Ames Family History

English (of Norman origin): from the Old French personal name Amis or from the feminine form Amice. The Old French word amis is from Latin amicus ‘friend’ which was used in Late Latin as a term for a man of the lower classes in particular a slave. There were also derivatives of this as personal names in particular masculine Amicius and feminine Amicia. Both were in use as personal names in England and may have contributed to the surname.

German: perhaps a nickname for an active person from an ancient Germanic word related to Old High German amazzig ‘busy’.

Dutch: possibly a patronymic from Ame a common personal name in Holland and Friesland, an abbreviated form of an ancient Germanic personal name perhaps beginning with amel ‘strong’.