Swiss Submitted Surnames

Swiss names are used in the country of Switzerland in central Europe.
usage
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Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Ruth English, German (Swiss)
English: from Middle English reuthe ‘pity’ (a derivative of rewen to pity, Old English hreowan) nickname for a charitable person or for a pitiable one. Not related to the given name in this case.... [more]
Rutigliano Italian
From the name of a town located in Bari Province of Apulia, Italy.
Rutman Jewish, German
1. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): origin uncertain; perhaps a variant of Rothman. ... [more]
Rutmann German
German: see Rutman.
Rutt English, German
English: variant of Root.... [more]
Rutz Romansh, German (Swiss), German (Austrian)
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Rudolf.
Ruvolo Italian
From Sicilian ruvolo "sessile oak".
Ryne German (Swiss)
Respelling of Swiss German Rhyn, a topographic name for someone living on the Rhine river, Middle High German Rin.
Rynearson German, German (Swiss)
Derived from the Rhine River.
Saba French, Occitan
Nickname from a variant of Occitan sabe meaning "tasty, flavorsome". Compare Sabourin.
Sabat French
Nickname for a noisy, rowdy person, from Middle French sab(b)at "noise", "racket".
Sabatier French
Meaning "cobbler, shoemaker".
Sabatini Italian
Patronymic or plural form of Sabatino.
Sabatino Italian
From the given name Sabatino.
Sabato Italian
From sabato "Saturday".
Sabino Italian
From the given name Sabino
Sablone Italian
From Latin sabulo "coarse sand, gravel".
Saccà Italian
From Arabic سقى (saqa) "to give water", a nickname for a water carrier.
Saccavino Italian
Possibly from French sac à vin "drunkard".
Saccente Italian
Nickname from medieval Italian saccente "wise".
Sachse German
Variant of Sachs.
Sachtleben German
Nickname for someone perceived to lead a carefree, easy life, from Middle Low German sacht(e) meaning "soft" + leben meaning "life".
Sackhoff German
Occupational name for a farmer who cultivated land to grow plants, particularly crops, derived from Middle High German sack meaning "sack, end of a valley, area of cultivation" and hof meaning "farmstead, manor, farm"... [more]
Sackmann German
Occupational name from Middle High German sacman meaning "baggage servant", one who was in charge of transporting and looking after a knight’s baggage and supplies on campaign.
Saco Italian
There are several possible derivations for the Saco surname: the Saco name evolved from an old Tuscan personal name, Saccus; it came from the word "sacco" meaning "a sack," and was an occupational name for a maker of sacks or bags; it was a habitational name taken on from the place named Sacco in Salerno province.
Sadat German (Rare)
The last name Sadat means "master" and "gentleman," and is originally a religious last name which was popular in the west, more precisely in Germany.
Saenger German, Jewish
Occupational name for a chorister or a nickname for someone who liked singing, from Middle High German senger, German Sänger meaning "singer".
Saëns French
From the given name Saëns
Saetta Italian
Means "lightning" in Italian.
Saffeels English (Rare), German (Rare)
Used as a last name a minimum of 82 times in (USA, Germany).
Saffioti Italian
From the place name Punta Safò, a settlement in Briatico.
Saint English, French
Nickname for a particularly pious individual, from Middle English, Old French saint, seint "holy" (Latin sanctus "blameless, holy"). The vocabulary word was occasionally used in the Middle Ages as a personal name, especially on the Continent, and this may have given rise to some instances of the surname.
Sainte-Marie French, Occitan
French and Occitan cognate of Santamaría.
Saint-exupery French
From the place named Saint-Exupery. Famous bearer of this surname is Antoine Saint-Exupery, the writer of .
Saint-Jean French
Means Saint John in French
Saint-saëns French
From any place named Saint-Saens by honor to the saint Sidonius.
Saint-Simon French
A French surname meaning "Saint Simon". Two famous bearers were Duc de Saint-Simon Louis de Rouvroy(1675-1755), a French memoirist, and his younger relative, Henri de Saint-Simon(1760-1825), the founder of French Socialism and modern theoretical Socialism in general.
Saint-xandre French
Derived from Saint Alexander
Sajin French
1 French: metonymic occupational name for a satin merchant or specialist satin weaver, from Middle French satin ‘satin’, a word of Arabic and (ultimately) Chinese origin, a derivative of the Chinese place name Tsinkiang, whence satin silk was brought to the Middle East and Europe in the Middle Ages.... [more]
Saladin French
nickname for a blustering or tyrannical individual from the name of the medieval Egyptian sultan who because of his success in combating the Crusaders became demonized in French and Italian folklore as a monster second only to Herod.
Saladino Italian, Sicilian
Either from the personal name Saladino from Arabic (see Saladin ) or a nickname from this name denoting a bully or tyrant... [more]
Salaün Breton, French
Form of the given name Solomon.
Sale English, French
English: from Middle English sale ‘hall’, a topographic name for someone living at a hall or manor house, or a metonymic occupational name for someone employed at a hall or manor house. ... [more]
Salemi Italian, Sicilian
habitational name from a place so called in Trapani.
Salerno Italian
Southern Italian habitational name from the city of Salerno in Campania.
Salgari Italian, Venetian
Meaning unknown.
Salierno Italian
Possibly denotes someone from the city Salerno.
Salis Romansh
Derived from Italian salice "willow".
Sallas Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Occitan, Galician, Portuguese, Aragonese, Asturian, Romanian, Greek
Either a variant of Salas or Sala, or else a nickname from Arabic, Turkish, or Persian salli meaning "broad, wide, large, tall".
Sallwasser German
It is derived from the German words (Salz) meaning "salt", & (Salweide) meaning "water".
Salomone Italian
From the given name Salomone the Italian form of Solomon.
Saltzman Jewish, German
Altered spelling of Salzmann.
Salussolia Italian, Piedmontese
Originally denoted a person from Salussola, a comune (municipality) in the province of Biella in Piedmont, Italy.
Salvatore Italian
Derived from the Italian masculine given name Salvatore, which in turn was derived from the Italian noun salvatore meaning "saviour, rescuer"... [more]
Salzer German
For someone who worked with salt from Middle High German salz "salt" (from Latin sal).
Salzmann German, Jewish
Occupational name for a producer or seller of salt, from German salz "salt" + mann "man".
Samet German, Jewish, Yiddish
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of velvet, from Yiddish samet ‘velvet’ (German Samt, ultimately from Greek hexamiton, a compound of hex ‘six’ + mitos ‘thread’).
Samis Dutch, German
From a pet form of the personal name Samuel.
Sammartino Italian
From Italian san (apocopic form of santo ("saint") + Martino ("Martin").
Sand French
Derived from the given name Sando.
Sand English, Scottish, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, German, Jewish
From the vocabulary word sand. As a Swedish and Jewish name, often ornamental. Otherwise topographic.
Sandano Italian
San means "saint" in Italian, but I don't know what the... [more]
Sande German
Variant of Sand.
Sandmeier German, German (Swiss), German (Austrian)
From Middle High German sand combined with Meier 1, referring to a tenant farmer whose farm was on sandy soil.
Sandri Romansh
Italianized form of Tschander.
Sanfelippo Italian
Italian (mainly Sicily and southern Calabria): habitational name from any of several places so named for a local church or shrine dedicated to St. Philip, in particular San Filippo del Mela in Messina province.
Sanfilippo Italian, Sicilian
habitational name from any of several places called with reference to a local church or shrine dedicated to Saint Philip specifically San Filippo del Mela in Messina province San Filippo near Reggio Calabria.
San Giorgio Italian
“Saint George.”
San Giovanni Italian
Means Saint John in Italian
Sanguinetti Italian, Judeo-Italian
From Sanguinetto, the name of two places in Genova and Verona provinces.
Sankt Johann German
Means Saint John in German.
San Pietro Italian
Means Saint Peter in Italian.
Santamaria Italian, French, Spanish
Italian and French cognate of Santamaría as well as a Spanish variant.
Santangelo Italian
Originating someone from Sant' Angelo in Italy.
Santerre French
Habitational name from a place to the southeast of the Somme river, named with Latin sana terra "healthy, wholesome land".
Santi Italian (Latinized, Archaic)
Santi is a surname of Christian inspiration and it means Son of Santo (Saint). It also has a second meaning in plural that is Santos (Saints). Santi is a last name that comes from Piedmont (northern Italy)... [more]
Santino Italian
Derived from the given name Santino.
Santora Italian
Feminine variant of Santoro.
Santorum Italian
Variant of Santoro. A notable bearer is former American Senator Rick Santorum (1958-present).
Sanzio Italian
Meaning: Holy or Blessed.
Saperstein Jewish, German
“Sapphire” and “stone”
Sapienza Italian
It means "knowledge" in Italian.
Saragat Italian
Meaning unknown, perhaps a variant of Sarago. The surname of a former Italian president.
Sarago Italian
From Italian sarago "fish".
Sarazen French
From a medieval French nickname for a swarthy person, or for someone who had gone on a Crusade (from Old French sarrazin "Saracen"). It was borne by American golfer Gene Sarazen (1902-99), original name Eugene Saraceni.
Sard English, French, Spanish, Italian
In the book surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary by Henry Harrison and Gyda (Pulling) Harrison 1912 - Reprinted 1996. The Sard surname (which has been in England, Italy and Europe for a long time) is defined thus on page 136.... [more]
Sarda Italian
From the feminine form of Sardo or from sarda "large sardine" either a nickname or occupational name for selling sardines.
Sardella Italian
From sardella "sardine" used as either an occupational name for a fisher or seller of sardines or a nickname for a thin person.
Sardina Italian, Spanish, Galician
From sardina Galician sardiña "sardine" used for someone as a catcher or seller of the fish or a nickname for a thin person.
Sardo Italian, Catalan
Ethnic name from sardo "Sardinian".
Sardone Italian
Augmentative of Sarda or Sardo "the big Sardinian". in the central and southern Adriatic region from sardone "anchovy".
Sarnow Polabian (Germanized), German
From the village of Sarnow in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Surname of the mayor of Stralsund Karsten Sarnow.
Sarracino Italian
From Neapolitan sarracino, meaning "Saracen", a term used to refer to a variety of ethnic and religious groups, including a nomadic people from Sinai, Muslims, and pirates from the Mediterranean.
Sarrazin French
Means "Saracen" in Old French, a name used to refer to Arab Muslims in the Middle Ages. It was probably used as a nickname for an unruly person, a person with a dark complexion, or for someone who had taken part in a Crusade.
Sartain French
Means, "Tailor".
Sartori Italian
Variant of Sarto, through Latin Sartorius.
Sass German
Variant of Sasse.
Saß German
Variant of Sass.
Sasse German
Variant of Sachs via the form Sachse.
Sassu Italian
From Sardinian sassu "stone".
Sattler German
An occupational name meaning "saddle maker".
Sauerwein German
Occupational nickname for someone who sold sour wine, or perhaps a nickname for someone with a sour disposition, from Middle High German sur "sour" + win "wine", i.e. vinegar.
Saulnier French
In Middle French (the form of French spoken from 1340 to 1610), it literally means "salt merchant".
Saur German
Variant of Sauer.
Sauve' French
Sauve' from France to Canada. Changed probably due to an "a" and an "o" confusion in cursive. My granfather's was typo-ed on WW II old men's sign up in MA. or RI, USA.
Savant French
Nickname from savant ‘learned’, a nickname for a university graduate or a particularly knowledgeable person.
Savard French
Either from Old French savart meaning "wasteland" or the Germanic elements sab of uncertain meaning and hard meaning "brave, hardy".
Savelli Italian
It could derive from the Sabelli (ancient Italic tribe), pre-Roman population, or from toponyms such as Savelli di Norcia (PG) and indicate the origin of the founder.
Savignac French
Habitational name for someone from various communes by this name in France.
Savino Italian
From the given name Savino.
Savio Italian
Italian nickname given to a wise, sage man. Saint Dominic Savio is a well-known bearer of this surname.
Savoia Italian (Archaic)
A Italian royal court name.
Sax Upper German, Dutch, Luxembourgish
Upper German variant of Sachs and Dutch variant of Sas.
Saxer German (Swiss), Romansh
Habitational name for someone from a place called Sax or Saxe.
Sbaraglia Italian
From sbaragliare "to defeat, to overcome".
Scafata Italian
Possibly denoting someone from the Italian town Scafati, from Latin scapha "skiff, light boat". Alternately, may be from Italian scafare "to husk peas", either literally referring to someone's occupation, or from the figurative meaning of "to make more confident; alert, shrewd".
Scaglietti Italian
The name of an Italian coachbuilder, with one of its famous customers being Ferrari when it doesn't want a design from Pininfarina.
Scaglione Italian
Derived from scaglione meaning "stallion’s canine tooth" (an augmentative form of scaglie meaning "canine tooth", from Old French escaillon meaning "horse’s tooth"), presumably a nickname for someone with exceptionally large teeth.
Scala Italian, Greek
Habitational or topographic name from any of various places named with scala, "ladder", "steps", "wharf".
Scali Italian
Habitational name from Scali in Piedimonte Etneo, Sicily. From greek skali, "step", "terrace".
Scali Italian
Variant of Scala.
Scalia Italian
Habitational name derived from Scalea in the province of Cosenza, deriving ultimately from medieval Greek skaleia meaning "hoeing".
Scanagatta Italian
Probably means "cat killer", from Italian scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and gatto "cat", with the figurative meaning of "cheat, scoundrel". (Compare Pelagatti)... [more]
Scanarotti Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly a nickname given to a boastful person.
Scanavacca Italian
Possibly an occupational name for a butcher, from scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and vacca "cow".
Scanavino Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly related to scanalare "to cut a groove, to plough" and vino "wine".
Scannabissi Italian
Possibly from scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and biscio "snake". Alternately, the first element may be from an archaic form of zanna, "tooth (of an animal)".
Scannadinari Italian (Rare)
Taken from the Italian scanna meaning "slaying" and dinari meaning "money" in the plural form. Therefore, killer of money.
Scannapieco Italian
Occupational name for a butcher, from scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and piecuro "sheep, lamb".
Scannella Italian
Possibly from Italian scannellare "to channel, to cut a groove", itself from Latin scamnum "ridge (of earth formed by plowing)".
Scarano Italian
Means "marauder, bandit".
Scarcella Italian
From Italian "scarcella", a dessert enjoyed during Easter from the Italian region of Apulia.
Scarduzio Italian
From the Italian verb scardare, meaning to husk a hazelnut or chestnut. Possibly a metaphor for a sculptor who 'husked' a sculpture from stone.
Scarlata Italian
Feminine variant of Scarlato.
Scarlato Italian
Occupational name for a dyer, or as a nickname for someone who habitually wore scarlet or who had bright red hair, From Sicilian scarlatu "scarlet".
Scarlatti Italian
Meaning ‘Scarlet’.
Scarselli Italian
From scarsella "purse", a type of bag hung around the neck to keep money in. Possibly indicated a wealthy person.
Scatena Italian
From scatenare "to provoke, stir up, unleash", probably a nickname for a troublemaker.
Schaaf German
Metonymic occupational name for a shepherd, from Middle High German schāf ‘sheep’. In some cases it may have been a nickname for someone thought to resemble a sheep, or a habitational name for someone living at a house distinguished by the sign of a sheep... [more]
Schaal German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Jewish
Either a nickname for a braggart or a market crier, (derived from Middle High German schal meaning "noise, bragging"), an occupational name for someone who made dishes for scales and vessels for drinking, (from Middle Low German and Dutch schale "dish"), a habitational name from Schaala in Thuringia or the Schaalsee lake near Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living on marshy land, (from Dutch schald "shallow")... [more]
Schaben German
Describes an inhabitant of the region Swabia
Schachner German
German origins (as told to me by my family); popular in Austria and also has Jewish and Slavic origins, according to the internet/ancestry.com.
Schacht German, Dutch
North German and Dutch: metonymic occupational name for someone who prepared shafts for tools or weapons, a turner, from Middle Low German schacht, Middle Dutch scacht ‘shaft’.
Schade German, Dutch, Scottish, English
German and Dutch: from schade ‘damage’, a derivative of schaden ‘to do damage’, generally a nickname for a thug or clumsy person, or, more particularly, a robber knight, who raided others’ lands.... [more]
Schaden German, Dutch
From schade 'damage', a derivative of schaden 'to do damage', generally a nickname for a thug or clumsy person, or, more particularly, a robber knight, who raided others' lands.
Schaefer German (?)
Originating in Germany SCHAEFER is a given surname meaning Shepard in German.
Schaff German
Name given to sheepherders, accounding to personal family history.
Schäffler German
Occupational name for a cooper, from an agent derivative of Middle High German scheffel "bushel".
Schaffner German, Jewish, German (Swiss)
German: occupational name for a steward or bailiff, variant of Schaffer.
Schalk German
germany
Schall German
Nickname for a braggart or for a market crier from Middle High German schal "noise" "bragging".
Schaller Upper German
From Middle High German word "schal," which means "noise," or "bragging," and as such is was thought to have originally been a nickname for a braggart, or for a market crier.
S-charplaz Romansh
Derived from the given name S-cher and Romansh plaz "place".
Schattner German, Jewish
Habitational name for someone from any of several places named Schaten or Schatten, or a topographic name for someone living in a shady location, from Middle High German schate "shade", "protection".
Schatz German, Jewish
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a treasurer, from German Schatz ‘treasure’, Middle High German scha(t)z. It may also have been a nickname for a rich man (or ironically for a miser), or else for a well-liked person or a ladies’ favorite, from the use of the vocabulary word as a term of endearment... [more]
Schätzel German
German diminutive of Schatz, or a nickname for a lover meaning "little sweetheart" (from the same word used as a term of endearment).
Schauble German
Diminutive of Scaub
Schauer German
The Schauer surname comes from the Middle High German word "schouwen" meaning "to inspect;" as such, the name is thought to have originally been occupational, for some kind of inspector, perhaps an official of a market.
Schaumburg German, Dutch, Belgian
Habitational name from any of the places called Schaumburg or Schauenburg in Germany, or Schauwberg in Brabant, Belgium.
Schaus German, Luxembourgish
A nickname for a simpleton, from schaus, a word in Rhenish Franconian and Lower Rhine dialects of German.
Schauwecker German
habitational name for someone from Schaubeck near Marbach (Württemberg).
Scheele German, Dutch, Swedish (Rare)
From Middle Low German schele and Dutch scheel meaning "squinting, cross-eyed". A notable bearer was German-Swedish pharmaceutical chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742-1786) who discovered oxygen and identified several other elements.
Scheetz German
Anglicized version of the German surname, Schütz, "archer," "yeoman," "protect."
Scheid German, Jewish
Either a topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary (between two valleys etc.) or crossroads Middle High German scheide, a habitational name from any of various places called Scheidt Scheiden... [more]
Scheidegger German, German (Swiss)
Topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary or watershed. The name was derived from the Old German word SCHEIDE, meaning 'to part, to divide'. It may also have been a habitation name from any of the numerous places named with this word.
Schein German, Jewish
from Middle High German schīn German schein "shining brightness" hence a nickname for someone with either a radiant personality or possibly for someone living in a sunny location or a Jewish artificial name.
Schell German
Means "noisy" or "loud" from the German word "schel"
Schemmel German
Nickname for a disabled person, from Middle High German schemel "stool", which was used as a crutch by invalids.
Schenkel German, Dutch, Jewish
German, Dutch, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for someone with long or otherwise notable legs, from Middle High German schenkel, Middle Dutch schenkel, schinkel ‘thigh’, ‘lower leg’, German Schenkel ‘thigh’.
Scheremet German
German cognate of Şeremet.
Scherf German
from Middle High German and Middle Low German scherf a coin worth half a penny possibly applied as a nickname for a poor person.
Scherl German
Derived from the Middle Low German word “scherl” or “scherle,” which means “small shield.” It may have been from a person known for carrying a small shield, a person who lived near a small shield-shaped sign or symbol, or a person who lived in a place named after the small shield.
Scherman German
German version of Sherman 1
Schermann German, Jewish
German cognate of Sherman 1 derived from the elements skeran "to cut, to shear" and Middle High German man "man".
Schett Romansh
Truncated form of Tomaschett.
Scheunemann German
It literally means someone who either lives near (or in, if poor &/or homeless) a barn or works within its general vicinity.
Scheunert German
Scheunert - deutsch - Besitzen einer Scheune... [more]
Schiavo Italian
From the Italian word schiavo "slave".
Schiazza Italian
From chiazza "stain, blot", perhaps given to someone with a prominent birthmark. Might also from a regional dialect, meaning "piazza, town square".
Schick German
A nickname given to a person who's smart, stylish, and well-dressed.
Schie German
From a nickname that meant "shy".
Schiefelbein German
Habitational name from Schievelbein in Pomerania.
Schiff German, Jewish
From Middle High German Schif "ship", indicating the bearer was either a sailor, or lived in a house distinguished by a ship sign.
Schiffmann German
Occupational derived from the elements schiff "ship" and mann "man" meaning "shipman, German cognate of Shipman.
Schild German, Dutch
Occupational name for a maker or painter of shields, from Middle High German, Middle Dutch schilt "shield".
Schildhauer German
First appeared during the Middle Ages in Central Europe/Germany. The name means "Shield-Maker" and suggests correlation to Blacksmiths or or other forms of metalwork in the time period.
Schildknecht German
From the occupation of a page or squire for a knight derived from schilht "shield" and kneht "servant".
Schiller German
Nickname for someone with a squint, from an agent derivative of Middle High German schilhen, schiln 'to squint'.
Schilling German, Dutch, Jewish
Nickname for a serf who had paid his rent or fee to his lord for his freedom, derived from Middle High German schillinc, Middle Low German schillink and German schilling meaning "shilling"... [more]
Schiltz German
German: variant of Schilz and, in North America.... [more]
Schimmelpfennig German
From Middle High German schimel "mildew, mould" and pfennic "penny", a nickname for someone who was miserly or stingy with their money, hence it growing mouldy in its purse.
Schincariol Italian, Portuguese
Unknown meaning.
Schink Upper German, Dutch
Nickname for someone with long or otherwise remarkable legs, from Middle High German schinke ‘thigh’, ‘leg’. Compare Schenkel. ... [more]
Schinker German
Unknown, though I would very much like to know. Possible Hungarian influence as well as German.
Schirmacher German
occupational name for someone who makes harnesses and bridles for horses from Middle High German geschirre "harness" and macher "maker".
Schirokauer German, Yiddish
Derived from the town of Sieraków in the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland.
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