# How much are colors used as surnames in other languages? (Green, White, etc.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2002, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-colors-used-as-surnames-in-other-languages-green-white-etc/124793 "2002-08-20T21:20:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-colors-used-as-surnames-in-other-languages-green-white-etc/124793/21 "2002-08-21T13:42:52Z")
Curiously, in Italian the colorful surnames are pluralized. Verdi – greens Neri – blacks Bianchi – whites Rossi – reds Those are the most common names. There may be some Bruni (browns) floating around, but I’ve never heard of any Gialli (yellows), Blu o Azzurri (blues), or Arancioni (oranges). ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-colors-used-as-surnames-in-other-languages-green-white-etc/124793/22 "2002-08-21T13:47:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gallows fodder \* > **There may be some Bruni (browns) floating around …** I’ve heard of “Bruno” as a surname (as well as a first name), and have always assumed it was Italian. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-colors-used-as-surnames-in-other-languages-green-white-etc/124793/23 "2002-08-21T13:50:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jomo Mojo \* > \*\*One of the political party leaders in Yemen is named ‘Abd Allah al-Ahmar. In Arabic, Ahmar means RED. \*\* You’ve reminded me of another one from Arabic – Safra and other variations on the s-f-r root mean “yellow”. There is an international banking family that once owned American Express (and still might) with the surname Safra. ---
**Author:** ![Timchik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Timchik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timchik)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-colors-used-as-surnames-in-other-languages-green-white-etc/124793/24 "2002-08-21T15:26:47Z")
In Russia, Bely/Belov (White), Cherny/Chernov (Black) and Golubev (Light Blue - or Dove, depending on how you want to take it) are fairly common surnames. I’ve seen Krasnov (Red) as well, but not as frequently. Most of the others almost certainly exist - Russian surnames are impressively varied and can sound as wacky as a Monty Python sketch in translation: Mr. Hardbread, this is Mr. Dryhands. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-colors-used-as-surnames-in-other-languages-green-white-etc/124793/25 "2002-08-21T16:22:27Z")
My friend’s sister married a man from Mexico whose sir name is Amarillo (yellow). Haj ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-colors-used-as-surnames-in-other-languages-green-white-etc/124793/26 "2002-08-21T19:11:43Z")
In my town there is a historical house name the Pink House. It not named after the color but the owner, Charles Pink. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-are-colors-used-as-surnames-in-other-languages-green-white-etc/124793.md?page=1)