Submitted Surnames with "occupational" in Description
This is a list of submitted surnames in which the description contains the keyword occupational.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
TisseurFrench Occupational surname meaning "weaver".
ToppGerman German: from Low German topp 'point', 'tree top', hence a topographic name; or alternatively a metonymic occupational name or nickname from the same word in the sense 'braid'.
ToroSpanish, Italian Either a habitational name from Toro in Zamora province. Compare De Toro . Or a nickname for a lusty person or for someone who owned a bull or a metonymic occupational name for a tender of bulls or possibly for a bull fighter from toro "bull" (from Latin taurus).
ToupinFrench, Breton, Norman nickname from Old French toupin "spinning-top". in rare instances in the south probably from Old Occitan toupin "small earthenware pot" used as a metonymic occupational name for a potter.
TrainEnglish English (Devon): 1. metonymic occupational name for a trapper or hunter, from Middle English trayne, Old French traine ‘guile’, ‘snare’, ‘trap’. ... [more]
TransonFrench Possibly from Old French tronçon "block of wood", perhaps an occupational name for a woodcutter.
TraynorEnglish Derives from old English word 'trayne' which means to trap or to snare. Also an occupational name given to horse trainers. First found in Yorkshire, England in the 1300s.
TreadwellEnglish Occupational name for a fuller, a person who cleaned and shrunk newly woven cloth by treading it. It is derived from Middle English tred(en) "to tread" and well "well".
TreichelGerman (Swiss) Swiss German: from a word meaning ‘cow bell’, presumably a nickname for a cowherd or farmer, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who made cow bells.
TrezeguetFrench Meaning uncertain, possibly an occupational name derived from Old French treize, treze meaning "thirteen" and guet (itself from Old French gué) meaning "look-out, watch, vigil"... [more]
TrombinoItalian From a trombino a diminutive of tromba "trumpet" applied as an occupational name for a trumpeter or for someone who made trumpets.
TrompDutch Occupational name for a musician derived from trompet "trumpet, horn", or possibly Middle Dutch tromme "drum".
TrotterEnglish, Scottish, German Northern English and Scottish: occupational name for a messenger, from an agent derivative of Middle English trot(en) 'to walk fast' (Old French troter, of Germanic origin). ... [more]
TroutEnglish Occupational name for a fisherman, or a nickname for someone supposedly resembling the fish.
TroxelGerman Roots of the German surname Troxel can be found in the region of Hesse, where the name originated. Troxel may be an occupational name, derived from the Middle High German word "truhsaesee," meaning "leader." In this case, Troxel would be a variation of the German surname Truchsess.
TunnardEnglish Means "town herd", from Old English tun "town, enclosure, yard" and heord "a herd", an occupational name for someone who guarded the town’s cattle.
TurturroItalian, Sicilian Metonymic occupational name for a groom (a person employed to take care of horses), derived from Sicilian turturo, (ultimately from Italian tortoro) meaning "straw, hay, plait used for strapping horses"... [more]
TütüncüTurkish Occupational name for a grower or seller of tobacco, from Turkish tütün meaning "tobacco".
TwineEnglish Metonymic occupational name for a maker of string or thread, and derived from Old English twin meaning "thread, string".
TwinerEnglish Occupational name for a maker of thread or twine; an agent derivative of Old English twinen meaning "to twine".
TyutyunnikRussian Occupational name for a tobacco tycoon, derived from Slavic word tyutyun literally meaning "tobacco".
UcarCroatian 1 Croatian, Serbian, and eastern Slovenian: ironic nickname for an autocratic person, from car ‘tsar’.... [more]
UhlGerman Uhl begins in the German province of Bavaria. Uhl is a nickname surname, a class of German names derived from eke-names, or added names, that described people by a personal characteristic or other attribute... [more]
UhrGerman, Jewish Derived from the given name Ulrich. In Jewish, it is a metonymic occupational name for a watch or clock maker, derived from German uhr meaning "watch, clock".
UmlaufGerman German: occupational name for a policeman in a town or city, from Middle High German umbe laufen ‘to make the rounds’.
UsSlovene (Rare) Us is a Slovene Surname which in itself is a shortened version of the House Name Ušič,Meaning Son of Us. The surname may be linked the the slovene word Oves, which translates to "Oats", and may have been an occupational surname referring to someone who farmed Oats and or grains.
UsherEnglish Occupational name from Middle English usher, meaning "usher, doorkeeper".
VágóHungarian Occupational name for a wood- or stonecutter, or butcher, from vágni ‘to cut’.
ValkDutch Means "falcon" in Dutch, a metonymic occupational name for a falconer, or possibly derived from the given name Falk. Compare Falco.
ValletFrench, English French topographic name from a diminutive of Old French val "valley" (see Val ) or a habitational name from (Le) Vallet the name of several places mainly in the northern part of France and French and English occupational name for a manservant from Old French and Middle English vallet "manservant groom".
VeitchScottish Derived from the Latin word vacca which means "cow". This was either an occupational name for a cowherd or a nickname for a gentle person.
VerdierFrench, Norman, English Occupational name for a forester. Derived from Old French verdier (from Late Latin viridarius, a derivative of viridis "green"). Also an occupational name for someone working in a garden or orchard, or a topographic name for someone living near one... [more]
VerrierFrench An occupational French surname indicating a glassmaker or glassblower, from French verre "glass", derived from Middle French voirre "glass".
VinkDutch Means "finch, chaffinch" in Dutch, a metonymic occupational name for someone who caught finches and other small birds. It could also be a nickname for someone cheerful, or who was known for whistling.
VirayFilipino, Tagalog, Pampangan, Pangasinan Occupational name derived from Tagalog, Pampangan and Pangasinan biray referring to a type of small, flat-bottomed rowing boat.
VlachodimosGreek Occupational name for a person who builds walls.
VogelmannGerman occupational name for a birdcatcher from Middle High German Middle Low German fogal "bird" and mann "man".
VoogdDutch Means "guardian" in Dutch, an occupational name for a bailiff, farm manager, or someone appointed to look after the interests of other people. Ultimately from Latin advocatus "witness, advocate; one called upon to help"... [more]
VoogdesOld Dutch Occupational name and feminine title from Old Dutch meaning Lord Protector or Governor. Derived from Latin advocatus. Dutch masculine variant Voogd, German variant Vogt, Polish variant Wójt, Swedish variant Fogde... [more]
VoughtGerman The surname Vought originates in the Latin form "vocatus" or "advocatus," and referred to someone who appeared in court on another's behalf. As a surname, Vought is an occupational hereditary surname for a "bailiff" or "overseer of a nobleman's estate".
VuittonFrench Derived from the Old High German word "witu" and the Old English pre 7th century "widu" or "wudu", meaning a wood, and therefore occupational for one living by such a place.
WachsGerman, Jewish Occupational name for someone who dealt with beeswax from Middle High German wahs German wachs "wax".
WachsmannGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a gatherer or seller of beeswax from Middle Low German was "wax" and man "man".
WachterGerman, Dutch Means "guard, sentinel", an occupational name for a watchman.
WagenmannGerman Occupational name from Middle High German wagenman ‘hauler’, ‘wagoner’.
WagerGerman An occupational name for an official in charge of the city scales.
WainwrightEnglish Occupational name for a maker or repairer of wagons.
WaiteEnglish Occupational name for a watchman, Anglo-Norman French waite (cf. Wachter).
WaldmannGerman topographic name for someone who lived in a forest or alternatively an occupational name for a forest warden from Middle High German waltman literally "forest man" derived from the elements wald "forest" and man "man"
WannemacherGerman, Dutch Occupational name for a maker or seller of baskets, particularly winnowing baskets or fans, derived from Middle High German wanne literally meaning "winnowing basket" and macher meaning "maker"... [more]
WardenEnglish Occupational name for a watchman or guard, from Old French wardein meaning "protector, guard". It was also used as a habbitational name for someone from any of the various locations in England named Warden... [more]
WardropScottish Metonymic occupational name for someone who was in charge of the garments worn by a feudal lord and his household, from Norman French warde(r) meaning "to keep or guard" + robe meaning "garment".
WarmbierGerman Metonymic occupational name for a brewer, derived from Middle Low German warm meaning "warm" and ber meaning "beer".
WäscherGerman Occupational surname for a washer, from Middle High German waschen, weschen "to wash".
WashiJapanese Occupational name for a paper worker. From 和 (wa) meaning "sum" and 紙 (shi) meaning "paper".
WassermannGerman German cognate of Waterman 2. occupational name for a water-carrier or a topographic name from Middle High German wazzar "water" and man "man"... [more]
WaxmanEnglish, German (Americanized), Jewish (Americanized) Occupational name for a seller or gatherer of beeswax from wax "wax" plus Middle English man "man". According to the Oxford English Dictionary wax-man is an obsolete term for an officer of a trade guild who collected contributions from members for wax candles to be used in processions... [more]
WeareEnglish (British) Derived from the Old English wer, meaning a "weir, dam, fishing-trap". This was used as an occupational surname for fishermen. Originated in Devon, England.... [more]
WeinGerman, Yiddish, Hungarian Means "grape, vine, wine" in German and Yiddish (װײַנ). According to Nelly Weiss, Wein-style family names originated from signboards (house sign, house shield) in Jewish communities. Wein may also be related the German verb weinen meaning "to cry"... [more]
WeinbrennerGerman Occupational name for a distiller of brandy, literally 'wine burner'.
WeinmannGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) occupational name for a viticulturalist or wine merchant, Middle High German winman, German Weinmann.
WeinstockGerman, Jewish English variant of the German surname Wenstock, an occupational name for a producer or seller of wine, from German Weinstock "grapevine" (also compare Wein).... [more]
WeintraubGerman, Jewish from Middle High German wintrub "grape" derived from wein "wine" and traub "grape" hence either a metonymic occupational name for a vintner or a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by a sign depicting a bunch of grapes.
WeishuhnGerman Derived from Middle High German wiz meaning "white" and huon meaning "hen, fowl", hence a metonymic occupational name for a poultry farmer or dealer, or perhaps in some instances a nickname.
WeißmüllerGerman from Middle High German wiz "white" and mulin "miller" an occupational name for a miller who produced white flour which was produced as early as the 14th century.
WetzsteinGerman Either a metonymic occupational name for a knife grinder from Middle High German wetzstein "whetstone", A habitational name from a lost place called Wetzstein near Emmendingen, or a topographic name from a field name for example Wezstein near Esslingen... [more]
WhatelyEnglish Old English location or occupational surname meaning "from the wheat meadow".
WheelwrightEnglish Occupational name for someone who made or fitted wheels and wheeled vehicles, from Old English hwēol and wyrhta. Also compare Wheeler.
WhistlerEnglish An English occupational surname, meaning "one who whistles."
WhitmanEnglish From Middle English whit ‘white’ + man ‘man’, either a nickname with the same sense as White, or else an occupational name for a servant of a bearer of the nickname White.... [more]
WhittleseyEnglish A habitational surname for someone from Whittlesey, an ancient market town in the Fenland district of Cambridgeshire in England. The town's name is derived from an unattested Old English personal name Wittel (or Witil), an occupational name given to a moneyer, and the Old English eg, meaning "island", also used to describe a piece of firm land in a fen... [more]
WiggsEnglish (British) The surname Wiggs was first found in Leicestershire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, at Lennerlyde. This interesting name has two possible origins. The first being a metonymic occupational name for a maker of wedge-shaped bread, from the Medieval English "Wigge" meaning "wedge-shaped"... [more]
WilesEnglish Occupational name for a trapper or hunter, from Middle English wile "trap, snare". It could also be a nickname for a devious person.
WilgarIrish An ancient surname of Olde English and Scottish origins. It is usually occupational for a textile fuller, deriving from the pre 7th century word wealcere, meaning to walk or tread.
WillmanEnglish Occupational name for someone who was the servant of a man called Will.
WillowsEnglish (British) This is an English residential or perhaps occupational surname. It may originate from one of the various places in England called 'The Willows', or even a place such as Newton le Willows in Lancashire, or it may describe a supplier of willow.
WimmerGerman Occupational last name, meaning "wine maker," using a derivation of the element Wein (meaning "wine") and likely another derivation from -macher (meaning "maker"). It's possible as well that it is derived from Weimann.
WimpEnglish The surname has at least two origins. The first is occupational and describes a maker of 'wimplels', an Old English veil later much associated with nuns. Second, it may also be locational from the village of Whimple in Devonshire, or Wimpole in Cambridge.
WindusEnglish Variant of Wingers. The name is a metonymic occupational name for a textile worker or weaver, derived from the Middle English wyndhows ("winding house").
WinegardnerEnglish (American) Anglicized form of the German occupational surname Weingartner. A known bearer of this surname is the American writer Mark Winegardner (b. 1961).
WinneFlemish Occupational name for an agricultural worker, from Middle Dutch winne "farmer, peasant, tenant".
WinneyEnglish Derived from an unattested Old English given name, *Wyngeofu, composed of the elements wyn "joy" and geofu "battle".... [more]
WójtMedieval Polish Occupational name and title from Medieval Polish meaning Lord Protector or Governor. Derived from Latin advocatus. German variant Vogt, Swedish variant Fogde... [more]
WollmannGerman Occupational name for a wool worker or wool trader Middle High German Middle Low German wollman derived from German wolle "wool" and man "man".
WollschlägerGerman Occupational name for someone who prepared wool for spinning by washing and combing or carding it, from Middle High German wolle(n)slaher, -sleger, Middle Low German wullensleger (literally ‘wool beater’).
WoodmanEnglish Occupational name for a woodcutter or a forester (compare Woodward), or topographic name for someone who lived in the woods. Possibly from the Old English personal name Wudumann.
WorkmanEnglish Ostensibly an occupational name for a laborer, derived from Middle English work and man. According to a gloss, the term was used in the Middle Ages to denote an ambidextrous person, and the surname may also be a nickname in this sense.
WurtzGerman A metonymic occupational name for a greengrocer or grower or seller of herbs, from Middle High German würz, meaning ‘herb’.
ZapataSpanish Occupational surname for a shoemaker, from Spanish zapato meaning "shoe". It can also be considered a habitational name for someone originally from any of the various locations in Spain called Zapata.
ZechmanJewish Occupational name from Yiddish tsekh meaning "guild" or "craft corporation" and man "man".
ZehnerGerman (chiefly Bavaria, Austria, Switzerland, and Württemberg): occupational name for an official responsible for collecting, on behalf of the lord of the manor, tithes of agricultural produce owed as rent.... [more]
ZehrenGerman (Swiss) From a prepositional phrase from Middle High German ze hērren, an occupational name for someone was in service of a lord.
ZeimetGerman, Luxembourgish Western German and Luxembourgeois: probably a variant spelling of Zeimert, a variant of Zeumer, an occupational name for a harness maker, from an agent derivative of Middle High German zoum ‘bridle’.
ZellerGerman, Dutch, Jewish Originally denoted someone from Celle, Germany or someone living near a hermit's cell from German zelle "cell". It is also occupational for someone employed at a zelle, for example a small workshop.
ZelnickJewish Occupational name for a tax collecter, comes from Yiddish tselnik which means haberdashery.
ZiębaPolish From ‘finch’; a nickname for someone thought to resemble the bird or maybe because a person lived in an area with many finches. Perhaps a metonymic occupational name for a birdcatcher or dealer.
ZiegenhagenGerman Derived from Middle High German zige "goat" and hag "enclosure, hedge, pasture". Could be an occupational name for someone who kept goats, or be derived from any of several places with the name.
ZimbalistJewish Occupational name for a cymbalist or a dulcimer player, particularly the cimbalom, derived from Yiddish tsimbl meaning "dulcimer, cimbalom, cymbal". The American actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (1918-2014) was a famous bearer of this surname.
ZollerGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a customs officer, Middle High German zoller.
ZoubekCzech According to my translator, it means "tooth", so my guess is that it's an occupational surname for someone who's a dentist; the word for dentist is 'zubař.'
ZuberGerman, German (Swiss) German: Metonymic occupational name for a cooper or tubmaker, from Middle High German zuber ‘(two-handled) tub’, or a habitational name from a house distinguished by the sign of a tub. ... [more]
ZuckerJewish Occupational name for a confectioner or a nickname for someone with a sweet tooth, from German zucker or Yiddish צוקער (tsuker) both meaning "sugar". It is also used as an ornamental name.
ZufallMedieval German A German name from the Middle High German "zuoval," meaning "benefit," "coincidence" or "windfall." It was a nickname for a lucky person, most likely a person to whom a plot of land had been given. It could also be an occupational name for a tax collector.