With modern advances in technology and the rise of online genealogy and ancestry tools, uncovering your family history—possibly even noble connections—has never been easier.
And it’s not just your great-great-grandparents people are curious about. Many have found themselves wondering: Could I be distantly related to royalty?
100 Surnames That Might Point to Royal Blood
Family History Daily is helping curious minds out by sharing a list of 100 surnames that might suggest a royal lineage. The list is based on Charles H. Browning’s 1891 book, Americans of Royal Descent, a detailed reference filled with hundreds of surnames tied to individuals with documented royal family trees.
The site has narrowed that massive list down to just 100 last names, though it’s worth noting that Browning’s work isn’t the only—or the most up-to-date—source for tracking noble ancestry among early Americans.
Before you scroll through the list and get excited at spotting your surname, remember: this is just a starting point. Spotting your last name on the list doesn’t automatically make you royalty. Tracing your lineage properly requires more in-depth research and verified sources before making any solid claims.
Now, with that said, let’s take a look at the names…
100 Last Names Linked to Royal Heritage
1–50
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Abel
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Alden
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Appleton
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Ayer
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Barber
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Barclay
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Beverly
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Binney
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Brooke
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Brown
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Campbell
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Carroll
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Chauncey
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Coleman
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Cooper
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Davis
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Dickinson
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Darling
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Douglas
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Dunbar
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Edwards
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Ellery
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Ellis
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Emmett
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Evans
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Farley
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Fleming
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Forest
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French
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Gardiner
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George
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Gerard
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Gerry
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Gibson
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Graham
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Hamilton
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Haynes
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Herbert
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Hill
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Howard
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Hume
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Irving
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Jackson
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James
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Jenkins
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Johnson
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Kane
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Kennedy
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Ker
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Key
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King
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Langdon
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Lawrence
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Lee
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Leonard
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Livingston
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Lloyd
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McCall
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McDonald
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Malcalester
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Montgomery
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Morris
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Morton
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Nelson
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Nicholson
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Nixon
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Norris
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O’Carroll
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Ogle
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Opie
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Parsons
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Patterson
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Peabody
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Pomeroy
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Porter
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Pratt
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Preston
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Quay
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Randolph
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Read
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Reeve
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Robinson
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Rogers
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Sanford
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Shaw
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Smith
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Sowden
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Stanley
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Taylor
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Townsend
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Turner
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Tyler
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Valentine
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Varson
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Walker
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Watts
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White
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Whiting
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Williams
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Young
What It All Really Means
Just because your surname appears on this list doesn’t guarantee a royal family connection. Likewise, if it’s missing, that doesn’t mean you’re not descended from nobility either.
At the end of the day, this list is just a fun and intriguing glimpse into potential ties to the past—something to inspire deeper research and maybe a little daydreaming about crowns, castles, and royal heritage.