Best
A surname that usually began as a nickname, often meaning “the beast” or, less certainly, as a spelling change from Basset.
The #911 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 8,141 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Best is usually treated as a nickname surname rather than a name from the adjective “best.” In older records it appears as Le Beste, meaning “the beast,” which would fit a rough or striking personal nickname. One historical source also notes a well-attested case where Best is a corruption of Norman Basset, so not every family with this surname has the same origin.
History
The name is found in medieval English records, and later appears in several spellings, including Beste. Because it is short and ordinary-looking, it has sometimes been confused with the common adjective, but historical scholarship generally rejects that explanation. In some families the surname may have been altered from Basset, showing how surnames could shift in spelling and pronunciation over time.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Despite looking like a compliment, the surname Best is not usually derived from the word “best” at all.
From the historical record
“BESFORD. A parish in co. Worcester. BEST. BESTE. This name has pro- bably no connection with the adjective. In the H. R. it occurs as Le Beste, ' the beast,' a sobricjuet ; but there is one well-authenticated instance, in which it is a corruption of the Norman Basset. Inf. Stacey Grimaldi, Esq., F.S.A. BESWICK.…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom