Are you looking for some last names starting with the letter I? If you want to find some generic surnames that start With I, here we have the list for you. In this list, you will find the top 10 generic surnames along with their meaning and origin.

It will help you trace the ancestry of all these names conveniently. You may find it interesting about all the information such as origin, history, and the true meaning of that name.  

Top 10 Generic Surnames Starting With I

To find the complete list, you can check the related CocoFinder page. 

1. Ingram

The most generic name to start with the letter I am Ingram. It has an English origin that stands for Raven of Peace. The surname has Scottish ancestry from the 18th and 19th centuries. It is believed to be an alternative spelling of Ingelramus, an ancient personal name. 

In the United States, it is the most popular name with the Letter I with 18,294 people. The descendants with this surname are most commonly found in Texas. 

2. Irwin

Irwin is another generic surname that originated from Ireland and Scotland. The meaning of this name is sea lover or sea friend. The origin of this name is similar to different names like Ervin, Erwin, Urwin, and Urvin. The name is given to the people who like to live near the sea and other water bodies. 

It is the second most popular last name that starts with I in the United States. More than 9,658 people in the United States have this last name in the registered documents. California is the most popular state for this community. 

3. Ivey

Ivey is an English Originated name that has its history traced back to England. This surname stands for ‘Son of Eve’ that is a part of patronymic surnames. After the Norman Conquest, these names became popular in the country. The descendants of this name are still using Ivey as their surname.

The name is equally popular in the United States and has more than 8200 registered citizens living in some major states of the country. Georgia has more than 1200 people with the same surname. 

4. Isom

Isom originated from England with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name originated from a family in Northampton. However, the spelling of the place has evolved several times and people with the surname Isham share the same ancestry with them.

The meaning of this name is ‘Homestead by River Ice’.

5. Islas

Islas originated from England and have different ancestries associated with the last name. The name was derived from an old French name Isle. The origin of this name is associated with an English family and the descendants use Islas to stay connected with the history of this name. 

Some people believe that Islas is also an alternative name for Aethal because both of them share a similar meaning. 

6. Iniguez

The surname Iniguez comes from the personal Spanish name Inigo. It means that the surname has a Spanish origin and the meaning in the name of a famous church Father, Inigo Yanez. The descendants of the Father use it as their surname and different Spanish families are associated with this name.

In the United States, More than 2000 people are recognized by this surname. 

7. Islam

The surname originated from Arabic countries and has its ancestry to the same place. The meaning of this name is ‘Submission to God’. The popularity of this name in the United States is similar to the ones we covered above.

Around 2,154 residents of this country use Islam as their last name.

8. Isler

Isler is a Patronymic name that has different origins. The name is taken from a male family member and has German as its main origin. The name is also used for a similar name Israel. Therefore, the ancestries of both these surnames can have some common descendants.

In the United States, there are more than 820 people with the same surname. 

9. Inglish

English is a surname that originated from English countries like England, Ireland, and Scotland. This name comes from the old word Englisc that means the ‘Angles from the Saxons’. The name was found in the 12th century and the descendants are following the name through their generations. 

After World War 2, most people with this surname migrated to Scotland. There are around 1000 citizens with Inglish as their surname in the US. 

10. Isola

The surname Isola is based on a female personal name, Isola which means ‘Island’. It has an Irish origin and people believe that the ancestry of this name is related to an Irish author who died at an early age. The name is generic and has around 300 citizens with this surname in the United States.

California and New York alone make around 50% of the descendants of this surname.

Is it Compulsory to Have a Last Name?

No state rule requires you to choose the last name. However, most people use surnames because they want to stay connected with their history and ancestry. As we mentioned in this article, many factors are associated with your surname.

It can be based on your birthplace, your ancestor’s name, some characteristic, or some kind of story that runs through your family. 

However, tracking ancestry is challenging in some cases because people change their last names after marriage. After this change, the person gets their partner’s surname.  

Final Words

We hope you must have found the name that you were looking for. However, you can always check CocoFinder’s website for the extended list of these surnames. Also, you can check the similar surnames starting with other letters.