North

English: topographic name from Middle English north ‘north’ denoting someone who had migrated from the north especially someone from northern England living in the south of the country. It may also have been used to denote someone living in the northern part of a settlement or region. Irish: in Ireland adopted for Mac an Ultaigh ‘son of the Ulsterman’ Ulster being the northern part of Ireland. German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name composed with a cognate of Old High German nord ‘north’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

South

The last name "South" is a surname of English origin, derived from the Old English word "sūð," meaning "south." It is believed that this surname was originally used to identify people who lived in the southern part of a town or village.

East

English: topographic name for someone who came from the east or who lived on the eastern side of a settlement. Compare Estes . Americanized form (translation into English) of North German Ost and Swedish Öst.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

West

English and German: from Middle English Middle High German west ‘west’ hence a topographic name for someone who lived to the west of a settlement or a habitational name for someone who had migrated from further west. Americanized form of Finnish Vesterinen: from the personal name Vesteri (a short form of Sylvester ) + the surname suffix -nen. Vesterinen is an old eastern surname recorded since the 16th century in the Karelian Isthmus and Savonia.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022