Swiss
names are used in the country of Switzerland in central Europe.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Boudreaux FrenchVariant of
Beaudreau. Originated in ancient area known as Languedoc, where the family was established. Comes from having lived in Languedoc, where the name was found since the early Middle Ages.
Boulier FrenchOccupational name for a maker of balls or the organizer of a game of boules, from French
boule meaning "ball".
Bourbon FrenchThe Bourbons were one of the most important ruling houses of Europe . Its members were descended from Louis I, duc de Bourbon from 1327 to 1342, the grandson of the French king Louis IX (ruled 1226-70)... [
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Bourbon Frenchhabitational name from a village in Allier the site of the (now ruined) castle of Bourbon or from another place called (Le) Bourbon mainly in the southern part of France. The placename is derived from a Celtic and pre-Celtic element borb- denoting a hot spring.
Bourget FrenchPossibly meaning "from the city, town" or given to wealthy families, (from bourgeois)
Bourguignon FrenchOriginally denoted a person from Burgundy (called
Bourgogne in French), a historical region of east-central France.
Bousquet FrenchOriginally a name for someone living or working in a wooded area.
Boutet Frenchfrom a pet form of the ancient Germanic personal name
Boto a short form of any of various names composed with the element
bod "messenger"... [
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Bovary FrenchIt is the surname of the famous fictional character Emma Bovary protagonist of Gustave Flaubert's novel.
Bracco ItalianEither a nickname derived from Calabrian
braccu meaning "small, chubby", or probably for someone thought to resemble a hunting dog, from Italian
bracco literally meaning "hunting dog, bloodhound"... [
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Bräger GermanHabitational name for someone from Bräg in Bavaria.
Braille FrenchBraille is a writing system used by people with vision impairment. It was named after its inventor
Louis Braille (1809-1852).
Brancaccia Italian (Rare)Derived from the medieval Italian given name
Brancazia, which is the feminine form of the masculine given name
Brancazio. For more information, please see the entry for the patronymic surname
Brancazio... [
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Brancaccio ItalianVariant form of
Brancazio. There are a few sources that claim that the surname is derived from a place name (which would make it a locational surname), but that claim is incorrect, as all Italian geographical places carrying the name
Brancaccio were either established long after the Middle Ages (by which time virtually all Italians already had a hereditary surname) or were named after a person who had Brancaccio for a surname... [
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Brancaleone ItalianDerived from the medieval Italian masculine given name
Brancaleone, which means either "a lion's paw" or "he who captures the lion". In the case of the former meaning, the name is derived from Italian
branca meaning "paw, claw" combined with Italian
leone meaning "lion"... [
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Brancatella Italian (Rare)Derived from the feminine given name
Brancatella, which is a diminutive of the medieval Italian given name
Brancazia, the feminine form of the masculine given name
Brancazio. For more information about this, please see the entry for the patronymic surname of
Brancazio... [
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Brancatello Italian (Rare)Derived from the masculine given name
Brancatello, which is a diminutive of the medieval Italian given name
Brancazio, itself ultimately derived from the late Latin given name
Brancatius... [
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Brancato ItalianThis surname can be derived from a given name (thus making it a patronymic surname) as well as from a place name (thus making it a locational surname). In the case of a patronymic surname, the surname is derived from the medieval Italian given name
Brancato, which is a variant form of the given name
Brancazio, itself ultimately derived from the late Latin given name
Brancatius... [
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Brancazio Italian (Rare)Derived from the medieval Italian masculine given name
Brancazio, which itself is derived from
Brancatius (also found spelled as
Brancaccius and
Brancatus), a late Latin corruption of the given name
Pancratius... [
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Branche FrenchFrom Old French
branche meaning ‘branch’ (which is from Late Latin
branca meaning ‘foot’, ‘paw’), the application of which as a surname is not clear. Compare
Branch.
Brandis German, Jewish, SwissGerman & Swiss: Habitational name from a former Brandis castle in Emmental near Bern, Switzerland, or from any of the places so named in Saxony, Germany. A famous bearer of the name is
Jonathan Brandis (1976-2003).... [
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Brassard FrenchDerivative of
bras "arm" most likely applied as a nickname denoting a person with strong arms or perhaps a pugilist.
Brasseur FrenchFrench and English (of both Norman and Huguenot origin): occupational name for a brewer, from Old French
brasser ‘to brew’. See also
Brasher.
Brau ItalianMeaning uncertain, possibly from the dialectical term
brau, meaning "wild, untamed" in Sardinian and "brave, fierce" or "bull" in Catalan, or from
blau "blue, turquoise".
Braunershrither German, Dutch, EnglishThis name mean Leather (Tanned) Knight, or a fighter of leather armor, or in Dutch, Leather writer, one who branded print on leather
Bräunlich GermanOriginally a nickname for a person who had brown hair or skin, meaning "brownish" in German.
Braunschweig German, JewishDenoted a person from the city of
Braunschweig in Lower Saxony, Germany, which is of Old Saxon origin meaning "
Bruno's settlement".
Brecht GermanFrom a short form of any of various personal names formed with Germanic element
berth " bright" "famous".
Breeding GermanFrom the Low German
brēde "open field". Denotes a person from such a place.
Brehme GermanVariant form of
Bremer. German former soccer player Andreas Brehme (1960-) bears this name.
Breiding GermanFrom the name of a place in the Lippe area in northwestern Germany.
Breit GermanFrom Middle High German
breit meaning "broad". a nickname for a stout or fat person.
Breithaupt GermanNickname for someone with a broad head, from Middle High German
breit "broad" and
houbet or
houpt "head".
Breitkreutz Germanprobably a nickname for a person with a broad butt. Breitkreutz replaced an earlier more transparent form of the surname Breitarsch the use of
kreuz (literally "cross") as a euphemism for "buttocks" first occurring in the 17th century... [
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Breitzmann GermanEastern German topographic name for someone who lived by a birch wood, ultimately derived from the Slavic stem
bres "birch".
Bremer GermanIndicated a person from
Bremen in the State of Bremen, Germany.
Brenner German, German (Austrian), JewishDerived from Middle High German
brennen "to burn". Both as a German and a Jewish name, this was an occupational name for a distiller of spirits. As a German surname, however, it also occasionally referred to a charcoal or lime burner or to someone who cleared forests by burning.
Breton French, EnglishFrench and English: ethnic name for a Breton, from Old French
bret (oblique case
breton) (see
Brett).
Brevard FrenchFrench: nickname from Old French bref ‘small’ + the derogatory suffix -ard.... [
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Briatore ItalianThis surname originates from the province of Cuneo in the Piedmont region of Italy. It is probably derived from Piedmontese
brijador meaning "postilion, coachman", which itself is ultimately derived from Piedmontese
bria meaning "bridles, reins".... [
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Brickner GermanDerived from "brückenbauer," which means "bridge builder" in English. It was originally an occupational name for someone who built bridges. Over time, the name Brickner was likely shortened from Brückenbauer to its current form.
Bridon French (Rare)Patronymic surname derived from French
bride "bridle, harness", this name used to denote a maker or merchant of bridle, harness or horse-gear and more generally a saddler.
Briner German (Swiss)Habitational name for someone from Brin in Grison canton (Graubünden) or from the Brin valley.
Brinker German, DutchFrom the word
brink "edge, slope". This indicated that the bearer of the surname lived near a prominent slope of land
Brion FrenchRefers to any of several places of the same name. Derived from Gaulish
briga "height, hill" and the suffix
-one.
Brizendine French, English, JewishDerived from a personal name, probably of Celtic origin (Latinized as Britus), which was borne by a 5th century saint, who succeeded St. Martin as bishop of Tours.
Broccoli Italian, SicilianFrom the Italian plural for “The flowering crest of a cabbage”. Best known as the surname of the (Calabrian-originated) Sicilian American family who made James
Bond internationally famous, by making movies (loosely) based on the books where the titular antihero himself appeared.
Brochtrup GermanPossibly indicated someone who was from a farm called
Brochtrup in the town of Lüdinghausen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. A famous bearer is American actor Bill Brochtrup (1963-).
Brocker GermanNorth German topographic name for someone who lived by a swamp, from Middle Low German brook
bog + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.
Brockhaus GermanOccupational hereditary surname for a person who was physically powerful, derived from Old German brock which may refer to persons with a stocky or strong build. Or derived from Old German "Brook" or "Brauk," for people near a marshy landscape, common in northern regions.
Brockman GermanGerman in origin, in heraldry a "brock" is represented by a badger. It could mean wet/water and man. It also has been said to mean broker.
Brogni ItalianPossibly from the dialectical term
brogneau meaning "wild plum", or figuratively "foreigner".
Brook German, DutchTopographic name for someone who lived by a water meadow or marsh, from Low German
brook, Dutch
broek (cf.
Bruch).... [
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Bruch GermanTopographic name for someone who lived by a marsh or a stream that frequently flooded, from Middle High German
bruoch "water meadow" or "marsh" (cognate to old English
broc "brook", "stream" cf... [
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Brück GermanTopographic name for someone who lived near a bridge, or an occupational name for a bridge keeper or toll collector on a bridge, from Middle High German
bruck(e) "bridge".
Bruckner GermanTopographic name for someone living by a bridge or an occupational name for a bridge toll collector; a variant of
Bruck with the addition of the suffix -ner.
Bruder GermanFrom a byname meaning "brother", occasionally used for a younger son, i.e. the brother of someone important, or for a guild member.
Brueckner German, German (Silesian)German (Brückner): from Middle Low German brugge, Middle High German brugge, brücke, brügge ‘bridge’ + the agent suffix -ner, hence a topographic name for someone living by a bridge, an occupational name for a bridge toll collector, or in the southeast (Silesia for example) a bridge keeper or repairer... [
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Brueggemann Low German, GermanNorth German (Brüggemann): topographic name for someone who lived near a bridge or a metonymic occupational name for a bridge keeper or street paver, Middle Low German brüggeman (see
Bruckman,
Brueckner).
Bruen GermanThis is my 2nd great uncle's wife's Surname of German ancestry.
Brüggemann GermanName for someone who worked as a street paver or bridge keeper, or someone who lived near a bridge. From Middle Low German
brügge "bridge" or
brüggeman "street paver".
Brugger German, AmericanSouth German variant or Americanized spelling of North German Brügger (see
Bruegger). habitational name for someone from any of various (southern) places called Bruck or Brugg in Bavaria and Austria.
Brugman Dutch, SwissDutch: topographic name for someone who lived near a bridge or a metonymic occupational name for a bridge keeper, from Dutch brugge ‘bridge’ (see
Bridge); in some cases, it is a habitational name for someone from the Flemish city of
Bruges (or
Brugge), meaning ‘bridges’... [
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Brühl German, JewishTopographic name for someone who lived by a swampy area, derived from Middle High German
brüel and Middle Low German
brul meaning "swampy land with brushwood". It may also be a habitational name from various places named
Brühl in Germany.
Bruneau FrenchDerived from a diminutive form of French
brun "brown", a nickname for a person with brown hair or skin.
Brunke GermanNickname for an ostentatious dresser, from Middle High German
brunke "splendor".
Bruns FrenchBruns was first found in Poitou where this noble family held a family seat since ancient times. The Bruns surname derives from the French word "brun," meaning "brown"; possibly a nickname for someone who habitually dressed in the color brown.
Brusse FrenchTopographic name for someone living in a scrubby area of country, from Old French
broce meaning "brushwood, scrub". It is also occupational name for a brush maker, from Old French
brusse meaning "brush".
Buch GermanTopographic name for someone who lived by a beech tree or beech wood, from Middle High German
buoche, or a habitational name from any of the numerous places so named with this word, notably in Bavaria and Württemberg... [
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Buche GermanMeaning "beech" and denoting someone who lived near beech trees.
Bucher GermanUpper German surname denoting someone who lived by a beech tree or beech wood, derived from Middle High German
buoche "beech tree".
Buechler GermanFrom the common field name Büchle 'beech stand', the -er suffix denoting an inhabitant. from buchel 'beech nut', hence a metonymic occupation name for someone who owned or worked in an oil mill producing oil from beech nuts.
Buelter German, EnglishMiddle European variant of Butler, also meaning "a vat or large trough used to contain wine." The name originated in southern Germany in the mid-seventeenth century.
Buermeister GermanNorth German: status name for the mayor or chief magistrate of a town, from Middle Low German
bur ‘inhabitant, dweller’, ‘neighbor’, ‘peasant’, ‘citizen’ +
mester ‘master’.
Buffet FrenchOccupational name for a maker of furniture, derived from Old French
buffet meaning "table, cupboard". It could also be a nickname for an angry and violent man, from Old French
buffet meaning "slap in the face"... [
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Buffett French (Anglicized), EnglishAmericanised form or a variant of French
Buffet, or probably an English variant of
Bufford. Famous bearers of this name include the Americans Warren Buffett (1930-), a businessman, investor and philanthropist, and Jimmy Buffett (1946-), a musician.
Buffo ItalianCharacter in an Opera Buffa; clown, jester, comedian, buffoon.
Bugiardini ItalianMeans "little liar" in Italian, from
bugiardo "lying, false, deceitful; liar" and the diminutive suffix
-ino.
Buisson French, Haitian Creole (Rare)Topographic name for someone who lived in an area of scrub land or by a prominent clump of bushes from (Old) French
buisson "bush scrub" (a diminutive of
bois "wood"); or a habitational name from (Le) Buisson the name of several places in various parts of France named with this word.
Bulgaria Italian, SpanishOriginally an ethnic name or regional name for someone from Bulgaria or a nickname for someone who had visited or traded with Bulgaria, which is named after the Turkic tribe of the Bulgars, itself possibly from a Turkic root meaning "mixed".
Bünting GermanDerived from an unknown given name or from Middle High German
binden "to bind".
Buonamico Italian (Anglicized)Di Martino Buffalmacco was a widely renouned painter in Italy cities in Florence, Bologna, Pisa although his work was not known to survived the Great Fire of Italy back in the late 1300 hundreds he was widlely known for asummed work as The Three Dead- Three Living, The Triump of Death, The Last Judgement, The Hell and the Thebasis.... [
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Buonocore ItalianNickname for a reliable or good-hearted person, derived from Italian
buono meaning "good" and
core meaning "heart" (ultimately from Latin cor).
Buonopane ItalianNickname for a person who is "as good as bread", or possibly a metonymic occupational name for a baker, derived from
buono meaning "good" and
pane meaning "bread".
Burel Frenchmetonymic occupational name for a worker in the wool trade or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually dressed in brown from Old French
burel borel a diminutive of
boure "frieze" a type of coarse reddish brown woolen cloth with long hairs (from Late Latin
burra "coarse untreated wool").
Burger English, German, DutchStatus name for a freeman of a borough. From Middle English
burg, Middle High German
burc and Middle Dutch
burch "fortified town". Also a German habitational name for someone from a place called Burg.
Burgio ItalianDenoting someone from a town of the same name, ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European word meaning "high, lofty", possibly by way of Arabic
بُرْج (
burj) "tower", German
burg "castle, fortification; settlement", French
bourg "burg, market town", or Latin
burgus "watchtower, fortified town".
Burgmeier GermanOccupational name for the tenant farmer of an estate belonging to a castle or fortified town, from Middle High German
burc "(fortified) town, castle" and
meier "tenant farmer" (see
Meyer).
Burkhalter GermanTopographic name composed of the Middle High German elements
burc "castle" "protection" and
halter from
halde "slope".
Burkhardt GermanBurk is German for "Strong", and hardt is the "heart of a castle".
Burmeister GermanNorth German: status name for the mayor or chief magistrate of a town, from Middle Low German
bur ‘inhabitant, dweller’, ‘neighbor’, ‘peasant’, ‘citizen’ +
mester ‘master’.
Burnette FrenchDescriptive nickname from Old French
burnete ‘brown’ (see
Burnett). Possibly also a reduced form of
Buronet, from a diminutive of Old French
buron ‘hut’, ‘shack’.
Burr English, Scottish, GermanNickname for a person who is difficult to shake off, derived from Middle English
burr meaning "bur" (a seedhead that sticks to clothing). It could also be a derivation from Old English
bur meaning "small dwelling, building", or a German topographic name derived from
burre meaning "mound, hill"... [
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Busalacchi ItalianMeans "father of Zallaq", from Arabic
أَبُو (
abu) "father of" and
الزلاق (
zallaq) of unknown meaning, possibly related to the given name
Salah meaning "righteousness".
Buschiazzo ItalianIt's a surname in northern Italy (Piedmont). It emerges from the German spelling Bosch or Busch and this means "forest" or "wooded area".
Butta ItalianItalian: from a short form of a compound name formed with butta- ‘throw’, as for example Buttacavoli.Italian: from an old German feminine personal name Butta.Italian: variant of Botta.
Butter English, German1. English: nickname for someone with some fancied resemblance to a bittern, perhaps in the booming quality of the voice, from Middle English, Old French butor ‘bittern’ (a word of obscure etymology)... [
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Büttner GermanOccupational name for a cooper or barrel-maker, an agent derivative of Middle High German
büte(n) "cask", "wine barrel". This name occurs chiefly in eastern German-speaking regions.
Buxtehude German, Low GermanFrom the name of the town of
Buxtehude in Lower Saxony, Germany. A famous bearer of this surname was the German-Danish Baroque composer and organist Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637-1707).