100+ Common Romanian Surnames (with Meanings)

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Naming expert Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson discusses some of the most popular surnames in Romania

Co-authored by Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson and Devin McSween

Last Updated: February 9, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Common
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• Descriptive
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• Occupational
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• Patronymic
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• Surnames in Other Cultures

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Romania is a European country known for its beautiful landscapes, medieval towns and castles, and rich culture (including the “birthplace” of Count Dracula). Romanian last names are also uniquely beautiful and culturally deep, typically coming from an ancestor’s first name, qualities, or occupation. In this article, we’ll go over the most common last names in Romania, as well as descriptive, occupational, and patronymic surnames, with help from naming expert Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson. Keep reading to find out more!

The Most Common Names in Romania

Naming expert Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson says Romanian last names are typically based on an ancestor’s first name, description (traits or place of origin), or occupation. Common surnames include Popescu (“priest’s son”), Albescu (“white”), Ciobanu (“shepherd”), Ioveanu (“Ivan’s son”), and Ardelean (“from Ardeal”).

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Section 1 of 5:

Most Common Romanian Last Names

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1. 
   Dr. Wilson says, “Romanian surnames often have a lyrical, romantic quality, and many are rooted in family lineage, occupations, or physical traits.” Most surnames end in suffixes like -escu, -anu, -aru, -an, and -atu, which signify an attribution to an ancestor. Some of the most common surnames in Romania are:

   • Popa: “Priest.”
   • Popescu: “Son of the priest.”
     • According to Dr. Wilson, the suffix “-escu” typically signals “son of,” making Romanian surnames beautifully genealogical which is almost like a built-in family tree.
   • Georgescu: “Son of Gheorghe (George).”
   • Albescu: “White.”
   • Albu: “White.”
   • Radu: From the first name Radu, meaning “happy one” or “glad.”
   • Dumitru: From the first name Dumitru and linked to Saint Demetrius. It means “follower of Demeter.”
   • Stan: Derived from a Slavic root meaning “to stand” or “to be steadfast.”
     • Dr. Wilson says, “Stan does not have a single meaning as it derives from Slavic roots and can relate to names like Stanislav rather than having one clear translation.”
   • Andrei: From the first name Andrei, meaning “manly.”
   • Bucur: “Joy.”
   • Stoica: “Stoic.”
   • Gheorghe: From the first name Gheorghe (George), meaning “farmer.”
   • Matei: From the first name Matei (Matthew), meaning “gift of God.”
   • Ciobanu: “Shepherd.”
   • Ionescu: “Son of Ion.” Dr. Wilson says Ion is the Romanian form of John.
   • Rusu: “Russian.”
   • Ioveanu: “Son of Ivan.”
   • Mitrea: From the first name Dumitru, meaning “follower of Demeter.”
   • Nicolescu: “Nicolae’s son.”
   • Luca: From the first name Lucas, meaning “bringer of light.”
   • Ardelean: “From Ardeal,” also known as Transylvania.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Dr. Hayley Elizabeth Wilson is a naming expert based in Liverpool, England. Dr. Wilson shares name meanings, naming tips, and other inspiration on social media @little_name_library to over 20k followers on Instagram.
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Section 2 of 5:

Descriptive Romanian Last Names

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1. 
   Many Romanian last names come from an ancestor’s description. This often includes physical qualities, personality traits, and geographic locations in which they grew up. Here are some common descriptive surnames:

   • Balan: “Blonde.”
   • Barbu: “Beard.”
   • Boureanu: “Ox.”
   • Coman: “Cuman,” referring to a Turkic ethnic group.
   • Florea: “Flower.”
   • Francu: “French person.”
   • Grecu: “Greek.”
   • Grosu: “Large” or “thick.”
   • Hagi: “Holy” or “sacred.”
   • Hategan: “From Hateg,” a town in Romania.
   • Lepadatu: “Abandoned.”
   • Lungu: “Long.”
   • Lupu: “Wolf.”
   • Macovei: “Poppy.”
   • Moldovan: “From Moldova.”
   • Munteanu: “Person from the mountains.”
   • Negru: “Black.”
   • Olteanu: “From Oltenia.”
   • Oprea: “Stop.”
   • Roșu: “Red.”
   • Serban: “A Serb.”
   • Tecuceanu: “From Tecuci,” a city in Romania.
   • Turcanu: “From Turkey.”
   • Ungur: “Hungarian.”
   • Ursu: “Bear.”
   • Vaduva: “Widow.”
   • Vernescu: “To bloom.”
   • Voinea: “Brave” or “valiant.”
   • Vulpe: “Fox.”

Section 3 of 5:

Occupational Romanian Last Names

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1. 
   Lots of Romanian last names are derived from an ancestor’s occupation. These are often trades and jobs, but some names refer to roles in society. For example, check out these occupational surnames:

   • Cojocaru: “Cojoc jacket maker” (a traditional sheepskin jacket).
   • Croitoru: “Tailor.”
   • Firea: “Smith.”
   • Funar: “Rope maker.”
   • Lemnaru: “Carpenter.”
   • Mocanu: “Shepherd.”
   • Moraru: “Miller.”
   • Olaru: “Potter.”
   • Pacuraru: “Shepherd.”
   • Paduraru: “Forester.”
   • Palade: “Shovel” or “palace.”
   • Paslaru: “Shoemaker.”
   • Pescaru: “Fisherman.”
   • Rotaru: “Wheelwright.”
   • Surugiu: “Charioteer.”
   • Zidaru: “Bricklayer.”
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Section 4 of 5:

Patronymic Romanian Last Names

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1. 
   In Romania, it’s tradition to make a father’s or grandfather’s first name into the last name. This is usually done by adding the suffix -escu to their first name, which roughly means “son of.” Below are some common patronymic surnames:

   • Adam: From the first name Adam, meaning “son of red earth.”
   • Adamescu: “Son of Adam.”
   • Alexandrescu: “Son of Alexandru.”
   • Andronescu: “Son of Andrei.”
   • Anghel: From the first name Anghel, meaning “angel.”
   • Anton: From the first name Anton, meaning “priceless.”
   • Badea: “Older brother” or “older man.”
   • Constantinescu: “Son of Constantin.”
   • Costache: From the given name Constantin, meaning “steadfast.”
   • Dan: From the given name Daniel, meaning “valley” or “judge.”
   • Davidescu: “Son of David.”
   • Dinu: From the given name Constantin, meaning “steadfast.”
   • Dragomir: From the given name Dragomi, meaning “peace is precious.”
   • Filip: From the given name Filip, meaning “friend of horses.”
   • Grigorescu: “Son of Grigore.”
   • Iacob: From the given name Iacob, meaning “to follow.”
   • Iliescu: “Son of Ilie.”
   • Iordache: From the given name Iordache (George), meaning “farmer.”
   • Lazar: From the given name Lazar, meaning “God has helped.”
   • Manolescu: “Son of Manole.”
   • Marculescu: “Son of Marcu.”
   • Marin: From the given name Marin, meaning “marine.”
   • Mihailescu: “Son of Mihai.”
   • Miron: From the given name Miron, meaning “myrrh.”
   • Pavelescu: “Son of Pavel.”
   • Petrescu: “Son of Petre.”
   • Sandu: From the given name Alexandru, meaning “defender of man.”
   • Simionescu: “Son of Simion.”
   • Stefan: From the given name Stefan, meaning “wealth.”
   • Tanase: From the given name Athanasius, meaning “immortal.”
   • Teodorescu: “Son of Teodor.”
   • Toma: From the given name Toma (Thomas), meaning “twin.”
   • Vasile: From the given name Vasile, meaning “king.”
   • Vladescu: “Son of Vlad.”
   • Zaharia: From the given name Zacharias, meaning “God remembers.”
   • Zamfirescu: “Son of Zamfir.”

Section 5 of 5:

Surnames in Other Cultures

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1. Curious to learn about more last names? We’ve compiled lists of other surnames from around the globe—check them out below!

   • Ukrainian Last Names
   • Polish Last Names
   • Russian Last Names
   • Chinese Last Names
   • German Last Names
   • Italian Last Names
   • French Last Names
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