Surnames with "occupational" in Description

Abate Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest", derived via Latin and Greek from an Aramaic word meaning "father". This was used either as a nickname or an occupational name for a worker in a priest's house.

Archer English
Occupational name for one who practiced archery, from Latin arcus "bow" (via Old French).

Arkwright English
Occupational name meaning "chest maker", from Middle English arc meaning "chest, coffer" and wyrhta meaning "maker, craftsman".

Backus English
Means "bakery", an occupational name for a baker, from Old English bæchus literally "bake house".

Baker English
Occupational name meaning "baker", derived from Middle English bakere.

Bakhuizen Dutch
Means "bakery" from Dutch bak "bake" and huis "house", an occupational name for a baker.

Ballerini Italian
From Italian ballerino meaning "dancer", an occupational name or nickname for someone who liked to dance.

Banner English
Occupational name for a flag carrier, derived from Old French baniere meaning "banner", ultimately of Germanic origin.

Barker English
From Middle English bark meaning "to tan". This was an occupational name for a leather tanner.

Barros Portuguese, Spanish
From the Portuguese and Spanish word barro meaning "clay, mud". This could either be an occupational name for a person who worked with clay or mud such as a builder or artisan, or a topographic name for someone living near clay or mud.

Baumgartner German
Occupational name for a person who worked or lived at an orchard, from German Baumgarten "orchard" (derived from Baum "tree" and Garten "garden").

Baumhauer German
Occupational name meaning "woodcutter", derived from German Baum "tree" and hauen "to chop".

Beck 4 English
From Old English becca meaning "pickaxe", an occupational surname.

Beltz German
Occupational name for a tanner of hides, derived from Middle High German belz meaning "fur".

Berger 1 French
Occupational name meaning "shepherd", from Old French bergier.

Best 1 English
Derived from Middle English beste meaning "beast", an occupational name for a keeper of animals or a nickname for someone who acted like a beast. A famous bearer of this surname was soccer legend George Best (1946-2005).

Bird English
Occupational name for a person who raised or hunted birds.

Blecher German
Occupational name for someone who worked with tin or sheet metal, from German blech "tin".

Bleier German
Occupational name for a worker of lead, derived from German blei "lead".

Boatwright English
Occupational name meaning "maker of boats".

Bohn German
Occupational name for a bean grower, derived from Middle High German bone "bean".

Bond English
Occupational name for a peasant farmer, from Middle English bonde. A famous bearer is the fictional spy James Bond, created by Ian Flemming in 1953.

Bootsma Frisian
Occupational name meaning "boatman", derived from Dutch boot "boat".

Botello Galician
Occupational name for a maker of bottles, from Galician bottela meaning "bottle".

Böttcher German
Occupational name meaning "cooper, barrel maker" in German.

Bourreau 2 French
Occupational name for an executioner or torturer, derived from bourrer "to hit, to stuff with cloth" (derived from French boure "stuffing").

Bowman English
Occupational name for an archer, derived from Middle English bowe, Old English boga meaning "bow".

Breiner German, Swedish
Occupational name derived from Middle High German brie "porridge".

Brewer English
Occupational name for a maker of ale or beer.

Brewster English
Variant of Brewer, originally a feminine form of the occupational term.

Brogan Irish
Occupational name derived from Irish bróg meaning "shoe".

Brouwer Dutch
Occupational name for a brewer of beer or ale, Middle Dutch brouwer.

Bureau French
From Old French burel, a diminutive of bure, a type of woollen cloth. It may have originated as a nickname for a person who dressed in the material or as an occupational name for someone who worked with it.

Butcher English
Occupational name for a butcher, derived from Old French bouchier.

Butler English, Irish
Occupational name derived from Norman French butiller "wine steward", ultimately from Late Latin butticula "bottle". A famous bearer of this surname is the fictional character Rhett Butler, created by Margaret Mitchell for her novel Gone with the Wind (1936).

Caito Italian
Occupational name from Sicilian càjitu meaning "official, leader", ultimately from Arabic قاضي (qadi) meaning "judge".

Calderón Spanish
Occupational name for a person who made, repaired or sold cauldrons or kettles, from Spanish calderón "cauldron", from Late Latin caldaria.

Campana Italian, Spanish
Occupational name from Late Latin campana meaning "bell", ultimately derived from the Italian region of Campania, where bells were produced.

Capitani Italian
Occupational name meaning "captain" in Italian, ultimately from Latin caput "head".

Carman 1 English
Occupational name for a carter, from Middle English carre "cart" (of Latin origin) and man "man".

Carter English
Occupational name for a person who operated a cart to transport goods, from Norman French caretier. A famous bearer is the former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).

Cartwright English
Occupational name indicating one who made carts.

Carver English
Occupational surname for a carver, from Middle English kerve "cut".

Case English
From Norman French casse meaning "box, case", ultimately from Latin capsa. This was an occupational name for a box maker.

Causer English
Occupational name for one who made leggings, derived from Old French chausse "leggings".

Cavallo Italian
Means "horse" in Italian, an occupational name for a horseman.

Çelik Turkish
Occupational name for a metalworker, meaning "steel" in Turkish.

Chamberlain English
Occupational name for one who looked after the inner rooms of a mansion, from Norman French chambrelain.

Chambers English
From Old French chambre meaning "chamber, room", an occupational name for a person who worked in the inner rooms of a mansion.

Chancellor English
Occupational name for an administrator, a chancellor, from Norman French chancelier.

Chandler English
Occupational name meaning "candle seller" or "candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately derived from Latin candela via Old French.

Chaplin English, French
Occupational name for a chaplain, or perhaps for the servant of one, from Middle English, Old French chapelain. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977).

Chapman English
Occupational name derived from Old English ceapmann meaning "merchant, trader".

Chase English
Occupational name for a hunter, from Middle English chase "hunt".

Coelho Portuguese
From the Portuguese word for "rabbit", either a nickname or an occupational name referring to a hunter or seller of rabbits.

Coiro Italian
From Italian cuoio meaning "leather", ultimately from Latin corium. This was an occupational surname for a leather worker or tanner.

Cojocaru Romanian
From Romanian cojoc meaning "sheepskin coat". This was an occupational name for a maker of these coats.

Colt English
Occupational name for a keeper of horses, derived from Middle English colt.

Conner English
From Middle English connere meaning "inspector", an occupational name for an inspector of weights and measures.

Cook English
Derived from Old English coc meaning "cook", ultimately from Latin coquus. It was an occupational name for a cook, a man who sold cooked meats, or a keeper of an eating house.

Cropper English
Occupational name derived from Middle English croppe "crop", referring to a fruit picker or a crop reaper.

Curie French
Occupational name for a farm hand, from Old French éscuerie "stable". Famous bearers were the married scientists Marie (1867-1934) and Pierre Curie (1859-1906), who studied radioactivity.

Dean 2 English
Occupational surname meaning "dean", referring to a person who either was a dean or worked for one. It is from Middle English deen (ultimately from Latin decanus meaning "chief of ten").

Dexter English
Occupational name meaning "dyer" in Old English (originally this was a feminine word, but it was later applied to men as well).

Draper English
Occupational name for a maker or seller of woollen cloth, from Anglo-Norman French draper (Old French drapier, an agent derivative of drap "cloth").

Dufour French
Occupational name for a baker, from French four "oven".

Dvořák m Czech
Occupational name derived from Czech dvůr "manor", indicating a person who worked at such a place. This name was borne by the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904).

Dyer English
Occupational name meaning "cloth dyer", from Old English deah "dye".

Earl English
From the aristocratic title, which derives from Old English eorl meaning "nobleman, warrior". It was either a nickname for one who acted like an earl, or an occupational name for a person employed by an earl.

Egger German
South German occupational name meaning "plowman" or "farmer", derived from German eggen "to harrow, to plow".

Erdős Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "forester", derived from Hungarian erdő "forest".

Faragó Hungarian
An occupational name meaning "woodcutter", from Hungarian farag meaning "carve, cut".

Färber German
Occupational name meaning "dyer", derived from German Farbe "colour".

Farina Italian
Occupational name for a miller, derived from Italian farina "flour".

Farmer English
Occupational name for a tax collector, from Middle English ferme "rent, revenue, provision", from medieval Latin firma, ultimately from Old English feorm. This word did not acquire its modern meaning until the 17th century.

Faucher French
Occupational name meaning "mower" in French, ultimately from Latin falx meaning "sickle, scythe".

Faulkner English, Scottish
Occupational name meaning "keeper of falcons", from Middle English and Scots faulcon, from Late Latin falco, of Germanic origin.

Fazekas Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "potter" in Hungarian.

Ferrari Italian
Occupational name for a metalworker or smith, derived from Latin ferrarius, a derivative of ferrum meaning "iron".

Ferro Italian, Spanish
Means "iron", ultimately from Latin ferrum. This was an occupational name for one who worked with iron.

Fèvre French
Occupational name meaning "blacksmith" in Old French, derived from Latin faber.

Fischer German
Occupational name meaning "fisherman" in German.

Fishman English
Occupational name for a fisherman.

Fleischer German
Occupational name meaning "butcher" in German.

Fletcher English
Occupational name for a fletcher, someone who attached feathers to the shaft of an arrow. It is derived from Old French fleche meaning "arrow".

Flower English
From Middle English flour meaning "flower, blossom", derived from Old French flur, Latin flos. This was a nickname given to a sweet person. In other cases it could be a metonymic occupational name for a maker of flour (a word derived from the same source).

Foster 2 English
Occupational name for a scissor maker, derived from Old French forcetier.

Foster 3 English
Occupational name for a maker of saddle trees, derived from Old French fustier.

Fournier French
Occupational name for a baker, from French fourneau meaning "oven".

Fowler English
Occupational name for a fowler or birdcatcher, ultimately derived from Old English fugol meaning "bird".

Fuller English
Occupational name for a fuller, a person who thickened and cleaned coarse cloth by pounding it. It is derived via Middle English from Latin fullo.

Furnadzhiev m Bulgarian
Occupational name for a baker, derived from Bulgarian фурна (furna) meaning "oven" (of Latin origin).

Gabler German
Occupational name for someone who made or sold forks, from Old High German gabala "fork".

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.

Gardener English
Occupational surname for one who was a gardener, from Old French jardin meaning "garden" (of Frankish origin).

Garnett 1 English
Occupational name referring to a person who made hinges, from Old French carne "hinge".

Geissler German
Occupational name for a goat herder, from southern German Geiss meaning "goat" and the suffix ler signifying an occupation.

Gerst German
Occupational name for a barley farmer, derived from Old High German gersta "barley".

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.

Glover English
Occupational name for a person who made or sold gloves, from Middle English glovere.

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.

Graves English
Occupational name for a steward, derived from Middle English greyve, related to the German title Graf.

Grieve Scottish
Occupational name meaning "steward, farm manager" in Middle English, related to the German title Graf.

Guerrero Spanish
Means "warrior" in Spanish, an occupational name for a soldier. It is derived from Late Latin werra "war", of Germanic origin.

Haak Dutch
Occupational name meaning "peddler" in Dutch.

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".

Hafner German
Occupational name for a potter, derived from Old High German hafan "pot, vessel".

Hayward English
Occupational name for a person who protected an enclosed forest, from Old English hæg "enclosure, fence" and weard "guard".

Hidalgo Spanish
Means "nobleman" in Spanish. The Spanish word is a contraction of the phrase hijo de algo meaning "son of something". This surname was typically in origin a nickname or an occupational name for one who worked in a noble's household.

Hoedemaker Dutch
Occupational name for a hat maker, from Dutch hoed "hat" and maker "maker".

Hofer German
Occupational name for a farmer, from German Hof "farm", from Old High German hof "yard, court".

Hoggard English
Occupational name meaning "pig herder", from Old English hogg "hog" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".

Holzknecht German
Occupational name for a forester's helper, from Old High German holz "wood" and kneht "servant, apprentice".

Hood English
Metonymic occupational name for a maker of hoods or a nickname for someone who wore a distinctive hood, from Old English hod.

Hooper English
Occupational name for someone who put the metal hoops around wooden barrels.

Hopper English
Occupational name for an acrobat or a nickname for someone who was nervous or restless. A famous bearer was the American actor Dennis Hopper (1936-2010).

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.

Horník m Czech, Slovak
Occupational name meaning "miner" in Czech and Slovak.

Howard 2 English
Occupational name meaning "ewe herder", from Old English eowu "ewe" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".

Huber German
Occupational name for a farmer, derived from Old High German huoba "plot of land, farm".

Hunter English, Scottish
Occupational name that referred to someone who hunted for a living, from Old English hunta.

Joiner English
Occupational name for a carpenter (that is, a person who joins wood together to make furniture).

Juhász Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "shepherd" in Hungarian, from juh "sheep".

Kaczmarek Polish
Occupational name for a person who worked as an innkeeper, derived from Polish karczma meaning "inn".

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".

Kalmár Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "merchant, shopkeeper" in Hungarian, of German origin.

Keller German
Means "cellar" in German, an occupational name for one in charge of the food and drink.

Kellogg English
Occupational name for a pig butcher, from Middle English killen "to kill" and hog "pig, swine, hog".

Kerekes Hungarian
Occupational name for a maker of wheels, from Hungarian kerék meaning "wheel".

Kerner German
Derived from Old High German kerno "seed", an occupational name for one who sold or planted seeds.

Kertész Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "gardener" in Hungarian.

Kiefer 2 German
Occupational name for a barrel maker, derived from Old High German kuofa meaning "barrel".

Kistler German
Occupational name meaning "chest maker, cabinetmaker" from Middle High German kiste.

Kitchen English
Occupational name for a person who worked in a kitchen (of a monastery for example), derived from Old English cycene, ultimately from Latin coquina.

Kleid Jewish
Occupational name for a tailor, from Old High German kleid meaning "garment, clothing".

Knef German
Occupational name for a shoemaker, derived from Low German knif meaning "shoemaker's knife".

Koopman Dutch
Occupational name meaning "merchant" in Dutch.

Kopitar Slovene
From Slovene kopito meaning "hoof", an occupational name for a shoer.

Kranz German, Jewish
Derived from Old High German kranz meaning "wreath", an occupational name for a maker of wreaths or an ornamental Jewish name.

Kravitz Jewish
Occupational name derived from Polish krawiec meaning "tailor".

Krüger 1 German
In northern Germany an occupational name for a tavern keeper, derived from Middle Low German kroch meaning "tavern".

Krüger 2 German
In southern Germany an occupational name for a potter, derived from Middle High German kruoc meaning "jug, pot".

Küchler German
Occupational surname for a baker who made small cakes or cookies, derived from Middle High German kuoche "cake, pastry".

Kunkel German
Occupational name for a maker of distaffs, from Middle High German kunkel "distaff, spindle", of Latin origin.

Laganà Italian
Occupational name for a greengrocer, meaning "vegetables" in southern Italian dialects, ultimately from Greek λάχανον (lachanon).

Laguardia Italian
Occupational name meaning "sentry, sentinel" in Italian, also a locative name referring to a person who lived near a watchtower. Fiorello Laguardia (1882-1947) was the first mayor of New York of Italian origin.

Lefèvre French
Occupational name meaning "blacksmith" in Old French, derived from Latin faber.

Lemoine French
Means "the monk" in French. This was typically a nickname or an occupational name for a person who worked in a monastery.

Longstaff English
Occupational name for an official who was equipped with a ceremonial staff, or a nickname for a tall person.

Madeira Portuguese
Occupational name for a carpenter, from Portuguese madeira "wood".

Maisuradze Georgian
From Georgian მაისურა (maisura) meaning "shirt", an occupational name for one who made or sold them.

Mandel German, Yiddish
Means "almond" in German, an occupational name for a grower or seller, or a topographic name for a person who lived near an almond tree. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.

Marangoz Turkish
Occupational name meaning "joiner, carpenter" in Turkish.

Marchand English, French
Occupational name meaning "merchant", ultimately from Latin mercari "to trade".

Marquardt German
From Old High German marka "border, boundary" and wart "protector". This was an occupational name for a border guard.

Mason English
Occupational name for a stoneworker or layer of bricks, from Old French masson, of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make").

Mataracı Turkish
Occupational name for a person who made water bottles or flasks, from Turkish matara "flask".

Mathers English
Occupational name meaning "mower, cutter of hay" in Old English.

Maurer German
Occupational name meaning "wall builder" in German.

Mayer 3 English
Occupational name for a mayor, from Middle English mair, derived via Old French from Latin maior.

Mazza Italian
From a nickname (perhaps occupational) meaning "maul, mallet" in Italian.

Mencher Polish
Possibly an occupational name derived from Polish maczarz meaning "miller".

Mercer English
Occupational name for a trader in textiles, from Old French mercier, derived from Latin merx meaning "merchandise".

Messer German
Occupational name for a person who made knives, from Middle High German messer "knife".

Messner German
Occupational name for a sexton or churchwarden, from Old High German mesinari.

Metz 1 German
Occupational name for maker of knives, from Middle High German metze "knife".

Miller English
Occupational surname meaning "miller", referring to a person who owned or worked in a grain mill, derived from Middle English mille "mill".

Molnár Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "miller" in Hungarian.

Mondadori Italian
From Italian mondatore meaning "weeder". This was an occupational name for someone who kept fields clear of weeds.

Monk English
Nickname or occupational name for a person who worked for monks. This word is derived from Latin monachus, from Greek μοναχός (monachos) meaning "alone".

Muraro Italian
Occupational name for a wall builder, from Italian murare meaning "to wall up".

Nagel German, Dutch
Means "nail" in German and Dutch, an occupational name for a carpenter or nailsmith.

Notaro Italian
Occupational name for a clerk, derived from Latin notarius.

Page English, French
Occupational name meaning "servant, page". It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".

Paquet 1 French
Occupational name for a firewood gatherer, from Old French pacquet "bundle".

Parker English
Means "keeper of the park" in Middle English. It is an occupational name for a person who was a gamekeeper at a medieval park.

Paternoster English, Italian
Occupational name for a maker of rosaries, also called paternosters. They are derived from the Latin phrase pater noster "our Father", the opening words of the Lord's Prayer.

Peck 2 English
Occupational name for a maker of pecks (vessels used as peck measures), derived from Middle English pekke.

Pecora Italian
Means "sheep" in Italian, an occupational name for a shepherd.

Pender 1 English
From Middle English pind "to pen up". This was an occupational name for someone who penned animals.

Penn 2 English
Occupational name for a person who kept penned animals, from Old English penn.

Pfeiffer German
Occupational name meaning "pipe player" in German, from Middle High German pfifen "to whistle".

Porter English
Occupational name meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French porte "door", from Latin porta.

Potter English
Occupational name for a potter, one who makes earthen vessels. This surname was used by J. K. Rowling for the hero in her Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.

Pottinger English
Occupational name, either for an apothecary, from Old French potecaire, or a seller of stew, from Old French potagier.

Pound English
Occupational name for a person who kept animals, from Old English pund "animal enclosure".

Procházka m Czech
Means "walk, wander, stroll" in Czech. This was an occupational name for a travelling tradesman.

Purcell English
From Old French pourcel "piglet", from Latin porcellus, a derivative of porcus "pig". This was a nickname or an occupational name for a swineherd.

Puskás Hungarian
Occupational name for a gunsmith or cannon maker, from Hungarian puska meaning "gun" (from German, itself from Latin buxis "box").

Rais Italian
Occupational name for the fisherman in charge of the boat, from Italian rais "captain", of Arabic origin. It is typical of Sicily and Sardinia.

Reeve English
Occupational name derived from Middle English reeve, Old English (ge)refa meaning "sheriff, prefect, local official".

Rettig German
Derived from Middle High German retich, Middle Low German redik meaning "radish", an occupational name for a grower or seller of radishes.

Rimmer English
Occupational name meaning "poet", from Middle English rime meaning "rhyme".

Royer French
From French roue meaning "wheel", ultimately from Latin rota, an occupational name for a wheelwright.

Ryba u & m Polish, Czech
Means "fish" in Polish and Czech, an occupational name for a fisher.

Ryder English
Occupational name for a mounted warrior, from Old English ridere meaning "rider".

Sacco Italian
Occupational name for a maker of sacks, from Italian sacco, Latin saccus.

Sadler English
Occupational name for a maker of saddles, from Old English sadol "saddle".

Sala Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Romanian
Occupational name for a worker at a manor house, from the Romance word sala meaning "hall, large room", of Germanic origin.

Salinas Spanish
Occupational name for a salt worker or someone who lived bear a salt works, from Spanish salina "salt works, salt mine", ultimately from Latin sal "salt".

Sangster English, Scottish
Occupational name or nickname for a singer, from Old English singan "to sing, to chant".

Sarto Italian
Occupational name meaning "tailor" in Italian, from Latin sartor, from sarcire meaning "to mend".

Sauter German
Occupational name for a cobbler, from Latin sutor "sewer, cobbler".

Sawyer English
Occupational name meaning "sawer of wood, woodcutter" in Middle English, ultimately from Old English sagu meaning "saw". Mark Twain used it for the main character in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).

Saylor English
Occupational name meaning "acrobat, dancer", derived from Old French sailleor, from Latin sallitor.

Scherer German
Occupational name for a cutter of cloth or a sheep-shearer, from Old High German skeran "to cut".

Schindler German
Occupational name for a roof tiler, from Middle High German schindel "shingle". A famous bearer was Oskar Schindler (1908-1974), who saved over a thousand Polish Jews during World War II.

Schipper Dutch
Occupational name meaning "skipper, ship captain" in Dutch.

Schlosser German
Occupational name for a locksmith, derived from Old High German sloz meaning "lock".

Schmidt German
Occupational name derived from Middle High German smit "smith, metalworker", a cognate of Smith.

Schnur German, Jewish
From Old High German snuor meaning "rope, cord", an occupational name for a maker of rope.

Schouten Dutch
Occupational name derived from Middle Dutch schout meaning "sheriff, bailiff".

Schreier German, Jewish
Occupational name for a town crier, from Old High German scrian meaning "to shout, to yell".

Schrijnemakers Dutch
Occupational name for a cabinet maker, from Dutch schrijn "box, container" and maker "maker".

Schröder 1 Low German
Occupational name for a tailor, from Middle Low German schroden meaning "to cut".

Schröter German
Means "beer-porter, wine-porter" in German, an occupational name for a carrier of wine or beer barrels.

Schuhmacher German
From the Middle High German occupational name schuochmacher meaning "shoemaker".

Schulz German
Occupational name derived from Middle High German schultheiße meaning "mayor, judge".

Schwinghammer German
Occupational name for a blacksmith, literally meaning "swing hammer" in German.

Scriven English
Occupational name meaning "writer, clerk, scribe" in Old French, derived from Latin scriba.

Segal 2 French
Occupational name for a grower or seller of rye, from Old French, from Latin secale "rye".

Senft 1 German
Occupational name for a mustard seller, from German Senf "mustard".

Sergeant English, French
Occupational name derived from Old French sergent meaning "servant", ultimately from Latin servire "to serve".

Ševčík m Czech, Slovak
Occupational name derived from Czech and Slovak švec meaning "shoemaker, cobbler".

Sexton English
Occupational name for a sexton (Middle English sexteyn), a caretaker for a church or graveyard.

Shepherd English
Occupational name meaning "shepherd, sheep herder", from Old English sceaphyrde.

Siegel 1 German
Occupational name for a maker of seals or signet rings, ultimately from Latin sigillum "seal".

Sipos Hungarian
Occupational name for a fife player or piper, from Hungarian síp "whistle, pipe".

Skinner English
Occupational name for a person who skinned animals, from Old Norse skinn.

Slater English
Occupational name indicating that an early member worked covering roofs with slate, from Old French esclat "shard", of Germanic origin.

Slootmaekers Dutch, Flemish
Occupational name for a locksmith, from Dutch slot "lock" and maker "maker".

Ślusarski m Polish
Occupational name for a locksmith, from Polish ślusarz, of Germanic origin.

Smolak Polish
Occupational name for a distiller of pitch, derived from the Old Slavic word smola meaning "pitch, resin".

Snyder English
Means "tailor", derived from Middle English snithen "to cut", an occupational name for a person who stitched coats and clothing.

Sobol Ukrainian, Russian, Jewish
Occupational name for a fur trader, from the Slavic word sobolĭ meaning "sable, marten". As a Jewish name it is ornamental.

Sokol m & u Slovak, Czech, Jewish
From Czech and Slovak sokol meaning "falcon", a nickname or an occupational name for a falconer. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.

Soukup m Czech
Means "co-buyer" in Czech, an occupational name for a merchant.

Spada Italian
Occupational name for an armourer or swordsman, from Italian spada "sword", Latin spatha.

Spannagel German
Occupational name for a nailsmith, from Middle High German span nagel "connecting bolt".

Sparacello Italian
From Sicilian sparaciu meaning "asparagus", an occupational name for an asparagus seller or grower.

Spear English
From Old English spere "spear", an occupational name for a hunter or a maker of spears, or a nickname for a thin person.

Spencer English
Occupational name for a person who dispensed provisions to those who worked at a manor, derived from Middle English spense "larder, pantry".

Spijker 2 Dutch
Occupational name for a nailsmith, from Dutch spijker "nail".

Spitznagel German
Means "sharp nail" in German, an occupational name for a nailsmith.

Spooner English
Occupational name for a maker of spoons or a maker of shingles, derived from Middle English spone meaning "chip of wood, spoon".

Steed English
Occupational name for one who tended horses, derived from Middle English steed, in turn derived from Old English steda meaning "stallion".

Steele English
Occupational name for a steelworker, from Old English stele meaning "steel".

Steinmann German
Means "stone man" in German, used as a habitational name for a person who lived near a prominent stone or an occupational name for a stone worker.

Stenger German
Occupational name for a post maker, from Old High German stanga "pole".

Stępień Polish
Possibly an occupational name for a herbalist, from Polish stępa "mortar".

Stewart Scottish
Occupational name for an administrative official of an estate or steward, from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". The Stewart family (sometimes spelled Stuart) held the Scottish crown for several centuries. One of the most famous members of the Stewart family was Mary, Queen of Scots.

Stoddard English
Occupational name for a horse keeper, from Old English stod "stallion, stud" and hierde "herder".

Stolarz Polish
Occupational name from Polish stolarz meaning "joiner, maker of furniture".

Stringer English
Occupational name for a maker of string or bow strings, from Old English streng "string".

Stroman German
Means "straw man" in German, an occupational name for a seller of straw.

Stuber German
Occupational name for the owner of an inn, derived from Old High German stuba "room".

Sumner English
Occupational name for a summoner, an official who was responsible for ensuring the appearance of witnesses in court, from Middle English sumner, ultimately from Latin submonere "to advise".

Szántó Hungarian
Occupational name for a ploughman or tiller, derived from Hungarian szánt meaning "to plow".

Szekeres Hungarian
Occupational name for a cartman, derived from Hungarian szekér meaning "cart, wagon".

Szűcs Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "furrier" in Hungarian.

Tanner English
Occupational name for a person who tanned animal hides, from Old English tannian "to tan", itself from Late Latin and possibly ultimately of Celtic origin.

Tasse French
From Old French tasse "purse, bag", an occupational name for a maker or seller of purses.

Teke 2 Turkish
Occupational name for a goat herder, from Turkish teke "goat".

Tesla Serbian
Occupational name for a carpenter, derived from Serbian tesla meaning "adze". This name was notably borne by the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla (1856-1943).

Tessaro Italian
Occupational name meaning "weaver", ultimately from Latin texarius.

Tímár Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "tanner" in Hungarian.

Tinker English
Occupational name for a mender of kettles, pots and pans. The name could derive from the tinking sound made by light hammering on metal. It is possible that the word comes from the word tin, the material with which the tinker worked.

Toller English
Occupational name meaning "tax gatherer", derived from Old English toln "toll, fee, tax".

Travers English, French
From an English and French place name that described a person who lived near a bridge or ford, or occasionally as an occupational name for the collector of tolls at such a location. The place name is derived from Old French traverser (which comes from Late Latin transversare), which means "to cross".

Tripp English
From Middle English trippen meaning "to dance", an occupational name for a dancer.

Tucker English
Occupational name for a fuller of cloth, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.

Tupper English
Occupational name for a herdsman, derived from Middle English toupe "ram".

Turner English
Occupational name for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English turnian "to turn", of Latin origin. A famous bearer is the American musician Tina Turner (1939-2023), born Anna Mae Bullock.

Tyler English
Occupational name for a tiler of roofs, derived from Old English tigele "tile". A famous bearer of this name was American president John Tyler (1790-1862).

Uccello Italian
Means "bird" in Italian, either a nickname for a person who resembled a bird or an occupational name for a birdcatcher.

Vaccaro Italian
Occupational name meaning "cowherd" in Italian.

Vadas Hungarian
From Hungarian vad meaning "wild", either a nickname or an occupational name for a hunter of wild game.

Varga u & m Hungarian, Slovak
Occupational name meaning "cobbler" in Hungarian.

Vela Spanish
Occupational name for a guard, from Spanish vela meaning "watch, vigil".

Ververs Dutch
Occupational name derived from Dutch verver meaning "dyer, painter".

Visser Dutch
Occupational name meaning "fisherman" in Dutch.

Vogel German, Dutch
From Old High German and Old Dutch fogal meaning "bird". It was originally an occupational name for a bird catcher, or a nickname for a person who liked to sing.

Vogt German
Occupational name from Middle High German voget meaning "bailiff, administrator, steward", ultimately from Latin advocatus.

Walker English
Occupational name for a person who walked on damp raw cloth in order to thicken it. It is derived from Middle English walkere, Old English wealcan meaning "to move".

Wardrobe English
From Old French warder "to guard" and robe "garment", an occupational name for a servant responsible for the clothing in a household.

Waterman 2 English, Dutch
Occupational name for a boatman or a water carrier. It could also describe a person who lived by water.

Wayne English
Occupational name meaning "wagon maker, cartwright", derived from Old English wægn "wagon". A famous bearer was the American actor John Wayne (1907-1979).

Weaver 1 English
Occupational name for a weaver, derived from Old English wefan "to weave".

Webb English
Occupational name meaning "weaver", from Old English webba, a derivative of wefan "to weave".

Webster English
Occupational name meaning "weaver", from Old English webba, a derivative of wefan "to weave".

Weimann German
From German Wein meaning "wine", an occupational name for a wine seller or producer.

Wheeler English
Occupational name for a maker of wagon wheels, derived from Middle English whele "wheel".

Wirth German, Jewish
Occupational name for an innkeeper, derived from German wirt meaning "host".

Woodward English
Occupational name for a forester, meaning "ward of the wood" in Old English.

Wright 1 English
From Old English wyrhta meaning "wright, maker", an occupational name for someone who was a craftsman. Famous bearers were Orville and Wilbur Wright, the inventors of the first successful airplane.

Zdunowski m Polish
Denoted a person from one of the various towns named Zduny in Poland, which is derived from Polish zdun meaning "potter". It can also be an occupational surname derived directly from zdun.

Zilberschlag Jewish
Occupational name for a silversmith from Yiddish zilber "silver" and schlag "strike".