The history of Cambodian family names is a long and complicated one. For many centuries, the vast majority of Cambodians did not have surnames. Instead, they were known simply by their given name, which was often followed by their profession or place of birth. It wasn't until the 19th century that surnames began to become more common among Cambodians. This was largely due to the influence of the French colonial administration, which required all Cambodians to adopt surnames for official purposes.

The most common type of Cambodian surname is the patrilineal surname, which is passed down from father to son. However, there are also matrilineal surnames, which are passed down from mother to daughter. In addition, there are some surnames that are derived from nicknames or descriptive terms.

One interesting feature of Cambodian surnames is that they often include reference to an ancestor's profession or place of origin. For example, the surname "Kong" (គង) means "blacksmith" and is often found among those with ancestral roots in the blacksmithing trade. Similarly, the surname "Svay" (ស្វាយ) means "from Siem Reap Province" and is commonly found among those with ancestry from that region.

Have a look at these Cambodian family names:

Aek Ainh Amng Beng Bonna Boren Borey Borin Bou Boun Bouth Buth
Catry Chandara Chann Channa Chantha Chea Cheang Cheap Chetra Cheu Chey Chhay Chhaya Chhea Chheang Chheng Chhim Chhit Chhith Chhor Chim Chiv Chok Choung Chour Chuk Chum Dalin Danet Dara Dav Deth Ean Eang Emo Haeng
Haing Hean Heang Hel Hok Hol Horm Horng Hourn Hov Hun Huor Ieng Ith Kaing Kak Kanal Keam Kear Keat Kem Keo Keut Kheng Khiev Khim Khun Kinal Kob Koem Krouch Kun Kuon Lach Lalin Lann Lav Leang Leat Lieng Liv Lom Lor Lork Lorn Lov Luch Malai
Marath Meak Mean Meas Mey Minear Mit Moeung Mork Moth Mouy Muon Muth Nao Narath Naro Nea Neam Neath Net Neth Ngim Nhem Nhim Nong Nop Nouch Noun Nov Nun Onn Orm Orn Ouk Oum Oun Pagna Pav Pean Peang Pech Peh Peou Phann Phath Phay Phin Pho Phoeun Phon Pich Pisey Pok Ponn Por Pouk Poy Prach Prak Prok Prom Prou Prum Puth Puy Rachana Rann Ratana Ream Reap Reath Reth Rethy Rin Rotha Rum Sambor Samnang Sathya Sem Seng Serey Siden Siem
Sinn Socheat Socheata Sok Sokhen Sonn Sopha Sophat Sophea Sophon Soth Sotheary Sour Sours Sovan Sovann Soy Srey Sum Suon

Last Names by Countries

Afghans Algerian Albanian Angolan Argentines Australian Austrian Azerbaijani Bangladeshi Belarusian Belgian Benin Bolivian Bosniak Brazilian British Bulgarian Burkinab Cambodian Cameroonian Canadian Chilean Chinese Colombian Croatian Czech Congolese Danish Dominican Republic Ecuadorian Egyptian Ethiopian Finn French Georgian German Ghanaian Greek Guatemalan Hungarian Indian Indonesian Iranian Iraqi Irish Israeli Italian Ivorian Japanese Kazakh Kenyan Latvian Lebanese Lithuanian Macedonian Malaysian Mexican Moroccan Mozambican Nepali Netherland Nigerian Norwegian Pakistani Peruvian Filipino Polish Portugese Romanian Russian Saudi Arabian Serbian Slovak Slovenes South African Spanish Sri Lankan Swedish Swiss Syrian Tanzanian Tunisian Turkish Ugandan Ukrainian US-American Uzbek Venezuelan Vietnamese Zambian Zimbabwean