Browse Surnames

This is a list of surnames in which the usage is German; and the pattern is *er; and the gender is unisex.

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Acker German, English
Denoted a person who lived near a field, derived from Middle English aker or Middle High German acker meaning "field".

Adenauer German
Denoted a person from the town of Adenau in Germany. The name of the town is of uncertain etymology.

Adler German, Jewish
Means "eagle" in German.

Alscher German
Means "son of Adalheidis".

Armbrüster German
Variant of Armbruster.

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".

Auer German
From German Aue, Old High German ouwa, meaning "meadow by a river, wetland".

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.

Bader German
Derived from Old High German bad "bath", most likely referring to a bath attendant.

Baier German
Variant of Bayer.

Bauer German
From Old High German bur meaning "peasant, farmer".

Baumer German
Variant of Baum.

Baumgärtner German
Variant of Baumgartner.

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".

Bayer German
Originally denoted a person from Bavaria, from its German name Bayern.

Beckenbauer German
Means "farmer living by a stream" in German.

Becker German
Derived from Middle High German becker meaning "baker".

Behringer German
From the given name Berengar.

Beiler German
Derived from Middle High German beile meaning "measuring stick".

Berger 2 German, Dutch
Variant of Berg.

Beringer German, English
From the given name Berengar.

Beyer German
Variant of Bayer.

Bieber German, Jewish
From Middle High German biber meaning "beaver", possibly a nickname for a hard worker.

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".

Böcker German
Variant of Böttcher.

Boehler German
Variant of Böhler.

Böhler German
Derived from the name of several German towns called Boll or Böhl, meaning "hill".

Böhmer German, Jewish
Variant of Böhm.

Böttcher German
Occupational name meaning "cooper, barrel maker" in German.

Breiner German, Swedish
Occupational name derived from Middle High German brie "porridge".

Breisacher German
Originally denoted one who came from the town of Breisach, in Germany. The town's name is possibly from a Celtic word meaning "breakwater".

Bumgarner German
Variant of Baumgartner.

Burgstaller German
From German Burg "fortress, castle" and Stelle "place, position". This was a name given to a person dwelling at or near such a site.

Dieter German
Derived from the given name Dieter.

Drechsler German
Variant of Dressler.

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.

Dresdner German
Originally indicated a person who came from the city of Dresden in German.

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.

Ebner 1 German
Originally indicated a dweller on a flat piece of land, derived from Middle High German ebene "plateau".

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".

Faerber German
Variant of Färber.

Falkner English, German
English variant and German cognate of Faulkner.

Färber German
Occupational name meaning "dyer", derived from German Farbe "colour".

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".

Fenstermacher German
Means "window maker" in German.

Ferber German
Variant of Färber.

Fiedler German
Means "fiddler" in German.

Fischer German
Occupational name meaning "fisherman" in German.

Flater German
Means "reed bed" in German.

Fleischer German
Occupational name meaning "butcher" in German.

Foerstner German
Variant of Förstner.

Förstner German
Denoted a keeper or one in charge of a forest (see Forst).

Freudenberger German, Jewish
Ornamental name from old German freud meaning "joy" and berg meaning "mountain".

Gabler German
Occupational name for someone who made or sold forks, from Old High German gabala "fork".

Gaertner German
German form of Gardener.

Garber German
Variant of Gerber.

Gärtner German
German form of Gardener.

Garver German
Variant of Gerber.

Geier German
Means "vulture" in German, a nickname for a greedy person.

Geiger German
Means "fiddle player" in German, derived from Old High German giga "fiddle".

Geisler German
Variant of Geissler 1 or Geissler 2.

Geißler German
Variant of Geissler 1 or Geissler 2.

Geissler 1 German
Derived from the given name Giselher.

Geissler 2 German
Occupational name for a goat herder, from southern German Geiss meaning "goat" and the suffix ler signifying an occupation.

Geiszler German (Anglicized)
Variant of Geissler 1 or Geissler 2.

Gerber German
Means "tanner, leather dresser" in German, derived from Old High German garawen meaning "to prepare".

Gerver German
Variant of Gerber.

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.

Graner German
Originally denoted a person from Gran, the German name for Esztergom, a city in northern Hungary.

Großer German
Variant of Groß.

Grosser German
Variant of Groß.

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.

Günther German
Derived from the given name Günther.

Gunther German
Derived from the given name Günther.

Gwerder German (Swiss)
From Swiss German gwerig meaning "agile, alert".

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.

Hafner German
Occupational name for a potter, derived from Old High German hafan "pot, vessel".

Hauer German
Derived from Middle High German houwen "to chop", referring to a butcher or woodchopper.

Häusler German
Name for someone who lived in a house with no land, derived rom Old High German word hus meaning "house".

Havener German
Variant of Hafner.

Heppenheimer German
From the name of the city of Heppenheim in Hesse, Germany.

Hiedler German
From southern German Hiedl meaning "underground stream".

Hitler German
Variant of Hiedler. This was spelling used by Alois Hitler, the father of German dictator Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), when he adopted his stepfather Johann Georg Hiedler's surname.

Hoefler German
Variant of Hofer.

Hofer German
Occupational name for a farmer, from German Hof "farm", from Old High German hof "yard, court".

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).

Hölzer German
German cognate of Holt.

Holzer German
German cognate of Holt.

Hoover German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Huber.

Hüber German
Variant of Huber.

Huber German
Occupational name for a farmer, derived from Old High German huoba "plot of land, farm".

Hutmacher German
German cognate of Hoedemaker.

Jaeger German
Variant of Jäger.

Jäger German
Means "hunter" in German, from Old High German jagon meaning "to hunt".

Jager German
Variant of Jäger.

Kahler German
From a nickname derived from German kahl meaning "bald".

Kaiser German
From Middle High German keiser meaning "emperor", originally a nickname applied to someone who acted kingly. The title ultimately derives from the Roman name Caesar.

Kästner German
Means "cabinet maker", derived from Middle High German kaste "box".

Käufer German
Variant of Kaufer.

Kaufer German
Means "trader" in German.

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

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

Kerper German
Variant of Gerber.

Kiefer 1 German
Means "pine tree" in German.

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

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.

Klossner German
Derived from German Klausner, Middle High German klosenære meaning "hermit".

Kneller German
Originally a nickname for a noisy or disruptive person, derived from Old German knellen "to make noise, to cause a disturbance".

Köhler German
Variant of Kohler.

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

Kraemer German
Variant of Krämer.

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

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".

Langer German, Jewish
German cognate of Long.

Leitner German
Referred to one who lived on a hillside, from Middle High German lite "slope".

Lindner German
Variant of Linden.

Luther German
From the old given name Leuthar. It was notably borne by the religious reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546).

Maier 1 German
Variant of Meyer 1.

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

Mayer 1 German
Variant of Meyer 1.

Meier 1 German
Variant of Meyer 1.

Meisner German
Variant of Meissner.

Meissner German
Originally denoted a person from the German town of Meissen, which is probably of Slavic origin.

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

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

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.

Moser German
Name for someone who lived near a peat bog, from Middle High German mos.

Mueller German
Variant of Müller.

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

Muller German
Variant of Müller.

Oliver English, Catalan, German, French
Derived from the given name Oliver.

Oppenheimer German
Originally indicated a person from Oppenheim, Germany, perhaps meaning "marshy home". A notable bearer was the American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967).

Oursler German
Originally a name designating a person from Ursel (now Oberursel) in Hesse, Germany.

Peter English, German, Dutch
Derived from the given name Peter.

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

Pichler Upper German
From Bavarian Bühel meaning "hill".

Pletcher German (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Pletscher.

Pletscher German
Possibly from the name of a field where cattle fodder was grown, from German Bletsch.

Reier German
Variant of Reiher.

Reiher German
Means "heron" in German, a nickname for a person with long legs.

Reiter German
Variant of Reuter 1.

Reuter 1 German
Fom Middle High German riute meaning "cleared land".

Reuter 2 German
From Middle High German riutœre meaning "highwayman, thief".

Reyer German
Variant of Reiher.

Richter German
Means "judge" in German, from Middle High German rihtære.

Riker German
Possibly a variant of Reich.

Ritter German
From Middle High German riter meaning "rider, knight", a cognate of Ryder.

Rosenberger German, Jewish
Variant of Rosenberg.

Rothbauer German
From Old High German riuten "to clear land" and bur "peasant, farmer".

Ryer German (Anglicized)
Possibly an Americanized form of Reiher.

Saller 1 German
Originally denoted a person from the town of Sallern in Bavaria, possibly from a Celtic element meaning "stream".

Saller 2 German
Denoted a person who lived by a prominent sallow tree, from Middle High German salhe "sallow tree".

Sander German, Danish
Derived from the given name Alexander.

Sauber German
Means "clean, tidy" in German.

Sauer German
Means "sour" in German, a nickname for an embittered or cantankerous person.

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

Schäfer German
From Old High German scaphare meaning "shepherd".

Scheer German, Dutch
Variant of Scherer.

Scherer German
Occupational name for a cutter of cloth or a sheep-shearer, from Old High German skeran "to cut".

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.

Schirmer German
Means "fencer, fencing master", from Old High German skirmen meaning "to defend".

Schlender German
From Middle High German slinderen "to dawdle" or Middle Low German slinden "to swallow, to eat".

Schlösser German
Variant of Schlosser.

Schlosser German
Occupational name for a locksmith, derived from Old High German sloz meaning "lock".

Schneider German, Jewish
From German schneider or Yiddish shnayder, making it a cognate of Snyder.

Schöttmer German
Originally indicated a person from Schötmar, Germany (now part of the city of Bad Salzuflen in North Rhine-Westphalia).

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".

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.

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".

Schumacher German
Variant of Schuhmacher.

Schuster German
Means "shoemaker, cobbler", from Middle High German schuoch "shoe" and suter, from Latin sutor "sewer, cobbler".

Schwarzenegger German
From a place name, derived from Old High German swarz meaning "black" and ekka meaning "edge, corner". A famous bearer of this name is actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger (1947-).

Schweitzer German
Indicated a person from Switzerland (see Schweiz).

Schwinghammer German
Occupational name for a blacksmith, literally meaning "swing hammer" in German.

Seeger German
From the given name Sieghard.

Shriver German
German cognate of Scriven.

Sieger German
From the given name Sieghard.

Slusser German
Variant of Schlosser.

Sommer 1 German, English
Means "summer", from Old High German sumar or Old English sumor. This was a nickname for a cheerful person, someone who lived in a sunny spot, or a farmer who had to pay taxes in the summer.

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

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.

Steiner German
Variant of Stein.

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

Stieber German
Derived from Middle High German stiuben meaning "to run away". It may have been given as a nickname to a cowardly person or a thief.

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

Switzer German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Schweitzer.

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

Trumbauer German
Possibly from Middle High German trame "rafter, frame" and bauer "peasant, neighbour".

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.

Walter English, German
Derived from the given name Walter.

Walther German
From the given name Walther.

Warner German, English
Variant of Werner.

Waxweiler German
Denoted a person from Waxweiler, a village in the Eifel region of Germany.

Weber German
German cognate of Weaver 1.

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

Weeber German
German cognate of Weaver 1.

Wehner German
Variant of Wagner.

Weiner German
Variant of Wagner.

Welter German
Derived from the given name Walter.

Werner German
From the given name Werner.

Wernher German
From the given name Werner.

Wilder English, German
Variant of Wild.

Wilmer German, English
Derived from the given name Willimar or Wilmǣr.

Winkler German
Derived from Old High German winkil meaning "corner".

Winter English, German, Swedish
From Old English winter or Old High German wintar meaning "winter". This was a nickname for a person with a cold personality.

Wirner German
From the given name Werner.

Wirnhier German
From the given name Werner.

Wolter German
From the given name Walter.

Wörner German
From the given name Werner.

Xylander German
From Greek ξύλον (xylon) meaning "wood, timber" and ἀνδρός (andros) meaning "man". This surname was a Greek translation of German surnames of the same meaning.

Zellweger German (Swiss)
Originally denoted a person from the Appenzell region of Switzerland. The place name is derived from Latin abbatis cella meaning "estate of the abbot". A famous bearer is actress Renée Zellweger (1969-).

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

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