Browse Surnames

This is a list of surnames in which the usage is Danish or Dutch or English or German or Norwegian or Swedish; and the source is Occupation.
usage
source
Aarden Dutch
From Dutch aarden meaning "earthen, clay". It denoted a person who worked with clay.
Abbey English
Indicated a person who lived near an abbey or worked in an abbey, from Middle English abbeye.
Abbott English
English cognate of Abate.
Abt German
German cognate of Abate.
Ackerman English
Means "ploughman", derived from Middle English aker "field" and man.
Admiraal Dutch
Means "admiral" in Dutch.
Anker Dutch, Danish, Norwegian
Metonymic surname for a sailor, meaning "anchor" in Dutch, Danish and Norwegian.
Arbeid Dutch
From Dutch arbeid meaning "work".
Arbeider Dutch
From Dutch arbeider meaning "worker".
Arbeit German
From German arbeit meaning "work".
Archer English
Occupational name for one who practiced archery, from Latin arcus "bow" (via Old French).
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".
Arts 2 Dutch
Dutch cognate of Arzt.
Arzt Dutch
Means "doctor, physician" in German, ultimately from Latin archiater.
Baanders Dutch
Dutch cognate of Banner.
Baas Dutch
Means "boss, overseer" in Dutch.
Bachmeier German
Originally referred to a farmer whose farm was beside a stream, from Middle High German bach "stream" and meier "steward, tenant farmer".
Bäcker German
Variant of Becker, mostly found in northern Germany.
Backus English
Means "bakery", an occupational name for a baker, from Old English bæchus literally "bake house".
Bader German
Derived from Old High German bad "bath", most likely referring to a bath attendant.
Bager Danish
Danish cognate of Baker.
Bailey English
From Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", which comes via Old French from Latin baiulus "porter".
Baker English
Occupational name meaning "baker", derived from Middle English bakere.
Bakhuizen Dutch
Means "bakery" from Dutch bak "bake" and huis "house", an occupational name for a baker.
Bakker Dutch
Dutch cognate of Baker, from Middle Dutch backere.
Banner English
Occupational name for a flag carrier, derived from Old French baniere meaning "banner", ultimately of Germanic origin.
Bannister English
From Norman French banastre meaning "basket". This was originally a name for a maker of baskets.
Barber English, Scottish
Indicated a barber, one who cut hair for a living, ultimately from Latin barba "beard".
Barker English
From Middle English bark meaning "to tan". This was an occupational name for a leather tanner.
Baron English, French
From 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.
Bauer German
From Old High German bur meaning "peasant, farmer".
Bauers German
Variant of Bauer.
Baumann German, Jewish
From Middle High German bumann meaning "farmer, builder".
Baumgartner German
Occupational name for a person who worked or lived at an orchard, from German Baumgarten "orchard" (derived from Baum "tree" and Garten "garden").
Baumhauer German
Occupational name meaning "woodcutter", derived from German Baum "tree" and hauen "to chop".
Baxter English
Variant (in origin a feminine form) of Baker.
Baylor German (Anglicized)
Possibly an Americanized form of Beiler.
Bean English
English cognate of Bohn.
Beck 2 German
Variant of Becker, from southern German beck.
Beck 4 English
From Old English becca meaning "pickaxe", an occupational surname.
Becke German
Variant of Beck 1 or Beck 2.
Beckenbauer German
Means "farmer living by a stream" in German.
Becker German
Derived from Middle High German becker meaning "baker".
Beckert German
Variant of Becker.
Beiler German
Derived from Middle High German beile meaning "measuring stick".
Beitel German
Variant of Beutel.
Bell 1 English
From Middle English belle meaning "bell". It originated as a nickname for a person who lived near the town bell, or who had a job as a bell-ringer.
Beltz German
Occupational name for a tanner of hides, derived from Middle High German belz meaning "fur".
Benbow English
From a nickname "bend the bow" given to an archer.
Best 1 English
Derived from Middle English beste meaning "beast", an occupational name for a keeper of animals or a nickname for someone who acted like a beast. A famous bearer of this surname was soccer legend George Best (1946-2005).
Beutel German
From Middle High German biutel meaning "bag", originally belonging to a person who made or sold bags.
Biermann German
Derived from German bier "beer" and mann "man". The name may have referred to a brewer or a tavern owner.
Bird English
Occupational name for a person who raised or hunted birds.
Bischoffs German
German cognate of Bishop.
Bishop English
Means simply "bishop", ultimately from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer". It probably originally referred to a person who served a bishop.
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".
Boer Dutch
Dutch cognate of Bauer.
Boerefijn Dutch
Possibly an adaptation of French beurre fin meaning "good butter".
Bohn German
Occupational name for a bean grower, derived from Middle High German bone "bean".
Bond English
Occupational name for a peasant farmer, from Middle English bonde. A famous bearer is the fictional spy James Bond, created by Ian Flemming in 1953.
Booker English
Occupational name meaning "book maker", derived from Old English boc "book".
Boon 3 Dutch
Dutch cognate of Bohn.
Böttcher German
Occupational name meaning "cooper, barrel maker" in German.
Bouwmeester Dutch
Means "architect, builder" in Dutch.
Bowman English
Occupational name for an archer, derived from Middle English bowe, Old English boga meaning "bow".
Brasher English
Means "brass worker", derived from Old English bræs "brass".
Breiner German, Swedish
Occupational name derived from Middle High German brie "porridge".
Brewer English
Occupational name for a maker of ale or beer.
Brewster English
Variant of Brewer, originally a feminine form of the occupational term.
Bridges English
Originally denoted a person who lived near a bridge, or who worked as a bridgekeeper, derived from Middle English brigge, Old English brycg.
Brodbeck German
Means "bread baker" from Middle High German brot "bread" and becke "baker".
Brouwer Dutch
Occupational name for a brewer of beer or ale, Middle Dutch brouwer.
Burrell English
English form of Bureau.
Butcher English
Occupational name for a butcher, derived from Old French bouchier.
Butler English, Irish
Occupational name derived from Norman French butiller "wine steward", ultimately from Late Latin butticula "bottle". A famous bearer of this surname is the fictional character Rhett Butler, created by Margaret Mitchell for her novel Gone with the Wind (1936).
Byrd English
Variant of Bird.
Cannon English
From the ecclesiastical usage of canon, referring to a church official or servant who worked in a clergy house.
Carman 1 English
Occupational name for a carter, from Middle English carre "cart" (of Latin origin) and man "man".
Carpenter English
From the occupation, derived from Middle English carpentier (ultimately from Latin carpentarius meaning "carriage maker").
Carter English
Occupational name for a person who operated a cart to transport goods, from Norman French caretier. A famous bearer is the former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).
Cartwright English
Occupational name indicating one who made carts.
Carver English
Occupational surname for a carver, from Middle English kerve "cut".
Case English
From Norman French casse meaning "box, case", ultimately from Latin capsa. This was an occupational name for a box maker.
Cash English
Variant of Case.
Causer English
Occupational name for one who made leggings, derived from Old French chausse "leggings".
Chamberlain English
Occupational name for one who looked after the inner rooms of a mansion, from Norman French chambrelain.
Chambers English
From Old French chambre meaning "chamber, room", an occupational name for a person who worked in the inner rooms of a mansion.
Chancellor English
Occupational name for an administrator, a chancellor, from Norman French chancelier.
Chandler English
Occupational name meaning "candle seller" or "candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately derived from Latin candela via Old French.
Chaplin English, French
Occupational 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).
Chapman English
Occupational name derived from Old English ceapmann meaning "merchant, trader".
Chase English
Occupational name for a hunter, from Middle English chase "hunt".
Clark English
Means "cleric" or "scribe", from Old English clerec meaning "priest", ultimately from Latin clericus. A famous bearer was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America.
Clarke English
Variant of Clark.
Clarkson English
Patronymic form of Clark.
Clay English
Means simply "clay", originally referring to a person who lived near or worked with of clay.
Coeman Dutch
Variant of Koopman.
Coemans Dutch
Variant of Koopman.
Coke English
Variant of Cook.
Cokes English
Variant of Cook.
Colt English
Occupational name for a keeper of horses, derived from Middle English colt.
Colter English
Variant of Colt using an agent suffix.
Conner English
From Middle English connere meaning "inspector", an occupational name for an inspector of weights and measures.
Constable English
From Old French conestable, ultimately from Latin comes stabuli meaning "officer of the stable".
Cook English
Derived from Old English coc meaning "cook", ultimately from Latin coquus. It was an occupational name for a cook, a man who sold cooked meats, or a keeper of an eating house.
Cooke English
Variant of Cook.
Cookson English
Patronymic form of Cook.
Cooper English
Means "barrel maker", from Middle English couper.
Cornett English
Derived from Old French cornet meaning "horn", referring to one who worked as a horn blower.
Corwin English
Derived from Old French cordoan "leather", ultimately from the name of the Spanish city of Cordova.
Cotterill English
Derived from Middle English cotter meaning "cottager", referring to a small tenant farmer.
Coumans Dutch
Variant of Koopman.
Coupe English
From Middle English coupe meaning "barrel", a name for a barrel maker or cooper.
Cropper English
Occupational name derived from Middle English croppe "crop", referring to a fruit picker or a crop reaper.
Cuijper Dutch
Variant of Kuiper.
Cuijpers Dutch
Variant of Kuiper.
Cuyper Dutch
Variant of Kuiper.
Cuypers Dutch
Variant of Kuiper.
Dane 1 English
Variant of Dean 1 or Dean 2.
Deacon English
Means "deacon", ultimately from Greek διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant".
Dean 2 English
Occupational surname meaning "dean", referring to a person who either was a dean or worked for one. It is from Middle English deen (ultimately from Latin decanus meaning "chief of ten").
De Boer Dutch
Dutch cognate of Bauer.
De Cock Flemish
Flemish cognate of Cook.
De Graaf Dutch
Dutch cognate of Graf.
Dekker Dutch
Means "roofer, thatcher" in Dutch.
De Klerk Dutch
From Dutch klerk meaning "clerk", making this a cognate of Clark.
De Kock Dutch
Dutch cognate of Cook.
Denzel German
Variant of Tanzer.
De Smet Flemish
Flemish variant of Smit.
De Snaijer Dutch
Dutch cognate of Snyder.
Dexter English
Occupational name meaning "dyer" in Old English (originally this was a feminine word, but it was later applied to men as well).
Dickman English
From Old English dic "ditch" combined with man "person, man". It was originally a name for a ditch digger or someone who lived near a ditch.
Doctor English
Originally denoted someone who was a doctor, ultimately from Latin doctor meaning "teacher".
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.
Dreier German
Variant of Dreher.
Dreschner German
Derived from Middle High German dreschen "to thresh". A thresher was a person who separated the grains from a cereal plant by beating it.
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.
Dreyer German
Variant of Dreher.
Duke English
From the noble title, which was originally from Latin dux "leader". It was a nickname for a person who behaved like a duke, or who worked in a duke's household.
Dukes English
Patronymic form of Duke.
Dyer English
Occupational name meaning "cloth dyer", from Old English deah "dye".
Earl English
From the aristocratic title, which derives from Old English eorl meaning "nobleman, warrior". It was either a nickname for one who acted like an earl, or an occupational name for a person employed by an earl.
Earls English
Patronymic form of Earl.
Ebner 2 German
Means "judge, arbiter" from Middle High German ebenære.
Egger German
South German occupational name meaning "plowman" or "farmer", derived from German eggen "to harrow, to plow".
Esser German
Means "cartwright", related to Old High German ahsa "axle".
Essert German
Variant of Esser.
Falk Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German
From Old Norse falki or Old High German falco meaning "falcon".
Falkner English, German
English variant and German cognate of Faulkner.
Färber German
Occupational name meaning "dyer", derived from German Farbe "colour".
Farmer English
Occupational name for a tax collector, from Middle English ferme "rent, revenue, provision", from medieval Latin firma, ultimately from Old English feorm. This word did not acquire its modern meaning until the 17th century.
Fashingbauer German
From Fasching, a German carnival (Fastnacht meaning "eve of the beginning of the fast", or the time before Lent) celebrated in Austria and Bavaria, and bauer meaning "farmer".
Faulkner English, Scottish
Occupational name meaning "keeper of falcons", from Middle English and Scots faulcon, from Late Latin falco, of Germanic origin.
Fenstermacher German
Means "window maker" in German.
Ferber German
Variant of Färber.
Fiddler English
English form of Fiedler.
Fiedler German
Means "fiddler" in German.
Fischer German
Occupational name meaning "fisherman" in German.
Fishman English
Occupational name for a fisherman.
Fisker Danish
Means "fisherman" in Danish.
Fleischer German
Occupational name meaning "butcher" in German.
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".
Flower English
From Middle English flour meaning "flower, blossom", derived from Old French flur, Latin flos. This was a nickname given to a sweet person. In other cases it could be a metonymic occupational name for a maker of flour (a word derived from the same source).
Forester English
Denoted a keeper or one in charge of a forest, or one who has charge of growing timber in a forest (see Forest).
Foster 2 English
Occupational name for a scissor maker, derived from Old French forcetier.
Foster 3 English
Occupational name for a maker of saddle trees, derived from Old French fustier.
Fowler English
Occupational name for a fowler or birdcatcher, ultimately derived from Old English fugol meaning "bird".
Franklin English
Derived from Middle English frankelin meaning "freeman". It denoted a landowner of free but not noble birth, from Old French franc meaning "free". Famous bearers include American statesman Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) and American singer Aretha Franklin (1942-2018).
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.
Gabler German
Occupational name for someone who made or sold forks, from Old High German gabala "fork".
Gaertner German
German form of Gardener.
Gage French, English
Occupational 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.
Garb German
Variant of Garber.
Garber German
Variant of Gerber.
Gardener English
Occupational surname for one who was a gardener, from Old French jardin meaning "garden" (of Frankish origin).
Garner 1 English
From Old French gernier meaning "granary", a derivative of Latin granum meaning "grain". This name could refer to a person who worked at a granary or lived near one.
Garnett 1 English
Occupational name referring to a person who made hinges, from Old French carne "hinge".
Gärtner German
German form of Gardener.
Garver German
Variant of Gerber.
Geiger German
Means "fiddle player" in German, derived from Old High German giga "fiddle".
Geissler 2 German
Occupational name for a goat herder, from southern German Geiss meaning "goat" and the suffix ler signifying an occupation.
Gerber German
Means "tanner, leather dresser" in German, derived from Old High German garawen meaning "to prepare".
Gerst German
Occupational name for a barley farmer, derived from Old High German gersta "barley".
Gerstle German
Variant of Gerst.
Gerver German
Variant of Gerber.
Glas German, Dutch
German and Dutch cognate of Glass.
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".
Glöckner German
Derived from Middle High German glocke "bell". It may have referred to a person who worked at or lived close to a bell tower.
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.
Graf German
From the German noble title Graf meaning "count", ultimately from Greek γραφεύς (grapheus) meaning "scribe".
Granger English, French
Means "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.
Graves English
Occupational name for a steward, derived from Middle English greyve, related to the German title Graf.
Grayson English
Means "son of the steward", derived from Middle English greyve "steward".
Gruber Upper German
From German Grube meaning "pit", indicating a person who lived or worked in a pit or depression. This is the most common surname in Austria.
Haak Dutch
Occupational name meaning "peddler" in Dutch.
Haber German, Jewish
Occupational name for one who grew or sold oats, derived from Old High German habaro "oat". As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.
Haberkorn German
Occupational name for a dealer in oats, derived from Old High German habaro "oat" and korn "kernel, grain".
Hafner German
Occupational name for a potter, derived from Old High German hafan "pot, vessel".
Harper English
Originally belonged to a person who played the harp or who made harps.
Hauer German
Derived from Middle High German houwen "to chop", referring to a butcher or woodchopper.
Haumann German
Derived from Middle High German houwen "to chop" and man "man", referring to a butcher or woodchopper.
Haupt German
German cognate of Head.
Havener German
Variant of Hafner.
Hayward English
Occupational name for a person who protected an enclosed forest, from Old English hæg "enclosure, fence" and weard "guard".
Head English
From Middle English hed meaning "head", from Old English heafod. It may have referred to a person who had a peculiar head, who lived near the head of a river or valley, or who served as the village headman.
Heeren Dutch
From Dutch heer "lord, master", a nickname for a person who acted like a lord or who worked for a lord.
Herschel German, Jewish
Diminutive form of Hirsch 1 or Hirsch 2. A famous bearer was the British-German astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822), as well as his sister Caroline Herschel (1750-1848) and son John Herschel (1792-1871), also noted scientists.
Herzog German
From a German title meaning "duke", a nickname for a person who either acted like a duke or worked in a duke's household.
Hirsch 1 German
Means "deer, hart" in German. This was a nickname for a person who resembled a deer in some way, or who raised or hunted deer.
Hirschel German, Jewish
Diminutive form of Hirsch 1 or Hirsch 2.
Hoedemaker Dutch
Occupational name for a hat maker, from Dutch hoed "hat" and maker "maker".
Hoefler German
Variant of Hofer.
Hofer German
Occupational name for a farmer, from German Hof "farm", from Old High German hof "yard, court".
Hoffman German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Hoffmann.
Hoffmann German
From Middle High German hofmann meaning "farmer".
Höfler German
Variant of Hofer.
Hofmeister German
Means "master of the household", from Old High German hof "yard, court, house" and meistar "master" (from Latin magister).
Hoggard English
Occupational name meaning "pig herder", from Old English hogg "hog" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".
Holtman Dutch
Dutch cognate of Holzmann.
Holzknecht German
Occupational name for a forester's helper, from Old High German holz "wood" and kneht "servant, apprentice".
Holzmann German
Derived from Old High German holz "wood" and man "man", a name for someone who lived close to a wood or worked with wood.
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.
Hoover German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Huber.
Hopper English
Occupational name for an acrobat or a nickname for someone who was nervous or restless. A famous bearer was the American actor Dennis Hopper (1936-2010).
Horn English, German, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old English, Old High German and Old Norse word horn meaning "horn". This was an occupational name for one who carved objects out of horn or who played a horn, or a person who lived near a horn-shaped geographical feature, such as a mountain or a bend in a river.
Horne English
Variant of Horn.
Houtkooper Dutch
Means "buyer of wood" in Dutch.
Houtman Dutch
Dutch cognate of Holzmann.
Howard 2 English
Occupational name meaning "ewe herder", from Old English eowu "ewe" and hierde "herdsman, guardian".
Hüber German
Variant of Huber.
Huber German
Occupational name for a farmer, derived from Old High German huoba "plot of land, farm".
Huffman German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Hoffmann.
Hunt English
Variant of Hunter.
Hunter English, Scottish
Occupational name that referred to someone who hunted for a living, from Old English hunta.
Hutmacher German
German cognate of Hoedemaker.
Jackman English
Means "servant of Jack".
Jaeger German
Variant of Jäger.
Jäger German
Means "hunter" in German, from Old High German jagon meaning "to hunt".
Jager German
Variant of Jäger.
Jagger English
From an English word meaning "carter, peddler". A famous bearer is the British musician Mick Jagger (1943-), the lead singer of the Rolling Stones.
Jakeman English
Means "servant of Jack".
Jardine English, Scottish
Means "garden", denoting someone who worked as a gardener.
Joiner English
Occupational name for a carpenter (that is, a person who joins wood together to make furniture).
Jonckers Dutch
Patronymic form of Jonker.
Jonker Dutch
From the Dutch title jonkheer meaning "young lord". It was originally a medieval noble designation (not an actual title) for a young nobleman.
Jonkers Dutch
Patronymic form of Jonker.
Jonkheer Dutch
Variant of Jonker.
Joyner English
Variant of Joiner.
Kalb German
Occupational name meaning "calf (animal)" in German.
Kalbfleisch German
Occupational name for a butcher who dealt in veal, from German kalb meaning "calf" and fleisch meaning "meat".
Kappel German, Dutch
Name 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.
Kästner German
Means "cabinet maker", derived from Middle High German kaste "box".
Käufer German
Variant of Kaufer.
Kaufer German
Means "trader" in German.