Swiss Surnames

Abano Italian
Originally denoted a person from the town of Abano, Latin Aponus, which was derived from the old Celtic root ab meaning "water".

Abatangelo Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Angelo.

Abatantuono Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Antonio.

Abate Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest", derived via Latin and Greek from an Aramaic word meaning "father". This was used either as a nickname or an occupational name for a worker in a priest's house.

Abategiovanni Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Giovanni.

Abatescianni Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Gianni.

Abbà Italian
Variant of Abate.

Abbadelli Italian
Means "little abbot" from Italian abate and the diminutive suffix -elli.

Abbandonato Italian
Means "forsaken, abandoned" in Italian.

Abbascia Italian
Variant of Abatescianni.

Abbatangelo Italian
Variant of Abatangelo.

Abbatantuono Italian
Variant of Abatantuono.

Abbate Italian
Variant of Abate.

Abbatelli Italian
Variant of Abbadelli.

Abbaticchio Italian
Means "little abbot" from Italian abate and the diminutive suffix -icchio, from Latin -iculus.

Abbiati Italian
Originally a name for a person from the city of Abbiategrasso, near Milan in Italy, called Abiatum in Latin.

Abel 1 English, French, Danish, Spanish, Portuguese
Derived from the given name Abel.

Abel 2 German
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Albert.

Abelli Italian
From the given name Abele.

Abeln German
Patronymic derived from a diminutive of Albert.

Abraham Jewish, English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch
Derived from the given name Abraham.

Abrami Italian
Derived from the given name Abramo.

Abramo Italian
Derived from the given name Abramo.

Abt German
German cognate of Abate.

Acardi Italian
Derived from the Norman name Achard, a form of Ekkehard.

Accardi Italian
Variant of Acardi.

Accardo Italian
Variant of Acardi.

Acciai Italian
Derived from medieval Italian accia meaning "axe", ultimately from Latin ascia.

Acciaio Italian
Variant of Acciai.

Acciaioli Italian
Variant of Acciai.

Acconci Italian
Variant of Acconcio.

Acconcio Italian
From the medieval Italian given names Accuntius or Acconcius, of uncertain meaning.

Accorsi Italian
From the given name Bonaccorso.

Accorso Italian
From the given name Bonaccorso.

Accursio Italian
From the given name Bonaccorso.

Acerbi Italian
From Italian acerbo meaning "bitter, harsh, severe".

Achilles German
Derived from the given name Achilles.

Achterberg Dutch, German
From the name of various places in the Netherlands and Germany, for example the village of achterberg in Utrecht. The place names are derived from Low German achter "behind" and berg "mountain, hill".

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

Ackermann German
Denoted a person who lived near a field, from Middle High German acker "field" and man "man".

Acone Italian
Possibly from the name of a harbour in Bithynia (in modern Turkey).

Acqua Italian
Means "water" in Italian, indicating one who dwelt by or transported water.

Acquafredda Italian
Denoted a person who came from one of the various places in Italy with this name, derived from Italian meaning "cold water".

Acquarone Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from a place name or an occupation derived from Italian acqua "water".

Acquati Italian
From the name of a village, part of the city of Lecco in Lombardy. Its name is presumably derived from Italian acqua "water".

Adam um English, French, German, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Jewish
Derived from the given name Adam.

Adami Italian
Means "son of Adamo".

Adamo Italian
Italian form of Adam.

Adamoli Italian
Diminutive form of Adami.

Addario Italian
Derived from the given name Addarius, of unknown meaning.

Adelardi Italian
Means "son of Adelardo".

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

Adesso Italian
Perhaps a nickname for a punctual or fast person, from Italian adesso meaning "now, at this moment".

Adimari Italian
Means "son of Ademaro".

Adler German, Jewish
Means "eagle" in German.

Adriatico Italian
Originally denoted a person who lived near the Adriatic sea.

Affini Italian
From Latin affinis meaning "neighbouring, kindred".

Africani Italian
Means "son of Africano", the Italian form of Africanus.

Africano Italian
From the given name Africano, the Italian form of Africanus.

Agani Italian
Means "son of Agano", a given name of unknown meaning.

Aggio Italian
Possibly from the name Aggius, probably related to the Germanic name Agi.

Agli Italian
From place names like Agliè, Aglietti, Agliana and Agliate, all originating from the Latin name Allius or Alleius.

Agnelli Italian
From Italian agnello meaning "lamb" (ultimately from Latin agnus), denoting a pious or timid person.

Agnellini Italian
From a diminutive of Agnelli.

Agnusdei Italian
From Latin Agnus Dei meaning "lamb of God". This was a nickname for someone who was particularly religious or someone who wore this symbol.

Agosti Italian
Means "son of Agosto", a variant of Augusto.

Agostini Italian
Means "son of Agostino".

Agresta Italian
From Latin agrestis meaning "rural, rustic".

Agricola Italian
From Latin agricola meaning "farmer".

Aiello Italian
From various place names in Italy, such as Aiello del Friuli, Aiello del Sabato and others. They are derived from Latin agellus meaning "little field".

Aiolfi Italian
Means "son of Aiolfo", which is derived from the Germanic name Agilulf.

Airaldi Italian
Means "son of Aroldo".

Airò Italian
From the given name Aroldo.

Aita Italian
Originally denoted a person from Aieta, Italy, a place name derived from Greek ἀετός (aetos) meaning "eagle".

Ajello Italian
Variant of Aiello.

Alagona Italian
From the name of the Spanish region of Aragon, which was a medieval kingdom. The region was named for a river, which was itself derived from an Indo-European root meaning "water".

Alamanni Italian
From Alemannia, the Latin name for Germany.

Albanesi Italian
Originally indicated a person who came from Albania.

Albani Italian
Derived from the given name Albano.

Albano Italian
Derived from the given name Albano.

Alberghi Italian
Variant of Alberici.

Alberghini Italian
Diminutive of Alberghi.

Alberici Italian
Means "son of Alberico".

Alberighi Italian
Variant of Alberici.

Albero Italian
From Italian albero meaning "tree", ultimately from Latin arbor, referring to someone who lived in the woods or worked as a woodcutter.

Albert English, French, Catalan, Hungarian, Romanian, German
Derived from the given name Albert.

Alberto Portuguese, Spanish, Italian
From the given name Alberto.

Albini Italian
Means "son of Albino".

Albrecht German
From the given name Albrecht.

Albricci Italian
Variant of Alberici.

Albrici Italian
Variant of Alberici.

Aldebrandi Italian
Means "son of Aldebrando", an Italian form of Aldebrand.

Alderisi Italian
Means "son of Alderissius", a Latinized form of a Germanic name of unknown meaning.

Alduino Italian
Derived from the Italian given name Alduino, derived from the Germanic name Aldwin.

Alemagna Italian
From Alemannia, the Latin name for Germany.

Aleppo Italian
From the name of the Syrian city of Aleppo, which is from Arabic خالاب (Khālāb), of uncertain meaning.

Alesci Italian
Means "son of Alessio".

Alescio Italian
From the given name Alessio.

Aleshire German (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Alscher.

Alesi Italian
From the given name Alessio.

Alesini Italian
Means "son of Alesino", a diminutive of Alessio.

Alesio Italian
From the given name Alessio.

Alessandri Italian
Means "son of Alessandro".

Alessi Italian
From the given name Alessio.

Alexandre French, Portuguese
From the given name Alexandre.

Alfero Italian
From the given name Adalfarus.

Aliberti Italian
Means "son of Alberto".

Alinari Italian
Means "son of Alinario", which is from the Germanic name Ellanher.

Aliprandi Italian
Means "son of Alibrand".

Allard French, English
Derived from the given name Adalhard (or the Old English cognate Æðelræd).

Allegri Italian
From an Italian nickname derived from allegro meaning "quick, lively".

Allegro Italian
Variant of Allegri.

Alò Italian
Variant of Aloi.

Aloi Italian
From a dialectal form of the name Aloisio.

Aloia Italian
Variant of Aloi.

Aloisi Italian
From the given name Aloisio.

Alscher German
Means "son of Adalheidis".

Altamura Italian
From the name of the Italian city of Altamura, which means "high walls" in Italian.

Althaus German
Name for a person dwelled in or by an old house, from German alt "old" and haus "house".

Altimari Italian
Derived from the given name Altimaro, an alteration of Adelmar.

Altoviti Italian (Rare)
Derived from the Lombard given name Altwidus.

Alunni Italian
From Italian alunno meaning "student".

Amadei Italian
Means "son of Amadeo".

Amadori Italian
Means "son of Amatore".

Amalberti Italian
Means "son of Amalberto", from the Germanic name Amalbert.

Amantea Italian
From the name of a town in Calabria, Italy. It is possibly derived from Arabic (dating from the Arab raids of the 9th century) meaning "the fortress".

Amato Italian
From the given name Amato.

Amatore Italian
From the given name Amatore.

Ambrogi Italian
Means "son of Ambrogio".

Ambrosi Italian
Means "son of Ambrogio".

Amerighi Italian
Means "son of Amerigo".

Amoretto Italian
From a diminutive of the given name Amore.

Amsel 2 German
Means "blackbird" in German.

André French
Derived from the given name André.

Andreas German
Derived from the given name Andreas.

Andres German
Derived from the given name Andreas.

Angioli Italian
Means "son of Angiolo".

Ansaldi Italian
Means "son of Ansaldo".

Anselmetti Italian
Means "son of Anselmetto", a diminutive of Anselmo.

Anselmi Italian
Means "son of Anselmo".

Anselmo Portuguese, Italian
From the given name Anselmo.

Antonelli Italian
Means "son of Antonello".

Antonini Italian
Means "son of Antonino".

Antonino Italian
From the given name Antonino.

Aquila Italian
From a nickname meaning "eagle" in Italian.

Aquino Italian, Spanish
From the name of an Italian town near Rome, derived from Latin aqua meaning "water", the home town of the 13th-century saint Thomas Aquinas. In Italy the surname is derived directly from the town's name. As a Spanish-language surname, it was sometimes bestowed by missionaries in honour of the saint as they evangelized in Spanish colonies.

Arbeit German
From German arbeit meaning "work".

Arbore Italian
From Latin arbor meaning "tree".

Archambault French
From the archaic French given name Archambault, which is related to Archibald.

Ardiccioni Italian
Means "son of Ardiccione", a derivative of Ardito.

Ardizzone Italian
From a diminutive of the given name Ardito.

Ardovini Italian
Means "son of Arduino".

Arena Italian
Italian cognate of Arenas.

Arlotti Italian
Means "son of Arlotto".

Armando Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Derived from the given name Armando.

Armani Italian
Means "son of Ermanno".

Armati Italian
From Italian armato meaning "armed, armoured, equipped".

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".

Arnaud French
From the given name Arnaud.

Arnold English, German
Derived from the given name Arnold.

Arnolfi Italian
Means "son of Arnolfo".

Arnoni Italian
Means "son of Arnone" from the medieval name Arnone, of uncertain origin.

Arrighetti Italian
Means "son of Arrighetto", a diminutive of the given name Arrigo.

Arrighi Italian
Means "son of Arrigo".

Arrigucci Italian
Means "son of Arriguccio", a diminutive of the given name Arrigo.

Arthur English, French
From the given name Arthur.

Aubert French
From the given name Aubert.

Aue German
From German meaning "meadow by a river, wetland". There are many places with this name in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

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

Augustin French, German
From the given name Augustin.

Aust German
Derived from Aust, an archaic diminutive of August.

Avellino Italian
From the name of a town in Campania, Italy, called Abellinum in Latin, of unknown meaning.

Azzarà Italian
Sicilian name, derived from Greek dialects of southern Italy. It is from Greek ψαράς (psaras) meaning "fisherman".

Babin French
From the given name Babin, a medieval diminutive of Babylas.

Babineaux French
Variant of Babin.

Bach 1 German
Topographic name for someone who lived by a stream, from Middle High German bach meaning "stream". This name was borne by members of the Bach musical family, notably the composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

Bachman German (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Bachmann.

Bachmann German
Denoted a person who lived near a stream, from Middle High German bach "stream" and man "man".

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.

Baggi Italian
Variant of Baggio.

Baggio Italian
Originally denoted a person from the Italian town of Baggio (now part of Milan). It is probably derived from Latin Badalocum meaning "watch place".

Baglio Italian
Italian cognate of Bailey.

Bagni Italian
From Italian bagno "bath", derived from Latin balneum, referring to a person who worked as a bath house attendant.

Bagnoli Italian
Diminutive form of Bagni.

Bähr German
From Middle High German bër "bear" or ber "boar". This was originally a nickname for a strong or brave person.

Baier German
Variant of Bayer.

Balboni Italian
Derived from the given name Balbino.

Baldi Italian
Derived from the given name Baldo.

Baldini Italian
Derived from the given name Baldino, a diminutive of Baldo.

Baldinotti Italian
Derived from the given name Baldinotto, from the Latin name Baldinoctus, a diminutive of Baldo.

Baldovini Italian
Derived from the given name Baldovino.

Ballerini Italian
From Italian ballerino meaning "dancer", an occupational name or nickname for someone who liked to dance.

Bambach German
Variant of Baumbach.

Bandini Italian
From the Latin name Bandinus, a derivative of Bandus, which is of unknown meaning.

Bandoni Italian
From Italian bandone meaning "sheet of iron".

Barbier French
French cognate of Barber.

Barbieri Italian
Italian cognate of Barber.

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.

Barone Italian
Italian cognate of Baron.

Barre French
French cognate of Barr.

Barsotti Italian
Probably from the medieval Latin word baro meaning "man, freeman" (of Frankish origin).

Bartalotti Italian
Means "son of Bartalotto", a diminutive of Bartolo.

Bartolomei Italian
Derived from the given name Bartolomeo.

Bartolomeo Italian
Derived from the given name Bartolomeo.

Barzetti Italian
Variant of Barsotti.

Basile Italian, French
From the given name Basilio or Basile.

Bassanelli Italian
Diminutive form of Bassani.

Bassani Italian
Derived from the place name Bassano, belonging multiple villages in Italy.

Bassi Italian
Variant of Basso, common in northern Italy.

Basso Italian
Originally a nickname for a short person, from Latin bassus "thick, low".

Battaglia Italian
From a nickname meaning "battle" in Italian.

Baudin French
From the given name Baud, French form of Baldo.

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

Bauers German
Variant of Bauer.

Baum German, Jewish
Means "tree" in German. A famous bearer was the American author L. Frank Baum (1856-1919).

Baumann German, Jewish
From Middle High German bumann meaning "farmer, builder".

Baumbach German
From a place name meaning "tree stream" in German.

Baumer German
Variant of Baum.

Baumgarten German
Variant of Baumgartner.

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.

Baylor German (Anglicized)
Possibly an Americanized form of Beiler.

Bazzoli Italian
From Italian bazza meaning "protruding chin".

Beauchêne French
From French place names derived from beau "beautiful" and chêne "oak".

Beaufort French
From various French place names derived from beau "beautiful" and fort "strong place, fortress".

Beaulieu French
From various French place names derived from beau "beautiful" and lieu "place".

Beaumont French, English
From French place names derived from beau "beautiful" and mont "mountain".

Beck 1 English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian
From Middle English bekke (from Old Norse), Low German beke or Old Norse bekkr all meaning "stream".

Beck 2 German
Variant of Becker, from southern German beck.

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.

Behrend German
Derived from the given name Bernd.

Behrends German
Derived from the given name Bernd.

Behringer German
From the given name Berengar.

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

Beitel German
Variant of Beutel.

Bélanger French
From the given name Bérenger.

Bellamy French, English
From Old French bel ami meaning "beautiful friend".

Bellandi Italian
Means "son of Bellando", from a medieval given name derived from Latin bellandus meaning "which is to be fought".

Bellandini Italian
Diminutive form of Bellandi.

Bellerose French
Means "beautiful rose" in French.

Bellincioni Italian
Means "son of Bellincione", from a medieval name (borne for example by Dante's grandfather) that was probably a derivative of Italian bello "beautiful, fair".

Bellini Italian
From Italian bello meaning "beautiful".

Bello Spanish, Italian
Means "beautiful" in Spanish and Italian, originally a nickname for an attractive person.

Bellomi Italian
Variant of Bellomo.

Bellomo Italian
From a nickname derived from Italian bello "beautiful, fair" and uomo "man".

Belloni Italian
Augmented form of Bello.

Belluomo Italian
Variant of Bellomo.

Belmont French, English
French and English form of Belmonte.

Belmonte Spanish, Italian
From various place names in Italy and Spain meaning "beautiful mountain".

Belrose French
Variant of Bellerose.

Beltz German
Occupational name for a tanner of hides, derived from Middle High German belz meaning "fur".

Bencivenni Italian
Means "son of Bencivenne", from the medieval name Bencivenga, a Tuscan variant of Benvenuto.

Benedetti Italian
From the given name Benedetto.

Benenati Italian
Means "son of Benenato", a given name derived from Latin bene "good, well" and natus "good".

Benetton Italian
Northern Italian variant of Benedetti.

Benini Italian
Means "son of Benino" from a diminutive of Bene or Beno, short forms of Benedetto.

Benizzi Italian
From the medieval given name Bonizzone.

Benoit French
From the given name Benoît.

Benvenuti Italian
Means "son of Benvenuto".

Béranger French
From the given name Bérenger.

Berardi Italian
From the given name Berardo.

Berg German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From Old High German, Old Dutch and Old Norse berg meaning "mountain".

Bergamaschi Italian
Originally indicated an inhabitant of the city of Bergamo in Lombardy.

Berge Norwegian, German, Swedish
Variant of Berg.

Berger 1 French
Occupational name meaning "shepherd", from Old French bergier.

Berger 2 German, Dutch
Variant of Berg.

Bergmann German
From Old High German berg meaning "mountain" and man meaning "man", originally denoting someone who lived on a mountain.

Béringer French
From the given name Bérenger.

Beringer German, English
From the given name Berengar.

Berlusconi Italian
Probably from the Milanese word berlusch meaning "cross-eyed, crooked".

Bernard um French, English, Dutch, German, Czech, Slovene
From the given name Bernard.

Bernardi Italian
From the given name Bernardo.

Bernhard German
From the given name Bernhard.

Berti Italian
Derived from the given name Berto.

Bertolini Italian
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Bertoldo.

Bertrand French
Derived from the given name Bertrand.

Best 2 German
Derived from the name of the river Beste, meaning unknown.

Beutel German
From Middle High German biutel meaning "bag", originally belonging to a person who made or sold bags.

Beyer German
Variant of Bayer.

Beyersdorf German
Means "farmers village", from German Bauer meaning "farmer" and Dorf meaning "village".

Biagi Italian
Means "son of Biagio".

Biancardi Italian
Italian form of Blanchard.

Bianchi Italian
From Italian bianco meaning "white", originally given to a person who was white-haired or extremely pale.

Bianco Italian
Variant of Bianchi.

Bicchieri Italian
Means "drinking glasses" in Italian, referring originally to a person who made or sold them.

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

Biermann German
Derived from German bier "beer" and mann "man". The name may have referred to a brewer or a tavern owner.

Biondi Italian
Means "fair-haired, blond" in Italian. This name was borne by the American swimmer Matt Biondi (1965-).

Biondo Italian
Variant of Biondi.

Bischoffs German
German cognate of Bishop.

Blaise French
Derived from the given name Blaise.

Blanc French
Means "white" in French. The name referred to a person who was pale, or whose hair was blond.