120 Last Names in Hawaii (From the Popular to the Rare)

Traditionally, Hawaiians didn’t use last names until 1860 when they were made to adopt Western-style surnames due to colonization. Hawaiian surnames often referred to nature, geography, ancestors, or mythology. To discover more about Hawaiian last names and meanings, including the common and unique to the geographical and royal, keep reading! We’ll also talk about the history of how modern Hawaiian last names came to be.

Popular Hawaiian Last Names & Meanings

Akana: Means “the golden one” or “the sun.”
Kahale: Refers to “the house” or “the home.”
Kai: Means “sea” or “ocean.”
Koa: Refers to a “warrior” or means “brave.”
Maluhia: Refers to “peace” or “tranquility.”
Nalani: Refers to “the heavens” or “chief of the sky.”
Pualani: Means “heavenly flower.”

Section 1 of 10:

Nature-Inspired Hawaiian Last Names

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These names reflect Hawaiian themes like nature. Many Hawaiian names allude to the blue sky, like Anuhea, meaning “cool, fragrant breeze,” and Leilani, which describes a “heavenly flower.” Other popular names are Hawaiian variations of other first names, like Akoni, the equivalent of Anthony.^{[1]
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- Aka – Means “shadow” or “reflection.”
- Akana – Means “the golden one” or “the sun.”
- Akela – A Hawaiian interpretation of “Asher,” meaning “blessed.”
- Akoni – The Hawaiian variation of “Anthony,” meaning “priceless.”
- Alika – Equivalent to “Alex” in Hawaiian; it means “defender of mankind.”
- Anuhea – Means “cool, fragrant breeze.”
- Aolani – Means “heavenly cloud.”
- Ikaika – Means “strong” or “powerful.”
- Kai – Means “sea” or “ocean.”
- Kailani – Means “sea and sky.”
- Kaimana – Translates to “diamond” or “power of the ocean.”
- Kalei – A short form of “Kaleialoha,” meaning “the beloved one.”
- Kealoha – Means “the love” or “beloved one.”
- Keanu – Means “cool breeze.”
- Lani – Refers to “sky” or “heaven.”
- Leilani – Means “heavenly flower.”
- Lokelani – The name given to a “small red rose”; the official flower of Maui.
- Mahina – Means “moon.”
- Makai – Indicates moving “toward the sea.”
- Nalani – Refers to “the heavens” or “chief of the sky.”

Section 2 of 10:

Common Hawaiian Last Names

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Common names vary from everyday words to poetic phrases. Certain names like Maluhia mean “peace” or “tranquility,” while Noelani is used to describe “the mist of heaven.” Simple names like Ua mean “rain,” while Hōkūpaʻa means “north star.” Wong and Lee are examples of two Chinese surnames that are used by Chinese-Hawaiian communities.^{[2]
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- Hoʻomalu – Means “to protect” or “to bring peace.”
- Hōkūpaʻa – Means “north star,” a symbol of guidance.
- Kahale – Refers to “the house” or “the home.”
- Kelekolio – Means “gift of knowledge” or “wisdom.”
- Lee – Means “plum tree”; one of many Chinese surnames in Hawaii.
- Lokahi – Means “unity” or “harmony.”
- Maluhia – Refers to “peace” or “tranquility.”
- Naʻauao – Given to someone who is “wise” or “enlightened.”
- Noelani – “Describes the “mist of heaven.”
- ʻŌpūnui – Means “abundance” or “prosperity.”
- Palakiko – A Hawaiian version of the Spanish Francisco.
- Pono – Means “righteousness” or “balance.”
- Pualani – Means “heavenly flower.”
- Ua – The Hawaiian word for “rain.”
- Wong – Means “king,” “monarch,” or “yellow; a Chinese surname often found in Hawaii.

Section 3 of 10:

Geographical Hawaiian Last Names

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Locational names refer to areas or natural wonders found in Hawaii. Kailua and Lahaina are actual Hawaiian town names, while Kona refers to the side of the Big Island where the wind doesn’t blow. Mauna and Haleakalā pay homage to some of Hawaii’s most famous and powerful volcanoes.^{[3]
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- Arakawa – A Japanese surname found in Hawaii; it means “rough river.”
- Fujimoto – Meaning “wisteria base” in Japanese.
- Haleakalā – The name of the “House of the Sun” volcano in Maui.
- Hana – The name of a town on Maui’s eastern coast.
- Honoliʻi – Means “small bay”; a place name in Hawaii.
- Kailua – Means “two seas”; it’s also a town on Oʻahu and the Big Island.
- Kauaʻi – Named after the island of Kauaʻi.
- Kealakekua – A historic bay on Hawaii’s Big Island.
- Kimura – Means “tree village” in Japanese.
- Kona – Refers to the side of the Big Island that is sheltered from the wind.
- Lahaina – The name of a historic town in Maui.
- Mauna – Short for Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa, two of Hawaii’s tallest volcanoes.
- Waikīkī – The name given to a famous Honolulu beach.

Section 4 of 10:

Hawaiian Last Names Based on Occupation or Traits

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Certain last names indicate an occupation or personality trait. Haku Mele is the name given to a “song composer,” while Kalawaia and Lawai’a both mean “a fisherman.” To describe someone who is “gentle” or “kind,” you’d call them Oluolu. Kūpaʻa is used for anyone “gentle” or “kind.”^{[4]
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- Alakaʻi – Means “leader” or “guide.”
- Haku Mele – The name given to a “song composer.”
- Kahanu– Taken from the Hawaiian “kāhuna,” meaning “priest,” “healer,” or “expert.”
- Kalawaia - Means “the fisherman.”
- Kupuna – Refers to an “elder” or “respected ancestor.”
- Kālai – Means “to carve”; given to wood or stone carvers.
- Kūpaʻa – Means “steadfast” or “loyal.”
- Lauhala – The practice of weaving pandanus leaves.
- Lawaiʻa – Also means “fisherman.”
- Oluolu – Means “gentle” or “kind.”
- Poʻe Hula – A name given to a “hula dancer.”
- Pāʻū – Means “hula skirt maker.”
- Pūkāea – Used for a “conch shell blower.”
- Waʻa – Means “canoe builder.”

Section 5 of 10:

Unique Hawaiian Last Names

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Many names in Hawaii have various interesting meanings. Some have simple meanings, like Nani, which means “beautiful” in Hawaiian. Others, like Ono, meaning “delicious,” are Hawaiian slang words. Many Hawaiian names, such as Makoa, meaning “fearless,” have roots in the Polynesian language, where it means “shark.”^{[5]
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- Aloha – A Hawaiian greeting that means “love” or “compassion.”
- Hoku – Means “star.”
- Kahananui – Means “the great work” or “the hard job”; made up of the Hawaiian "ka," meaning “the,” "hana,” meaning “work,” and "nui,” meaning “great” or “big.”
- Kainoa – Means “namesake,” as well as “the sea” and “free ocean.”
- Kaleo – Means “the voice.”
- Keoni – The Hawaiian form of “John,” meaning “God is gracious.”
- Koa – Refers to a “warrior” or means “brave.”
- Liko – Means “bud” in Hawaiian.
- Makana – Means “gift.”
- Makoa – Means “fearless”; also related to “Mako,” meaning “shark” in Polynesian.
- Nani – Means “beautiful.”
- Noa – Means “freedom.”^{[6]
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- Ono – Means “delicious” or “tasty.”

Section 6 of 10:

Famous or Royal Hawaiian Last Names

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Some names are associated with members of royalty. These last names pay their respects to famous Hawaiian leaders like Kamehameha I or Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last monarch of Hawaii. Kū refers to the Hawaiian god of war, while Maui is named for a Polynesian demigod.^{[7]
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- Aiona – Means “forever” in Hawaiian; used among Chinese-Hawaiian populations.
- Akaka – Comes from the Hawaiian "akaka," meaning “swift” or “quick.”
- Hoʻomana – Means “to worship” or refers to “religion.”
- Kalani – Means “the royal one,” as well as “the heavens” or “the sky.”
- Kalanimoku – The name of a Hawaiian chief advisor to Kamehameha I.
- Kalākaua – The name of King David Kalākaua, the last ruling king of Hawaii.
- Kamehameha – The name of Hawaii’s King Kamehameha I.
- Kapiʻolani – Means “the royal arch”; Queen Kapiʻolani’s name.
- Kaʻiulani – Means “royal sacred one of the sea”; Princess Victoria Kaʻiulani’s name.
- Keōua – Means “the rain cloud”; the father of Kamehameha I.
- Kāne – The name of the Hawaiian god of creation.
- Kū – The name given to the Hawaiian god of war.
- Liliʻuokalani – Refers to a “burning pain in the eyes”; The name of Hawaii’s last queen.
- Lono – The name of the Hawaiian god of agriculture and peace.
- Lunalilo – Means “so high up as to be lost to sight”; refers to King William Lunalilo.
- Mana – Means “spiritual power.”
- Maui – Named after the Polynesian demigod of Maui.
- Pele – The name given to the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes.
- Peleke – Reflects a noble lineage; it means “to be brought forth.”

Section 7 of 10:

Cool Hawaiian Last Names

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Some family names sound super unique or have powerful or mysterious meanings. These names vary greatly from Kaiki, a symbol of old age, to Aukai, a name given to a “seafarer.” Laka relates to the Hawaiian goddess of the hula, but Mehelona is a way to describe a “chief or leader.”^{[8]
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- Aukai – Means “seafarer” or “explorer of the sea.”
- Haikili – Named after the Hawaiian god of thunder.
- Hina – The name given to the Hawaiian goddess of the moon.
- Kahoʻaliʻi – Means the “sacred chief” or “the noble sacred one.”
- Kaiwi – Means “the bone”; a symbol of life and old age.
- Kamapuaʻa – Means “hog child” after the demigod who could transform into a pig.
- Kanaloa – The Hawaiian god of the ocean and underworld.
- Kawelo – Means “the waving of the flag”; a heroic figure of Kahuai.
- Laka – The Hawaiian goddess of hula and forest growth.
- Mahelona – Means “to be a chief or a leader.”
- Nāmaka – The sea goddess, sister of Pele.
- Ualoheke – Means “it’s gone” in Hawaiian.

Section 8 of 10:

Rare Hawaiian Last Names

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Uncommon names often have meanings that stand out. Ele means “black,” while Kaleikoa refers to a “warrior’s voice.” Kahue is a word used for “the ground,” while Lokomaikaʻi is a unique word that describes “goodness from within.” These names even include Hekekia, the Hawaiian version of the Biblical name Hezekiah.^{[9]
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- Ailani – Means “high chief.”
- Ele – Means “black” or “dark.”
- Eusebio – Refers to “worshipping well.”
- Haunani – Means “beautiful snow.”
- Hekekia – The Hawaiian form of the Hebrew Hezekiah.
- Iolana – Means “to soar.”
- Kahue – Means “the gourd.”
- Kaleikoa – Refers to “the voice of the warrior.”
- Kawena – Describes “the glow of the sun.”
- Lokomaikaʻi – Means “goodness from within.”
- Mālie – Means “calm” or “peaceful.”
- Nahoa – Describes something “bold” or “fearless.”
- Ululani – Refers to “divine inspiration.”
- Wailani – Made up of the Hawaiian “wai,” meaning “water,” and “lani,” meaning “heaven.”

Section 9 of 10:

The Origin and History of Hawaiian Last Names

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Hawaiians were originally known by one given name or phrase. They went by a single name (or a descriptive phrase) usually relating to nature, lineage, or historical events. Using last names in Hawaii was a direct result of the Western-influenced Act to Regulate Names in 1860, which made it a law to use a surname and take on English or Christian first names. This helped create the naming system in Hawaii that carried over into the modern world.^{[10]
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- Many Hawaiians took their father’s name as a surname when the law went into effect.
- Traditional Hawaiian names were often kept as middle names during the transition.
- The Act to Regulate Names was signed into law by Hawaiian King Kamehameha IV.
- The Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown on January 17, 1893, when Queen Liliʻuokalani was deposed to help stabilize the economy. The initial provisional government eventually became the establishment of the Republic of Hawaii, until it was annexed in 1898 and became a U.S. Territory in 1900.

Section 10 of 10:

Hawaiian Last Names FAQs

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1
Why are names given significant importance in Hawaii? In Hawaii, names are used to recall an important historical event, honor ancestors, or refer to a geographical feature. They’re also linked to important stories or myths. Some examples include Laka, the Hawaiian goddess of hula, or Pele, the goddess of the volcanoes.^{[11]
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Is there any diversity in Hawaiian surnames? The Hawaiian surnames that came into being in 1860 were derived from a father’s first name. Other Hawaiian last names have Spanish, Portuguese, and other European influences. Today, Hawaiian last names can refer to places, mythology, traits, or famous Hawaiian rulers.
3
What is the most common last name in Hawaii? Lee is the most common last name in Hawaii because of the significant Asian-American population. Many Chinese and Korean immigrants came to Hawaii in the 19th century as laborers. In addition to Lee, Wong and Kim are two other popular Asian-influenced surnames in Hawaii.