Surnames from Occupations

Pajari Finnish
Means "boyar", the Finnish form of the Russian noble title боярин (boyarin).

Palladino Italian
From Italian paladino meaning "knight, defender", from Late Latin palatinus meaning "palace officer".

Palmeiro Portuguese
Portuguese form of Palmer.

Palmer English
Means "pilgrim", ultimately from Latin palma "palm tree", since pilgrims to the Holy Land often brought back palm fronds as proof of their journey.

Palomer Provençal
Means "pigeon keeper" from Latin palumbes "pigeon".

Pander Dutch
Variant of Penders.

Panders Dutch
Variant of Penders.

Papadaki f Greek
Feminine form of Papadakis.

Papadakis m Greek
From a diminutive of Greek πάπας (papas) meaning "priest".

Papadimitriou Greek
Means "son of Dimitrios the priest", from Greek πάπας (papas) combined with the given name Dimitrios.

Papadopoulos m Greek
Means "son of the priest", from Greek πάπας (papas) combined with the patronymic suffix πουλος (poulos).

Papadopoulou f Greek
Feminine form of Papadopoulos.

Papageorgiou Greek
Means "son of Georgios the priest", from Greek πάπας (papas) combined with the given name Georgios.

Papaioannou Greek
Means "son of Ioannis the priest", from Greek πάπας (papas) combined with the given name Ioannis.

Papanikolaou Greek
Means "son of Nikolaos the priest", from Greek πάπας (papas) combined with the given name Nikolaos.

Papoutsi f Greek
Feminine form of Papoutsis.

Papoutsis m Greek
Means "shoemaker" in Greek, from παπούτσι (papoutsi) meaning "shoe" (ultimately of Persian origin).

Pappa f Greek
Feminine form of Pappas.

Pappas m Greek
Means "priest" in Greek.

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

Park 2 English
From Middle English park, from Latin parricus, of Frankish origin. This was a name for someone who worked in or lived in a park.

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

Parsons English
Originally denoted a son of a parson, a derivative of Latin persona "person".

Pasternack Polish (Anglicized), Yiddish
Americanized form of Pasternak.

Pasternak Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, Yiddish
Means "parsnip" in various Slavic languages, ultimately from Latin pastinaca. A famous bearer was Boris Pasternak (1890-1960), author of Doctor Zhivago.

Pastor Spanish
Means "shepherd" in Spanish.

Pastore Italian
Means "shepherd" in Italian.

Pásztor Hungarian
Means "shepherd" in Hungarian.

Patel Gujarati
Means "landowner" in Gujarati.

Patenaude French (Quebec)
French form of Paternoster.

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

Patil Marathi
Means "village chief" in Marathi.

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

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

Peerenboom Dutch
From Dutch meaning "pear tree", referring to someone who lived or worked at a pear orchard.

Pék Hungarian
Means "baker" in Hungarian.

Pelletier French
Derived from Old French pelletier "fur trader".

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

Pender 2 Dutch
Variant of Penders.

Penders Dutch
From Middle Dutch paender meaning "brewer", derived from panne meaning "pan, pot", ultimately from Latin patina.

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

Penner English
Variant of Penn 2.

Penners Dutch
Variant of Penders.

Pesce Italian
Means "fish" in Italian, referring either to a fisherman or to a person who resembled a fish in some way.

Peynirci Turkish
From Turkish peynir meaning "cheese".

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

Pintér Hungarian
Means "cooper, barrel maker" in Hungarian.

Piper English
Originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute).

Planche French
French form of Plank.

Planck German
German variant of Plank.

Plank German, English
Means "plank", from Old French, itself from Late Latin planca. This could have referred to a person who lived by a plank bridge over a stream, someone who was thin, or a carpenter.

Planque French
French form of Plank.

Plourde French
Possibly derived from French palourde, a type of a shellfish.

Podsedník m Czech
Means "one who sits behind" in Czech, an equivalent to Zahradník mainly used in the region of Moravia.

Podsedníková f Czech
Feminine form of Podsedník.

Poirot French, Literature
From a diminutive of French poire "pear", originally referring to a pear merchant or someone who lived near a pear tree. Starting in 1920 this name was used by the mystery writer Agatha Christie for her Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Christie based the name on that of Jules Poiret, a contemporary fictional detective.

Pololáník m Czech
Derived from Czech polo "one half" and lán, a medieval Czech measure of land (approximately 18 hectares). The name denoted someone who owned this much land.

Pololáníková f Czech
Feminine form of Pololáník.

Pop Romanian
Variant of Popa.

Popa Romanian
From Romanian popă "priest", from Old Church Slavic popŭ. This is the most common surname in Romania.

Popescu Romanian
Patronymic derived from Romanian popă "priest". This is the second most common surname in Romania.

Popov m Russian, Bulgarian
Means "son of the priest", derived from Russian and Bulgarian поп (pop).

Popova f Russian, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Popov.

Popović Croatian, Serbian
Means "son of the priest", derived from Serbo-Croatian pop meaning "priest".

Popovska f Macedonian
Feminine form of Popovski.

Popovski m Macedonian
Means "son of the priest" in Macedonian.

Porcher English, French
Means "swineherd" from Old French and Middle English porchier, from Latin porcus "pig".

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

Portner Low German
Low German cognate of Porter.

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

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

Poulin French
Derived from Old French poule meaning "chicken". It was most likely used to denote a person who raised or sold poultry.

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

Pretorius Afrikaans
From Latin praetor meaning "leader". This name was adopted in the 17th century by Wesselius Praetorius as a Latin translation of his previous surname Schulte. It is now common in South Africa.

Priddy Welsh
From Welsh prydudd meaning "bard".

Prifti Albanian
From Albanian prift meaning "priest".

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

Procházková f Czech
Feminine form of Procházka.

Prohászka Hungarian
Hungarian form of Procházka.

Pryor English
Originally belonged to one who was a prior (a religious official), or one who worked for a prior.

Pulkrábek m Czech
Derived from the Czech medieval title purkrabí, itself from German Burggraf, meaning "burgrave".

Pulkrábková f Czech
Feminine form of Pulkrábek.

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

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

Rademacher Low German
Low German cognate of Rademaker.

Rademaker Dutch
From the occupation of rademaker meaning "maker of wheels", from Dutch rad meaning "wheel".

Rademakers Dutch
Variant of Rademaker.

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

Ramaker Dutch
Variant of Rademaker.

Ramakers Dutch
Variant of Rademaker.

Rameckers Dutch
Variant of Rademaker.

Rapti f Greek
Feminine form of Raptis.

Raptis m Greek
Means "tailor" in Greek.

Rautio Finnish
Means "smith" in Finnish.

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

Reeves English
Variant of Reeve.

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

Revie English
Variant of Reeve.

Řezníček m Czech
Diminutive of Řezník.

Řezníčková f Czech
Feminine form of Řezníček.

Řezník m Czech
Means "butcher" in Czech.

Řezníková f Czech
Feminine form of Řezník.

Richter German
Means "judge" in German, from Middle High German rihtære.

Rider English
Variant of Ryder.

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

Ritter German
From Middle High German riter meaning "rider, knight", a cognate of Ryder.

Rothbauer German
From Old High German riuten "to clear land" and bur "peasant, farmer".

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

Ruskin 1 Scottish
From Gaelic rusgaire meaning "tanner".

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

Rybár m Slovak
Means "fisher" in Slovak, from ryba meaning "fish".

Rybář m Czech
Czech form of Rybár.

Rybářová f Czech
Feminine form of Rybář.

Rybárová f Slovak
Feminine form of Rybár.

Rybová f Czech
Czech feminine form of Ryba.

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

Rye English
Topographic name. It could be a misdivision of the Middle English phrases atter ye meaning "at the island" or atter eye meaning "at the river". In some cases it merely indicated a person who lived where rye was grown or worked with rye (from Old English ryge).

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

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

Şahin Turkish
Means "hawk" in Turkish (of Persian origin), probably used to refer to someone who was a hawk tamer.

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

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

Salucci Italian
From Italian sale meaning "salt".

Samara 2 f Greek
Feminine form of Samaras.

Samaras m Greek
Means "saddle maker" in Greek, from σαμάρι (samari) meaning "saddle".

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

Saqqaf Arabic
From Arabic سقف (saqaf) meaning "roof".

Sargent English
Variant of Sergeant.

Sarti Italian
Variant of Sarto.

Sartini Italian
Diminutive form of Sarto.

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

Sartor Italian
Variant of Sarto.

Sartore Italian
Variant of Sarto.

Sartre French
French cognate of Sarto. A famous bearer was the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980).

Sastre Spanish
Spanish cognate of Sarto.

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

Savatier French
From Old French savatier "shoemaker", derived from savate "shoe", of uncertain ultimate origin.

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

Sayer Welsh
From Welsh saer meaning "carpenter".

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

Scarlett English
Denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet, a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelāṭ).

Scarpa Italian
Means "shoemaker" from Italian scarpa meaning "shoe".

Scavo Italian
Means "serf, slave", from Old Sicilian scavu.

Schäfer German
From Old High German scaphare meaning "shepherd".

Scheer German, Dutch
Variant of Scherer.

Schenck German
Variant of Schenk.

Schenk German, Dutch
From Middle High German, Middle Dutch schenke meaning "wine server" (from Old High German scenken "to pour out").

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

Schermer Dutch, Low German
Dutch and Low German form of Schirmer.

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

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

Schirmer German
Means "fencer, fencing master", from Old High German skirmen meaning "to defend".

Schlösser German
Variant of Schlosser.

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

Schmid German
Variant of Schmidt.

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

Schmitt German
Variant of Schmidt.

Schmitz German
Variant of Schmidt, originating in the Rhine area in western Germany.

Schneider German, Jewish
From German schneider or Yiddish shnayder, making it a cognate of Snyder.

Schneiders Dutch
Variant of Snyder.

Schneijder Dutch
Variant of Snyder.

Schnoor German
Variant of Schnur.

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

Scholz German
Variant of Schulz.

School Dutch
From Dutch school, ultimately from Latin schola meaning "school", indicating a person who worked at or lived near a school.

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

Schräder Low German (Rare)
Variant of Schröder 1.

Schrader Low German
Variant of Schröder 1.

Schreiber German
German cognate of Scriven.

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

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

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

Schröder 2 German
Variant of Schröter.

Schroeder German
Variant of Schröder 1 and Schröder 2.

Schroeter German
Variant of Schröter.

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

Schubert German
Variant of Schuchardt. This name was borne by the Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828).

Schuchard German
Variant of Schuchardt.

Schuchardt German
From Middle High German schuochwürte meaning "shoemaker, cobbler".

Schuchert German
Variant of Schuchardt.

Schuhart German
Variant of Schuchardt.

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

Schuler German
Means "scholar, student" in German, ultimately from Latin schola meaning "school".

Schult Low German
Low German variant of Schulz.

Schulte Low German
Low German variant of Schulz.

Schultes German
Variant of Schulz.

Schultheis German
Variant of Schulz.

Schultheiss German
Variant of Schulz.

Schultheiß German
Variant of Schulz.

Schultz German
Variant of Schulz.

Schultze German
Variant of Schulz.

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

Schulze German
Variant of Schulz.

Schumacher German
Variant of Schuhmacher.

Schuster German
Means "shoemaker, cobbler", from Middle High German schuoch "shoe" and suter, from Latin sutor "sewer, cobbler".

Schüttmann German
Means "watchman, guard" from Middle High German schützen "to protect".

Schuyler Dutch
Possibly a Dutch form of Schuler.

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

Scola Italian
From Italian scuola meaning "school".

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

Scrivener English
Variant of Scriven.

Scrivenor English
Variant of Scriven.

Scrivens English
Variant of Scriven.

Scully Irish
Anglicized form of Ó Scolaidhe.

Sedláček m Czech, Slovak
Diminutive form of Sedlák.

Sedláčková f Czech, Slovak
Feminine form of Sedláček.

Sedlák m Czech, Slovak
Means "farmer" in Czech and Slovak. A sedlák had more land than a Zahradník or a Chalupník, but less land than a Dvořák.

Sedláková f Czech, Slovak
Feminine form of Sedlák.

Segal 1 Jewish
From the Hebrew phrase סגן לויה (seḡan Lewiya) meaning "assistant Levite".

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

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

Sepp Estonian
Means "smith" in Estonian.

Seppä Finnish
Means "smith" in Finnish.

Seppänen Finnish
Variant of Seppä.

Seres Hungarian
Variant of Sörös.

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

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

Ševčíková f Czech, Slovak
Feminine form of Ševčík.

Seward 2 English
Means "swineherd" from Old English su "sow, female pig" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".

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

Sharman English
Variant of Sherman 1.

Shearer English
English cognate of Scherer.

Shepard English
Variant of Shepherd.

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

Sheppard English
Variant of Shepherd.

Sherman 1 English
Means "shear man", referring to someone who used shears in his line of work, such as a sheep-shearer.

Sherman 2 Jewish
Means "tailor" in Yiddish, derived from שער (sher) meaning "scissors".

Shevchenko Ukrainian
Derived from Ukrainian швець (shvets) meaning "shoemaker".

Shevchuk Ukrainian
Derived from Ukrainian швець (shvets) meaning "shoemaker".

Shriver German
German cognate of Scriven.

Shvets Ukrainian
Means "shoemaker" in Ukrainian.

Shwetz Ukrainian (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Shvets.

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

Siegel 3 Jewish
Variant of Segal 1.

Sierżant Polish
Polish cognate of Sergeant.

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

Sitko Polish
Means "fine sieve" in Polish, a diminutive of the Polish word sito "sieve".

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

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

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

Ślusarczyk Polish
Diminutive form of Ślusarski.

Ślusarska f Polish
Feminine form of Ślusarski.

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

Slusser German
Variant of Schlosser.

Smeets Dutch
Variant of Smit.

Smets Dutch
Variant of Smit.

Smit Dutch
From Middle Dutch smit "metalworker, blacksmith", a cognate of Smith.

Smith English
Means "metalworker, blacksmith" from Old English smiþ, related to smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world. A famous bearer was the Scottish economist Adam Smith (1723-1790).

Smits Dutch
Variant of Smit.

Smola m Czech
Czech form of Smolak.

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

Smolarek Polish
Variant of Smolak.

Smolová f Czech
Feminine form of Smola.

Smythe English
Variant of Smith.

Snaaijer Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.

Snaijer Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.

Sneiders Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.

Sneijder Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.

Sneijders Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.

Sneijer Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.

Sneijers Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.

Snider English
Variant of Snyder.

Sniders English
Variant of Snyder.

Snijder Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.

Snijders Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.

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

Snyders English
Variant of Snyder.

Soból Polish
Polish cognate of Sobol.

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

Sokal Polish
Polish cognate of Sokol.

Sokół Polish
Polish cognate of Sokol.

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

Sokolov m Russian, Bulgarian
Means "son of Sokol".

Sokolova f Russian, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Sokolov.

Sokolová f Slovak, Czech
Feminine form of Sokol.

Sokolovskaya f Russian
Feminine form of Sokolovsky.

Sokolovsky m Russian
Means "son of Sokol".

Soldati Italian
From Italian soldato meaning "soldier", ultimately from Latin solidus, a type of Roman coin.

Sommer 2 German
From Middle High German sumber or sommer meaning "basket, wickerwork, drum".

Sörös Hungarian
From Hungarian sör meaning "beer". Originally the name was given to beer brewers.

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

Soukupová f Czech
Feminine form of Soukup.

Southers German
Possibly an Americanized form of Sauter.

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

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

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

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

Spearing English
Patronymic form of Spear.

Spears English
Patronymic form of Spear.

Spellmeyer German
Possibly from German spielen meaning "to play, to jest" combined with meyer meaning "village headman". Perhaps it referred to someone who was played or acted as the village headman.

Spence English
Variant of Spencer.

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

Speziale Italian
Means "grocer" in Italian, derived from Latin speciarius "spice seller".

Spijker 1 Dutch
Denoted a dweller by or worker at a granary, from Dutch spijker "granary".

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

Spiker Dutch
Americanized form of Spijker 1 or Spijker 2.

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

Spitznogle German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Spitznagel.

Sponaugle German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Spannagel.

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