Horse Family History

Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on a word meaning ‘horse’ such as Lakota Sioux šuŋk. The importance of the horse to Native Americans is reflected in their traditional personal names, many of which were adopted as surnames (translated into English), e.g. American Horse (see Americanhorse), Fast Horse (see Fasthorse), Roan Horse (see Roanhorse), White Horse (see Whitehorse), and Yellow Horse (see Yellowhorse).

English: nickname from Middle English, Old English hors perhaps for someone thought to resemble a horse in some way, or for someone who kept or worked with horses or owned a noteworthy horse.