Surnames from Occupations

Sokolovsky m Russian
Patronymic form 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 (Anglicized)
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 (Anglicized)
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".

Starosta Polish
Means "mayor, leader, elder" in Polish.

Steed English
Occupational name for one who tended horses, derived from Middle English steed, in turn derived from Old English steda meaning "stallion".

Steele English
Occupational name for a steelworker, from Old English stele meaning "steel".

Stein German, Jewish
From Old High German stein meaning "stone". It might indicate the original bearer lived near a prominent stone or worked as a stonecutter. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.

Steiner German
Variant of Stein.

Stenger German
Occupational name for a post maker, from Old High German stanga "pole".

Stępień Polish
Possibly an occupational name for a herbalist, from Polish stępa "mortar".

Stewart Scottish
Occupational name for an administrative official of an estate or steward, from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". The Stewart family (sometimes spelled Stuart) held the Scottish crown for several centuries. One of the most famous members of the Stewart family was Mary, Queen of Scots.

Stoddard English
Occupational name for a horse keeper, from Old English stod "stallion, stud" and hierde "herder".

Stolarz Polish
Occupational name from Polish stolarz meaning "joiner, maker of furniture".

Stone English
Name for a person who lived near a prominent stone or worked with stone, derived from Old English stan.

Stringer English
Occupational name for a maker of string or bow strings, from Old English streng "string".

Stroman German
Means "straw man" in German, an occupational name for a seller of straw.

Struna Slovene
From Slovene struna meaning "string, cord", possibly denoting a maker of rope.

Stuart Scottish
Variant of Stewart.

Stuber German
Occupational name for the owner of an inn, derived from Old High German stuba "room".

Šulc m Czech
Czech form of Schulz.

Šulcová f Czech
Feminine form of Šulc.

Summers 1 English
Variant of Sumner.

Sumner English
Occupational name for a summoner, an official who was responsible for ensuring the appearance of witnesses in court, from Middle English sumner, ultimately from Latin submonere "to advise".

Swanson English
Patronymic form of Middle English swein meaning "servant" (of Old Norse origin). This word was also used as a byname, and this surname could be a patronymic form of that.

Szabó Hungarian
Means "tailor" in Hungarian.

Szántó Hungarian
Occupational name for a ploughman or tiller, derived from Hungarian szánt meaning "to plow".

Szekeres Hungarian
Occupational name for a cartman, derived from Hungarian szekér meaning "cart, wagon".

Szewc Polish
Means "shoemaker" in Polish.

Szewczyk Polish
Diminutive form of Szewc.

Szűcs Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "furrier" in Hungarian.

Szulc Polish
Polish form of Schulz.

Tachibana Japanese
From Japanese 橘 (tachibana) meaning "orange, tangerine".

Taggart Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Irish Mac an tSagairt meaning "son of the priest". This name comes from a time when the rules of priestly celibacy were not strictly enforced.

Tailler French
Means "tailor" from Old French tailleur.

Tailor English
Variant of Taylor.

Takács Hungarian
Means "weaver" in Hungarian.

Tamboia Italian
Possibly means "drummer", from Italian tamburo meaning "drum".

Tamboli Marathi
From the Sanskrit word ताम्बूल (tāmbūla) meaning "betel leaves". These leaves are used in rituals and worship, and the name was originally given to a person who grew or sold them.

Tanner English
Occupational name for a person who tanned animal hides, from Old English tannian "to tan", itself from Late Latin and possibly ultimately of Celtic origin.

Tanzer German
Means "dancer" in German, derived from Middle High German tanzen "to dance".

Tarpinian Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Դարբինյան (see Darbinyan).

Tasker English
From Middle English taske meaning "task, assignment". A tasker was a person who had a fixed job to do, particularly a person who threshed grain with a flail.

Tasse French
From Old French tasse "purse, bag", an occupational name for a maker or seller of purses.

Taylor English
Derived from Old French tailleur meaning "tailor", ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".

Teke 2 Turkish
Occupational name for a goat herder, from Turkish teke "goat".

Terzi 2 Turkish
Means "tailor" in Turkish, ultimately of Persian origin.

Terzić Bosnian
From Bosnian terzija meaning "tailor", ultimately of Persian origin.

Tesař m Czech
Means "carpenter" in Czech, ultimately from the Old Slavic word tesla meaning "adze".

Tesařík m Czech
Diminutive of Tesař.

Tesaříková f Czech
Feminine form of Tesařík.

Tesařová f Czech
Feminine form of Tesař.

Tesla Serbian
Occupational name for a carpenter, derived from Serbian tesla meaning "adze". This name was notably borne by the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla (1856-1943).

Tessaro Italian
Occupational name meaning "weaver", ultimately from Latin texarius.

Thacker English
Northern Middle English variant of Thatcher.

Thatcher English
Referred to a person who thatched roofs by attaching straw to them, derived from Old English þæc meaning "thatch, roof". A famous bearer was the British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).

Thayer French (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Tailler.

Tímár Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "tanner" in Hungarian.

Tinker English
Occupational name for a mender of kettles, pots and pans. The name could derive from the tinking sound made by light hammering on metal. It is possible that the word comes from the word tin, the material with which the tinker worked.

Tiraboschi Italian
Possibly of Lombardic origin meaning "shepherd" (from Old German tior "animal" and bursa "boy"). This surname is typical of Lombardy.

Tkachenko Ukrainian
Derived from Ukrainian ткач (tkach) meaning "weaver".

Tkachuk Ukrainian
From Ukrainian ткач (tkach) meaning "weaver".

Tollemache English
Means "knapsack" in Old French.

Toller English
Occupational name meaning "tax gatherer", derived from Old English toln "toll, fee, tax".

Tolvaj Hungarian
Means "thief" in Hungarian.

Towner English
Variant of Toller.

Tripp English
From Middle English trippen meaning "to dance", an occupational name for a dancer.

Trump German
Derived from Middle High German trumbe meaning "drum". This surname is borne by the American president Donald Trump (1946-).

Tucker English
Occupational name for a fuller of cloth, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.

Tupper English
Occupational name for a herdsman, derived from Middle English toupe "ram".

Turner English
Occupational name for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English turnian "to turn", of Latin origin. A famous bearer is the American musician Tina Turner (1939-2023), born Anna Mae Bullock.

Tyler English
Occupational name for a tiler of roofs, derived from Old English tigele "tile". A famous bearer of this name was American president John Tyler (1790-1862).

Tyree Scottish
Variant of McIntyre.

Uccello Italian
Means "bird" in Italian, either a nickname for a person who resembled a bird or an occupational name for a birdcatcher.

Vacca Italian
Means "cow" in Italian, originally denoting a person who worked with cattle.

Vaccaro Italian
Occupational name meaning "cowherd" in Italian.

Vadas Hungarian
From Hungarian vad meaning "wild", either a nickname or an occupational name for a hunter of wild game.

Vámos Hungarian
Means "customs officer" in Hungarian, a derivative of vám "customs".

Van der Aart Dutch
Means "from the earth", derived from Dutch aarde "earth". It perhaps referred to either an earth bank or to a farmer.

Varela Spanish
Derived from Spanish vara "stick". It may have originally been given to one who used a stick in his line of work, for example an animal herder.

Varga um Hungarian, Slovak
Occupational name meaning "cobbler" in Hungarian.

Vargha Hungarian
Variant of Varga.

Vargová f Slovak
Slovak feminine form of Varga.

Vass Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian vas meaning "iron", referring to a worker in iron, a miner of iron ore or a vendor of iron goods. Alternatively, from the same root word, it may have been a nickname referring to one with a distinctively strong constitution.

Vela Spanish
Occupational name for a guard, from Spanish vela meaning "watch, vigil".

Ververs Dutch
Occupational name derived from Dutch verver meaning "dyer, painter".

Vescovi Italian
Derived from Italian vescovo meaning "bishop".

Vicario Spanish, Italian
Means "vicar" in Spanish and Italian, an ecclesiastic title used to denote a representative of a bishop. It is derived from Latin vicarius meaning "substitute, deputy".

Vinogradov m Russian
Means "vineyard" in Russian (ultimately from German), referring to a person who worked at a vineyard or lived near one.

Vinogradova f Russian
Feminine form of Vinogradov.

Visscher Dutch
Variant of Visser.

Visser Dutch
Occupational name meaning "fisherman" in Dutch.

Vlasák m Czech
Derived from Czech vlas "hair", probably referring to a barber or a person who bought and sold hair.

Vlasáková f Czech
Feminine form of Vlasák.

Vodenicharov m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian воденичар (vodenichar) meaning "miller".

Vodenicharova f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Vodenicharov.

Vogel German, Dutch
From Old High German and Old Dutch fogal meaning "bird". It was originally an occupational name for a bird catcher, or a nickname for a person who liked to sing.

Vogels Dutch
Variant of Vogel.

Vogt German
Occupational name from Middle High German voget meaning "bailiff, administrator, steward", ultimately from Latin advocatus.

Vogts German
Patronymic variant of Vogt.

Voigt German
Variant of Vogt.

Voigts German
Patronymic variant of Vogt.

Wägner German
Variant of Wagner.

Wagner German
From Middle High German wagener meaning "wagon maker, cartwright". This name was borne by the German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883).

Wähner German
Variant of Wagner.

Wahner German
Variant of Wagner.

Waldroup English
Variant of Wardrobe.

Walker English
Occupational name for a person who walked on damp raw cloth in order to thicken it. It is derived from Middle English walkere, Old English wealcan meaning "to move".

Waller 2 English
Derived from Old English weall meaning "wall", denoting a builder of walls or someone who lived near a prominent wall.

Ward 1 English
Derived from Old English weard meaning "guard, guardian".

Ward 2 Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Mac an Bhaird, which means "son of the bard".

Wardrobe English
From Old French warder "to guard" and robe "garment", an occupational name for a servant responsible for the clothing in a household.

Waterman 1 English
Means "servant of Walter".

Waterman 2 English, Dutch
Occupational name for a boatman or a water carrier. It could also describe a person who lived by water.

Wayne English
Occupational name meaning "wagon maker, cartwright", derived from Old English wægn "wagon". A famous bearer was the American actor John Wayne (1907-1979).

Weaver 1 English
Occupational name for a weaver, derived from Old English wefan "to weave".

Webb English
Occupational name meaning "weaver", from Old English webba, a derivative of wefan "to weave".

Weber German
German cognate of Weaver 1.

Webster English
Occupational name meaning "weaver", from Old English webba, a derivative of wefan "to weave".

Wechsler German, Jewish
Means "money changer, banker", from German wechseln "to exchange".

Weeber German
German cognate of Weaver 1.

Wegener Low German
Low German variant of Wagner.

Wegner Low German
Low German variant of Wagner.

Wehner German
Variant of Wagner.

Wehnert German
Variant of Wagner.

Weimann German
From German Wein meaning "wine", an occupational name for a wine seller or producer.

Weiner German
Variant of Wagner.

Wexler Jewish
Variant of Wechsler.

Wheeler English
Occupational name for a maker of wagon wheels, derived from Middle English whele "wheel".

Winograd Jewish
Jewish form of Vinogradov.

Winogrodzka f Polish
Feminine form of Winogrodzki.

Winogrodzki m Polish
Polish cognate of Vinogradov.

Wirt German
Variant of Wirth.

Wirth German, Jewish
Occupational name for an innkeeper, derived from German wirt meaning "host".

Wójcik Polish
From the Polish word wójt meaning "chief, mayor" (related to German Vogt).

Wojda Polish
Variant of Wojewoda.

Wojewoda Polish
From the Polish title wojewoda meaning "governor, voivode" (originally meaning "warlord").

Wojewódka Polish
Variant of Wojewoda.

Wojewódzka f Polish
Feminine form of Wojewódzki.

Wojewódzki m Polish
Variant of Wojewoda.

Woodward English
Occupational name for a forester, meaning "ward of the wood" in Old English.

Woźniak Polish
From Polish woźny meaning "caretaker, clerk".

Wright 1 English
From Old English wyrhta meaning "wright, maker", an occupational name for someone who was a craftsman. Famous bearers were Orville and Wilbur Wright, the inventors of the first successful airplane.

Wu 3 Chinese (Cantonese)
Cantonese romanization of Hu.

Yates English
From Old English geat meaning "gate", a name for a gatekeeper or someone who lived near a gate.

Yonker Dutch (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Jonker.

Yonkers Dutch (Anglicized)
Americanized spelling of Jonkers.

Žagar Slovene
Occupational name for a woodcutter, from Slovene žaga meaning "saw".

Zahradník m Czech
Derived from Czech zahrada meaning "garden". It referred to someone who owned less land than a Sedlák or a Dvořák, but more land than a Chalupník.

Zahradníková f Czech
Feminine form of Zahradník.

Zangari Italian
Southern Italian name, derived from Greek τσαγκάρης (tsankaris) meaning "shoemaker, cobbler".

Zapatero Spanish
Spanish cognate of Savatier.

Zappa Italian
From Italian zappa meaning "hoe, mattock", probably denoting a farmer. Two musicians of Italian origin have bore this name: Francesco Zappa (1717-1803) and Frank Zappa (1940-1993).

Zdunowska f Polish
Feminine form of Zdunowski.

Zdunowski m Polish
Denoted a person from one of the various towns named Zduny in Poland, which is derived from Polish zdun meaning "potter". It can also be an occupational surname derived directly from zdun.

Zeman m Czech, Slovak
Means "landowner", ultimately from Old Slavic zemľa meaning "land".

Zemanová f Czech, Slovak
Feminine form of Zeman.

Zhang Chinese
From Chinese 张 (zhāng) meaning "stretch, extend". It may have denoted a bowmaker whose job it was to stretch bow wood.

Ziegler German
Means "bricklayer" or "brickmaker" in German, from Middle High German ziegel "brick, tile".

Ziemniak Polish
Means "potato" in Polish.

Zilberschlag Jewish
Occupational name for a silversmith from Yiddish zilber "silver" and schlag "strike".

Zimman Jewish
Possibly a variant of Zimmermann.

Zimmerman German
Variant of Zimmermann.

Zimmermann German, Jewish
From the German word for "carpenter", derived from Middle High German zimber "timber, wood" and mann "man".

Žitnik Slovene
From the Slavic root žito meaning "rye, grain". This was an occupational name for a dealer in rye or a baker.

Zsoldos Hungarian
Means "mercenary" in Hungarian.

Župan Croatian
Croatian cognate of Zupan.

Zupan Slovene
From Old Slavic županŭ meaning "head of the district, community leader", a derivative of župa meaning "district, region".

Zupančič Slovene
Patronymic form of Zupan.