The surname Ames is usually either French, English or German in origin.[1] The French name comes from the noun amie, meaning a friend or a beloved. The surname also derives from the Old French and Middle English personal name Amys or Amice, the Latin amicus, or from a Late Latin derivative of this, Amicius.[1] The German roots of the name could have come from the Old High German word amazzig, meaning "busy," as a nickname for an active person.[1] The name also has connections to the modern German name Ameise, meaning "ant".[1]
Variations of the surname include Aames, Amass, Amess, Amies, Amis, Amiss, Amos, Hames, Haymes, Eames, and others.[2] The name may also be a contraction of Ambrose.[3]
The Ames family is an old and notable family in the United States.