Swiss Surnames

Swiss names are used in the country of Switzerland in central Europe.
usage
Fashingbauer German
From Fasching, a German carnival (Fastnacht meaning "eve of the beginning of the fast", or the time before Lent) celebrated in Austria and Bavaria, and bauer meaning "farmer".
Fattore Italian
Means "land agent, bailiff, steward, farmer" in Italian.
Faucher French
Occupational name meaning "mower" in French, ultimately from Latin falx meaning "sickle, scythe".
Faure Occitan, French
Occitan form of Fèvre.
Faust German
Derived from the given name Faust, a form of Faustus.
Fausti Italian
From the given name Fausto.
Fava Italian
From Italian fava referring to a type of broad bean.
Favager French
Possibly indicated a person from the town of Faverges in eastern France, derived from Old French faverge meaning "forge".
Favero Italian
Variant of Fabbri.
Favre French
Southern French variant of Fèvre.
Favreau French
Diminutive of Favre.
Fay French, English
Referred to a person who came from various places named Fay or Faye in northern France, derived from Old French fau "beech tree", from Latin fagus.
Feigenbaum German, Jewish
Means "fig tree" in German.
Feld German, Jewish
Means "field" in German. The name was originally given to someone who lived on land cleared of forest.
Feldt German, Danish, Swedish
North German, Danish and Swedish variant of Feld.
Félix French, Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Felix.
Fenstermacher German
Means "window maker" in German.
Ferber German
Variant of Färber.
Fermi Italian
Originally indicated a person from the town of Fermo in the Marche region of Italy, originally called Firmum in Latin meaning "strong, steady, firm".
Ferrara Italian
Italian form of Ferreira.
Ferrari Italian
Occupational name for a metalworker or smith, derived from Latin ferrarius, a derivative of ferrum meaning "iron".
Ferrero Italian
Regional variant of Ferrari. It is typical of the area around Turin.
Ferri Italian
Variant of Ferro.
Ferro Italian, Spanish
Means "iron", ultimately from Latin ferrum. This was an occupational name for one who worked with iron.
Fertig German
Means "ready, prepared" in German.
Fèvre French
Occupational name meaning "blacksmith" in Old French, derived from Latin faber.
Fiedler German
Means "fiddler" in German.
Filippi Italian
Derived from the given name Filippo.
Fini Italian
Derived from given names ending in fino, such as Serafino.
Fiore Italian
Derived from the given name Fiore.
Firmin English, French
From the given name Firmin.
Fiscella Italian
Derived from Italian fiscella, which was a basket used to conserve cheese. The name was probably used to denote a person who made cheese.
Fischer German
Occupational name meaning "fisherman" in German.
Flater German
Means "reed bed" in German.
Fleischer German
Occupational name meaning "butcher" in German.
Fonda Italian
Of Italian origin, possibly from a place derived from fondo meaning "deep". The family of Henry Fonda (1905-1982) came from the Netherlands, but they were of Genoese origin.
Fontaine French
Derived from Old French fontane meaning "well, fountain", a derivative of Latin fons.
Fontana Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish cognate of Fontaine.
Forest English, French
Originally belonged to a person who lived near or in a forest. It was probably originally derived, via Old French forest, from Latin forestam (silva) meaning "outer (wood)".
Forestier French
French cognate of Forester.
Forney German
Name for someone who lived near ferns, from Old High German farn "fern".
Forst German
Derived from Old High German forst "forest". Probably unrelated to the Old French word forest, which was derived from Latin, Old High German forst was derived from foraha meaning "fir tree".
Förstner German
Denoted a keeper or one in charge of a forest (see Forst).
Fortier French
Derived from Old French fort "stronghold", indicating a person who lived near or worked at such a place.
Fortunato Italian
From the given name Fortunato.
Fosse English, French
Derived from Old French fosse "ditch".
Fournier French
Occupational name for a baker, from French fourneau meaning "oven".
François French
Derived from the given name François.
Frank 3 German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian
Name for a person from Franconia in Germany, so called because it was settled by the Frankish people.
Frankenstein German, Literature
From any of the various minor places by this name in Germany, meaning "stone of the Franks" in German. It was used by the author Mary Shelley in her novel Frankenstein (1818) for the character of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates a monster and brings it to life. The monster, nameless in the novel, is sometimes informally or erroneously called Frankenstein in modern speech.
Franz German
Derived from the given name Franz.
Franzese Italian
From a nickname that indicated a person who came from France. It is typical of the area around Naples.
Frei German
Means "free" in German, probably referring to someone outside the feudal system.
Freud German, Jewish
Means "joy" in German, a nickname for a cheerful person. A famous bearer was the psychologist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939).
Freudenberger German, Jewish
Ornamental name from old German freud meaning "joy" and berg meaning "mountain".
Freund German
From Middle High German vriunt, modern German Freund meaning "friend".
Fried German
Derived from the given name Friedrich.
Friedrich German
Derived from the given name Friedrich.
Fries German
Denoted someone from Frisia, an area along the coastal region of the North Sea stretching from Netherlands to Germany.
Fromm German
From a nickname derived from Middle High German vrume meaning "noble, honourable".
Frost English, German
From Old English and Old High German meaning "frost", a nickname for a person who had a cold personality or a white beard.
Fuchs German
From Old High German fuhs meaning "fox". It was originally a nickname for a person with red hair.
Fuhrmann German
Derived from Middle High German vuorman meaning "cartwright".
Furlan Italian, Slovene
From the name of the Italian region of Friuli, in the northeast of Italy, which is derived from the name of the Roman town of Forum Iulii meaning "forum of Julius".
Fürst German
From a nickname meaning "(sovereign) prince" in German. The word fürst itself is derived from Old High German furisto "first".
Fusco Italian
From Italian fosco meaning "dark", from Latin fuscus. This was a nickname for a person with dark features.
Fux German
Variant of Fuchs.
Gabler German
Occupational name for someone who made or sold forks, from Old High German gabala "fork".
Gabrielli Italian
From the given name Gabriele 1.
Gaertner German
German form of Gardener.
Gage French, English
Occupational name derived either from Old French jauge "measure" (a name for an assayer) or gage "pledge, payment" (a name for a moneylender). Both words were ultimately of Frankish origin.
Gagliardi Italian
From Italian gagliardo meaning "strong, vigorous".
Gagne French
Variant of Gagneux. This surname is especially common in Quebec.
Gagneux French
Derived from Old French gagnier meaning "to farm, to cultivate".
Gagnon French
Derived from old French gagnon "guard dog". The name most likely originated as a nickname for an aggressive or cruel person.
Galli Italian
Variant of Gallo, common in northern Italy.
Gallo Italian, Spanish
Means "rooster", ultimately from Latin gallus. This was a nickname for a proud person.
Ganza Italian
Probably from the feminine medieval given name Allegranza or Alleganza, a derivative of Allegra. It comes from northern Lombardy.
Garb German
Variant of Garber.
Garber German
Variant of Gerber.
Garbo Italian
From a nickname meaning "politeness" in Italian. A famous bearer of this name was the Swedish actress Greta Garbo (1905-1990), born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson.
Garçon French
Means "boy" in French, referring to a servant.
Gardinier French
French form of Gardener.
Garfagnini Italian
Originally denoted one from the region of Garfagnana in Tuscany, Italy, near the historical city of Lucca.
Garnier 1 French
From the given name Garnier.
Garofalo Italian
From a nickname, from a southern variant of the Italian word garofano meaning "carnation".
Gärtner German
German form of Gardener.
Garver German
Variant of Gerber.
Gaspard French
From the given name Gaspard.
Gaspari Italian
From the given name Gaspare.
Gass German
Name for someone who lived on a street in a city, from German gasse.
Gatti Italian
Means "cat" in Italian, originally a nickname for an agile person.
Gauthier French
Derived from the given name Gauthier.
Gautier French
From the given name Gautier.
Gehrig German
Variant of Gehring.
Gehring German
Derived from a short form of Old German names starting with the element ger "spear".
Geier German
Means "vulture" in German, a nickname for a greedy person.
Geiger German
Means "fiddle player" in German, derived from Old High German giga "fiddle".
Geissler German
Occupational name for a goat herder, from southern German Geiss meaning "goat" and the suffix ler signifying an occupation.
Genovese Italian
Denoted a person from the Italian city of Genoa (Genova in Italian).
Gensch German
From the given name Gensch, a Sorbian form of John.
Gentile Italian
From a nickname meaning "gentle, kind" in Italian.
Gérard French
From the given name Gérard.
Gerber German
Means "tanner, leather dresser" in German, derived from Old High German garawen meaning "to prepare".
Gerhard German
Derived from the given name Gerhard.
Gerhardt German
Derived from the given name Gerhard.
Gerig German
Variant of Gehring.
Germain French
From the French given name Germain.
Germano Italian
From the given name Germano.
Géroux French
Derived from the Germanic name Gerulf.
Gerst German
Occupational name for a barley farmer, derived from Old High German gersta "barley".
Gerstle German
Variant of Gerst.
Gerver German
Variant of Gerber.
Giannino Italian
Derived from the given name Giannino.
Giehl German
German form of Giles.
Giese German, Danish
Derived from a short form of the given name Giselbert or other Old German names beginning with the element gisal meaning "pledge, hostage".
Giffard French, English
Possibly from Old French gifart meaning "chubby" or possibly from the Germanic name Gebhard. Walter Giffard was one of the Norman companions of William the Conqueror.
Gilbert English, French
Derived from the given name Gilbert.
Gimondi Italian
Probably derived from the Old German given name Gismund.
Giordano Italian
Derived from the given name Giordano.
Girard French
From the given name Gérard.
Giraud French
From the given name Gérald.
Giroux French
Derived from the Germanic name Gerulf.
Gismondi Italian
From the Old German given name Gismund.
Giugovaz Italian
Italian form of the Croatian surname Jugovac.
Giuliani Italian
From the given name Giuliano.
Giunta Italian
From the old Italian given name Bonagiunta or Bonaggiunta (derived from bono "good" and aggiunto "assistant").
Glas German, Dutch
German and Dutch cognate of Glass.
Glass English, German
From Old English glæs or Old High German glas meaning "glass". This was an occupational name for a glass blower or glazier.
Glöckner German
Derived from Middle High German glocke "bell". It may have referred to a person who worked at or lived close to a bell tower.
Göbel German
Derived from the given name Göbel, a diminutive of the Old German name Godabert.
Godard French
Derived from the Germanic given name Godehard.
Goebel German
Variant of Göbel.
Gold English, German, Jewish
From Old English and Old High German gold meaning "gold", an occupational name for someone who worked with gold or a nickname for someone with yellow hair. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
Goldschmidt German
Occupational name meaning "goldsmith" in German.
Goretti Italian
Derived from the given name Gregorio.
Gori Italian
Derived from the given name Gregorio.
Gorman 1 German
From the Old German given name Germund.
Gosse French
Derived from the Norman given name Gosse.
Gosselin French
Derived from a diminutive of the French given name Gosse.
Gott German
Derived from the Old German given name Goda 1.
Gotti German
Variant of Gott.
Gottlieb German
Derived from the given name Gottlieb.
Gottschalk German
Derived from the given name Gottschalk.
Graf German
From the German noble title Graf meaning "count", ultimately from Greek γραφεύς (grapheus) meaning "scribe".
Graner German
Originally denoted a person from Gran, the German name for Esztergom, a city in northern Hungary.
Granger English, French
Means "farm bailiff" from Old French grangier, ultimately from Latin granum meaning "grain". It is borne in the Harry Potter novels by Harry's friend Hermione Granger.
Grassi Italian
Variant of Grasso.
Grasso Italian
Means "fat" in Italian, originally a nickname for a stout person. It is derived from Latin crassus.
Greco Italian
Means "from Greece" in Italian.
Greenberg German, Jewish
Anglicized form of Grünberg.
Grillo Italian
From an Italian nickname meaning "cricket", perhaps given originally to a cheerful person (the cricket is associated with cheerfulness).
Grimaldi Italian
From the given name Grimaldo. It is the surname of the royal family of Monaco, which came from Genoa.
Gronchi Italian
From the Tuscan word gronchio meaning "numb, bent". This is an Italian regional surname typical of Tuscany. A famous bearer was the Italian president Giovanni Gronchi (1887-1978).
Groos German
Variant of Groß.
Gros French
Means "thick, fat, big" in French, from Late Latin grossus, possibly of Germanic origin.
Gross German
Variant of Groß.
Groß German
From Old High German groz meaning "tall, big".
Große German
Variant of Groß.
Grosse German
Variant of Groß.
Größel German
Variant of Groß, used in southern Germany.
Großel German
Variant of Groß, used in southern Germany.
Großer German
Variant of Groß.
Grosser German
Variant of Groß.
Grossi Italian
Italian cognate of Gros.
Grosso Italian
Italian cognate of Gros.
Gruber Upper German
From German Grube meaning "pit", indicating a person who lived or worked in a pit or depression. This is the most common surname in Austria.
Grünberg German, Jewish
From German grün meaning "green" and Berg meaning "mountain". This name indicated a person who lived on or near a forest-covered mountain.
Grünewald German
Means "green forest" from German grün "green" and Wald "forest".
Guarneri Italian
From the given name Guanero, an Italian cognate of Werner.
Guérin French
From the Old German given name Warin.
Guerra Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From a nickname meaning "war", given to a belligerent person or one engaged in warfare.
Guerriero Italian
Italian form of Guerrero.
Guidi Italian
From the given name Guido.
Guillaume French
From the given name Guillaume.
Guillory French
Derived from the Old German given name Williric.
Guillot French
From a diminutive of the given name Guillaume.
Gump German (Rare), Popular Culture
Possibly from a nickname derived from Middle High German gumpen meaning "to hop, to jump". This surname was used by author Winston Groom for the hero of his novel Forrest Gump (1986), better known from the 1994 movie adaptation.
Günther German
Derived from the given name Günther.
Gunther German
Derived from the given name Günther.
Gutermuth German
Derived from Middle High German guot meaning "good" and muot meaning "mind, spirit". It was a nickname for an optimistic person.
Guttuso Italian
From a Sicilian nickname meaning "sad". It was name of the famous Italian painter Renato Guttuso (born 1912).
Gwerder German (Swiss)
From Swiss German gwerig meaning "agile, alert".
Haas Dutch, German
Variant of Hase.
Haase German
Variant of Hase.
Haber German, Jewish
Occupational name for one who grew or sold oats, derived from Old High German habaro "oat". As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.
Haberkorn German
Occupational name for a dealer in oats, derived from Old High German habaro "oat" and korn "kernel, grain".
Habich German
German cognate of Hawk.
Habicht German
German cognate of Hawk.
Hafner German
Occupational name for a potter, derived from Old High German hafan "pot, vessel".
Hahn German
From a nickname for a proud or pugnacious person, from Old High German hano meaning "rooster, cock".
Hall English, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Means simply "hall", given to one who either lived in or worked in a hall (the house of a medieval noble).
Halle German
German variant of Hall.
Hardy English, French
From Old French and Middle English hardi meaning "bold, daring, hardy", from the Germanic root *harduz.
Hartman Dutch, German
Dutch and Americanized form of Hartmann.
Hartmann German
From the German given name Hartmann.
Hase German
From Middle High German and Middle Low German hase meaning "hare, rabbit". This was a nickname for a person who was quick or timid.
Hasenkamp German
From a northern German place name meaning "rabbit field", from Old Saxon haso "hare" and kamp "field" (from Latin campus).
Hass German
From the given name Hasso.
Hauer German
Derived from Middle High German houwen "to chop", referring to a butcher or woodchopper.
Haumann German
Derived from Middle High German houwen "to chop" and man "man", referring to a butcher or woodchopper.
Haupt German
German cognate of Head.
Häusler German
Name for someone who lived in a house with no land, derived rom Old High German word hus meaning "house".
Havener German
Variant of Hafner.
Hébert French
Derived from the given name Herbert.
Heidrich German
From the Old German given name Heidrich.
Heinrich German
Derived from the given name Heinrich.
Heinrichs German
Derived from the given name Heinrich.
Heintze German
Derived from a diminutive of Heinrich.
Heinz German
Derived from a diminutive of Heinrich.
Hennig German
From a diminutive of the given name Heinrich.
Heppenheimer German
From the name of the city of Heppenheim in Hesse, Germany.
Herbert English, German, French
Derived from the male given name Herbert.
Hermann German
From the given name Hermann.
Herrmann German
From the given name Hermann.
Herschel German, Jewish
Diminutive form of Hirsch 1 or Hirsch 2. A famous bearer was the British-German astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822), as well as his sister Caroline Herschel (1750-1848) and son John Herschel (1792-1871), also noted scientists.
Hertz German
Derived from Middle High German herze meaning "heart", a nickname for a big-hearted person.
Herzog German
From a German title meaning "duke", a nickname for a person who either acted like a duke or worked in a duke's household.
Hiedler German
From southern German Hiedl meaning "underground stream".
Hildebrand German
From the given name Hildebrand.
Hintzen German
Means "son of Hintz", a diminutive of Heinrich.
Hirsch 1 German
Means "deer, hart" in German. This was a nickname for a person who resembled a deer in some way, or who raised or hunted deer.
Hirschel German, Jewish
Diminutive form of Hirsch 1 or Hirsch 2.
Hitler German
Variant of Hiedler. This was spelling used by Alois Hitler, the father of German dictator Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), when he adopted his stepfather Johann Georg Hiedler's surname.
Hoch German
Means "tall" in German.
Hochberg German, Jewish
From place names meaning "high hill" in German.
Hoefler German
Variant of Hofer.
Hofer German
Occupational name for a farmer, from German Hof "farm", from Old High German hof "yard, court".
Hoffmann German
From Middle High German hofmann meaning "farmer".
Höfler German
Variant of Hofer.
Hofmeister German
Means "master of the household", from Old High German hof "yard, court, house" and meistar "master" (from Latin magister).
Holland 2 Dutch, German, English
Indicated a person from the Dutch province of Holland 1.
Holtz German
German cognate of Holt.
Hölzer German
German cognate of Holt.
Holzer German
German cognate of Holt.
Holzknecht German
Occupational name for a forester's helper, from Old High German holz "wood" and kneht "servant, apprentice".
Holzmann German
Derived from Old High German holz "wood" and man "man", a name for someone who lived close to a wood or worked with wood.
Hoover German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Huber.
Horn English, German, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old English, Old High German and Old Norse word horn meaning "horn". This was an occupational name for one who carved objects out of horn or who played a horn, or a person who lived near a horn-shaped geographical feature, such as a mountain or a bend in a river.
Hüber German
Variant of Huber.
Huber German
Occupational name for a farmer, derived from Old High German huoba "plot of land, farm".
Hubert French, German, English
Derived from the given name Hubert.
Hummel 1 German, Dutch
Derived from the given name Humbert.
Hummel 2 German, Dutch
Nickname for a busy person, from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch hommel, Middle High German hummel, all meaning "bee".
Hutmacher German
German cognate of Hoedemaker.
Ingersleben German
From the name of the town of Ingersleben, Germany, which meant "Inge's village".
Innocenti Italian
From a nickname meaning "innocent" in Italian.
Jacques French
From the French given name Jacques.
Jacquet French
From a diminutive of the given name Jacques.
Jaeger German
Variant of Jäger.
Jäger German
Means "hunter" in German, from Old High German jagon meaning "to hunt".
Jager German
Variant of Jäger.
Jahn German
From a Low German short form of Johannes.
Jans Dutch, German
Means "son of Jan 1".
Janvier French
Either from the given name Janvier or the French word janvier meaning "January", perhaps indicating a person who was baptized in that month.
Janz German
Means "son of Jan 1".
Jean French
From the given name Jean 1.
Jérôme French
Derived from the given name Jérôme.
Jöllenbeck German
From the name of a village in western Germany, itself derived from the name of the Jölle, a small river, combined with Low German beck "stream".
Joly French
From Old French joli meaning "happy, jolly, pretty".
Jordan 1 English, French, German
Derived from the given name Jordan.
Joseph English, French
Derived from the given name Joseph.
Joubert French
From the given name Gaubert.
Julien French
From the given name Julien.
Jundt German
Derived from a diminutive of the feminine given name Judith.
Jung 1 German
Means "young" in German, from Middle High German junc.
Junge German
Variant of Jung 1.
Kahler German
From a nickname derived from German kahl meaning "bald".
Kaiser German
From Middle High German keiser meaning "emperor", originally a nickname applied to someone who acted kingly. The title ultimately derives from the Roman name Caesar.
Kalb German
Occupational name meaning "calf (animal)" in German.
Kalbfleisch German
Occupational name for a butcher who dealt in veal, from German kalb meaning "calf" and fleisch meaning "meat".
Kappel German, Dutch
Name for a person who lived near or worked at a chapel, ultimately from Late Latin cappella, a diminutive of cappa "cape", arising from the holy relic of the torn cape of Saint Martin, which was kept in small churches.
Karl German
From the given name Karl.
Kaspar German
Derived from the given name Kaspar.
Kästner German
Means "cabinet maker", derived from Middle High German kaste "box".
Kaube German
From the name of the town of Kaub in Germany.
Käufer German
Variant of Kaufer.
Kaufer German
Means "trader" in German.
Kaufmann German, Jewish
Means "trader, merchant" in German.
Keil German
Means "wedge shaped" in German. It was used to denote a person who owned a wedge-shaped piece of land.
Keller German
Means "cellar" in German, an occupational name for one in charge of the food and drink.
Kempf German
German cognate of Kemp.