Swiss Surnames

Sauveterre French
From the name of various towns in France, derived from French sauve "safe" and terre "land".

Savatier French
From Old French savatier "shoemaker", derived from savate "shoe", of uncertain ultimate origin.

Savona Italian
From the name of the city of Savona in northern Italy, called Savo by the Romans, of uncertain meaning.

Scarpa Italian
Means "shoemaker" from Italian scarpa meaning "shoe".

Scarsi Italian
Nickname for a poor or miserly person, from Italian scarso "scarce, scant".

Scavo Italian
Means "serf, slave", from Old Sicilian scavu.

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".

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".

Schlimme German
From German schlimm "bad, crooked, awry".

Schlösser German
Variant of Schlosser.

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

Schmeling German
From Middle Low German smal meaning "small, slender".

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.

Schnell German
German cognate of Snell.

Schnoor German
Variant of Schnur.

Schnur German, Jewish
From Old High German snuor meaning "rope, cord", an occupational name for a maker of rope.

Scholz German
Variant of Schulz.

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

Schreck German
From Middle High German schrecken meaning "to frighten, to scare".

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.

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".

Schwangau German
From the name of a town in southern Germany, possibly related to German Schwan meaning "swan".

Schwartz German, Jewish
Variant of Schwarz.

Schwarz German, Jewish
Means "black" in German, from Old High German swarz. It originally described a person with black hair or a dark complexion.

Schwarzenberg German
Means "black mountain" in German.

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).

Schwenke 1 German
Derived from Middle High German swenken meaning "to swing".

Schwenke 2 German
From a given name, a Low German diminutive of Swanhild.

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

Sciacca Italian
Originally denoted someone from Sciacca, Sicily, Italy, which is of uncertain origin.

Sciacchitano Italian
Variant of Sciacca.

Sciarra Italian
From Sicilian sciarra meaning "quarrel, dispute", originally a nickname for a quarrelsome person.

Scola Italian
From Italian scuola meaning "school".

Scordato Italian
Means "forgotten, left behind" in Italian.

Scotti Italian
From the medieval given name Francescotto, a diminutive of Francesco.

Sebastiani Italian
From the given name Sebastiano.

Seeger German
From the given name Sieghard.

Segal 2 French
Occupational name for a grower or seller of rye, from Old French, from Latin secale "rye".

Segreti Italian
From Italian segreto meaning "secret", a nickname for a confidant.

Seidel German
From a diminutive of the given name Siegfried.

Selvaggio Italian
Italian form of Savage.

Selvatici Italian
Italian form of Savage.

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

Senft 2 German
Nickname for a helpful, kind person, from Old High German semfti meaning "soft, accommodating".

Serafin Polish, Italian
Derived from the given name Serafin or Serafino.

Serafini Italian
Derived from the given name Serafino.

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

Serpico Italian
From a nickname derived from Italian serpe "serpent, reptile".

Serra Italian, Portuguese, Catalan
Italian, Portuguese and Catalan cognate of Sierra.

Sessa Italian
Originally indicated a person from from Sessa or Sessa Cilento, Italy (from Latin Suessa, of uncertain meaning).

Séverin French
Derived from the given name Séverin.

Sgro Italian
Nickname for a curly-haired person, from Greek σγουρός (sgouros) meaning "curly".

Shriver German
German cognate of Scriven.

Siebert German
Derived from the given name Siegbert.

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

Siegel 2 German
Derived from the diminutive of Old German given names beginning with the element sigu meaning "victory".

Sieger German
From the given name Sieghard.

Siegert German
Derived from the given name Sieghard.

Siekert German (Rare)
Derived from the given name Sieghard.

Siemon German
Variant of Simon.

Siena Italian
Indicated a person from Siena in Italy, which was named after the Gaulish tribe of the Senones.

Silvestri Italian
Derived from the given name Silvester.

Simmon German
From the given name Simon 1.

Simon English, French, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Jewish
Derived from the given name Simon 1.

Simoneit German
From the given name Simon 1.

Simons English, German
Derived from the given name Simon 1.

Sinagra 1 Italian
Originally denoted a person from Sinagra on Sicily, possibly derived from Latin sinus "inlet" and ager "field".

Sinagra 2 Italian
Derived from the given name Senagora, an Italian form of Xenagoras.

Sitz 1 German
Derived from a given name beginning with the Old High German element sigu meaning "victory".

Sitz 2 German
Means "house owner", derived from Old High German siz "seat, domicile".

Slusser German
Variant of Schlosser.

Soldati Italian
From Italian soldato meaning "soldier", ultimately from Latin solidus, a type of Roman coin.

Somma Italian
From the names of Italian places like Somma Lombardo or Somma Vesuviana, derived from Latin summa meaning "summit".

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".

Sonnen German
Means "sun" from Middle High German sunne. It probably denoted someone of cheerful temperament or a person who lived in a sunny area.

Sordi Italian
From Italian sordo meaning "deaf", from Latin surdus.

Sorg German
Variant of Sorge.

Sorge German
Means "worry, care, anxiety" in German, from Old High German sorga.

Soriano Italian
From place names such as Soriano Calabro and Soriano nel Cimino. It is typical of southern Italy.

Sorrentino Italian
Derived from the town of Sorrento near Naples, called Surrentum in Latin, of unknown meaning.

Soucy French
Originally denoted someone from French towns by this name in Aisne or Yonne, both derived from the Latin name Suciacum.

Sourd French
French cognate of Sordi.

Southers German
Possibly an Americanized form of Sauter.

Spada Italian
Occupational name for an armourer or swordsman, from Italian spada "sword", Latin spatha.

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

Sparacello Italian
From Sicilian sparaciu meaning "asparagus", an occupational name for an asparagus seller or grower.

Specht German
Means "woodpecker" in German.

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.

Speziale Italian
Means "grocer" in Italian, derived from Latin speciarius "spice seller".

Spini Italian
Denoted a person who lived near thorn bushes, from Italian spina "thorn, spine", from Latin.

Spitz German
Means "sharp" in German, indicating the original bearer lived near a pointed hill.

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.

Stabile Italian
From the medieval Italian given name Stabile meaning "stable, firm".

Stablum Italian
Northern Italian name derived from Latin stabulum meaning "stable".

Stark English, German
From a nickname meaning "strong, rigid", from Old English stearc or Old High German stark.

Stauss German
Means "buttocks" from Middle High German stuz.

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.

Steinmann German
Means "stone man" in German, used as a habitational name for a person who lived near a prominent stone or an occupational name for a stone worker.

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

Stern 2 German, Jewish
German cognate of Starr.

Steube German
Variant of Steuben.

Steuben German
Name for a dweller by a stump of a large tree, from Middle Low German stubbe "stub".

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.

Stilo Italian
Derived from the name of the town of Stilo in southern Italy. It is possibly derived from Greek στῦλος (stylos) meaning "column, pillar".

St Martin French
From a place named for Saint Martin.

Stoppelbein German
Means "stump leg" from Middle Low German stoppel "stump" and bein "leg".

St Pierre French
From a French place named for Saint Peter.

Straub German
From Old High German strub meaning "rough, unkempt".

Strobel German
Diminutive form of Straub.

Strohkirch German
Means "straw church" in German.

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".

Stück German, Jewish
From Old High German stucki meaning "piece, part".

Stueck German, Jewish
Variant of Stück.

Stumpf German
Nickname for a short person or a topographic name someone who lived near a prominent stump, from Middle High German stumpf.

Sturm German
Means "storm" in German, originally a nickname for a volatile person.

Suess German
Variant of Süß. A famous bearer was the American children's author Dr. Seuss (1904-1991), who was born Theodor Seuss Geisel.

Sulzbach German
Toponymic name from German places named Sulzbach meaning "salty stream", derived from Old High German sulza "salty water" and bah "stream".

Süss German
Variant of Süß.

Süß German
From Old High German suozi meaning "sweet".

Swango German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Schwangau.

Switzer German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Schweitzer.

Tafani Italian
From the nickname tafano meaning "gadfly", indicating an annoying person.

Tailler French
Means "tailor" from Old French tailleur.

Tamaro Italian
Possibly from the Old German given name Thietmar. It is typical of the area around Trieste in northern Italy.

Tamboia Italian
Possibly means "drummer", from Italian tamburo meaning "drum".

Tangeman German
Originally indicated a person from a place named Tange in northern Germany.

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

Tanzi Italian
From a short form of the given name Costanzo.

Tarantino Italian
Locational name that originally designated a person who came from Taranto, a city in southeastern Italy, which was originally called Τάρας (Taras) by Greek colonists. A famous bearer of this name is the American director Quentin Tarantino (1963-).

Tasse French
From Old French tasse "purse, bag", an occupational name for a maker or seller of purses.

Taube German
From a nickname meaning "dove" in German.

Taverna Italian
From the place name Taverna, common in different parts of Italy. It means "inn, tavern" in Italian.

Tedesco Italian
From Italian tedesco meaning "German".

Terranova Italian
Means "new land" in Italian.

Terzi 1 Italian
From the given name Terzo, or a name for a third child.

Tessaro Italian
Occupational name meaning "weaver", ultimately from Latin texarius.

Testa Italian
From an Italian nickname meaning "head".

Teufel German
From a nickname meaning "devil" in German, given to a mischievous person or one who was devil-like.

Thälmann German
From the given name Thilo. It was borne by the German communist party leader Ernst Thälmann (1886-1944).

Thayer French (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Tailler.

Thibault French
Derived from the given name Thibault.

Thomas English, Welsh, French, German
Derived from the given name Thomas.

Tiraboschi Italian
Possibly of Lombardic origin meaning "shepherd" (from Old German tior "animal" and bursa "boy"). This surname is typical of Lombardy.

Tivoli Italian
Derived from the resort town of Tivoli, near Rome, originally called Tibur in Latin, of uncertain origin.

Tobias English, German, Jewish
From the given name Tobias.

Todaro Italian
From a regional form of a given name Todaro, a variant of Teodoro. It is quite common in Sicily.

Tolkien German
Possibly from a Low German byname Tolk meaning "interpreter" (of Slavic origin). A famous bearer was the English author J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973). According to him, the surname was derived from German tollkühn meaning "foolhardy".

Toloni Italian
Derived from the given name Bartolomeo.

Tornincasa Italian
From a medieval Italian name given to a boy born after the death of a previous one, derived from Italian ritorna in casa "come back home".

Toselli Italian
Diminutive form of Tosi.

Tosetti Italian
Diminutive form of Tosi.

Tosi Italian
Means "clean-shaven", usually denoting a younger man, from Latin tonsus "shaved".

Tosto Italian
From a nickname for a tough, stubborn person, from Italian tosto "hard, tough".

Trapani Italian
From the name of the Sicilian city of Trapani, derived from Greek δρεπάνη (drepane) meaning "sickle".

Traver French
French variant of Travers.

Travere French
French variant of Travers.

Travers English, French
From an English and French place name that described a person who lived near a bridge or ford, or occasionally as an occupational name for the collector of tolls at such a location. The place name is derived from Old French traverser (which comes from Late Latin transversare), which means "to cross".

Traversa Italian
Italian form of Travers.

Traverse French
French variant of Travers.

Traversi Italian
Italian form of Travers.

Traversini Italian
Italian variant of Travers.

Traverso Italian
Italian form of Travers.

Travert French
French variant of Travers.

Tremblay French
From French tremble meaning "aspen". It is especially widespread in Quebec, being the most common surname there.

Tremble French
Variant of Tremblay.

Tritten German
Originally denoted someone who lived by a set of steps, from Middle High German trit "step".

Trucco Italian
Denoted a person coming from a place of this name in northern Italy.

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

Trump German
Derived from Middle High German trumbe meaning "drum". This surname is borne by the American president Donald Trump (1946-).

Tschida German
Possibly derived from a Slavic given name of unknown meaning.

Tumicelli Italian
Possibly from a diminutive of the given name Bartolomeo.

Turati Italian
From the name of the town of Turate near Como in Lombardy.

Turchi Italian
Means "Turkish" in Italian.

Uberti Italian
Derived from the given name Uberto.

Uccello Italian
Means "bird" in Italian, either a nickname for a person who resembled a bird or an occupational name for a birdcatcher.

Uggeri Italian
Derived from the given name Edgardo.

Ughi Italian
From the given name Ugo.

Ungaretti Italian
Diminutive of Ungaro.

Ungaro Italian
Means "Hungarian" in Italian.

Unkle German
Possibly denoted a person from the town of Unkel in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

Unruh German
Refers to a restless, fidgety, nervous person, from German unruhe meaning "unrest".

Urban mu Czech, Slovak, Polish, German
Derived from the given name Urban.

Vacca Italian
Means "cow" in Italian, originally denoting a person who worked with cattle.

Vaccaro Italian
Occupational name meaning "cowherd" in Italian.

Valenti Italian
Patronymic from the given name Valente, an Italian form of Valens. A famous bearer of the surname was Jack Valenti (1921-2007), advisor to American president Lyndon Johnson.

Valentin French, German
From the given name Valentin.

Valentini Italian
Means "son of Valentino".

Valerio Italian
From the given name Valerio.

Varano Italian
Derived from one of the many towns of this name in Italy.

Ventimiglia Italian
From the name of the historical Italian city Ventimiglia, now near the French border, ultimately from Latin Albintimilium.

Ventura Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan
From the given name Bonaventura.

Verona Italian
From the name of the city of Verona, one of the most important historical cities of northern Italy. The meaning of the city's name is uncertain.

Veronesi Italian
Variant of Verona.

Vescovi Italian
Derived from Italian vescovo meaning "bishop".

Vespa Italian
From an Italian nickname meaning "wasp".

Vestri Italian
From the given name Silvestro.

Vicario Spanish, Italian
Means "vicar" in Spanish and Italian, an ecclesiastic title used to denote a representative of a bishop. It is derived from Latin vicarius meaning "substitute, deputy".

Vico Italian, Spanish
Means "town, village", derived from Latin vicus.

Victor French, English
Derived from the male given name Victor.

Vidal Spanish, Catalan, French
From the given name Vidal.

Vieth German
From the given name Veit.

Vigo Italian, Spanish
Variant of Vico.

Villa Italian, Spanish
Means "town" in Italian and Spanish, from Latin. It was originally given to a person who came from a town, as opposed to the countryside.

Villeneuve French
French cognate of Villanueva.

Vincent 1 English, French
From the given name Vincent.

Vinci 1 Italian
From the given name Vincenzo.

Vinci 2 Italian
Originally indicated a person from Vinci near Florence, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci.

Viola Italian
From the given name Viola.

Vitale Italian
From the given name Vitale.

Vitali Italian
From the given name Vitale.

Voclain French
From the Old French given name Vauquelin.

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.

Vogt German
Occupational name from Middle High German voget meaning "bailiff, administrator, steward", ultimately from Latin advocatus.

Vogts German
Patronymic variant of Vogt.

Voigt German
Variant of Vogt.

Voigts German
Patronymic variant of Vogt.

Volk German
Derived from given names beginning with the Old High German element folk meaning "people".

Voll 2 German
Variant of Volk.

Voltolini Italian
From the name of the alpine valley of Valtellina in Lombardy, northern Italy.

Von Brandt German
Means "from the area cleared by fire", from Middle High German brant.

Von Essen German
Means "from Essen", a city in Germany, possibly a derivative of Old High German asc meaning "ash tree".

Von Grimmelshausen German
Means "from Grimmelshausen", a town in Germany. It is itself derived from Grimmel, of uncertain meaning, and hausen meaning "houses". A famous bearer was the German author Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen (1621-1676).

Von Ingersleben German
Means "from Ingersleben", a town in Germany, which means "Inge's village".

Vonnegut German
Possibly from the German words von meaning "from, of, by" and gut meaning "good". A famous bearer was the American author Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007).

Voss German
From Middle Low German vos meaning "fox". It was originally a nickname for a clever person or a person with red hair.

Voß German
Variant of Voss.

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.

Waldvogel German, Jewish
From a nickname for a carefree person, derived from German Wald meaning "forest" and Vogel meaning "bird". As a Jewish name it is ornamental.

Walkenhorst German
Possibly derived from a German place name Falkenhorst, from Falken meaning "falcons" and Horst meaning "thicket".

Walter English, German
Derived from the given name Walter.

Walther German
From the given name Walther.

Waltz German
From a diminutive of the given name Walther.

Wang 2 German, Dutch
From Middle High German and Middle Dutch wange meaning "cheek", possibly a nickname for someone with round or rosy cheeks.

Wang 3 German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From Old High German wang or Old Norse vangr meaning "grassy slope, meadow".

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".

Wedekind German
From the given name Widukind.

Weeber German
German cognate of Weaver 1.

Wehner German
Variant of Wagner.

Wehnert German
Variant of Wagner.

Wehunt German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of German Wiegand.

Weigand German
From the given name Wiegand.

Weimann German
From German Wein meaning "wine", an occupational name for a wine seller or producer.

Weiner German
Variant of Wagner.

Weiss German, Yiddish
From Middle High German wiz or Yiddish װייַס (vais) meaning "white". This was originally a nickname for a person with white hair or skin.

Weiß German
Variant of Weiss.

Welter German
Derived from the given name Walter.

Wendel German
Derived from the given name Wendel.

Wendell German
Variant of Wendel (typically American).

Werner German
From the given name Werner.

Wernher German
From the given name Werner.

West English, German
Denoted a person who lived to the west of something, or who came from the west.

Wetzel German
From the given name Wenzel.

Wieck German
Means "village, town", derived from Latin vicus.

Wiegand German
From the given name Wiegand.

Wild English, German
Means "wild, untamed, uncontrolled", derived from Old English wilde. This was either a nickname for a person who behaved in a wild manner or a topographic name for someone who lived on overgrown land.

Wilder English, German
Variant of Wild.