From current constitutional monarchies to ancient dynasties that have lasted for hundreds of years, these powerful royal last names are full of gravitas. Explore the famous and lesser-known royal surnames from empires like England, France, Egypt, and Mali and see which deserve your crowning glory.
English and British Royal Last Names
England has been overseen by monarchial rule for generations. From the world-renowned Queen Elizabeth 1st to the current King Charles III, England has a long history of royal last names for you to enjoy. Just thank the many coups, Civil Wars, and fatal illnesses for bringing you these surnames.
- Cromwell - Family surname of Oliver Cromwell, former Lord Protectorate
- Howard - Duke of Norfolk
- Izyaslavich - One last name of the British royal family
- Markle - Prince Harry's wife's surname
- Middleton - Prince William's wife's surname
- Stanley - English baron roots
- Tudor - English royal family, starting with Henry Tudor
- Wettin - Stems from Queen Victoria Wettin
- Windsor - Surname of the current English monarch, Charles III
- York - Territorial name designated as a royal last name
Scottish Royal Last Names
Despite what the English empire wants you to believe, their close neighbors were independently ruled for decades. Look to Scotland's history, and you'll find an impressive collection of former Kings and Queens.
- Alpin - Surname of the first King of Scotland
- Balliol - Surname of former King John Balliol
- Barclay - Surname of the former Chamberlain of Scotland
- Bruce - Surname of the famed revolutionary, Robert the Bruce
- Canmore - Surname of Malcolm of Canmore (Malcolm III)
- Robertson - Common surname for several Scottish kings
- Stuart - Surname for the royal house of Scotland
Related: 100 Royal Baby Boy Names for Your Precious Little Prince
Continental European Royal Names
The British Isles are but a tiny drop in the ocean compared to the long-lasting monarchial dynasties that have emerged from continental Europe. From defunct empires to current rulers, these are just a handful of the European royal names recorded in the history books.
- Agnes - Surname of former Prince Reuss of Gera
- Augustus - Surname of Rome's emperor
- Bernadotte - Surname for the 19th-century Swedish royal family
- Bonaparte - Infamous French-ruling family led by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
- Bourbon - Surname for one of the French royal families
- Castile - Royal Spanish House with notable members including Isabella I
- Charlemagne - Stems from Charles the Great, King of Franks
- Conrad - Surname of an early German King
- Ferdinand - Stems from Austro-Hungarian ruler, Archduke Franz Ferdinand
- Germanicus - Stems from the infamous Roman Emperor Nero
- Glucksburg - Stems from one of the Greek and Danish royal families
- Guillaume - Las name of the Prince of Luxembourg
- Gustav - Early modern Swedish royal surname
- Grimaldi - The ruling family surname of Monaco
- Herbert - Stems from the early modern Baron of Herbert
- Hohenstaufen - Dynastic family who ruled the Duchy of Swabia and the Holy Roman Empire
- Kiev - Stems from the former ruling family of Kievan Rus
- Makedon - A Macedonian royal house
- Medici - Italian royal family that grew to prominence during the late Medieval period
- Mountbatten - Most notably stems from Queen Elizabeth II's husband, Prince Philip Mountbatten
- Orleans - One of the many French royal families
- Pavlovich - Stems from Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia
- Romanov - Ruling dynastic family over the Russian Empire
- Saxe-Coburg-Gotha - Former surname for the Belgian royal family
- Sviatoslavyach - The surname of the Rurik dynasty
African Royal Names
While Europe might be the first place you think of when it comes to royal last names, they aren't the only ones that dipped their toes into royal affairs. Explore the African continent through these historic royal last names.
- Alawi - Dynastic surname of the current family ruling Morocco
- Fouad - The last king of Egypt
- Kieta - Dynastic surname of the Malian-ruling family
- Kilukeni - Dynastic surname of one ruling Kongolese family
- Kwilu - Dynastic surname of one ruling Konogolese family
- Mahlangu - Former King of Ndebele
- Nefertiti - An 18th-century surname sourced from an Egyptian Pharoah
- Pasha al-Mas'ud ibn Agha - Ottoman ruler surname
- Philopator - Egyptian ruler, Cleopatra's, surname
- Seeiso - Surname of the princess of Lesotho
Middle Eastern Royal Last Names
The Middle East is home to some of the oldest dynastic groups in the world. Discover some of these prominent royal last names from the region.
- Abdulaziz - The Saudi Arabian royal family
- Al Hashim - Stems from the King of Jordan
- Al Maktoum - The royal family of the Emirate of Dubai's surname
- Al Nahyan - The ruler of Abu Dhabi's last name
- Al Said - The Sultan of Oman's surname
- Al Saud - The House of Saud's surname
- Al-Thani - Emir of Qatar's surname
- Dlamini - A Swaziland royal family name
- Ilunga - The Luba prince and Emperor of Lunda's surname
Asian Royal Last Names
Stretching thousands of years and miles, these historic royal last names from the Asian continent are steeped in regional history. However, like many historic royals, most Asian dynasties didn't have a surname exactly, but rather they carried a family or dynastic name.
- Bolkiah - From the Sultan of Brunei
- Jaipur - Royal Indian family presiding over the Kachhwahas clan
- Jimmu - From the Emperor of Japan
- Khan - Stems from Mongol rulers
- Mewar - Indian royal House that ruled the Udaipur (formerly Mewar) state
- Pema - Surname of a Bhutanese queen
- Rathore - Indian dynastic family who ruled several regions
- Sho - Last name of the Second Sho Dynasty
- Vajiralongkorn - The King of Thailand's surname
- Wangchuck - The Bhutan King's last name
- Yi - The Korean Royal Family's House name
- Ying - Adopted royal surnamed from the Qin dynasty
- Zhang - Descendents family name from the Emperor Huang Di
Lesser-Known Royal Surnames
Not every royal family has the cultural cache that ones like the Habsburgs do. In honor of celebrating those names history doesn't remember as well, here are a few lesser-known royal surnames from around the world.
- Iturbide - Ruling House of the 19th century Mexican Empire
- Kamehameha - The surname of a royal Hawaiian family
- Orléans-Braganza - Ruling House of the Brazilian Empire, formed in 1864
- Paki - Surname of the current Maori king
- Tupou - Surname of the Tongan monarchs
These Royal Last Names Rule
While monarchial rules feel like a thing of the past, you'd be surprised at just how many royal families are still around. Get a taste for that infamously restrictive lifestyle with these royal last names that totally rule.
