Surnames Categorized "craftsmanship"

This is a list of surnames in which the categories include craftsmanship.
usage
Aarden Dutch
From Dutch aarden meaning "earthen, clay". It denoted a person who worked with clay.
Abarca Spanish
From the name of a type of leather-soled shoe or sandal made on the Balearic Islands. It originally indicated a person who made or sold this item.
Arkwright English
Occupational name meaning "chest maker", from Middle English arc meaning "chest, coffer" and wyrhta meaning "maker, craftsman".
Armbruster German
Means "crossbow maker" from German armbrust "crossbow". The word armbrust was originally from Latin arcuballista meaning "bow ballista", but was modified under the influence of German arm "arm" and brust "breast".
Bachvarov m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian бъчвар (bachvar) meaning "cooper, barrel maker".
Bannister English
From Norman French banastre meaning "basket". This was originally a name for a maker of baskets.
Bardakçı Turkish
Means "glassmaker" from Turkish bardak "glass".
Barker English
From Middle English bark meaning "to tan". This was an occupational name for a leather tanner.
Barros Portuguese, Spanish
From the Portuguese and Spanish word barro meaning "clay, mud". This could either be an occupational name for a person who worked with clay or mud such as a builder or artisan, or a topographic name for someone living near clay or mud.
Beltz German
Occupational name for a tanner of hides, derived from Middle High German belz meaning "fur".
Bicchieri Italian
Means "drinking glasses" in Italian, referring originally to a person who made or sold them.
Blecher German
Occupational name for someone who worked with tin or sheet metal, from German blech "tin".
Bleier German
Occupational name for a worker of lead, derived from German blei "lead".
Boatwright English
Occupational name meaning "maker of boats".
Bodnár Hungarian
Means "cooper, barrel maker" in Hungarian.
Botello Galician
Occupational name for a maker of bottles, from Galician bottela meaning "bottle".
Böttcher German
Occupational name meaning "cooper, barrel maker" in German.
Bouwmeester Dutch
Means "architect, builder" in Dutch.
Boyadzhiev m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian бояджия (boyadzhiya) meaning "dyer".
Brasher English
Means "brass worker", derived from Old English bræs "brass".
Brodeur French
Means "embroiderer" in French.
Calderón Spanish
Occupational name for a person who made, repaired or sold cauldrons or kettles, from Spanish calderón "cauldron", from Late Latin caldaria.
Calligaris Italian
From Late Latin caligarius meaning "shoemaker".
Carpenter English
From the occupation, derived from Middle English carpentier (ultimately from Latin carpentarius meaning "carriage maker").
Cartwright English
Occupational name indicating one who made carts.
Carver English
Occupational surname for a carver, from Middle English kerve "cut".
Chandler English
Occupational name meaning "candle seller" or "candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately derived from Latin candela via Old French.
Charmchi Persian
Means "leather worker" in Persian, from چرم (charm) meaning "leather" combined with چی (chi), denoting an occupation.
Clacher Scottish
From Scottish Gaelic clachair meaning "stonemason".
Clay English
Means simply "clay", originally referring to a person who lived near or worked with of clay.
Coiro Italian
From Italian cuoio meaning "leather", ultimately from Latin corium. This was an occupational surname for a leather worker or tanner.
Cojocaru Romanian
From Romanian cojoc meaning "sheepskin coat". This was an occupational name for a maker of these coats.
Cooper English
Means "barrel maker", from Middle English couper.
Coupe English
From Middle English coupe meaning "barrel", a name for a barrel maker or cooper.
Couture French
Means "tailor" in Old French.
Csizmadia Hungarian
Means "bootmaker" in Hungarian.
Darbinyan Armenian
From Armenian դարբին (darbin) meaning "blacksmith".
Darzi Persian
Means "tailor" in Persian.
Demir Turkish
Means "iron" in Turkish, originally referring to an ironworker.
Demirci Turkish
Means "blacksmith" in Turkish.
Dexter English
Occupational name meaning "dyer" in Old English (originally this was a feminine word, but it was later applied to men as well).
Dobos Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian dob meaning "drum". Originally the name was given to someone who played drums or made them.
Draper English
Occupational name for a maker or seller of woollen cloth, from Anglo-Norman French draper (Old French drapier, an agent derivative of drap "cloth").
Dreher German
Means "turner" from Middle High German drehen "to turn". A turner was a person who used a lathe to create small objects from wood or bone.
Dressler German
Means "turner" from Middle High German dreseler, an agent derivative of drehen "to turn". A turner was a person who used a lathe to create small objects from wood or bone.
Dwerryhouse English
Indicated a person who worked or lived at a dyehouse, which is a place where dyeing was done.
Dyer English
Occupational name meaning "cloth dyer", from Old English deah "dye".
Esser German
Means "cartwright", related to Old High German ahsa "axle".
Fabbri Italian
From Italian fabbro meaning "blacksmith", ultimately from Latin faber.
Färber German
Occupational name meaning "dyer", derived from German Farbe "colour".
Fazekas Hungarian
Occupational name meaning "potter" in Hungarian.
Fenstermacher German
Means "window maker" in German.
Ferrari Italian
Occupational name for a metalworker or smith, derived from Latin ferrarius, a derivative of ferrum meaning "iron".
Ferro Italian, Spanish
Means "iron", ultimately from Latin ferrum. This was an occupational name for one who worked with iron.
Fèvre French
Occupational name meaning "blacksmith" in Old French, derived from Latin faber.
Fletcher English
Occupational name for a fletcher, someone who attached feathers to the shaft of an arrow. It is derived from Old French fleche meaning "arrow".
Foster 3 English
Occupational name for a maker of saddle trees, derived from Old French fustier.
Fuhrmann German
Derived from Middle High German vuorman meaning "cartwright".
Fuller English
Occupational name for a fuller, a person who thickened and cleaned coarse cloth by pounding it. It is derived via Middle English from Latin fullo.
Funar Romanian
Means "rope maker" in Romanian.
Gabler German
Occupational name for someone who made or sold forks, from Old High German gabala "fork".
Garnett 1 English
Occupational name referring to a person who made hinges, from Old French carne "hinge".
Gerber German
Means "tanner, leather dresser" in German, derived from Old High German garawen meaning "to prepare".
Glass English, German
From Old English glæs or Old High German glas meaning "glass". This was an occupational name for a glass blower or glazier.
Glazier English
Means "glass worker, glazier", from Old English glæs meaning "glass".
Glover English
Occupational name for a person who made or sold gloves, from Middle English glovere.
Goffe English
Derived from Breton or Cornish goff meaning "smith", referring to a metalworker.
Gold English, German, Jewish
From Old English and Old High German gold meaning "gold", an occupational name for someone who worked with gold or a nickname for someone with yellow hair. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
Goldschmidt German
Occupational name meaning "goldsmith" in German.
Harper English
Originally belonged to a person who played the harp or who made harps.
Hoedemaker Dutch
Occupational name for a hat maker, from Dutch hoed "hat" and maker "maker".
Hood English
Metonymic occupational name for a maker of hoods or a nickname for someone who wore a distinctive hood, from Old English hod.
Hooper English
Occupational name for someone who put the metal hoops around wooden barrels.
Joiner English
Occupational name for a carpenter (that is, a person who joins wood together to make furniture).
Kádár Hungarian
Means "cooper, barrel maker" in Hungarian.
Kamiński m Polish
From Polish kamień meaning "stone", a name for a stonecutter or for one who lived at a place with this name.
Kardos Hungarian
From Hungarian kard meaning "sword". It could have been applied to soldiers, sword makers, or one with a pugnacious nature.
Kästner German
Means "cabinet maker", derived from Middle High German kaste "box".
Keo Khmer
Means "glass" in Khmer.
Kerekes Hungarian
Occupational name for a maker of wheels, from Hungarian kerék meaning "wheel".
Kiefer 2 German
Occupational name for a barrel maker, derived from Old High German kuofa meaning "barrel".
Kistler German
Occupational name meaning "chest maker, cabinetmaker" from Middle High German kiste.
Kolář m Czech
Means "wheelwright", a derivative of Czech kolo "wheel".
Košar Croatian
From Croatian koš meaning "basket", originally indicating a person who made or sold baskets.
Koszorús Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian koszorú meaning "garland, wreath, girdle", a name for someone who made garlands.
Kovač Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Slovene
Means "blacksmith", a derivative of Slavic kovati meaning "to forge".
Kowalczyk Polish
Patronymic derived from Polish kowal "blacksmith".
Kowalski m Polish
From Polish kowal meaning "blacksmith". This is the second most common surname in Poland.
Kranz German, Jewish
Derived from Old High German kranz meaning "wreath", an occupational name for a maker of wreaths or an ornamental Jewish name.
Krejči m Czech
Means "tailor" in Czech.
Kuiper Dutch
Means "cooper, barrel maker" in Dutch.
Kunkel German
Occupational name for a maker of distaffs, from Middle High German kunkel "distaff, spindle", of Latin origin.
Lagunov m Russian
Derived from Russian лагун (lagun) meaning "water barrel". It was used to denote the descendants of a person who made water barrels.
Lefèvre French
Occupational name meaning "blacksmith" in Old French, derived from Latin faber.
Lister Scottish
Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac an Fleisdeir meaning "son of the arrow maker".
Mac Ghabhann Irish
Means "son of the smith" in Irish.
Madeira Portuguese
Occupational name for a carpenter, from Portuguese madeira "wood".
Mason English
Occupational name for a stoneworker or layer of bricks, from Old French masson, of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make").
Mataracı Turkish
Occupational name for a person who made water bottles or flasks, from Turkish matara "flask".
McIntyre Scottish
From Scottish Gaelic Mac an tSaoir meaning "son of the carpenter".
Messer German
Occupational name for a person who made knives, from Middle High German messer "knife".
Muraro Italian
Occupational name for a wall builder, from Italian murare meaning "to wall up".
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.
Peck 2 English
Occupational name for a maker of pecks (vessels used as peck measures), derived from Middle English pekke.
Pintér Hungarian
Means "cooper, barrel maker" in Hungarian.
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.
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.
Puskás Hungarian
Occupational name for a gunsmith or cannon maker, from Hungarian puska meaning "gun" (from German, itself from Latin buxis "box").
Rademaker Dutch
From the occupation of rademaker meaning "maker of wheels", from Dutch rad meaning "wheel".
Sacco Italian
Occupational name for a maker of sacks, from Italian sacco, Latin saccus.
Samaras m Greek
Means "saddle maker" in Greek, from σαμάρι (samari) meaning "saddle".
Sappington English
Possibly from the city of Sapperton, England, derived from Old English sapere meaning "soap maker" and tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town".
Sarto Italian
Occupational name meaning "tailor" in Italian, from Latin sartor, from sarcire meaning "to mend".
Sauter German
Occupational name for a cobbler, from Latin sutor "sewer, cobbler".
Sayer Welsh
From Welsh saer meaning "carpenter".
Scarlett English
Denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet, a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelat).
Scherer German
Occupational name for a cutter of cloth or a sheep-shearer, from Old High German skeran "to cut".
Schmidt German
Occupational name derived from Middle High German smit "smith, metalworker", a cognate of Smith.
Schnur German, Jewish
From Old High German snuor meaning "rope, cord", an occupational name for a maker of rope.
Schrijnemakers Dutch
Occupational name for a cabinet maker, from Dutch schrijn "box, container" and maker "maker".
Schuster German
Means "shoemaker, cobbler", from Middle High German schuoch "shoe" and suter, from Latin sutor "sewer, cobbler".
Schwinghammer German
Occupational name for a blacksmith, literally meaning "swing hammer" in German.
Seppä Finnish
Means "smith" in Finnish.
Siegel 1 German
Occupational name for a maker of seals or signet rings, ultimately from Latin sigillum "seal".
Slootmaekers Dutch, Flemish
Occupational name for a locksmith, from Dutch slot "lock" and maker "maker".
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).
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".
Spooner English
Occupational name for a maker of spoons or a maker of shingles, derived from Middle English spone meaning "chip of wood, spoon".
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.
Stenger German
Occupational name for a post maker, from Old High German stanga "pole".
Stolarz Polish
Occupational name from Polish stolarz meaning "joiner, maker of furniture".
Stringer English
Occupational name for a maker of string or bow strings, from Old English streng "string".
Struna Slovene
From Slovene struna meaning "string, cord", possibly denoting a maker of rope.
Tailor English
Variant of Taylor.
Tessaro Italian
Occupational name meaning "weaver", ultimately from Latin texarius.
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.
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.
Ververs Dutch
Occupational name derived from Dutch verver meaning "dyer, painter".
Wagner German
From Middle High German wagener meaning "wagon maker, cartwright". This name was borne by the German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883).
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".
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".
Wheeler English
Occupational name for a maker of wagon wheels, derived from Middle English whele "wheel".
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.
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.
Zilberschlag Jewish
Occupational name for a silversmith from Yiddish zilber "silver" and schlag "strike".
Zimmermann German, Jewish
From the German word for "carpenter", derived from Middle High German zimber "timber, wood" and mann "man".