Submitted Surnames with "occupational" in Description

Deschanel French
Derived from French eschamel meaning "stepladder" or des chanels meaning "from the channels, from the little jugs". An occupational nickname for a trader, it supposedly originated in the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France... [more]

Desrouleaux French, Haitian Creole
Means "of the scrolls" in French. It is a occupational name for a scribe, a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of automatic printing... [more]

Dicker English
Either an occupational name for a digger of ditches or a builder of dikes, or a topographic name for someone who lived by a ditch or dike, derived from Middle English dike or dik meaning "dyke.

Dinjer German (Rare)
Occupational surname that originated in the German dialect spoken in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. ... [more]

Dinklage German
Occupational name for a grain farmer or grain merchant, derived from an agent derivative of Middle High German dinkel meaning "spelt" (a variety of wheat). It could also be derived from Dinkelsbühl, a historic town in the state of Bavaria (formerly in central Franconia), or Dinklage, a town in the Vechta district, in Lower Saxony, Germany... [more]

Dishman German (Americanized)
Americanized form of North German Dischmann or Tischmann: occupational name for a joiner from Middle Low German disch 'table' + man 'man'.

Dobberstein German
Metonymic occupational name for a dice maker or a nickname for a dice player, from Middle High German topel ‘die’ + stein ‘stone’, ‘cube’.

Dock German
An occupational name for someone who worked with textiles, related to the German word Tuch "cloth, piece of fabric".

Doepner German
Derived from Middle Low German top and dop "pot". This is an occupational surname originally given to a potter.

Doerner German
Occupational name for a miller or mill worker.

Dome English
Occupational name from the Old English root doma, dema ‘judge’, ‘arbiter’. Compare Dempster.

Dominie Scottish
Occupational name for a church schoolmaster, from Latin domine, a vocative form of dominus, "lord" "master".

Doster German, Belgian
A German surname, which is from an agent derivative of the Middle High German words 'doste' and 'toste' (meaning ‘wild thyme’, ‘shrub’, ‘bouquet’). It is a topographic surname which was given to someone whose land abutted an uncultivated piece of land, or possibly an occupational name for someone who dealt herbs.... [more]

Dowler English
Occupational name for a maker of dowels and similar objects, from a derivative of Middle English “dowle”.

Drabkin Belarusian, Jewish
Jewish (from Belarus): metronymic from Yiddish drabke “loose woman”. Can also be from drabki (Belarusian) 'light cart' (+ the same suffix -in), an occupational name for a coachman (Alexander Beider).... [more]

Dragon French, English
Nickname or occupational name for someone who carried a standard in battle or else in a pageant or procession, from Middle English, Old French dragon "snake, monster" (Latin draco, genitive draconis, from Greek drakōn, ultimately from derkesthai "to flash")... [more]

Drażba Polish
Polish occupational name from dražba "auction".

Drescher Yiddish, German
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a thresher, German Drescher, Yiddish dresher, agent derivatives of Middle High German dreschen, Yiddish dresh(e)n 'to thresh'.... [more]

Driver English
Occupational name for a driver of horses or oxen attached to a cart or plow, or of loose cattle, from a Middle English agent derivative of Old English drīfan ‘to drive’.

Dryer English
From an agent derivative of Old English dr̄gean "to dry"; possibly an occupational name for a drier of cloth. In the Middle Ages, after cloth had been dyed and fulled, it was stretched out in tenterfields to dry.

Duca Italian
from the title of rank duca "duke" (from Latin dux genitive ducis "leader") an occupational name for someone who lived or worked in the household of a duke or a nickname for someone who gave himself airs and graces like a duke... [more]

Duck English, Irish
English from Middle English doke "duck", hence a nickname for someone with some fancied resemblance to a duck, or an occupational name for someone who kept or hunted ducks. Alternatively, a variant form of Duke... [more]

Dulay Filipino, Tagalog
Occupational name for a picker of fruit or a gatherer of bird nests, from Tagalog dulay meaning "climbing a tree".

Duldulao Ilocano
From Ilocano duldulaw referring to a variety of early-maturing rice with a red kernel, used as an occupational name for a grower of this type of rice.

Dulin French
The surname Dulin is most common in France and is an occupational name meaning "from flax". Pronounced "du LIN" in English; however, in French it is pronounced "du LON". Anglicized in some cases as Duling, Dowling, or Dulong (a more common French surname brought to England, Ireland and Scotland from French Normans and later Huguenots).

Dupain French
Means "of the bread" in French, probably used as an occupational name for a baker.

Duque Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese cognate of Duke. from duque "duke" (from Latin dux genitive ducis "leader") an occupational name for someone who worked in the household of a duke or as a nickname for someone who gave himself airs and graces.

D'uva Italian
From Italian uva "grape", meaning "of the grapes". An occupational name for someone who produced grapes, or possibly a nickname.

Działo Polish
Derived from Polish działo "cannon" or "gun" as an occupational name metonymically. It can also be a nickname from Polish działać "to work", "to do", "to influence", etc.

Dziekan Polish
Occupational name for "dean" from Polish dziekan.

Economos Greek (Anglicized, Expatriate, ?)
Alternate transcription of Greek Οικονόμος (see Oikonomos), which was an occupational surname meaning "one who manages a household, steward of an estate, housekeeper" from the ancient Greek word οἰκόνομος (oikonomos), itself derived from οἶκος (oikos) "house, household" and νόμος (nomos) "law, custom".

Eiermann German
Occupational name for an egg collector or dealer in eggs, from Middle High German ei 'egg' + man 'man'.

Eisen German, Jewish
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name for an ironworker or smith, or an ironmonger, from Middle High German isen ‘iron’, German Eisen. It may also have been used as a nickname, with reference to the strength and hardness of iron or to its color, while as a Jewish name it was also adopted as an ornamental name from modern German Eisen ‘iron’ or the Yiddish cognate ayzn.

Eisenhauer German
Occupational name meaning "iron cutter" where Eisen- means "iron" and -hauer means "hewer". The verb 'hew' being less well used in English than in earlier times, but still understood to mean cut, such as in hewing tree limbs... [more]

Eisenmenger German
occupational name for an "iron dealer" from Middle High German isarn "iron" and mengære "dealer".

Eisner German, Jewish
Occupational name for an ironworker, smith, or ironmonger, from an agent derivative of Middle High German īsen and German Eisen, meaning ‘iron’ (see Eisen).

Emer Jewish, Anglo-Saxon
Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name from Yiddish emer ‘pail’, ‘bucket’. ... [more]

Emmer German
A topographic name for someone who lived by land where grain was grown, a status name for someone who owned such land, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or dealt in grain.

Eppler German
Occupational name for a fruit grower or dealer, from Middle High German epfeler meaning "grower of or dealer in apples".

Escribano Spanish
An occupational name from escribano "scribe" (from Late Latin scriba "scribe" genitive scribanis from Latin scriba genitive scribae)... [more]

Escudero Spanish
An occupational name for a squire a young man of good birth attendant on a knight or shield bearer escudero (medieval Latin scutarius a derivative of Latin scutum "shield")... [more]

Esler German
German: byname or occupational name for someone who drove donkeys, from Middle High German esel ‘donkey’ + the agent suffix -er.

Espada Portuguese, Spanish
metonymic occupational name for an armorer or a swordsman from espada "sword" (from Latin spata from Greek spathe originally denoting a broad two-edged sword without a point)... [more]

Espaillat Catalan, Occitan
Occupational name from Catalan espallat, in an old spelling, or directly from Occitan espaiat, espalhat, past participle of espallar meaning "to winnow", "to separate the wheat from the chaff".

Esperón Spanish
From Spanish espera meaning to wait. Perhaps an occupational name for a waiter.

Euler German, Jewish
Occupational name for a potter, most common in the Rhineland and Hesse, from Middle High German ul(n)ære (an agent derivative of the dialect word ul, aul "pot", from Latin olla).

Fanara Italian
A Sicilian occupational name from Greek φαναράς (fanarás) "lampmaker", ultimately from φανός (fanós) "torch, lamp".

Farrar English (British)
Northern English: occupational name for a smith or worker in iron, from Middle English and Old French farrour, ferour, from medieval Latin ferrator, an agent derivative of ferrare ‘to shoe horses’, from ferrum ‘iron’, in medieval Latin ‘horseshoe’... [more]

Farrimond English
Either from the Norman given name Faramund, or else a variant of the occupational surname Ferriman ('with post-medieval excrescent -d').

Farrow English
Northern English: hyper-corrected form of Farrar, occupational name for a smith or worker in iron. The original -ar or -er ending of this name came to be regarded as an error, and was changed to -ow.

Fass German
From Middle High German faz, German Fass 'cask', 'keg', hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of casks and kegs, or a nickname for someone as rotund as a barrel. German: variant of Fasse, Faas.

Fassbender German
Occupational name for a maker of keg barrels.

Fauci Sicilian
Means "sickle" in Sicilian, originally an occupational name for a maker of sickles.

Favier French
Occupational name for a grower of beans or a bean merchant derived from Latin faba "bean".

Feather English
from Middle English fether fedder "feather" or perhaps a shortened form of Middle English fetherer applied as a metonymic occupational name for a trader in feathers and down a maker of quilts or possibly a maker of pens... [more]

Featherman English
Derived from the Old English word "feþerman," which means "falconer" or "hawk trainer." It was likely used as an occupational surname for someone who was involved in hunting with birds of prey using the falconry or hawking methods.

Fechter German
Occupational name derived from Middle High German vehten "to fence", denoting a fencer. Notable bearers include German bricklayer Peter Fechter (1944–1962), and American engineer and inventor Aaron Fechter (1953-), creator of the band Rock-afire Explosion.

Feder German, Jewish
metonymic occupational name for a trader in feathers or in quill pens from Middle High German vedere German feder "feather quill pen"... [more]

Federspiel German (Swiss)
Derived from Middle High German vederspil "bird of prey (trained for hunting)", this was an occupational name for a falconer.

Feemster English, Scottish
Occupational name meaning "herdsman", from Middle English fee "cattle" and English master.

Fegatilli Italian
From Italian fegato "liver", figuratively used to denote courage. May be occupational, for someone who cooked liver, or a nickname for someone considered to be courageous.

Feigenbutz German
Occupational name for someone who sells figs.

Feiler German
Occupational name for a filemaker, from Feil + the agent suffix -er.

Fell English, German, Jewish
Metonymic occupational name for a furrier, from Middle English fell, Middle High German vel, or German Fell or Yiddish fel, all of which mean "skin, hide, pelt". Yiddish fel refers to untanned hide, in contrast to pelts "tanned hide" (see Pilcher).

Feller English, German, Jewish
Occupational name for a furrier, from an agent derivative of Middle English fell, Middle Low German, Middle High German vel, or German Fell or Yiddish fel "hide, pelt". See also Fell.

Fenley English
This surname may be:... [more]

Fenster German, Jewish
Occupational name for a window maker from Middle High German venster German fenster "window".

Ferrandin French (Rare)
This French surname can be derived from a given name (thus making it a patronymic surname) as well as from the name of a profession (thus making it an occupational surname). In the case of a patronymic surname, the surname is derived from the masculine given name Ferrandin, which was a diminutive of the medieval French given name Ferrand... [more]

Ferranti Italian
Derived from the Latin word ferrum, which means "iron". Originally an occupational name for a blacksmith or a worker in iron.

Ferrier Scottish
Scottish: occupational name for a smith, one who shoed horses, Middle English and Old French ferrier, from medieval Latin ferrarius, from ferrus ‘horseshoe’, from Latin ferrum ‘iron’. Compare Farrar.

Feuer German
Metonymic occupational name for a stoker in a smithy or public baths, or nickname for someone with red hair or a fiery temper, from Middle High German viur "fire".

Fico Italian
from fico "fig" (from Latin ficus) applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or sold figs a topographic name for someone who lived in an area where figs grew or a habitational name from a place called with this word such as the district so named in Valderice Trapani province Sicily.

Filosa Italian
Southern Italian: Probably an occupational nickname for a fisherman, from Sicilian filuòsa ‘fishing net’. Also from the subphylum: Filosa. These are known as euglyphids, filose (which means stringy or thread-like), amoebae with shells of siliceous scales or plates, which are commonly found in soils, nutrient-rich waters, and on aquatic plants.

Fischmann German, Jewish
Cognate of Fishman. occupational name for a fish seller from Middle High German visch Yiddish fish (German fisch) "fish" and Middle High German and Yiddish man (German mann) "man".

Fiscus German
From Latin fiscus ‘basket’, a humanistic Latinization of the German name Korb. This is a metonymic occupational name for a basketmaker or a peddler, or a habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a basket... [more]

Fish Medieval English, Jewish
From Middle English fische, fish ‘fish’, a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or fish seller, or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a fish.... [more]

Fisk English (British)
English (East Anglia): metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or fish seller, or a nickname for someone supposedly resembling a fish in some way, from Old Norse fiskr ‘fish’ (cognate with Old English fisc).

Flack English
Probably from Middle English flack / flak meaning "turf, sod" (as found in the place name Flatmoor, in Cambridgeshire), and hence perhaps an occupational name for a turf cutter.

Flanner English
This early occupational and mainly 'midlands' English surname, is actually of pre-medieval French origins. Introduced into England at the time of the Norman Conquest of 1066, it derives from the French word flaonet meaning a 'little flan', and described a maker of patisserie or pancakes.

Flax English
Metonymic occupational name for someone who grew, sold, or treated flax for weaving into linen cloth,

Fleisch German
Metonymic occupational name for a butcher. Derived from Middle High German fleisch or vleisch "flesh meat".

Fleischhacker German, Jewish
Occupational name for a butcher from German fleisch "flesh meat", and an agent derivative of hacken "to chop or cut".

Fleischhauer German
Occupational name for a butcher from Middle High German fleisch or vleisch "flesh meat" and an agent derivative of Middle High German houwen "to cut". Variant of Fleischauer.

Fleischmann German, Jewish
occupational name for a butcher literally "meatman, butcher" from Middle High German fleisch "flesh, meat" and man "man".

Floerke German
Floerke Name Meaning German (Flörke): from a pet form of the personal names Florian or Florentinus, from Latin Florus (from florere ‘to bloom’).Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4... [more]

Flower English
Occupational name for an arrowsmith, from an agent derivative of Middle English flō ‘arrow’ (Old English flā).

Foret French, French Creole
From Old French forest ‘forest’, a topographic name for someone who lived in or near a royal forest, or an occupational name for a keeper or worker in one. See also Forrest... [more]

Formaggio Italian
Occupational name for someone who makes or sells cheese.

Forman English
An occupational surname for a keeper of swine, Middle English foreman, from Old English for hog, "pig" and mann ‘man’. The word is attested in this sense from the 15th century but is not used specifically for the leader of a gang of workers before the late 16th century.

Forster English (Anglicized), German, Jewish, Slovak
English: occupational and topographic name for someone who lived or worked in a forest (see Forrest). ... [more]

Fragola Italian
apparently from fragola "strawberry" probably applied as either a topographic name for someone who lived by a patch of wild strawberries a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of soft fruits or a nickname for someone with a conspicuous strawberry mark.

Freier German
Archaic occupational name, from Middle High German, Middle Low German vrier, vriger, denoting a man who had the ceremonial duty of asking guests to a wedding.

Freire Portuguese, Galician
Means "friar" in Portuguese and Galician, either an occupational name or a nickname for a pious person.

Frett English
English from Middle English frette, Old French frete ‘interlaced work (in metal and precious stones)’ such as was used for hair ornaments and the like, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of such pieces.

Frischkorn German, Jewish
An occupational name for a farmer composed of German frisch "fresh" and korn "grain".

Fromager French
Occupational name for someone who makes or sells cheese.

Froment French, Walloon, English
from French froment "wheat" (from Latin frumentum "grain") probably applied as a nickname for a peasant or as metonymic occupational name for a dealer in wheat... [more]

Fuhrer German
Originally, an occupational name for a carrier or carter, a driver of horse-drawn vehicles.... [more]

Fümm Romansh
Derived from Romansh füm "smoke", this is an occupational surname denoting a blacksmith.

Funk German
Derived from Middle High German vunke "spark". ... [more]

Furman Polish, Czech, Slovak, Jewish, Slovene, English, German (Anglicized)
Polish, Czech, Slovak, Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic), and Slovenian: occupational name for a carter or drayman, the driver of a horse-drawn delivery vehicle, from Polish, Yiddish, and Slovenian furman, a loanword from German (see Fuhrmann)... [more]

Futterman Jewish
Occupational name for a furrier, from Yiddish futer "fur, fur coat" and Yiddish man "man".

Gaither English
Occupational name for a goatherd, derived from Middle English gaytere literally meaning "goatherd".

Galea Spanish, Italian, Maltese
From Spanish galea "galleon, warship" presumably a metonymic occupational name for a shipwright or a sailor. Italian habitational name from Galea in Calabria.

Galpin English
English: occupational name for a messenger or scullion (in a monastery), from Old French galopin ‘page’, ‘turnspit’, from galoper ‘to gallop’.

Ganas Greek
Occupational name for a coppersmith, from gana "coating", "verdigris". Possibly also a variant of Ganis.

Ganser German
From the Middle High German word ganser meaning "gander", occupational name for a geese shepherd.

Garde French
from Old French garde "watch", "protection"; an occupational name for someone who kept watch or guard, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a vantage point or watchtower.

Garten German, Jewish
metonymic occupational name for a gardener or overseer of a garden or enclosure. Originally the term denoted the keeper of an enclosure for deer later of a vineyard or smallholding from Middle High German garte "garden enclosure"... [more]

Gartmann German (Swiss)
Derived from Middle High German garte "garden; yard" and German Mann "man", this was occupational name for a gardener. In some cases it may have been a status name referring to the owner of a small (enclosed or fenced) farm or an occupational name for a worker at a deer preserve.

Gąsior Polish
Means "gander (male goose)" in Polish. It was used as a nickname for a person who resembled a gander or as an occupational name for a keeper of geese.

Gasnier French
From Old French gaaigner meaning "to win, to earn" or "to till, to cultivate", possibly used as an occupational name for a farmer.

Gasser German (Swiss)
Occupational name for a goat herd from Middle High German geiz meaning "Goat" and (n)er an agent suffix.

Gayen Bengali
Occupational name for a singer or bard of traditional Bengali music, ultimately derived from Sanskrit गै (gai) meaning "to sing".

Geiser German, German (Swiss)
Occupational name for a goatherd, from a derivative of Middle High German geiz 'goat'.

Geister German (Silesian)
Occupational name for a goatherd, from an agent derivative of Geist

Gildner Jewish
Occupational name for a worker in gold, from Yiddish gildner 'golden'.

Giron Spanish
Of Galician origin. Occupational name for a clothing maker.

Giudice Italian
Occupational name for an officer of justice, Italian giudice " judge" (Latin iudex, from ius "law" + dicere "to say"). In some cases it may have been applied as a nickname for a solemn and authoritative person thought to behave like a judge.

Goebbels German, History
Originally an occupational name for a brewer. Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.

Goglia Italian
Nickname or a metonymic occupational name for a person who used leaves from a kind of plant to bind grafts, derived from the Italian dialectal goglia.

Goldfarb English, German, Jewish
Goldfarb is a Jewish occupational name that was originally derived from the Old German word gold.

Goldmann German, Jewish
occupational name for someone who worked with gold denoting anything from a gold-miner to a maker of gold jewelry or a gilder (someone skilled in decorating surfaces with a very thin layer of gold leaf)... [more]

Goldsmith English
Occupational name for a worker in gold, a compound of Old English gold "gold" and smið "smith". In North America it is very often an English translation of German or Jewish Goldschmidt.

Goodall English
From Middle English gode "good" and ale "ale, malt liquor", hence a metonymic occupational name for a brewer or an innkeeper.

Goodbar German (Anglicized), English
Possibly an altered spelling of English Godber, derived from the medieval given name Godebert, or an occupational name for a beer brewer and a nickname for a toper... [more]

Goos German, Flemish, Dutch
Either a metonymic occupational name for a breeder or keeper of geese, from Middle Low German gōs and Middle Dutch goes "goose", or a short form of an Old German personal name containing Gote "Goth" or got "god", particularly Goswin or Gozewijn (a compound name with the second element wini "friend").

Goose English, Norman
Occupational name for a goose-herd (a person who tends to geese) or a medieval nickname for a person who resembled a goose in some way. It could also be a English (of Norman French origins) cognate of Gosse.

Gow Scottish
Occupational name from Gaelic gobha meaning "smith".

Graanoogst Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)
Occupational name for a person who harvested grain, derived from Middle Dutch grâen literally meaning "grain, cereal" and ôgest meaning "harvest". A famous bearer is the Surinamese soldier and politician Ivan Graanoogst (c... [more]

Grabarek Polish
Occupational name from a diminutive of Polish grabarz meaning "gravedigger".

Graff English
Metonymic occupational name for a clerk or scribe, from Anglo-Norman French grafe "quill, pen" (a derivative of grafer "to write", Late Latin grafare, from Greek graphein).

Grammer German, English
Variant of Krämer or a habitational name for someone possibly from German places called Gram or Grammen. It can also be an English occupational name for a scholar or an astrologer, derived from Old French gramaire meaning "grammarian, scholar, astrologer"... [more]

Granado Spanish
Occupational name for a grower or seller of pomegranates, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a pomegranate tree, from granado "pomegranate tree" (cf. GARNETT).

Granados Spanish
Occupational name for a grower or seller of pomegranates, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a pomegranate tree, from granado "pomegranate tree" (cf. GARNETT).

Granato Italian
Occupational name for a jeweler or lapidary, from granato "garnet".

Grano Italian, Spanish
from grano "grain" (from Latin granum) probably applied as a metonymic occupational name for a farmer or grain merchant.

Grape Low German
Metonymic occupational name for a maker of metal or earthenware vessels, from Middle Low German grope "pot".

Grass English, German
Topographic name for someone who owned or lived by a meadow, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who made or sold hay, from Middle English gras, Middle High German gras "grass, pasture, grazing".

Grass Scottish
Occupational name, reduced from Gaelic greusaiche "shoemaker". A certain John Grasse alias Cordonar (Middle English cordewaner "shoemaker") is recorded in Scotland in 1539.

Graupman German
Occupational name for someone who produced or dealt with grits and legumes, from early modern German graupe "pot barley" (bohemian krupa) and man "man".

Grave English
Occupational name from Middle English greyve "steward", from Old Norse greifi or Low German greve

Grenier French
Occupational name for a grain merchant (from Latin granarius), or a topographic name for someone who lived by a granary (from Latin granarium) or a metonymic occupational name for someone who supervised or owned one.

Griebe German
Occupational name for a butcher or fat dealer from Middle High German griebe griube "rendered bacon pieces crackling".

Grosch German
Either a metonymic occupational name for a moneyer or possibly a nickname for an avaricious person from Middle High German Middle Low German grosche "groschen" a medieval thick silver coin its name ultimately derived from medieval Latin denarius grossus literally "thick coin".

Guàrdia Catalan, Spanish, Italian
Catalan, Spanish, and Italian from Catalan guàrdia, Spanish and Italian guardia ‘guard’, ‘watch’, a topographic name for someone who lived by a watch place, an occupational name for a member of the town guard, or a habitational name from any of the numerous places named (La) Guardia.

Guardia Italian, Spanish
From Spanish and Italian guardia "guard watch" a topographic name for someone who lived by a watch place by a watchtower or a habitational name from any of numerous places called La Guardia named with the same word; or a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept watch or for a member of the town guard... [more]

Guasti Italian
Meaning uncertain, may denote someone from the town of Guasto. Alternately, it may be an occupational name from gastaldo "chamberlain", from Latin gastaldus "manager, bailiff, steward", or be a nickname from guasto "broken, crippled".

Gudgeon English
from Middle English gojon, gogen, Old French gougon ‘gudgeon’ (the fish) (Latin gobio, genitive gobionis), applied as a nickname or perhaps as a metonymic occupational name for a seller of these fish... [more]

Guerrier French, Haitian Creole
Nickname for an aggressive person or occupational name for a soldier, from Old French guerrier "warrior". Cognate of Guerrero and Guerriero.

Guertin French
A French surname that evolved from the Old Germanic given name Warin meaning "to guard" or "protection". This surname was often given as an occupational name for a guard, or someone who served as a protector in their community.

Guilder English
Occupational name for someone who worked in gold. The derivation is from the Old English pre 7th Century "gyldan" and the Old High German "gold", a refiner, jeweller, or gilder.

Gülden Dutch, German
from gulden "golden" derived from vergulden vergolden "to gild" a metonymic occupational name for a craftsman who gilds objects; compare Guldner. From gulden the name of the coin (English guilder) applied as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house name such as In den silvren Gulden ("In the Silver Guilder") or from related verb meaning "to gild" applied as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house name such as De Gulden Hoeve ("The Gilded Farmhouse") or De Gulden Zwaan ("The Gilded Swan").

Guralnick Jewish
Occupational name from Ukrainian guralnyk, Yiddish guralnik "distiller".

Guy English
Occupational name for a guide, Old French gui (a derivative of gui(d)er "to guide", of Germanic origin).

Habermann German, Jewish
Occupational name for a grower or seller of oats, composed of the elements Haber and the agent suffix -mann.

Habermehl German
metonymic occupational name for a producer or seller of oatmeal from Middle High German habaro "oats" and melo "flour".

Hackmann German, Jewish
Occupational name for a butcher or a woodcutter.

Hackney English, Scottish
From Middle English hakenei (Old French haquenée), an ambling horse, especially one considered suitable for women to ride; perhaps therefore a metonymic occupational name for a stablehand... [more]

Hadida Judeo-Spanish
Derived from Arabic حديد (hadid) meaning "iron", used as an occupational name for a blacksmith.

Hafer German, Jewish
Metonymic occupational name for a grower of or dealer in oats, from German Hafer "oats". Compare Haber. As a Jewish surname, it is in many cases ornamental.

Haghighi Persian
Means “high” or “elevated” in Persian. It is believed to be a nickname or occupational surname for someone who lived or worked in a high or elevated location, such as a mountain or hill. It may also be a surname that refers to a person’s high social status or standing within their community.

Hahm German
Metonymic occupational name for a sealer of weights and measures, from Middle High German hāme ‘(standard) measure’.

Hahner German
Occupational name for a poultry farmer, from an agent derivative of Middle High German hane "rooster".

Haik Judeo-Spanish
From the name of a garment worn by Algerian women, derived from Arabic حاك (hak) meaning "to weave". It was used as an occupational name for a maker of these garments.

Halfon Judeo-Spanish
Occupational name derived from Hebrew חלפן (khalfan) meaning "money changer".

Hamel Dutch
Means "wether, castrated ram" in Dutch, an occupational name for a shepherd.

Hammer German, English, Jewish
From Middle High German hamer, Yiddish hamer, a metonymic occupational name for a maker or user of hammers, for example in a forge, or nickname for a forceful person.

Hammerschmidt German, Jewish
Occupational name for a blacksmith, from German hamer, 'hammer' and schmidt, 'smith. See Hammersmith.

Hammersmed Norwegian (Archaic, ?), Danish (Archaic, ?)
Occupational name for a blacksmith, from Danish & Norwegian hammer, 'hammer' and smed, 'smith'. See Hammersmith

Hammersmith German, English
Normally an anglicization of German Hammerschmidt. Perhaps also from Norwegian Hammersmed.... [more]

Handschuh German
Occupational name for a maker or seller of gloves or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore gloves from Middle High German hantschuoch "glove" literally "hand shoe" from the elements hant "hand" and schuh "shoe".

Harbour English
Variant of French Arbour or a metonymic occupational name for a keeper of a lodging house, from Old English herebeorg "shelter, lodging".

Hare Irish (Anglicized), English (American)
Irish (Ulster): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hÍr, meaning ‘long-lasting’. In Ireland this name is found in County Armagh; it has also long been established in Scotland.... [more]

Harold English, Norman, German
English from the Old English personal name Hereweald, its Old Norse equivalent Haraldr, or the Continental form Herold introduced to Britain by the Normans... [more]

Hartnagel German
Occupational name for a nailsmith from the Middle High German elements hart "hard" and nagal "nail".

Hatter English
This name derives from the Old English pre 7th Century "haet" meaning a hat and was originally given either as an occupational name to a maker or seller of hats

Hattler German
Occupational name for someone who raises goats.

Haus German
Topographic and occupational name for someone who lived and worked in a great house, from Middle High German, Middle Low German hus "house" (see House).

Hausknecht German
occupational name from Middle High German hus "house" and kneht "boy servant" also "town-hall, messenger".

Havers English
Possible variant of Haver, a German, Dutch and English surname. In Germany or England it refers to oats and is used as an occupational surname for a grower or seller of oats... [more]

Hazzan Jewish
Occupational name for a cantor or singer of a synagogue, from Hebrew חזן (khazán) "cantor, leader of a congregation".

Heard English
Occupational name for a tender of animals, normally a cowherd or shepherd, from Middle English herde (Old English hi(e)rde).

Hebel German
1 German: metonymic occupational name for a baker, from Middle High German hebel ‘yeast’.... [more]

Heber German
Occupational name for a carrier (someone who loaded or transported goods), from an agent derivative of Middle High German heben "to lift".

Hecht German
Means "pike (fish)" in German, generally a nickname for a rapacious and greedy person. In some instances it may have been a metonymic occupational name for a fisher, and in others it may be a habitational name from a house distinguished by a sign depicting this fish.

Hefner German, Jewish
Recorded in several spellings including Hafner, Haffner, and Hevner, this is as surname of early Germanic origins. ... [more]

Heiland German
South German: from Middle High German heilant ‘savior’, ‘Christ’, presumably either a name given to someone who had played the part of Christ in a mystery play or an occupational name for a healer, from Middle High German heilen ‘to heal’, ‘save’.

Helber German
Occupational name for a thresher, from Middle High German helwe 'chaff' + the agent suffix -er; alternatively, it could be a habitational name from a place called Helba near Meiningen.

Helfer German
Metonymic occupational name for an assistant of some kind, or nickname for a helpful person, from Middle High German hëlfære, German Helfer 'helper', 'assistant'.

Helm English, Dutch, German
from Old English helm "protection covering" (in later northern English dialects "cattle shelter barn"). The name may be topographic for someone who lived by or worked at a barn or habitational from a place so named such as Helme in Meltham (Yorkshire)... [more]

Hengst German, Dutch
metonymic occupational name for someone who worked with or bred horses or a nickname for a brave strong man from Middle High German and Middle Dutch hengest "stallion" also "gelding" derived from Old Germanic hangist "stallion"... [more]

Henker German
Occupational name for an Executioner, from the German word "Henker" meaning Hangman.

Herbster German
Occupational name for a grape picker or vintner from Middle High German herbest "(grape) harvest".

Herder German
An occupational surname in reference to herding animals. The anglicized pronounciation is "Her-der", but is Germanically pronounced, "Herr-der".

Herring German, English, Dutch, Scottish
Occupational name for a fisherman, someone who caught or sold herring, or perhaps someone known for eating herring. It could have also been a nickname from the medieval phrase "to like neither herring nor barrel", meaning something of little value.

Heuermann German
Occupational name for (a freshly hired hand, a day laborer) from Middle High German huren "to hire" and man "man".

Hew English
English: variant of the name Hugh. This was at one time the usual form of the personal name in Scotland. English: occupational name from Middle English hewe ‘domestic servant’

Heyer German, Dutch
Occupational name for a grower or reaper of grass for hay, from Middle High German höu "grass, hay" and the agent suffix -er. Could also be a variant spelling of Heier.

Hine English
occupational name from Middle English Old English hine "servant member of a household" also "farm laborer" (such as a herdsman or shepherd)... [more]

Hipp German
From the middle high German word hippe meaning "waffle". Perhaps an occupational name for someone who cooks waffles.

Hodder English
Occupational name for a maker or seller of hoods, from a Middle English agent derivative of Old English hod

Hoed Dutch
Means "hat, cover", an occupational name for a hatmaker.

Hogg English
An occupational name for someone who herded swine.

Holder German, Jewish, English
1. German: topographic name for someone who lived by an elder tree. Middle High German holder, or from a house named for its sign of an elder tree. In same areas, for example Alsace, the elder tree was believed to be the protector of a house... [more]

Hollier English, French
Occupational name for a male brothel keeper, from a dissimilated variant of Old French horier "pimp", which was the agent noun of hore "whore, prostitute". Hollier was probably also used as an abusive nickname in Middle English and Old French.... [more]

Hollister English
English: occupational name for a brothelkeeper; originally a feminine form of Hollier.

Holman English
Uncertain etymology. Could be a topographic name derived from Old English holh "hollow, hole" or holm, which can mean either "holly" or "small island" (see Holme), combined with man "man, person"... [more]

Holzhauer German
Occupational name for a "lumberjack, woodsman" with the element holz "forest".

Holzschuh German
Occupational - from German holz "wood", and schuh "shoe".

Homolka Czech
From homolka meaning "(cone-shaped lump of) cream cheese". The word homolka itself is derived from homole "cone". This was either a nickname for a mild person or an occupational name for someone who made cheese.

Hood English, Scottish, Irish
English and Scottish: metonymic occupational name for a maker of hoods or a nickname for someone who wore a distinctive hood, from Middle English hod(de), hood, hud ‘hood’. Some early examples with prepositions seem to be topographic names, referring to a place where there was a hood-shaped hill or a natural shelter or overhang, providing protection from the elements... [more]

Hoorn German (Austrian)
From the Germanic word horn meaning "horn". This was an occupational name for one who carved objects out of horn or who played a horn, or a person who lived near a horn-shaped geographical feature, such as a mountain or a bend in a river.

Hop Dutch
Variant form of Hopp. Alternatively, an occupational name derived from Dutch hop referring to the common hop (Humulus lupus), a kind of plant traditionally used to preserve and flavour beer.

Hopf German
An occupational name for a brewer or farmer, from German Hopfen meaning "hops", a plant used in preserving and flavouring beer.

Horner English
1 English, Scottish, German, and Dutch: from Horn 1 with the agent suffix -er; an occupational name for someone who made or sold small articles made of horn, a metonymic occupational name for someone who played a musical instrument made from the horn of an animal, or a topographic name for someone who lived at a ‘horn’ of land.... [more]

Horta Catalan, Portuguese
Means "garden" (Latin hortus), hence a topographic name for someone who lived by an enclosed garden or an occupational name for one who was a gardener.

Hosekin Dutch (Archaic)
Occupational name for a maker or seller of hose (garments for the legs), from Middle Dutch hose "stocking, boot".

Hosner German
Occupational name for a knitter of hose (garments for the legs), from the plural form of Middle High German hose + the agent suffix -er (see Hose 3).

Hotchner Scottish, English
An occupational surname for a person who drove cattle.

Hout Dutch
Means "wood, forest", a Dutch cognate of Holt. Can also be an occupational name (see Houtman).

Hoy English
Metonymic occupational name for a sailor, from Middle Dutch hoey "cargo ship".

Hucko Slovak
Hucko is from a diminutive of the occupational name Hudec meaning 'fiddler'.

Hudec Czech, Slovak
Occupational name for a fiddler, hudec, a derivative of housti meaning "to play the fiddle".

Hufnagel German
Metonymic occupational name for a farrier from Middle High German hufnagel "horseshoe nail" (literally "hoof nail"). Derived from huof "hoof" and nagal "nail".

Human English, South African, Dutch
Means "Hugh’s man", an occupational name for a servant of a man named Hugh. Alternatively, from the given name Hugheman.

Hütter German
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a hatter from an agent derivative of Middle High German huot ‘hat’; Yiddish hut, German Hut ‘hat’. German (Hütter): topographic name from Middle High German hütte ‘hut’... [more]

Infante Spanish
From infante literally "child", but in Spain also a title borne by the eldest sons of noblemen before they inherited, and in particular by the son of the king of Castile; thus the surname probably originated either as a nickname for one of a lordly disposition or as an occupational name for a member of the household of an infante.

Inman English (British)
Anglo-Saxon in Origin. Occupational surname given to a person who "tended a lodge or an inn". Surname first found in Lancashire, England.

Insalaco Italian
A surname in Sicily. Believed to come from the word Salaco an occupational name for a tanner in Arabic.

Jardin French, English
Derived from Old French jardin meaning "enclosure, garden", hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a garden or a metonymic occupational name for someone who worked as a gardener.

Jaunzeme Latvian
Feminine form of Jaunzems, a Latvian occupational surname meaning "new farmer", composed of jauns meaning "new" and zeme meaning "land" (compare zemlja).

Javaheri Persian
Occupational name for a jeweller from Persian جواهر (javaher) meaning "jewel".

Jenner English
Occupational name for an engineer.

Jessie English
Possibly a variant of Jessey, an occupational name for someone making jesses (a short strap fastened around the leg of a bird used in falconry).

Judge English, Irish
occupational name for an officer of justice or a nickname for a solemn and authoritative person thought to behave like a judge from Middle English Old French juge "judge" (from Latin iudex from ius "law" and dicere "to say") which replaced the Old English term dema... [more]

Juhasov Slovak
Hungarian (Juhász): occupational name for a shepherd from juh 'sheep' + the occupational suffix -ász.

Jupin French
from a diminutive of Old French jupe a term denoting a long woolen garment hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller (or a nickname for a wearer) of such garments. This word ultimately derives from Arabic.

Jurado Spanish, Portuguese
Occupational name for any of various officials who had to take an oath that they would perform their duty properly, from jurado "sworn", past participle of jurar "to swear" (Latin iurare).

Kachel German
Occupational name for a potter, from Middle High German kachel "pot", "earthenware vessel".

Kaeser German, German (Swiss)
Occupational name for a cheesemaker or a cheese merchant from an agent derivative of Middle High German kæse "cheese". Variant of Käser.

Kahveci Turkish
Occupational name for a coffee seller or producer, derived from Turkish kahve meaning "coffee".

Kalejs Latvian
Occupational name for someone who works as a blacksmith.

Kalk German, Dutch
Occupational name for a lime burner from Middle High German kalc and Middle Dutch calk "lime" (both a loanword from Latin calx).

Kalkbrenner German
Occupational name for a lime burner from Middle High German kalc "chalk lime" and brenner "burner".

Kalp German, Jewish
From Middle High German kalp ‘calf’, German Kalb, probably applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who reared calves.

Kamble Indian, Marathi, Konkani
Occupational name for a weaver of blankets or a nickname for a person who often carried blankets with them, derived from Sanskrit कम्बल (kambala) meaning "blanket".

Kan Dutch
Means "jug, teapot, can" in Dutch, from Middle Dutch kanne "pitcher, tankard, flagon", a metonymic occupational name for a potter, pewterer, or tinsmith.

Kanat Turkish
Occupational name for a seller of poultry from Turkish kanat meaning "(bird) wing".

Kandt German
Probably from Middle High German kant meaning "jug" (from Latin olla cannata meaning "pot with one spout") and hence an occupational name for a maker or seller of jugs.

Kapadia Indian, Gujarati
Occupational name for a cloth maker from Gujarati કાપડ (kāpaḍ) meaning "cloth, fabric".

Kapela Polish
Occupational name for a musician, derived from Polish kapela "music band; court orchestra".

Kapetanović Croatian, Bosnian
Occupational surname derived from kapetan meaning "captain".

Karch Jewish
1 Jewish (Ashkenazic): Americanized spelling of Karcz .... [more]

Karki Nepali
Occupational name for a tax collector from Nepali कर (kar) meaning "tax" (ultimately of Sanskrit origin).

Karman Jewish
From Russian карман (karman) meaning "pocket, bag pocket", probably an occupational name for someone who made such items. Alternatively, could derive from Hungarian Kármán.

Karmazinas Lithuanian
Perhaps a habitational name taken from the Lithuanian village Karmazinai. The name of the village is allegedly derived from Polish karmazyn "crimson". See also Karmazsin, a Hungarian occupational name for a dyer or for someone making dyestuff (taken directly from Hungarian karmazsin "crimson").

Karp Polish
From Middle High German karp(f)e Middle Low German karpe or Slavic (Russian and Polish) and Yiddish karp ‘carp’ hence a metonymic occupational name for a carp fisherman or seller of these fish or a nickname for someone thought to resemble the fish.... [more]

Käsemann German
Occupational name for someone who makes or sells cheese.

Käser German, German (Swiss)
occupational name for a cheesemaker or a cheese merchant (see Kaeser ). topographic name for someone who lived by a summer dairy in the Alps from a Tyrolean dialect word derived from Ladin casura... [more]

Katsav Hebrew
Occupational name for a butcher, derived from Hebrew קַצָּב (qatzav) meaning "butcher, purveyor of meat". A famous bearer is former Israeli president Moshe Katsav (1945-), born Musa Qassab.

Katzir Hebrew
Occupational name derived from Hebrew קָצִיר (qatsiyr) meaning ""harvesting, reaping", ultimately from קָצַר (qatsar). A famous bearer was the Israeli president and scientist Ephraim Katzir (1916-2009), born Efraim Katchalski.

Kau German
From Middle High German gehau "(mountain) clearing" hence a topographic name for a mountain dweller or possibly an occupational name for a logger.

Kauk German
probably a variant of Kauke from Middle Low German koke "cake" (dialect kauke) hence a metonymic occupational name for a baker or confectioner or a nickname for a cake lover.

Kauke German
Variant of Kauk from Middle high German kauke "cake" hence a metonymic occupational name for a baker or confectioner or a nickname for a cake lover.

Kaut German
Netonymic occupational name for a flax grower or dealer, from Middle High German kute, from Kaut(e) "male dove", hence a metonymic occupational name for the owner or keeper of a dovecote.

Kazan Jewish
From Hebew chazan, which is an occupational name for a cantor in a synagogue.

Kazan Greek
Reduced form of Kazandis which is an occupational surname for a maker of cauldrons or someone who uses a cauldron for the distillation of ouzo or raki... [more]

Kazancı Turkish
Occupational name for a maker or seller of cauldrons, kettles or boilers, from Turkish kazan meaning "cauldron, boiler".

Keel English
English habitational name from Keele in Staffordshire, named from Old English cy ‘cows’ + hyll ‘hill’, or from East and West Keal in Lincolnshire, which are named from Old Norse kjolr ‘ridge’... [more]

Keeler English
English: occupational name for a boatman or boatbuilder, from an agent derivative of Middle English kele ‘ship’, ‘barge’ (from Middle Dutch kiel). Americanized spelling of German Kühler, from a variant of an old personal name (see Keeling) or a variant of Kühl.

Keicher German
from the East Prussian dialect word keicher "small cake, pastry" hence a metonymic occupational name for a pastry chef or cook.

Kelch German
nickname from Middle High German kelch "double chin", "goiter". from another meaning of Middle High German kelch "glass", "chalice", hence a metonymic occupational name for a chalice maker or a habitational name for someone living at a house distinguished by the sign of a chalice.

Kellner German, Dutch, Jewish, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Hungarian, French
German, Dutch and Jewish (Ashkenazic) occupational or status name from the Middle Low German kelner, the Middle High German kelnære, the Middle Dutch kel(le)nare and the German kellner#, all meaning "cellarman"... [more]

Kemmer German
Kemmer is a surname. The surname Kemmer is an occupational surname. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old German word "kämmerer," which means "chamberlain." A chamberlain was the person in charge of the noble household; to him would fall the duty of ensuring that the castle and court of the noble ran smoothly... [more]

Kemper German, Dutch
From Kamp "field, piece of land", an occupational name denoting a peasant farmer. It could also indicate someone from a place named using the element. Alternatively, a variant of Kempf meaning "fighter".

Kempes German, Dutch
German and Dutch variant of Kemp or Kamp. It could also be a habitational name for a person from any of the various places named Kempen on the border between Germany and the Netherlands (for example the town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, close to the Dutch border), a status name for a peasant farmer or serf, or an occupational name for an official calibrator who marked the correct weight and measures for verification, derived from Middle Low German kempen... [more]

Kepler German
From Middle High German kappe meaning "hooded cloak". This was an occupational name for someone who made these kind of garments. A notable bearer was German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler (1571–1630).

Kern German, Dutch, Jewish
from Middle High German kerne "kernel, seed pip"; Middle Dutch kern(e) keerne; German Kern or Yiddish kern "grain" hence a metonymic occupational name for a farmer or a nickname for a physically small person... [more]

Kessel German
Occupational name for a maker of cooking vessels from Middle High German kezzel meaning "kettle, cauldron, boiler".

Khandakar Bengali
Means "teacher, scholar" (literally "one who reads"), derived from Persian خواندن (khandan) meaning "to read, to study" and the occupational suffix گار (kar).

Kidder English
English: possibly an occupational name from early modern English kidd(i)er ‘badger’, a licensed middleman who bought provisions from farmers and took them to market for resale at a profit, or alternatively a variant of Kidman... [more]

Kidman English
English: occupational name, probably for a goatherd (from Middle English kid(e) ‘young goat’ + man ‘man’), but possibly also for a cutter of wood used for fuel. (from Middle English kidde ‘faggot’ (an archaic English unit for a bundle of sticks)).

Kiebler German
Comes from the Middle High German word "kübel" meaning a "vat," or "barrel." As such it was an occupational name for a cooper, or barrel maker.

Kiehl Medieval Low German
From Middle Low German kil ‘wedge’, applied as a metonymic occupational name or as a pejorative nickname for a ruffian. Possibly a habitational name from Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein, from Dutch and Frisian kil ‘stagnant water’ (see Kiel)... [more]

Kiel German
German surname of several possible origins and meanings.... [more]

Kiel Dutch
From Middle Dutch kidel, kedel "smock", hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who make such garments or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore one. Also a Dutch habitational name from a place so named in Antwerp or from the German city Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein.

Kimmel German, Jewish
Derived from Middle High German kumin and German kümmel meaning "caraway" (related to Latin cuminum, a word of Oriental origin, like the plant itself), hence a metonymic occupational name for a spicer, literally a supplier of caraway seeds... [more]

Kimmich German
The surname hence a metonymic occupational name for a spicer.

Kinderknecht German
Occupational name for a servant in charge of the children at a manor, derived from kinder (plural of kind) meaning "child" and knecht meaning "servant".

Kindermann German, Jewish
occupational name for a schoolteacher literally "children man", from the elements kind "child" and man "man".

Kircher German
from Middle High German kirchner "minister, sexton patron" hence an occupational name for a priest or a church assistant.

Kirchmann German
From Middle High German kirihha "church" and man "man" hence an occupational name for someone working in the service of the church or possibly a topographic name for someone living near a church... [more]

Kirschenmann German
from Middle High German kirsche "cherry" and man "man" an occupational name for a grower or seller of cherries or a topographic name.

Kitchenham English
Occupational surname for a person who was in charge of the kitchen in a royal or noble house, or a monastery. From the Anglo Saxon cycene (German: Küche Dutch: kjøkken Latin: cocina Italian: cucina)

Kitching English
The surname is thought to have originally been an occupational name for a cook, deriving from the Old English word cycen.

Kleber German, English (American)
Derived from German kleben "to bind, to stick", hence an occupational name for someone who applied clay daub or whitewash on buildings.

Kleiber German
Derived from an agent Middle High German kleben "to stick or bind" an occupational name for a builder working with clay or in Swabia for someone who applied whitewash. in Bavaria and Austria an occupational name for a shingle maker from Middle High German klieben "to split (wood or stone)".

Kleinknecht German
A combining of the German word klein "small" and knecht "servant", originally an occupational name for a secondary hired hand. A famous historic figure who bore this surname was Jakob Friedrich Kleinknecht (8 April 1722 in Ulm - 11 August 1794 in Ansbach), a German composer of many works of chamber music and symphonies, flutist and Kapellmeister (chapel master).

Kleinschmidt German
Occupational surname which means "small smith", that is, a maker of small forged items and metal hand tools.