Vaughan
A Welsh surname meaning “little” or “small,” originally from a nickname or personal name.
The #893 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 7,951 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Vaughan comes from Welsh bychan, meaning “little” or “small.” In older Welsh, the initial consonant could mutate, producing forms like vychan and Vaughan. The name began as a descriptive nickname or a personal name, much like English surnames such as Little.
History
Historical sources describe Vaughan as an old Welsh personal name that later became a hereditary surname. In some families, the prefix ap (“son of”) was dropped in the 16th and 17th centuries as Welsh naming practices shifted toward fixed surnames. The name is especially associated with Welsh gentry families, including branches claiming descent from older Welsh lineages.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some older writers treated Vaughan as the Welsh equivalent of English Little.
From the historical record
“VAUGHAN. Welsh vychan, little in stature ; answering to Petit, Basset, Little, &c. A personal name of great antiquity. In the more eminent families, the Ap was disused in the XVI. and XVII. centuries. The Vaughans of Burlton Hall, co. Salop, deduce themselves from the renowned Tudor Trevor, tlie common patriarch of…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Vaughan
- Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954–1990)
- Sarah Vaughan (1924–1990)
- Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.