Swiss Submitted Surnames

Swiss names are used in the country of Switzerland in central Europe.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Arbeiter German
Occupational name from Middle High German arbeiter ‘laborer’.
Arcangeli Italian
Meaning "archangel" in Italian.
Arcangelo Italian
From the given name Arcangelo.
Arceri Italian
From Italian arciere "archer, bowman". May alternately be from a place name, such as Arcera.
Archeambeau French
The name Archambeau is derived from the Latin personal name 'Arcambaldus'. In turn the name 'Arcambaldus', is derived from the Germanic word 'Ercan', which means precious in Germanic, and 'bald', meaning bold and daring.... [more]
Arcidiacono Italian
Means "archdeacon", denoting someone who worked for or was related to an archdeacon.
Arditi Italian
The heraldic tradition has it that this illustrious family, called Ardito or Arditi, is the same one that flourished in Lombardy with the name of Conti, and that, transplanted in the Neapolitan with the Lombard hostages taken by the emperor Federico II, left that name, changing it.
Ardito Italian
From the given name Ardito.
Ardolino Italian
Believed to have come from Arduino; is most common in the Campania area of Italy.
Arduino Italian
From the given name Arduino.
Arenaldi Italian (Rare)
Originally found in the Campania, Foggia area. Derived from the medieval name of Germanic origin Arenaldus or Arinaldus
Arendt German
From the given name Arnold
Arensberg German
From Old High German arn 'eagle' and berg, 'mountain'.
Arford German
Derived from town of Erfurt, Germany
Argenti Italian
Patronymic or plural form of Argento.
Argento Italian
Means "silver" in Italian, originally used as an occupational name for a silversmith or a nickname for a person with gray hair.
Argenziano Italian
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Argenzio, ultimately from Latin argenteus meaning "silver". A famous bearer was American actor Carmen Argenziano (1943-2019).
Argiolas Italian
From Sardinian argiolas "July".
Aries English, French
The name means either a person who worked in a fashion of the "Arras" cloth, as in the quotation "one bede Coveringe of Aries" (1562), or someone who was a former inhabitant of Arras in France, or Arras in Yorkshire; the latter being a particularly popular source of the name.
Ariganello Italian
This surname is concentrated in the southern Italian region Calabria.
Arinaldi Italian (Rare)
Variant of Arenaldi. Originally found in the Campania, Foggia area. Derived from the medieval name of Germanic origin Arenaldus or Arinaldus
Ariosto Italian
From the Germanic given name Ariost, meaning "battle-ready". A famous bearer of this surname is Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533).
Arlinghaus German
Perhaps a habitational name from Oerlinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Armand Pilon French
Armand is the original surname, and it is a French modification from a German surname. The original being Hartmann, that spelled by a francophone becomes Armand.... [more]
Armellino Italian
Italian: of uncertain origin; possibly from a masculinized form of Armellina, an old female personal name derived from Latin animula, a diminutive of anima ‘spirit’, ‘soul’.
Armenia Italian, Catalan, Spanish, Portuguese
Ethnic name or regional name for someone from Armenia or who had connections with Armenia. This surname is derived from the feminine form of Armenio, which is ultimately from Greek Αρμένιος (Armenios) meaning "Armenian"... [more]
Arminio Spanish, Italian, Sicilian
From the given name Arminio.
Armuier French
French for "armorer."
Arndt German
Derived from the personal name Arndt.
Arouet French
A famous bearer was French philosopher Voltaire (1694-1778), whose birth name was François-Marie Arouet.
Arquette French
From arquet meaning "little bow" or "little arch" (diminutive of arche, from Latin arcus). It was originally an occupational name for an archer, but the French word arquet(te) is also found in the sense 'market trader' (originally, perhaps, one with a stall underneath an arch)... [more]
Arquint Romansh
Derived from the given name Ortwin.
Arquisch Romansh
Derived from the given name Hartwig.
Arrigo Italian
Italian: from the medieval personal name Arrigo, a variant of Enrico.
Arrotino Italian
Occupational name meaning "knife-sharpener, knife-grinder" in Italian.
Arturo Italian, Spanish
From the given name Arturo.
Aru Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Sardinian aru, a forked branch used to close hedges (possibly related to Latin varus "bent outwards, bow-legged"), or from arru "ring".
Ascanio Italian
From the given name Ascanio.
Ascencio Spanish, Italian
From the personal name (Latin Ascensius), favored by the early Christians, by whom it was bestowed with reference to the ascension of Christ (Late Latin ascensio).
Ascher German
Derived from German asche meaning "ash" (tanners worked with ash)
Asnicar Italian
From Cimbrian haazo "hare" and ékke "hill, rise".
Asperges Italian
It means "you bless", and it is also the device used by priests to spread holy water over people or places
Assanti Italian
Derived from the Italian personal name Alessandro.
Aßman German
Derived from Middle Low German asse "axle", this name used to denote an axle maker. In some cases, however, it can also be a variant of Asmussen.
Ast German
German and Ashkenazic Jewish: from German Ast ‘knot (in wood)’ hence a nickname for a tough or awkward individual or a metonymic occupational name for a lumberjack. ... [more]
Astoni Italian
It is the surname of the Home and Away family, The Astoni family, consisting of 4 members, Ben, Maggie, Coco and Ziggy.
Astore Italian
Derived from Italian astore meaning "goshawk", which is a bird of prey that was used for hunting in the Middle Ages. The surname had first started out as a nickname: either for a falconer, or for a person who had aquiline features or who was cunning by nature.
Attilio Italian
From the given name Attilio.
Atzeni Italian
From a lost Sicilian toponym.
Atzerodt English, German
This was the surname of George Atzerodt, a conspirator in a plot to kidnap Abraham Lincoln.
Atzori Italian
Possibly from Spanish azor "goshawk", otherwise a variant of Atzeri.
Au Upper German, Swiss, German (Swiss), German (Austrian)
South German, Swiss, and Austrian topographic name from dialect Au ‘water meadow’, ‘stream’ (see Aue).
Auberjonois French
A French last name meaning "armourer". Actor René Murat Auberjonois is a notable bearer.
Aubin French
From the French given name Aubin.
Aubine French (Rare)
Derived from the medieval French feminine given name Aubine, which was the French form of Albina. But in other words, you could also say that Aubine was the feminine form of Aubin.
Aubinet French (Rare)
Derived from the medieval French masculine given name Aubinet, which was a diminutive (as the -et suffix indicates) of the given name Aubin.... [more]
Aubuchon French (Modern, ?)
The Aubuchon name is French, but of uncertain origin. It is probably from the patronymic prefix au + buchon, a dialect term for a woodcutter (Standard French bûcheron).
Aubut French
The surname "Aubut" is Old French and was first found in the Burgundy region of France. It is derived from the Germanic name "Alberic" which is from the Latin name "Albericus."
Auclair French
Patronymic from the personal name Clair or the nickname Leclair (‘the cheerful one’): (fils) à Leclair ‘(son) of Leclair’. It has also absorbed cases of Auclerc (from LeClerc).
Audelin French
Variant of Odelin, which is not to be confused with Odelín as it is Spanish while the other one is French, though they could have similar origins in name.
Audet French
Southern French nickname from Gascon dialect audet "bird", variant of standard Occitan ausèl (modern French oiseau).
Audino Italian
Derived from first name 'Alda' which means 'wise and experienced.'
Audrin French
Derived from the Breton given name Aodren.
Audy French
Occitan form of Audin.
Auerbach German, Jewish
Topographical name for someone who lived by a stream (Middle High German bach) that was near a swamp or marsh (auer).
Aufderheide German
Topographic name for someone who lived on a heath, derived from German auf der heide literally meaning "on the heath".
Augello Italian
Italian (Campania) dialect variant of Uccello ‘bird’, hence either a nickname for a diminutive, birdlike person or an occupational name for a fowler. Compare Auciello.
Auger French
From the given name Auger.
Auguste French
From the first name Auguste 1.
Aurelio Italian, Spanish
From the given name Aurelio
Auric French
Meaning unknown. Georges Auric (15 February 1899 – 23 July 1983) was a French composer, considered one of Les Six, a group of artists informally associated with Jean Cocteau and Erik Satie.
Auricchio Italian
"A nickname from a dialect variant of orecchio ‘ear’ (from Latin auricula)."
Aurifaber German (Latinized)
Latinised form of Goldschmidt, meaning "gold smith".
Aurigemma Italian
From a Neapolitan given name, composed of auri "gold" and gemma "gem".
Auriol Occitan, French
Possibly derived from Occitan oriol, meaning "oriole". Alternatively, it may be derived from the given name Aurelius.
Aurora Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Occitan, Portuguese
Means "dawn" in Latin (see the given name Aurora).
Ausländer German
Nickname given to a foreigner.
Autry English, French
A habitational name from any of the places in France named Autrey or Autry. French: from the Old French personal name Audry, from Germanic Aldric ‘ancient power’.
Avallone Italian
Topographic name for someone who lived in a deep valley.
Avamilano Spanish, Italian
Of Spanish origin, but probably has its roots in Italy due to the word "milano" which means Milan in Italian.
Avara Italian
Italian feminine form of Avaro.
Aveline French
Derived from the medieval given name Aveline or Avelin.
Aven Scandinavian, English, German, Dutch, French (Anglicized)
Scandinavian: unexplained.... [more]
Avena Spanish, Italian
A traditionally Spanish and Italian occupational surname for a "grain grower or merchant", or the Italian habitation surname for Avena, Calabria. Means "oats". From the Latin avēna meaning 'oats, wild oats, straw'.
Aversano Italian
A nickname for a wealthy person.
Avogadro Italian
An occupational name for a lawyer or public official with administrative duties. Ultimately from Latin advocator, "advocate".
Avril French
Derived from French avril meaning "April", perhaps indicating a person who was baptized in that month.
Axt German
From a Middle High German ackes or axt, meaning "axe". Name for a woodcutter, carpenter, or axe maker.
Ayotte French
It means 'small hedge' or 'small woody plot of land' in Old French.
Azuaje-fidalgo Portuguese (Rare), Spanish, Italian
Fidalgo from Galician and Portuguese filho de algo — equivalent to "nobleman", but sometimes literally translated into English as "son of somebody" or "son of some (important family)"—is a traditional title of Portuguese nobility that refers to a member of the titled or untitled nobility... [more]
Babel French
Either (i) from the medieval French personal name Babel, apparently adopted from that of St Babylas, a 3rd-century Christian patriarch of Antioch, the origins of which are uncertain; or (ii) an invented Jewish name based on German or Polish Babel "Babylon".
Baccellieri Italian
From baccelliere "batchelor", a title for a young knight, or a university disciple who had studied Canon Law for 5 years and Civil Law for 7 years.
Bacharach German, Jewish
Derived from Bacharach, a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. This surname was borne by the American composer and pianist Burt Bacharach (1928-2023).
Bachechi Italian
Comes from the Tuscan-Italian personal name Baccio.
Bacigalupo Italian
From Ligurian bacigare "to beat with a stick" and lupo "wolf", or from Genoese basigâ "to swing, to tease" and lupo "wolf". Possibly a nickname for someone considered courageous or cowardly, or an occupational name for a hunter.
Backman English, Swedish, German
Combination of Old English bakke "spine, back" and man "man". In Swedish, the first element is more likely to be derived from Swedish backe "hill", and in German the first element can be derived from German backen "to bake"... [more]
Bacon English, French, Norman
An occupational surname for someone who sold pork, from Middle English and Old French bacun or bacon, meaning 'bacon', which is ultimately of Germanic origin. Can also be derived from the Germanic given names Baco, Bacco, or Bahho, from the root bag-, meaning 'to fight'... [more]
Bacot French
Derived from the root bac-, which is of unknown meaning.
Bäder Romansh
Derived from the given name Peter.
Badrutt Romansh
Derived from a diminutive form of the given name Peter.
Baechli German (Swiss)
Derived from the word "Bächli," which means "small brook" in Swiss German.
Baeder German (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Bäder, itself a variant of Bader.
Baeder Romansh
Variant of Bäder.
Baer German
Derived from Old High German bero "bear".
Baffa Italian
The origins of this surname are uncertain, but it may be from Italian baffo "mustache", with the Latinate feminine suffix probably due to the influence of the word famiglia "family". Alternatively it may be Albanian in origin, of unexplained meaning.
Bahl German
Derived from the given name Baldo.
Baiamonte Italian
Derived from the given name Baiamonte, itself a form of Boiamund.
Bail French, Walloon
Nickname from Old French bail for "governor, regent, bailiff".
Bailly French, English
French cognate of Bailey, as well as an English variant; derived from Old French baillif "bailiff" (from Latin baiulus).
Bain Scottish, French, English
Nickname for a hospitable person from northern Middle English beyn, bayn meaning "welcoming", "friendly".... [more]
Baio Italian
From a nickname for someone with light brown or reddish-brown hair or beard, from baio meaning "bay horse", ultimately derived from Late Latin badius meaning "red-brown".
Balbino Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
From the given name Balbino.
Baldassare Italian
Frokm the given name Baldassare.
Baldinger German
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name for someone from a place called Baldingen, either in Württemberg, Germany, or Aargau, Switzerland.
Baldo Italian, Spanish
From the given name Baldo.
Baldoni Italian
From the Germanic word "baltha", which means "gallant" or "bold."
Baldovino Italian
From the given name Baldovino.
Balett Romansh
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Paul.
Balivo Italian
From balivo "bailiff".
Balloi Italian
From the given name Balloi.
Ballou Haitian Creole, French (Caribbean), French
The Ballou name comes from that Medieval landscape of northwestern France known as Brittany. The name Ballou was originally derived from the family having lived in Brittany, where this distinguished family was established from ancient times... [more]
Ballut French
Derived from Old Occitan baluter, cognate of French bluter (via Middle French beluter), meaning "to sift, to sieve, especially the flour from the bran", this name used to denote a miller.
Balma Italian
Perhaps a topographic name from the dialect word balma meaning ‘grotto’, ‘cave’, ‘jutting rock’.
Balsam German
Occupational name for a seller of spices and perfumes.
Balsan German
Variant of Balsam.
Balsano German (Austrian), Italian
The roots of the distinguished surname Balzano lie in Austria. The name derives itself from "Balthasar," the name of one of the three Magi who followed the star to Bethlehem, and was popular as both a first name and a family name during the 18th century.... [more]
Balson German
Variant of Balsam.
Balthazor German
German/Austrian form of Balthazar.
Balzak French
Variant of Balzac.
Banchieri Italian
From banchiere "banker" or the related Genoese bancherus "shopkeeper, street vendor".
Bandera Spanish, Italian
Status name for a bearer of flags or standards, from Spanish bandera meaning "flag, banner". It is also a variant of Italian Bandiera, a cognate of the Spanish name.
Banderali Italian
Italian cognate of Banner.
Bandi Italian
Derived from Late Latin Bandus itself from the Germanic band and the Latin banda, all meaning "sign, emblem, banner". It can also derive from the Italian word bando meaning "announcement" from the Germanic bann.
Bandiera Italian
from bandiera "banner flag" hence presumably a status name for a standard bearer. Italian cognate of Banner.
Bandli Romansh
Variant of Bantli.
Bantli German (Swiss), Romansh
Derived from the given name Pantaleon.
Banville French, English, Irish
From a place in france derived from the Germanic name Bada and French ville "village, town".
Baptist German, English
From the given name Baptist, or an Anglicized form of Baptiste.
Barandun Romansh
Of debated origin and meaning; theories include a derivation from Italian baraonda "chaos; uproar".
Baratto Italian
From Italian baratto "barter, exchange, swap", likely used for a merchant.
Barbado Italian
Means bearded
Barbagelata Italian
Named after the hamlet of Barbagelata, located in the commune of Lorsica, Genoa, Liguria, Italy. The name possibly means "cold beard", as it derives from "barba" (beard) and "gelata" (female form of cold).
Barbaro Italian
Occupational name for a barbarian.
Barbarossa Italian
Means "red beard" in Italian.
Barbe French
Nickname for someone with a beard, Old French barbe (Latin barba).
Barbe French
From the given name Barbe.
Barbe German
From Middle High German barbe, the name of a species of fish resembling the carp; hence by metonymy an occupational name for a fisherman or fish dealer, or possibly a nickname for someone thought to resemble the fish in some way.
Barbeau French
Derived from barbeau meaning "barbel", a type of fish, hence a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman, or a nickname for a man with a sparse beard, the fish being distinguished by beardlike growths on either side of its mouth... [more]
Barbera Italian
Derogatory nickname from barbera ‘barber’s wife’, a term also used to denote a prostitute or dishonest woman. Catalan (Barberà): habitational name from a place in Tarragona province, named with Late Latin Barbarianum ‘place of Barbarius’, a derivative of Barbarus (see Barbaro)... [more]
Barbin French
Diminutive of Barbe.
Barblan Romansh
Derived from the given name Barbla.
Barbuto Italian
Nickname for a bearded person.
Bareilles French, Occitan
Derived from the place name Bareilles, a village in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitania region of France. A famous bearer is the American musician and actress Sara Bareilles (1979-).
Barella Italian
From a derivative of Barone.
Baresi Italian
Variant of Barrese. A famous bearer is Franchino "Franco" Baresi (1960-), as well as his brother Giuseppe Baresi (1958-), both former Italian soccer players.
Bärg German
Variant of Berg.
Baril French
During the middle ages, when people were named after their given job, Baril was what winemakers and brewers were named. Baril simply means "Barrel" or "Keg"
Barile Italian
From Italian barile "barrel" either an occupational name for a Cooper or a nickname for a fat man.
Barilla Italian
Occupational name from medieval Greek barellas "cooper" from Italian barella "barrel" with the suffix (e)as.
Barisich German
Likely a German version of Baruch.
Barnette English, French (?)
Variant of Bernet and perhaps also a variant of English Barnett, under French influence.
Barno Italian, Ukrainian, French, Ancient Aramaic, Russian
The surname Barno was first found in the north of Italy, especially in Tuscany. The name occasionally appears in the south, usually in forms which end in "o," but the northern forms ending in "i" are much more common... [more]
Baron English, French
From a title of nobility derived from Old French baron of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly from Frankish barō meaning "servant, man, warrior". It was used as a nickname for someone who worked for a baron or for a peasant with ideas above their station.
Baroni Italian
Variant of Barone.
Barraco Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Arabic بَرَّاق (barraq) "shining, lustrous".
Barreau French
Possibly a variant of Barreur, an agent derivative of barrer ‘to bar’, ‘to close or block off’, hence possibly an occupational name for a jailer or doorkeeper.
Barrese Italian, Sicilian
Denoted a person from any of the various minor places named Barra in southern Italy (for example the large district in the eastern part of Naples), derived from Italian barra meaning "barrier, bar, obstacle".
Barriera Italian
Means "barrier" in Italian.
Barriere French
Occupational name for a gatekeeper, from Old French barier.
Barrineau French
The history of the Barrineau family goes back to the Medieval landscape of northern France, to that coastal region known as Normandy. Barrineau is a habitation name, derived from the place name Barrault, in Normandy.... [more]
Bartek Polish, Czech, Slovak, German
Polish, Czech, Slovak, and eastern German: from a pet form of a vernacular form of the personal name Bartolomaeus (Czech Bartoloměj, Polish Bartłomiej, German Bartolomäus)
Barthélémy French
From the given name Barthélémy.
Bartholomäus German
From the given name Bartholomäus.
Bartoli Italian
Derived from the Italian name Bartolo.
Bartolo Italian
From the given name Bartolo
Bartolotta Italian
Bartolotta was the name taken by the followers of Saint Bartholomew. Bartholomew was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus. He is credited as bringing Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century.
Bartolozzi Italian
Derives from the medieval male given name "Bartholomew".
Bärtsch Romansh
Derived from the given name Bartholomäus.
Barwick English, German
English: habitational name from any of various places called Barwick, for example in Norfolk, Somerset, and West Yorkshire, from Old English bere ‘barley’ + wic ‘outlying farm’, i.e. a granary lying some distance away from the main village.... [more]