German Submitted Surnames

German names are used in Germany and other German-speaking areas such as Austria and Switzerland. See also about German names.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Strigl German
Name given in 1056 a.d. Meaning- Keeper of the Royal Horses.
Stroh English, German
Means "straw" when translated from German, indicating a thin man, a person with straw-colored hair, or a dealer of straw.
Strohm Upper German
From the noble name Strohmeier. Great river and electricity.
Strom German
Variant of Strahm.
Strubel German
German (also Strübel): from a diminutive of Middle High German strūp (see Strub).... [more]
Studer German (Americanized, Rare), Russian, German
Often found in Switzerland and germany and in a more rare case Russia in north america it's a little more on the rare side
Stuhr German, Danish, German (Austrian)
A nickname for an inflexible, obstinate person.
Stults German
The Stults surname is derived from the German word "stoltz," which means "proud," and as such, it was most likely originally a nickname, which became a hereditary surname.
Sturtz German
Sturtz comes from an alpine village in Germany. It literately means "to stumble".
Sugar German (Rare)
Sugar is the surname of talented storyteller, writer, and composer Rebecca Rae Sugar (creator of animated series Steven Universe).
Suhr German
Nickname for a bitter or cantankerous person, from Middle Low German sūr meaning "sour".
Sullenberger German (Swiss)
Derived from an unknown place called Sullenberg or from Schallenberg in Baden, Switzerland. A famous bearer is Sully Sullenberger (1951-), an American retired Air Force fighter pilot and airline captain who is best known for saving all 155 people aboard in the 2009 ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan, after both engines were disabled by a bird strike.
Sulzer German
occupational name for someone who made prepared meats from Middle High German sulzer "butcher charcutier". from a derivative of Middle High German sulze "brine" hence a topographic name for someone who lived near a spring of salty water or a habitational name for someone from any of the places called Sulz in Germany Austria Alsace and Switzerland.
Summer English, German
From Middle English sum(m)er, Middle High German sumer "summer", hence a nickname for someone of a warm or sunny disposition, or for someone associated with the season of summer in some other way.
Summerlin English, German, Scottish
An English surname.... [more]
Sussman German, Jewish
In German, this is an elaborated form of Süß, meaning "sweet man".... [more]
Süssmann German, Jewish
A nickname for a sweet person.
Sutter German, English
English and South German occupational name for a shoemaker or cobbler (rarely a tailor), from Middle English suter, souter, Middle High German suter, sutære (from Latin sutor, an agent derivative of suere ‘to sew’).
Swank German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Schwank or Schwenk. It is borne by the American actress Hilary Swank (1974-).
Swayze German (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Schweitzer. A famous bearer was American actor and singer Patrick Swayze (1952-2009).
Swigert German (Americanized)
Americanized form of German Schweigert or Zweigert, an occupational name for a gardener or tender of plants, from an agent derivative of Middle High German zwigen, meaning "to graft" or "to plant".
Swisher German
Americanized form of German Schweitzer meaning Swiss.
Syler German
Altered spelling of German Seiler.
Tabbert German, Frisian
From Middle Low German tabbert, Middle Dutch tabbaert ‘tabard’, a sleeveless overgarment worn by men in the Middle Ages, (ultimately from French tabard, from Late Latin tabardum)... [more]
Tannen German, Jewish
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) habitational name from any of several places in Lower Saxony or Baden named with German Tannen ‘pine’, or from a short form of any of the many compound names formed with this element... [more]
Tannenbaum Jewish, German
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) topographic name or Jewish ornamental name from German Tannenbaum ‘fir tree’, ‘pine tree’.
Tannhäuser German
Habitational name for someone from any of the places called Tannhausen in Brandenburg, Silesia or Württemberg.
Tape English, German
Variant spelling of Tapp.
Tapp English, German
Derived from an Old English given name Tæppa, of uncertain origin and meaning. In German, it is a nickname for a clumsy person or a simpleton, derived from Middle Low German tappe meaning "oaf".
Taron German
Standardized variant of Tarruhn.
Taron German (Rare)
The standardized variant of Tarruhn which has origins in the Neumark region of Brandenburg, Prussia dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The Taron family was one of many German families who left the Neumark region and moved eastward into present-day Poland and Ukraine... [more]
Tarruhn German
Origins are found in Neumark, Brandenburg, Prussia.
Tatke German
Unknown source.
Taufer German (Rare, Archaic)
Taufer is a german surname. The meaning of Taufer is "to dip".... [more]
Teates German (Americanized)
Probably an altered spelling of German Dieter .
Teetes German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of German Dietz
Templin German
German habitational name from a place so named in Brandenburg, of Slavic origin.
Tenscher German
originated in Germany but came to America
Tepper German
Meaning "tavern owner"
Tescher German, Danish
Occupational name for a joiner or a variant of Tasch.
Tessmer German
Derived from the given name Těšimír.
Teubert German
Variant of Taube.
Thal Jewish, German
Ornamental and topographic name derived from German Tal "valley".
Thalman German (Americanized)
Partly Americanized spelling of German Thalmann or Thälmann.
Thannhausen German
An old noble family from Germany. Meaning "dwelling in Tann", specifically from their ancestral seat in the town of Tannhausen.
Theisen German, Danish, Norwegian
German, Danish, and Norwegian: patronymic from a reduced form of the personal name Matthias or Mathies (see Matthew).
Theissen German
North German: patronymic from Theiss.
Theresa English, German
From the given name Theresa.
Thiel German
Derived from Old High German thiot "people".
Thiessen German, Danish
Reduced form of the personal name Matthias or Mathies.
Thirring Upper German (Rare)
The name Thirring has many different forms/variant spellings. These include Thiering, Thiring, Thuring,Thuringer, Turinger, Duringer, Diringer, Diring and During. One of the reasons for all the variant spellings is that the church scribes in Hungary originally all recorded the name differently... [more]
Thirtyacre German (Americanized, Rare)
English form of the German Drezigacker.
Thoma German, German (Swiss)
German and Swiss German: variant of Thomas. Greek: genitive patronymic from Thomas. Genitive patronymics are particularly associated with Cyprus.
Thoman German
Derived from the personal name Thoman.
Thomann German, French
Variant of Thoman. It was first discovered in Germany, where it surfaced in the medieval times.
Thomet French (Swiss), German (Swiss)
Derived from a diminutive form of the given name Thomas.
Thommen German (Swiss), Romansh
Patronymic form of the given name Thomas.
Thorn Low German, German, German (Silesian), Polish, Luxembourgish
In North German, Danish, and Luxembourgish, it is a habitational name for someone who lived near a tower, from Middle Low German torn "tower".... [more]
Threet American (Anglicized), German
Americanization of German Tritt.
Thuringer German
Habitational name for someone from Thuringia.
Tiefenbrunn German
Possibly a combination of the german word “Tiefe” meaning depths, and germanic brun, meaning armor, protection
Till German
From the given name Till.
Timcke German (Rare)
Timcke originated in Germany and has existed since the origin of the Germanic language.
Timm German, Dutch, English
English: probably from an otherwise unrecorded Old English personal name, cognate with the attested Continental Germanic form Timmo. This is of uncertain origin, perhaps a short form of Dietmar... [more]
Tinklenberg German
Probably of German origin, a habitational name from Tecklenburg in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Tisch Jewish, German
Metonymic occupational name for a joiner, from German "Tisch", Yiddish "tish" meaning table.
Tischner German
Tischner means carpenter.
Toepfer German (Anglicized)
Anglicised spelling of Töpfer.
Tomaš Serbian, Croatian, Sorbian, German
From the given name Tomaš.
Tombaugh German
topographic name from to dem bach ‘at the creek’, perhaps a hybrid form as Bach is standard German, bek(e) being the Low German form. habitational name from places in Hesse, Baden, and Bavaria called Dombach (earlier Tunbach, from tun, tan ‘mud’).
Töpfer German
It literally means "potter".
Toplitz German
German: habitational name from Teplice in northern Bohemia.
Topp German
German: from Low German topp 'point', 'tree top', hence a topographic name; or alternatively a metonymic occupational name or nickname from the same word in the sense 'braid'.
Torn German
Derived from Old High German dorn / torn "thorn". As a surname, it was usually given to someone who lived near a thorn hedge.
Toth English (Anglicized), German
Either an anglicized form of Hungarian Tóth or derived from German tot "dead" or Middle High German tote "godfather".
Trachtenberg German, Jewish
Could mean either mean "mountain of thoughts", from Yiddish trakhtn (טראַכטן) "to think" and berg "mountain" or "mountain of costumes", from German tracht "to wear, carry" and berg "mountain"... [more]
Traeger German
Derived from the German word Trager which means "Someone who carries something." Traeger could also mean "gift of God."
Tramp German
The Tramp surname may be derived from the Middle High German word "trumpe," meaning "drum."
Traube German
Means "grape" in German.
Traun German
Derived from the Celtic word dru meaning "river". Traun is a river in the Austrian state of Upper Austria as well as a city located on the north bank of that river and borders Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, to the east.
Trausch German, Slavic, Low German, Luxembourgish
A nickname either derived from Trauschke, a nickname from Old Slavic drugu "companion", or from Middle Low German druus "sullen", "dour".
Traut German
From either a nickname or a given name derived from the Middle High German word trut "dear, beloved".
Trauth German
Variant of Traut.
Trautwein German
Derived from a medieval given name composed of Middle High German trut meaning "beloved" and win meaning "friend".
Trautwig German (Modern)
From an Ancient German given name made of the name elements TRUD "strength" and WIG "fight"
Treichel German (Swiss)
Swiss German: from a word meaning ‘cow bell’, presumably a nickname for a cowherd or farmer, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who made cow bells.
Treike German
Surname of german origin, sometimes also used as a given name.
Tremel German
A nickname for a disagreeable person, from German tremel, meaning "boor ruffian".
Treml German
Variant of Tremel.
Trettin German
Habitational name from a place so named in Brandenburg.
Treu German, Jewish
From a nickname for a trustworthy person, from late Middle High German triuwe ‘loyal’. As a Jewish surname it is mainly ornamental.
Treuz German
Derived from the town Trezzo sull'Adda in northern Italy, the name di Trezzo was used by a Milanese armourer family of the 14th century with the first known member being Bazarino di Trezzo, who was possibly also related to the Missaglia family of armourers... [more]
Trexler German
It is derived from the Middle High German "Drehseler," meaning "turner," and was most likely initially borne by a turner or lathe worker.
Trilling German
nickname from Middle High German drilinc "one of three one third" which was also the name of a medieval coin.
Tromme Belgian, German (Swiss)
From low German meaning "drum".
Trotter English, Scottish, German
Northern English and Scottish: occupational name for a messenger, from an agent derivative of Middle English trot(en) 'to walk fast' (Old French troter, of Germanic origin). ... [more]
Troxel German
Roots of the German surname Troxel can be found in the region of Hesse, where the name originated. Troxel may be an occupational name, derived from the Middle High German word "truhsaesee," meaning "leader." In this case, Troxel would be a variation of the German surname Truchsess.
Troy German, Jewish, French, Dutch
As a German and Jewish surname, it is and Anglicized form of Treu or a similar surname.... [more]
Troyer German (Anglicized)
Surname common among the Amish and the Mennonites. It is the Pennsylvania German form of the German last name "Dreier", "Dreyer" or "Treyer". Hans Treyer, an early Anabaptist leader, died as a martyr of his faith in Bern in 1529... [more]
Trumbo French, German
French (Alsatian) form of German Trumbauer.
Trumpfheller German
Means "drummer". From Middle High German trumbeler "drummer", from trumbe "drum" and the agent suffix -er.
Trux German
Variant of Drux.
Tschida German
The Germanic spelling of the Hungarian name Çsida. Derived from the Turkish word for rider, or man on horseback.
Tschida German
Derived from the Czech word "třída," which means class, kind, category, grade, or avenue and place.
Tuell German
nickname from Slavic (Old Slavic toliti ""to soothe or calm"")
Turnbo English, German (Americanized)
Americanized spelling of German Dürnbach.
Turnbow English, German (Americanized)
Americanized spelling of German Dürnbach, from a habitational name from any of several places so named or from places in Austria and Bavaria named Dürrenbach (meaning "dry stream").
Tylson English, German (Anglicized)
English: variant of Dyson (see surname Dye). ... [more]
Übermacht German
Same given to someone with a lot of power.
Uhl German
Uhl begins in the German province of Bavaria. Uhl is a nickname surname, a class of German names derived from eke-names, or added names, that described people by a personal characteristic or other attribute... [more]
Uhler German
Uhler is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kastellaun, whose seat is in the like-named town.
Uhlmann German
From a pet form of a Germanic compound personal name beginning with odal ‘inherited property’.
Uhr German, Jewish
Derived from the given name Ulrich. In Jewish, it is a metonymic occupational name for a watch or clock maker, derived from German uhr meaning "watch, clock".
Ullmann German
Variant spelling of Uhlmann, associated with Jewish Europeans, meaning "man from Ulm". It is derived from the name of the city of Ulm in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Ulmer German
German surname meaning "from the city of Ulm".
Ulrich German
Derived from the personal name Ulrich.
Ulshafer German
Altered form of Ulshöfer.
Ulshöfer German
Habitational name for someone from a place called Ilshofen (old form Ulleshoven), near Schwäbisch Hall.
Umlauf German
German: occupational name for a policeman in a town or city, from Middle High German umbe laufen ‘to make the rounds’.
Ungar German, Jewish
ethnic name for a Hungarian or a nickname for someone who had trade relations with Hungary. Cognate of Ungaro and variant of Unger.
Unger German
German, Jewish (Ashkenazic), and Slovenian: ethnic name for a Hungarian or a nickname for someone who had trade relations with Hungary, from the ethnic term Unger ‘Hungarian’ ... [more]
Ungnade German
Castle builders in antiquity, my dad came from Ravensburg Germany on Bodensee.
Unterberger German (Austrian)
Denoted someone from Unterberg, the name of many places in Austria.
Unterreiner German
Topographic name for someone who lived below a mountain ridge, from Middle High German under meaning ‘under’ + rein meaning ‘ridge’.
Urech German (Swiss)
Derived from the given name Ulrich.
Utech German
From Middle Low German ūt-echtisch ‘outsider’, a term denoting someone who was not a member of a particular guild.
Utsler German
Derived from the given name Utz.
Vader German (Rare)
From Middle Low German vader meaning ‘father’, ‘senior’; in the Middle Ages this was used a term of address for someone who was senior in rank or age.
Valaitis Lithuanian, German (East Prussian)
Best known as the surname of a certain Lena.
Valee German
From French origin, denoting someone who lives or comes from a valley.
Valentin German, Upper German, German (Swiss), Romansh, French, French (Quebec), Haitian Creole, Croatian, Jewish
Derived from the given name Valentin. It was sometimes adopted as a personal name by Jews.
Vallie German
Probably an altered spelling of German Valee, a fairly common surname of French origin denoting someone who lived in a valley. The name in Germany is also spelled Wallee.
Vanderbilt Dutch, German
Topographic name for someone living by a low hill, from Middle Low German bulte "mound", "low hill".
Varner German
Habitational name for someone from Farn near Oberkirch, or Fahrnau near Schopfheim.
Veers German (Rare)
German variant of Weers.
Veis German, Yiddish
Yiddish form of Weiss.
Veit German
From the given name Veit.
Velte German
German variant of Velten.
Velten Dutch, German
Dutch and German from a vernacular form of the personal name Valentin (see Valentine 1).
Vermette German
Variant of Mette.
Vesper German
Either a nickname from Latin vesper "6 o’clock in the evening evening time" originally the second to last canonical hour or a habitational name from a place so called on the Ruhr river.
Vetter German
from a nickname from Middle High German veter(e) ‘uncle’, ‘nephew’. The word is from Old High German fetiro (a derivative of fater ‘father’), which was used more generally to denote various male relatives; the meaning of modern German Vetter is ‘cousin’.
Vierling German
Derived from Middle High German vierlinc meaning "one-fourth of a measure", hence a status name or nickname for someone who had an annual tax liability of this amount.
Vietmeyer German
German: distinguishing name for a tenant farmer who was a tenant of or owed some obligation to an estate or monastery named for Saint Veith.
Vilbig German
Unknown.
Villard German
Altered form of German Hilgard, from the female personal name Hildegard, composed of the Germanic elements hild "strife, battle" and gard "fortress, stronghold".
Villasurda German
Villasurda is a Germanic name dating back to the time of the Vikings. It, roughly translated from a Norse word, means, "the one who is fat."
Villwock German
Of uncertain and much debated origin.... [more]
Voelker German
My maiden name Surname.
Vögele Upper German, German (Swiss)
Swabian and Swiss German diminutive of Vogel.
Vögeli German (Swiss)
Swiss German diminutive of Vogel.
Vogelmann German
occupational name for a birdcatcher from Middle High German Middle Low German fogal "bird" and mann "man".
Vogelsang German
Means "bird song" in German. From the German words vogel (bird) and sang (song).
Vogl German (Austrian)
Southern German variant of Vogel.
Vogler German
Occupational name for a birdcatcher.
Volker German, Dutch
From the given name Volker.
Volkmuth German
Volk: People... [more]
Volksmärchen German
A German surname meaning "folk tale".
Vollbrecht German
From a German personal name composed of the elements folk ‘people’ + berht ‘bright’, ‘famous’. In the U.S. this name is often Americanized as Fulbright and Fullbright.
Völler German
German cognate of Fuller and a variant of Voll 2. A notable bearer is the retired German soccer player Rudi Völler (1960-).
Vollmar German, Germanic, Low German
This name is a variant form of Volkmar and the Low German form of Waldemar. It is of Germanic and Slavic origin and comes from the following roots: (VOLKMAR) and (VOLODIMĚRŬ).
Volmar German, Germanic, Low German
Variant Of Vollmar.
Von Allmen German (Swiss)
Means "of Allmen."
Von Arx German (Swiss)
Means "from Arx."
Von Der Lehr German
"from the Lehr" Meadow or Clearing
Von Hammersmark Popular Culture, German (?)
Means "from Hammersmark" in German. Bridget von Hammersmark is a fictional character in Quentin Tarantino's film 'Inglourious Basterds' from 2009.
von Stauffenberg German
From the name of the former castle Burg Stauffenberg in Swabia, southwestern Germany.
Von Sydow Swedish, German
von Sydow is a German and Swedish noble family from Pomerania, an area in modern day Poland and Germany. Some members of the family immigrated to Sweden in 1724. The name literary means "from Sydow"... [more]
Vorwald German
Topographic name for someone who lived "in front of (Middle High German vor) a forest (Middle High German walt)".
Vosberg Dutch, German
Topographic name for someone who lived by a hill frequented by foxes, from Middle Low German vos "fox" and berg "hill", "mountain".
Vossler German
Possibly related to Voss.
Vought German
The surname Vought originates in the Latin form "vocatus" or "advocatus," and referred to someone who appeared in court on another's behalf. As a surname, Vought is an occupational hereditary surname for a "bailiff" or "overseer of a nobleman's estate".
Wachs German, Jewish
Occupational name for someone who dealt with beeswax from Middle High German wahs German wachs "wax".
Wachsmann German, Jewish
Occupational name for a gatherer or seller of beeswax from Middle Low German was "wax" and man "man".
Wachter German, Dutch
Occupational name for a watchman, from Middle High German wachtære, wehtære, Middle Dutch wacht(e)re. (cf. Waite).
Wachtmann German
Occupational name for a watchman.
Wacker German
From a nickname for a bold or energetic person, from Middle High German wacker meaning ‘fresh’, ‘lively’, ‘brave’, or ‘valiant’.
Wackerman English (American), German
From the Americanized spelling of German Wackermann, a variant of Wacker, with the addition of Middle High German man, meaning ‘man’.
Wagar German
Variant of Wager.
Wagenknecht German
occupational name from Middle High German wagenknëht "hauler's assistant" from wagan "wagon" and kneht "servant".
Wagenmann German
Occupational name from Middle High German wagenman ‘hauler’, ‘wagoner’.
Wager German
An occupational name for an official in charge of the city scales.
Waggoner German
German name; variant of Wagner
Wagmann German
Possibly derived from Swabian Wegman, meaning "herb".
Wahl German, Jewish
From Middle High German Walhe, Walch "foreigner from a Romance country", hence a nickname for someone from Italy or France, etc. This surname is also established in Sweden.
Wahlberg German, Swedish, Norwegian (Rare)
Composed of German wal "field, meadow" or Swedish vall "grassy bank" and berg "mountain, hill".
Waidelich German
A variant of the surname Weidlich.
Walch German
From the personal name Walcho.
Wald German, English
Topographic name for someone who lived in or near a forest (Old High German wald, northern Middle English wald).
Waldorf German
Habitational name from any of at least three places so called, derived from Old High German wald "forest" and dorf "village, settlement"... [more]
Waldstein German, Jewish
Habitational surname for a person from a place in Bohemia called Waldstein, which is derived from Middle High German walt "forest" + stein "stone".
Wallbaum German, Jewish
Either a topographic name from Low German walbom "walnut tree" derived from wal "walnut" and boum "tree"... [more]
Wallee German
Of French origin, denoting a person who lives in or is from a valley.
Wallenstein German, Jewish
Variant of Waldstein a habitational name from Wallenstein (originally Waldenstein "forest rock" Czech Valdštejn) in Bohemia... [more]
Waltrip German
Derived from the name of the father of the original bearer, indicating the "son of Waldrap." The Germanic personal name Waldrap, is a short form of Walraven, a name used mostly among nobles, knights, and patricians.
Wanamaker German (Anglicized), Dutch (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Wannemacher. A famous bearer is the British-American actress Zöe Wanamaker (1949-), as well as her father, actor and director Sam Wanamaker (1919-1993).
Wannemacher German, Dutch
Occupational name for a maker or seller of baskets, particularly winnowing baskets or fans, derived from Middle High German wanne literally meaning "winnowing basket" and macher meaning "maker"... [more]
Warmbier German
Metonymic occupational name for a brewer, derived from Middle Low German warm meaning "warm" and ber meaning "beer".
Warnecke German
North German from a pet form of the personal name Warner, Low German form of Werner.
Warneke German
German variant spelling of Warnecke.
Warnke German
German variant of Warnecke.
Warns Dutch, German
Dutch habitational name from places so named in Friesland and Overijssel. The one in Friesland was the site of a famous victory of Frisians over the Hollanders in the 14th century. ... [more]
Warthen German
German: from a short form of the personal name Wartold, from Old High German wart ‘guardian’.
Wäscher German
Occupational surname for a washer, from Middle High German waschen, weschen "to wash".
Wasser German, Jewish
Topographic name from Middle High German wazzer "water".
Wassermann German
German cognate of Waterman 2. occupational name for a water-carrier or a topographic name from Middle High German wazzar "water" and man "man"... [more]