa Wajs was born in Poland in 1908, and was usually referred to by her Romani name, Papusza, which means ‘doll’. She wrote poetry and sang in classic Romani style, showing her culture and community to the greater world. She experienced significant social ramifications for publicizing parts of what was a secretive community. Her surname, Wajs, has an air of mystery. The name may mean ‘valley’.
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