80 Romanian last names (and their meaning)

Romanian last names are very strange, to say the least. They can be derived from a person’s occupation, place of birth or father’s name. If you are Romanian, your last name indicates your ethnicity.
The most common type of last names in Romania is the family name, which comes from one’s father. It can be written as either a single word or two words joined by a hyphen (-).

If you’re interested in reading about all the different types of Romanian last names, take a look at these:

1. Albescu

The Romanian name Alb is derived from the word alb, which means “white” in the native tongue.

2. Baciu

The name is derived from the Romanian term “baci,” which means “shepherd.” The word “baci” is also used to designate the captain of a team in Romania’s popular game, Oina.

3. Lupu

The name was coined by a Phoenician trader who gave the first inhabitants of the region, as well as themselves, their name. It is derived from the Latin term ‘lupa,’ which means “wolf.”

4. Munteanu

This common Romanian surname means ‘son of the mountain.’ It is derived from the Romanian word for hill or mountain, ‘munte.’

5. Toma

It is one of the most popular Romanian last names which can also be used as a first name.

6. Botezatu

The Romanian word ‘botez’ means a christening and the Romanian suffix ‘atu’ implies either a profession such as ‘baker,’ or possession of some attribute such as that of grace.

7. Mocanu

It is derived from the Romanian word ‘mocan,’ which means a type of heavy cart used in manual labor called ‘căruța’ in Romanian.

8. Simionescu

It is derived from the name ‘Simion’ which is a Romanian name that resembles Simon.

9. Burcea

This Romanian last name also has many variations, such as Burches. It is derived from the Romanian word ‘burcă,’ which means a type of barge used in manual labor.

10. Ciobanu

It is derived from the Romanian word ‘cioban,’ which means a shepherd.

11. Stoica

It derives from the Romanian word for ‘stână,’ which means a type of farm where livestock is kept.

12. Calcan

It is derived from the Romanian word ‘călcâi,’ which means ankle. It can also be spelled as Călcân.

13. Gavan

it is a Romanian last name and it derives from the Romanian word Gavril, which means Gabriel in English.

14. Negrea

The Romanian word ‘negru’ means black in English.

15. Dragomir

This Romanian last name can be found all across Romania, but it was especially known to be common among Romanians living in areas near the Danube River. It is derived from the Romanian words ‘a draga’ that means ‘to dredge,’ and ‘mir’ meaning peace.

16. Ionita

It is derived from Romanian word ‘ionată,’ which means very thin or lean in English.

17. Lefter

It is a Romanian last name and it derives from Romanian word ‘lefter,’ which means “carefree”, “broke” or “not serious” in English.

18. Dumitrache

It derives from the Romanian word ‘dumitru,’ which means the same as ‘dmitri’ in English. It can also be found as Dumitriu and Dumitrescu.

19. Nedelcu

It is derived from the Romanian word ‘nedel,’ which means the same as ‘neddy’ in English. It can also be spelled as Nedelea.

20. Paun

This name derives from the Romanian word ‘păun’ which means the same as eagle or falcon in English.

21. Popescu

This last name is derived from the Romanian term “popescu,” which means priest.

22. Sasan

The term “sas” is an ancient romanian name that means “german.” It may also be written as Săsân.

23. Enache

The name Enache is derived from the Romanian words ‘neacşu,’ which means “nobody” or “invalid”.

24. Negrea

The last name Negrea in Romanian is derived from the romanian word “negru”, which means “black.” This name’s origin is from the English term “Negro.”

25. Covaci

It is a Romanian name that derives from the word ‘covac,’ which means “bald.” It’s also known as Covacei, Covacev or Covâlcau in Romania.

26. Iordache

The Romanian last name Iordache is derived from the Romanic term “iordache,” which means “eagle.”

27. Cioaca

In Hungarian, it means “tending pigs.” It is a form of the Romanian word ‘ciocârți,’ which translates into English as “pig farmers.” The last name Cioaca comes from the Romanian term ‘cioacă,’ which means “pig” in Russian.

28. Andronache

Another common Romanian last name. It is derived from the term ‘andronaş,’ which means “man/mankind” in English. It can also be written as Androneaș, Andronic, or Andronişteanu.

29. Dedulescu

Is derived from the Romanian word ‘dedulescu’, which means ‘deduce’ in Latin. In English, it’s known as Deduleşcu. It may also be transliterated as Deduleş.

30. Negoita

It comes from the romanian word “negoeț,” which means “negotiation.” It’s also known as Negoiță, Neguța, and Neghiță.

31. Maftei

This last name comes from the Romanian word ‘mafte,’ which means “sore” in English.

32. Mihalache

It comes from the Romanian word ‘mihăieț,’ which means “small bread with holes.”

33. Moraru

It is derived from the Romanian word “moral,” which means miller.

34. Musat

This name derives from the Romanian word ‘musăt,’ which means “buzzard.” It may also be found as Musoiu or Musoșanu.

35. Stănescu

It comes from the Romanian word “stăneșt,” which means “stander” in English.

36. Ursache

The Romanian last name Ursache derives from Romanian word ‘ursache’, which means ‘bear’. It can also be written as Ursachi or Ursache.

37. Zamfir

This last name comes from the Romanian word ‘zamfir’, which means ‘dove’ in english. It can also be written as Zamfirache, Zamfiraşcu, Zamfirescu and Zamfiroiu.

38. Manea

It is derived from Romanian word “manea” which means ‘bird’ in Romanian. It is also available as Manu, Manolache.

39. Luca

It is derived from the word “lukâ” which means ‘to do’ in romanian.

40. Mihai

It is a Romanian name derived from the Russian word ‘mihail’ which means ‘great’ or ‘mighty’.

41. Spânu

This surname comes from the Romanian word “span” which means ‘covered’.

42. Turcu

It is a name derived from the Romanian word “turc” which means ‘Turkish’.

43. Neculai

It is a name derived from the Romanian word “neculai” which means ‘drunkard’ in Romanian.

44. Ivan

This Romanian surname comes from the Romanian word “ianu” which means ‘January’.

45. Ionescu

This last name it is derived from the Romanian word “ion” which means ‘John’ in English.

46. Bălan

This Romanian last name is derived from the word “balan” which means ‘balance’ in romanian.

47. Necula

Derived from the word “neculai” or the word “neagol” which means ‘lack of’ in Romanian.

48. Morariu

This name is derived from the Romanian word “moral” which means ‘miller’ in English.

49. Mazilu

It is a Romanian last name which is derived from the Romanian word “maziliu” which means ‘proud’.

50. Nica

It’s a romanian last name derived from the romanian word ‘nici’ which means ‘never’.”

51. Strugaru

It is a Romanian last name derived from the Romanian word “strugure” which means ‘grape’.

52. Dumitru

It is derived from the romanian word “dumne” which means ‘of god’ or “mitru” which means ‘friend’.

53. Tudor

It is a Romanian last name derived from the Romanian word “Tudori” which means “Of God.”

54. Diaconescu

It is a name derived from the Romanian word “dia” which means ‘god’ and the Romanian word “conescu” which means ‘lazy’.

55. Panait

It is a Romanian last name, derived from the Romanian word “panta”, which means “slope”.

56. Popa

It is a Romanian surname that has derived from the Romanian word “pop” which means ‘priest’.

57. Nicolau

A Romanian last name meaning “of Nicholas.” It comes from the Romanian word “nicolae,” which means “of Nicholas.”

58. Badea

It is a Romanian last name derived from the romanian word “bad” which means “old” and the Romanian word “balan” which means balance’.

59. Ilie

It is a Romanian last name that derived from the Romanian word “iliu” which means ‘of Illy’.

60. Oprea

It is derived from the Romanian word “operă” which means “opera.”

61. Popescu

It is said that the Romanian last name derives from the Latin word “pop” which means ‘priest’ and the Latin word “pescu” which means ‘fisherman’.

62.Grigorescu

It is a Romanian last name that derives from the Romanian word “grigore,” which means “sir” in Romanian.

63. Leahu

It is a name derived from the Romanian word “lea” which means ‘lion’.

64. Ciucă

It is a Romanian surname that derives from the Romanian term “ciuchi” which means “blue.”

65. Răceanu

It is a name that derives from the Romanian word “răcean” which means “mute”.

66. Țugulea

It’s derived from the Romanian word ‘țufuli’ which means “sack”.

67. Rotaru

It is a Romanian last name that derives from the Romanian word “rotă” which means “wheel”.

68. Bogatu

This name derived from the Romanian word “bogat” which means “rich”.

69. Bolboceanu

This last name is derived from the Romanian word “bolborosit” which means ‘talkative’.

70. Berbecaru

Derived Romanian word ‘berbecar’ which means “ram”.

71. Călugăru

Romanian last name meaning “monk”.

72. Andreescu

Romanian last name romanian for “Andrew”.

73. Voiculescu

Means “violete daughter”.

74. Cojocaru

Romanian for “comb maker”.

75. Chițoiu

Means “snipe”.

76. Olaru

English meaning is “potter”.

77. Livescu

Romanian for “lives”.

78. Ciolan

Romanian for “chisel”.

79. Mihăescu

Romanian last name for “Michael”.

80. Istrate

It’s meaning is “fighter”.