Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Satterthwaite EnglishFrom a place in England named with Old English
sætr "shielding" and Old Norse
þveit "pasture".
Sau EstonianSaue is an Estonian surname meaning "wand" or "staff".
Sauerbier GermanFrom German
sauer meaning "sour" and
bier meaning "beer". It originally referred to a brewer of sour beer.
Sauerwein GermanOccupational nickname for someone who sold sour wine, or perhaps a nickname for someone with a sour disposition, from Middle High German
sur "sour" +
win "wine", i.e. vinegar.
Sauji Japanese (Rare)From Japanese 佐 (
sa) meaning "aid; help" and 氏 (
shi) meaning "family, clan". This may also be a variant transcription of Japanese Kanji 佐氏 (see
Saudji)... [
more]
Saul EstonianSaul is an Estonian surname derived from the biblical masculine given name "Saul".
Saulnier FrenchIn Middle French (the form of French spoken from 1340 to 1610), it literally means "salt merchant".
Sauve' FrenchSauve' from France to Canada. Changed probably due to an "a" and an "o" confusion in cursive. My granfather's was typo-ed on WW II old men's sign up in MA. or RI, USA.
Savant FrenchNickname from savant ‘learned’, a nickname for a university graduate or a particularly knowledgeable person.
Savard FrenchEither from Old French
savart meaning "wasteland" or the Germanic elements
sab of uncertain meaning and
hard meaning "brave, hardy".
Savas GreekFrom the personal name Sav(v)as, New Testament Greek
Sabbas, a derivative of
Sabbaton "Sabbath", "Saturday".
Savath LaoMeans "sincere, open, beautiful" in Lao.
Savela FinnishDerived from Finnish
savi "clay". Savela is also a place in Helsinki and Jyväskylä.
Savelli ItalianIt could derive from the Sabelli (ancient Italic tribe), pre-Roman population, or from toponyms such as Savelli di Norcia (PG) and indicate the origin of the founder.
Saviauk EstonianSaviauk is an Estonian surname meaning "clay pit" or "earthen pit".
Savignac FrenchHabitational name for someone from various communes by this name in France.
Saville EnglishA habitational name from an uncertain place in Northern France. This is most likely Sainville, named from Old French
saisne, 'Saxon' and
ville, indicating a settlement.
Savinainen FinnishLiterally translates as Woman Made Out Of Clay. Real meaning and origin remain unknown
Saviñón SpanishProbably of French origin, an altered form of Savignon which is from a pet form of the personal name Savin or a habitational name from place called Savignon in Ardèche.
Savio ItalianItalian nickname given to a wise, sage man. Saint Dominic Savio is a well-known bearer of this surname.
Savisaar EstonianSavisaar is an Estonian surname meaning "loam" or "clay island".
Savolainen FinnishMeans "Savonian, person from Savonia". Savonia is a historical province in eastern Finland.
Savorgnan Italian (Rare)From a small town near Udine named
Savorgnano del Torre, of Friulian origin. This was the name of a Friulian aristocratic family, ascribed to the Venetian participate. The famous bearer of this surname was an Italian-French explorer Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de Brazza (1852-1905)
Sawabe JapaneseFrom Japanese 沢 or 澤
(sawa) meaning "marsh" and 辺
(be) meaning "area, place, vicinity".
Sawai JapaneseSawa means "marsh, swamp" and i means "mineshaft, pit, well."
Sawai JapaneseFrom Japanese 沢 or 澤
(sawa) meaning "marsh" and 井
(i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit".
Sawajiri JapaneseSawa means "marsh, swamp" and jiri comes from shiri, meaning "rear".
Sawano JapaneseSawa means "swamp, marsh" and no means "field, plain, wilderness".
Sawant Indian, MarathiDerived from Sanskrit समन्त
(samanta) meaning "universal, complete, entire".
Sawasaki JapaneseSawa means "swamp, marsh" and saki means "cape, peninsula, promontory".
Sawashiro JapaneseFrom Japanese 沢 (
sawa) meaning "marsh" and 城 (
shiro) meaning "castle".
Sawatdi ThaiFrom Thai สวัสดี (
sawatdi) meaning "welfare, prosperity, security, goodness, virtue, moral excellence".
Sawicki PolishThis indicates familial origin anywhere within a cluster of 3 Podlachian villages in Gmina Repki: Sawice-Dwór, Sawice-Wieś, or Sawice-Bronisze.
Sawtell English (British)A dialectal variant of
Sewell, which was first recorded in early 13th-century England. The later addition of the 't' was for easier pronunciation.... [
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Sax EnglishFrom Middle English
sax meaning "knife", an occupational name for a knife maker, or perhaps a nickname for someone skilled with a knife.
Saxby English (British)Saxby is the surname of the character Stella Saxby from the book Awful Auntie, by David Walliams. Saxby means "Grand" .
Saxena Indian, HindiTraditionally believed to be derived from Sanskrit सखिसेना
(sakhisena) meaning "friend of the army", from सखा
(sakha) meaning "friend, companion" and सेना
(sena) meaning "army"... [
more]
Saxton EnglishHabitational name from a place in West Yorkshire, possibly also one in Cambridgeshire, both so named from Old English
Seaxe "Saxons" and
tūn "enclosure, settlement".
Sayagu LeoneseIt indicates familial origin within the eponymous comarca.
Sayalath LaoFrom Lao ໄຊ
(say) meaning "victory" and ລາດ
(lath) meaning "pave, pour".
Sayavong LaoFrom Lao ໄຊ
(say) meaning "victory" and ວົງ
(vong) meaning "lineage, family".
Saykhman PunjabiThis name is a boy's name. used as surname name. mostly used as boys name of Sikh or Hindu religion. originated from Punjabi. (sikh) means "learner" and (maan) means "mind". "Learner's Mind"
Sayson FilipinoFrom Hokkien 世孫
(sì sun) meaning "direct lineal descendant" or 西孫
(sai sun) meaning "western grandchild".
Sayto Japanese (Russified)Alternate transcription of
Saitō more commonly used by ethnic Japanese living in parts of the former Soviet Union and Sakhalin Japanese residing on Sakhalin Island in Russia.
Saytou Japanese (Russified)Alternate transcription of
Saitou more commonly used by ethnic Japanese living in parts of the former Soviet Union and Sakhalin Japanese residing on Sakhalin Island in Russia.
Sayyid Swahili, MuslimFrom the Arabic honourific title سَيِّد
(sayyid) which means "master, lord, prince, mister".
Sayyid ArabicFrom an honorific title meaning "master, lord" in Arabic, used as a surname by descendants of the prophet
Muhammad.
Saza JapaneseFrom the Japanese 佐 (
sa) "assistant" and 座 (
za) "seat."
Scafata ItalianPossibly denoting someone from the Italian town Scafati, from Latin
scapha "skiff, light boat". Alternately, may be from Italian
scafare "to husk peas", either literally referring to someone's occupation, or from the figurative meaning of "to make more confident; alert, shrewd".
Scaglietti ItalianThe name of an Italian coachbuilder, with one of its famous customers being Ferrari when it doesn't want a design from Pininfarina.
Scaglione ItalianDerived from
scaglione meaning "stallion’s canine tooth" (an augmentative form of
scaglie meaning "canine tooth", from Old French
escaillon meaning "horse’s tooth"), presumably a nickname for someone with exceptionally large teeth.
Scala Italian, GreekHabitational or topographic name from any of various places named with
scala, "ladder", "steps", "wharf".
Scali ItalianHabitational name from Scali in Piedimonte Etneo, Sicily. From greek
skali, "step", "terrace".
Scalia ItalianHabitational name derived from Scalea in the province of Cosenza, deriving ultimately from medieval Greek
skaleia meaning "hoeing".
Scanagatta ItalianProbably means "cat killer", from Italian
scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and
gatto "cat", with the figurative meaning of "cheat, scoundrel". (Compare
Pelagatti)... [
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Scanavacca ItalianPossibly an occupational name for a butcher, from
scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and
vacca "cow".
Scanavino ItalianMeaning uncertain, possibly related to
scanalare "to cut a groove, to plough" and
vino "wine".
Scannabissi ItalianPossibly from
scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and
biscio "snake". Alternately, the first element may be from an archaic form of
zanna, "tooth (of an animal)".
Scannadinari Italian (Rare)Taken from the Italian
scanna meaning "slaying" and
dinari meaning "money" in the plural form. Therefore,
killer of money.
Scannapieco ItalianOccupational name for a butcher, from
scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and
piecuro "sheep, lamb".
Scannella ItalianPossibly from Italian
scannellare "to channel, to cut a groove", itself from Latin
scamnum "ridge (of earth formed by plowing)".
Scannláin IrishThe name originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Scannláin or Mac Scannláin, which are both derived from the word
scannal. which means "contention."
Scarborough EnglishHabitational name from Scarborough on the coast of North Yorkshire, so named from the Old Norse byname
Skarði + Old Norse
borg "fortress", "fortified town".
Scarcella ItalianFrom Italian "scarcella", a dessert enjoyed during Easter from the Italian region of Apulia, possibly referring to a baker who would make them.
Scarduzio ItalianFrom the Italian verb scardare, meaning to husk a hazelnut or chestnut. Possibly a metaphor for a sculptor who 'husked' a sculpture from stone.
Scargill EnglishThis ancient surname is of Old Norse origin, and is a locational name from a place called Scargill in Northern Yorkshire, deriving from the Old Norse bird name "skraki", a diving duck, plus the Old Norse "gil", valley or ravine.
Scarlato ItalianOccupational name for a dyer, or as a nickname for someone who habitually wore scarlet or who had bright red hair, From Sicilian
scarlatu "scarlet".
Scarr EnglishDerived from the word ‘skjarr’ meaning a rocky outcrop / hill
Scarry IrishShortened Anglicized form of Gaelic
Ó Scurra, meaning ‘descendant of Scurra’, a personal name of uncertain origin.
Scarselli ItalianFrom
scarsella "purse", a type of bag hung around the neck to keep money in. Possibly indicated a wealthy person.
Scatena ItalianFrom
scatenare "to provoke, stir up, unleash", probably a nickname for a troublemaker.
Scerri MalteseMeaning disputed; it could be derived from Sicilian
sciarra meaning "fight, brawl", Arabic شَرّ
(šarr) meaning "evil, cruel", or a word meaning "anger".
Schaaf GermanMetonymic occupational name for a shepherd, from Middle High German schāf ‘sheep’. In some cases it may have been a nickname for someone thought to resemble a sheep, or a habitational name for someone living at a house distinguished by the sign of a sheep... [
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Schaal German, Dutch, French, JewishEither a nickname for a braggart or a market crier, (derived from Middle High German
schal meaning "noise, bragging"), an occupational name for someone who made dishes for scales and vessels for drinking, (from Middle Low German and Dutch
schale "dish"), a habitational name from
Schaala in Thuringia or the Schaalsee lake near Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living on marshy land, (from Dutch
schald "shallow")... [
more]
Schaap DutchMeans "sheep" in Dutch, an occupational name for a shepherd. Alternatively, it could be a nickname for someone who looked or behaved like a sheep in some way, or who lived by a sign depicting a sheep.
Schachner GermanGerman origins (as told to me by my family); popular in Austria and also has Jewish and Slavic origins, according to the internet/ancestry.com.
Schacht German, FlemishFrom Middle Low German and Middle Dutch
schacht "shaft; pole, tunnel", a metonymic occupational name for someone who made shafts for tools or weapons, or who worked in a mineshaft.
Schade German, DutchFrom
schade "damage, injury", a derivative of
schaden "to do damage, harm, hurt", generally a nickname for a thug or clumsy person, or, more particularly, a robber knight, who raided others’ lands.
Schaefer German (?)Originating in Germany SCHAEFER is a given surname meaning Shepard in German.
Schaff GermanName given to sheepherders, accounding to personal family history.
Schäffler GermanOccupational name for a cooper, from an agent derivative of Middle High German
scheffel "bushel".
Schalk German, DutchFrom Old High German
scalc "servant, retainer, jester", which eventually evolved to mean "joker, rogue, knave". Could be an occupational name for an attendant or jester, a nickname for someone mischievous, or derived from a given name containing
scalc as an element, such as
Godschalk.
Schall GermanNickname for a braggart or for a market crier from Middle High German
schal "noise" "bragging".
Schaller Upper GermanFrom Middle High German word "schal," which means "noise," or "bragging," and as such is was thought to have originally been a nickname for a braggart, or for a market crier.
Schankweiler GermanFrom the name of a German municipality, derived from
Schank "bar, pub, tavern" and
Weiler "hamlet".
Schattner German, JewishHabitational name for someone from any of several places named Schaten or Schatten, or a topographic name for someone living in a shady location, from Middle High German
schate "shade", "protection".
Schatz German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a treasurer, from German
Schatz ‘treasure’, Middle High German
scha(t)z. It may also have been a nickname for a rich man (or ironically for a miser), or else for a well-liked person or a ladies’ favorite, from the use of the vocabulary word as a term of endearment... [
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Schätzel GermanGerman diminutive of
Schatz, or a nickname for a lover meaning "little sweetheart" (from the same word used as a term of endearment).
Schauer GermanThe Schauer surname comes from the Middle High German word "schouwen" meaning "to inspect;" as such, the name is thought to have originally been occupational, for some kind of inspector, perhaps an official of a market.
Schaumburg German, BelgianHabitational name from any of the places called Schaumburg or Schauenburg in Germany, or Schauwberg in Brabant, Belgium. Derived from
schūm "slag, cinder" and
burg "mountain, hill".
Schaus German, LuxembourgishA nickname for a simpleton, from
schaus, a word in Rhenish Franconian and Lower Rhine dialects of German.
Schauwecker Germanhabitational name for someone from Schaubeck near Marbach (Württemberg).
Scheele German, Dutch, Swedish (Rare)From Middle Low German
schele and Dutch
scheel meaning "squinting, cross-eyed". A notable bearer was German-Swedish pharmaceutical chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742-1786) who discovered oxygen and identified several other elements.
Scheepens DutchFrom Middle Dutch
schēpen "alderman", a member of a municipal council.