Aarden DutchFrom Dutch
aarden meaning
"earthen, clay". It denoted a person who worked with clay.
Arzt DutchMeans
"doctor, physician" in German, ultimately from Latin
archiater.
Bakhuizen DutchMeans
"bakery" from Dutch
bak "bake" and
huis "house", an occupational name for a baker.
Baron English, FrenchFrom the title of nobility, derived from Latin
baro (genitive
baronis) meaning "man, freeman", possibly from Frankish
barō meaning "servant, man, warrior". It was used as a nickname for someone who worked for a baron or acted like a baron.
Berger 1 FrenchOccupational name meaning
"shepherd", from Old French
bergier.
Boerefijn DutchPossibly an adaptation of French
beurre fin meaning
"good butter".
Bourreau 2 FrenchOccupational name for an executioner or torturer, derived from
bourrer "to hit, to stuff with cloth" (derived from French
boure "stuffing").
Bouvier FrenchMeans
"cowherd" in French, from Latin
boviarus, a derivative of
bos "cow".
Brisbois FrenchReferred to a person who cleared land, from Old French
briser "to cut" and
bois "forest".
Brouwer DutchOccupational name for a brewer of beer or ale, Middle Dutch
brouwer.
Bureau FrenchFrom Old French
burel, a diminutive of
bure, a type of woollen cloth. It may have originated as a nickname for a person who dressed in the material or as an occupational name for someone who worked with it.
Chaplin English, FrenchOccupational name for a chaplain, or perhaps for the servant of one, from Middle English, Old French
chapelain. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977).
Chaput FrenchFrom a diminutive of the Old French word
chape meaning
"cloak, hood". The name referred to a person who made, sold or often wore cloaks.
Charron FrenchMeans
"cart" in Old French, used to denote a carter or a cartwright.
Chevrolet FrenchFrom a diminutive of
chèvre meaning
"goat", indicating a person who cultivated goats.
Cloutier FrenchDerived from French
clou meaning
"nail", referring to someone who made or sold nails.
Curie FrenchOccupational name for a farm hand, from Old French
éscuerie "stable". Famous bearers were the married scientists Marie (1867-1934) and Pierre Curie (1859-1906), who studied radioactivity.
Dufour FrenchOccupational name for a baker, from French
four "oven".
Faucher FrenchOccupational name meaning
"mower" in French, ultimately from Latin
falx meaning "sickle, scythe".
Fèvre FrenchOccupational name meaning
"blacksmith" in Old French, derived from Latin
faber.
Fortier FrenchDerived from Old French
fort "stronghold", indicating a person who lived near or worked at such a place.
Fournier FrenchOccupational name for a baker, from French
fourneau meaning
"oven".
Gage French, EnglishOccupational name derived either from Old French
jauge "measure" (a name for an assayer) or
gage "pledge, payment" (a name for a moneylender). Both words were ultimately of Frankish origin.
Gagneux FrenchDerived from Old French
gagnier meaning
"to farm, to cultivate".
Granger English, FrenchMeans
"farm bailiff" from Old French
grangier, ultimately from Latin
granum meaning "grain". It is borne in the Harry Potter novels by Harry's friend Hermione Granger.
Haak DutchOccupational name meaning
"peddler" in Dutch.
Heeren DutchFrom Dutch
heer "lord, master", a nickname for a person who acted like a lord or who worked for a lord.
Hoedemaker DutchOccupational name for a hat maker, from Dutch
hoed "hat" and
maker "maker".
Jonker DutchFrom the Dutch title
jonkheer meaning
"young lord". It was originally a medieval noble designation (not an actual title) for a young nobleman.
Kappel German, DutchName for a person who lived near or worked at a chapel, ultimately from Late Latin
cappella, a diminutive of
cappa "cape", arising from the holy relic of the torn cape of Saint
Martin, which was kept in small churches.
Koster DutchMeans
"churchwarden, sexton" in Dutch, an occupational name for a caretaker of a church.
Lane 2 FrenchDerived from a French word meaning
"wool", designating one who worked in the wool trade.
Lapointe FrenchMeans
"the point (of a lance)" in French, possibly a nickname for a soldier.
Laporte FrenchMeans
"the door, the gateway" in French, from Latin
porta. This was a name for someone who lived near the town gates or who operated them.
Lecomte FrenchMeans
"the count" in French, a nickname for someone in the service of a count or for someone who behaved like one.
Lécuyer FrenchFrom French
écuyer meaning
"squire, shield-bearer", from Latin
scutarius, a derivative of
scutum "shield".
Lefèvre FrenchOccupational name meaning
"blacksmith" in Old French, derived from Latin
faber.
Lemaire FrenchMeans
"the mayor" in French. It was a title given to a town official, or else a nickname for someone who was pompous and officious.
Lemoine FrenchMeans
"the monk" in French. This was typically a nickname or an occupational name for a person who worked in a monastery.
Martel 2 French, EnglishNickname for a smith, derived from Old French
martel "hammer", ultimately from Late Latin
martellus.
Nagel German, DutchMeans
"nail" in German and Dutch, an occupational name for a carpenter or nailsmith.
Offermans DutchFrom Dutch
offer meaning
"offering, donation", referring to a person who collected money in a church.
Page English, FrenchOccupational name meaning
"servant, page". It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek
παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".
Paquet 1 FrenchOccupational name for a firewood gatherer, from Old French
pacquet "bundle".
Peerenboom DutchFrom Dutch meaning
"pear tree", referring to someone who lived or worked at a pear orchard.
Penders DutchFrom Middle Dutch
paender meaning
"brewer", derived from
panne meaning "pan, pot", ultimately from Latin
patina.
Perrier FrenchOccupational name for a person who worked with stone, derived from French
pierre meaning
"stone", from Latin
petra, Greek
πέτρα (petra).
Plourde FrenchPossibly derived from French
palourde, a type of a shellfish.
Poirot French, LiteratureFrom 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.
Porcher English, FrenchMeans
"swineherd" from Old French and Middle English
porchier, from Latin
porcus "pig".
Poulin FrenchDerived from Old French
poule meaning
"chicken". It was most likely used to denote a person who raised or sold poultry.
Rademaker DutchFrom the occupation of
rademaker meaning
"maker of wheels", from Dutch
rad meaning "wheel".
Royer FrenchFrom French
roue meaning
"wheel", ultimately from Latin
rota, an occupational name for a wheelwright.
Sartre FrenchFrench cognate of
Sarto. A famous bearer was the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980).
Savatier FrenchFrom Old French
savatier "shoemaker", derived from
savate "shoe", of uncertain ultimate origin.
Schenk German, DutchFrom Middle High German, Middle Dutch
schenke meaning
"wine server" (from Old High German
scenken "to pour out").
Schipper DutchOccupational name meaning
"skipper, ship captain" in Dutch.
School DutchFrom Dutch
school, ultimately from Latin
schola meaning
"school", indicating a person who worked at or lived near a school.
Schouten DutchOccupational name derived from Middle Dutch
schout meaning
"sheriff, bailiff".
Schrijnemakers DutchOccupational name for a cabinet maker, from Dutch
schrijn "box, container" and
maker "maker".
Segal 2 FrenchOccupational name for a grower or seller of rye, from Old French, from Latin
secale "rye".
Sergeant English, FrenchOccupational name derived from Old French
sergent meaning
"servant", ultimately from Latin
servire "to serve".
Smit DutchFrom Middle Dutch
smit "metalworker, blacksmith", a cognate of
Smith.
Spijker 1 DutchDenoted a dweller by or worker at a granary, from Dutch
spijker "granary".
Spijker 2 DutchOccupational name for a nailsmith, from Dutch
spijker "nail".
Tasse FrenchFrom Old French
tasse "purse, bag", an occupational name for a maker or seller of purses.
Van der Aart DutchMeans
"from the earth", derived from Dutch
aarde "earth". It perhaps referred to either an earth bank or to a farmer.
Ververs DutchOccupational name derived from Dutch
verver meaning
"dyer, painter".
Visser DutchOccupational name meaning
"fisherman" in Dutch.
Vogel German, DutchFrom 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.
Waterman 2 English, DutchOccupational name for a boatman or a water carrier. It could also describe a person who lived by water.