Browse Surnames

Kaufman German, Jewish
Variant of Kaufmann.

Kaufmann German, Jewish
Means "trader, merchant" in German.

Kay 2 English
Derived from Old French kay meaning "wharf, quay", indicating one who lived near or worked on a wharf.

Keller German
Means "cellar" in German, an occupational name for one in charge of the food and drink.

Kellogg English
Occupational name for a pig butcher, from Middle English killen "to kill" and hog "pig, swine, hog".

Kerner German
Derived from Old High German kerno "seed", an occupational name for one who sold or planted seeds.

Kerper German
Variant of Gerber.

Key 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.

Keyes 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.

Keys 1 English
Variant of Kay 1 or Kay 2.

Kiefer 2 German
Occupational name for a barrel maker, derived from Old High German kuofa meaning "barrel".

King English
From Old English cyning "king", originally a nickname for someone who either acted in a kingly manner or who worked for or was otherwise associated with a king. A famous bearer was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

Kirchner German
Derived from Middle High German kirchenaere meaning "sexton".

Kistler German
Occupational name meaning "chest maker, cabinetmaker" from Middle High German kiste.

Kistner German
Variant of Kistler.

Kitchen English
Occupational name for a person who worked in a kitchen (of a monastery for example), derived from Old English cycene, ultimately from Latin coquina.

Kitchens English
Variant of Kitchen.

Klerk Dutch
Variant of De Klerk.

Klerken Dutch
Variant of De Klerk.

Klerks Dutch
Variant of De Klerk.

Klerkse Dutch
Variant of De Klerk.

Klerkx Dutch
Variant of De Klerk.

Klerx Dutch
Variant of De Klerk.

Knef German
Occupational name for a shoemaker, derived from Low German knif meaning "shoemaker's knife".

Kneib German
Variant of Knef.

Knepp German
Variant of Knopf.

Knight English
From Old English cniht meaning "knight", a tenant serving as a mounted soldier.

Knochenmus German
From German Knochen "bone" and Mus "sauce". It probably referred to someone who worked in the butcher trade.

Knopf German
Means "button" in German, originally belonging to a button maker or button seller.

Knopp German
Variant of Knopf.

Koch German
German cognate of Cook.

Kock Low German, Dutch
Low German and Dutch cognate of Cook.

Koeman Dutch
Variant of Koopman.

Koemans Dutch
Variant of Koopman.

Köhler German
Variant of Kohler.

Kohler German
From Middle High German koler meaning "charcoal burner" or "charcoal seller".

Kok Dutch
Dutch cognate of Cook.

Kolbe German
From Middle High German kolbe meaning "club".

Koopman Dutch
Occupational name meaning "merchant" in Dutch.

Koster Dutch
Means "churchwarden, sexton" in Dutch, an occupational name for a caretaker of a church.

Koumans Dutch
Variant of Koopman.

Kraemer German
Variant of Krämer.

Krämer German
Means "shopkeeper, merchant" in German, derived from Old High German kram meaning "tent, trading post".

Krantz German, Jewish
Variant of Kranz.

Kranz German, Jewish
Derived from Old High German kranz meaning "wreath", an occupational name for a maker of wreaths or an ornamental Jewish name.

Kröger German
Variant of Krüger 1 and Krüger 2.

Krüger 1 German
In northern Germany an occupational name for a tavern keeper, derived from Middle Low German kroch meaning "tavern".

Krüger 2 German
In southern Germany an occupational name for a potter, derived from Middle High German kruoc meaning "jug, pot".

Kruger German
Variant of Krüger 1 and Krüger 2.

Küchler German
Occupational surname for a baker who made small cakes or cookies, derived from Middle High German kuoche "cake, pastry".

Kuijpers Dutch
Variant of Kuiper.

Kuiper Dutch
Means "cooper, barrel maker" in Dutch.

Kuipers Dutch
Variant of Kuiper.

Kunkel German
Occupational name for a maker of distaffs, from Middle High German kunkel "distaff, spindle", of Latin origin.

Kunkle German
Variant of Kunkel.

Leach English
Originally indicated a person who was a physician, from the medieval practice of using leeches to bleed people of ills.

Lehmann German
From Middle High German lehenman meaning "vassal, liege man".

Maier 1 German
Variant of Meyer 1.

Mandel German, Yiddish
Means "almond" in German, an occupational name for a grower or seller, or a topographic name for a person who lived near an almond tree. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.

Marchand English, French
Occupational name meaning "merchant", ultimately from Latin mercari "to trade".

Markwardt German
Variant of Marquardt.

Marquardt German
From Old High German marka "border, boundary" and wart "protector". This was an occupational name for a border guard.

Marquering Dutch
Possibly a Dutch form of Marquardt.

Marshall English
Derived from Middle English mareschal "marshal", from Latin mariscalcus, ultimately from Germanic roots akin to Old High German marah "horse" and scalc "servant". It originally referred to someone who took care of horses.

Martel 2 French, English
Nickname for a smith, derived from Old French martel "hammer", ultimately from Late Latin martellus.

Martell English
Variant of Martel 1 or Martel 2.

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").

Masters English
Variant of Masterson.

Masterson English
Patronymic derived from Middle English maister meaning "master", via Old French from Latin magister.

Mathers English
Occupational name meaning "mower, cutter of hay" in Old English.

Maurer German
Occupational name meaning "wall builder" in German.

Mayer 1 German
Variant of Meyer 1.

Mayer 3 English
Occupational name for a mayor, from Middle English mair, derived via Old French from Latin maior.

Mayer 4 English
Variant of Myer.

Meier 1 German
Variant of Meyer 1.

Meijer Dutch
Dutch form of Meyer 1.

Mercer English
Occupational name for a trader in textiles, from Old French mercier, derived from Latin merx meaning "merchandise".

Merchant English
Variant of Marchand.

Messer German
Occupational name for a person who made knives, from Middle High German messer "knife".

Messerli German (Swiss)
Swiss diminutive form of Messer.

Messmann German
Variant of Messer.

Messner German
Occupational name for a sexton or churchwarden, from Old High German mesinari.

Metz 1 German
Occupational name for maker of knives, from Middle High German metze "knife".

Metzger German
Means "butcher" in German.

Meyer 1 German
From Middle High German meier meaning "bailiff, administrator", derived from Latin maior meaning "greater". Later it also denoted a tenant farmer. The spellings Meier and Meyer are more common in northern Germany while Maier and Mayer are more common in southern Germany.

Meyer 3 English
Variant of Mayer 3.

Meyer 4 English
Variant of Myer.

Meyers German, English
Patronymic form of Meyer 1, Mayer 3 or Myer.

Millard English
Variant of Millward.

Miller English
Occupational surname meaning "miller", referring to a person who owned or worked in a grain mill, derived from Middle English mille "mill".

Millhouse English
Name for someone whose house was in a mill or who worked in a mill.

Mills English
Originally given to one who lived near a mill or who worked in a mill, from Middle English mille.

Millward English
Means "guardian of the mill" in Old English.

Möller Low German, Swedish
Low German and Swedish form of Müller.

Møller Danish
Danish form of Müller.

Monk English
Nickname or occupational name for a person who worked for monks. This word is derived from Latin monachus, from Greek μοναχός (monachos) meaning "alone".

Mueller German
Variant of Müller.

Mulder Dutch
Dutch equivalent of Miller.

Müller German
German equivalent of Miller, derived from Middle High German mülnære or müller.

Muller German
Variant of Müller.

Mutton English
Referred to a shepherd or else someone who in some way resembled a sheep, derived from Norman French mouton "sheep".

Myer English
From Old French mire meaning "doctor", derived from Latin medicus.

Myers English
Patronymic form of Myer or Mayer 3.

Nagel German, Dutch
Means "nail" in German and Dutch, an occupational name for a carpenter or nailsmith.

Norris 2 English
Means "wet nurse, foster mother" from Old French norrice, from Latin nutricius.

Offermans Dutch
From Dutch offer meaning "offering, donation", referring to a person who collected money in a church.

Page English, French
Occupational name meaning "servant, page". It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".

Paget English, French
Diminutive of Page.

Paige English
Variant of Page.

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.

Pander Dutch
Variant of Penders.

Panders Dutch
Variant of Penders.

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".

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

Rademakers Dutch
Variant of Rademaker.

Ramaker Dutch
Variant of Rademaker.

Ramakers Dutch
Variant of Rademaker.

Rameckers Dutch
Variant of Rademaker.

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.

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".

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).

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

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

Sargent English
Variant of Sergeant.

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

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).

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).

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.

Scholten Dutch
Variant of Schouten.

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".

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 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".

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Shriver German
German cognate of Scriven.

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

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".

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.

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.

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

Southers German (Anglicized)
Possibly an Americanized form of Sauter.

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

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".

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".

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".

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

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.

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

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.

Tailor English
Variant of Taylor.

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".

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.

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

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).

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.

Tollemache English
Means "knapsack" in Old French.

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

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).

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.

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

Visscher Dutch
Variant of Visser.

Visser Dutch
Occupational name meaning "fisherman" in Dutch.

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.