This is a list of submitted surnames in which the language is West Germanic.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
NiederhäuserGerman, Swiss Habitational name from any of numerous places named Niederhaus or Niederhausen, denoting the lower of two dwellings or settlements or one in a low-lying position.
NiedermeierGerman, German (Austrian) Occupational name for a farmer who had a farm lower than the neighboring one(s). This surname and its variant spellings are common to Austria and the state of Bavaria in Germany.
NiedermeyerGerman Means "lower farmer", a distinguishing name for a farmer who worked further south or in a low-lying location.
NiedfeldtGerman Topographic name for a person who lived by a lower area of open land, derived from Middle Low German nider meaning "lower" and feld meaning "open country".
NiehausGerman North German: topographic name from Middle Low German nie ‘new’ + hus ‘house’; or a habitational name from a common North German and Westphalian farm name with the same meaning.
NiemanDutch Means "new man", a cognate of German Neumann. Can also derive from Middle Dutch nieman "no one, nobody", a byname for an unknown or otherwise nameless person... [more]
NiemeyerLow German North German nickname for a newly arrived steward or tenant farmer, from Middle Low German nie ‘new’ + Meyer.
NiesGerman German: from a reduced form of the personal name Dionys (see Dennis), which was stressed on the last syllable; this was a popular personal name as a result of the influence of the French Saint Denis... [more]
NietlingGerman The last name Nietling has its origins in Germany, specifically within the regions of Bavaria and the Rhineland. It is believed to derive from a combination of the Germanic elements "nied," meaning "low" or "beneath," and "ling," which can denote a diminutive or a person associated with a particular place or characteristic... [more]
NietzscheGerman, German (Silesian) Derived from a Silesian diminutive of the given name Nikolaus. A notable bearer was Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), a German philosopher.
NieuwenhuisDutch Means "new house" in Dutch. Indicated that the bearer lived in a new house or lived in a village of the same name
NightingaleEnglish Nickname for someone with a good voice from Middle English nightegale "nightingale" (Old English nihtegale, ultimately from niht "night" and galan "to sing").
NimitzGerman Derived from Russian немчин (nemchin) meaning "German", of Slavic origin. This surname was borne by Chester W. Nimitz (1885-1966), a fleet admiral of the United States Navy during World War II.
NineEnglish (American) Americanized spelling of German Nein or Neun, from Middle High German niun meaning "nine".
NipperGerman 1. habitational name for someone from Nippe in Hesse. ... [more]
NippleAnglo-Saxon, German, Dutch, Germanic, English (American) It could relate to someone who lived near a small hill or mound, as nipple in English can colloquially describe a rounded hilltop. It could also be a variation or corruption of a German or Dutch surname, such as Knippel, Nippel, or Nippold... [more]
NoarEnglish This surname is thought to be derived from nore which could mean "shore, cliff." This could denote that someone might have lived in a shore or cliff. It may also be used as a surname for someone who lived in the now 'diminished' village of Nore in Surrey.
NockCeltic, English Dweller at the oak tree; originally spelt as "Noake" evolved into "Nock".
NoeMedieval English, Korean A patronymic form of the biblical male given name Noah from the Hebrew word "noach" meaning long-lived. Possible origins could be ... [more]
NolfFlemish, German Derived from a short form of the personal names Arnolf or Nodolf (a variant of Odolf), or possibly another name ending in wolf "wolf".
NollGerman From a short form of any of various medieval personal names derived from Germanic personal names ending in -n + wald 'rule', for example Arnold and Reinwald.
NolteGerman From a short form of various medieval given names derived from Germanic given names ending with -n and wald meaning "rule", for example Arnold and Reinwald... [more]
NonnenmacherGerman Occupational name for a gelder of hogs, from Middle High German nunne, nonne meaning "nun", and by transfer "castrated hog" + an agent derivative of machen meaning "to make".
NoonEnglish Either (i) from a medieval nickname for someone of a sunny disposition (noon being the sunniest part of the day); or (ii) from Irish Gaelic Ó Nuadháin "descendant of Nuadhán", a personal name based on Nuadha, the name of various Celtic gods (cf... [more]
NoppeFlemish Possibly related to Middle Dutch noppe "tuft of wool, tassel", a metonymic name for someone who worked with cloth, or a nickname for someone with a slight stature. Alternatively, from a childish form of the given name Norbert.
NorrellEnglish, German (?) A locational surname from the Germanic (Old English/Old Norse) term for the north. It either refers to someone who lived in a location called Northwell, lived north of a well, spring or stream (Old English weall)... [more]
NorsworthyEnglish Habitational name from Norseworthy in Walkhampton, Devon.
NorthamEnglish habitational namefrom Northam (Devon) Northam Farm in Brean (Somerset) Northam in Southampton (Hampshire) or a lost Northam in Redbridge Hundred Hampshire. The place names derive from Old English norþ "north northern" and ham "village homestead" or ham "water meadow".
NorthernEnglish Topographic name, from an adjectival form of North.
NortheyEnglish Habitational name from Northay in Hawkchurch Devon. The placename derives from Middle English north "north northern" and heie "fence enclosure hedge" (Old English norþ (ge)hæg)... [more]
NorthwayEnglish Habitational name from one or more of the minor places called with Middle English bi northe weie "(place) to the north of the way or road" from the elements norþ "north" and weg "way" including Northway in Monkleigh Widecombe in the Moor and Parkham Norway in Whitestone Narraway in Drewsteignton (all Devon) and Northway in Halse (Somerset)... [more]
NorvellEnglish Derived from the name of a place in England named Northwell in Nottinghamshire. It is a combination of the old English term for "north" with other geographic features such as welle meaning "a well, spring."
NottinghamEnglish (British) A habitational name from the city of Nottingham in the East Midlands. Comes from the Old English name, meaning "homestead (ham) of Snot’s people". The initial S- was lost in the 12th century, due to the influence of Anglo-Norman French.... [more]
NoxonEnglish Variant of Nixon. It is derived from the personal name Nicholas, which was Nik, or Nikke in Old English.
NoyEnglish Either (i) from the medieval male personal name Noye, the English form of the Hebrew name Noach "Noah 1"; or (ii) an invented Jewish name based on Hebrew noy "decoration, adornment".
NoyeEnglish Patronymic form of the biblical male given name Noah.
NugentEnglish, Irish, French An English, Irish (of Norman origin) and French habitational surname derived from any of several places in northern France (such as Nogent-sur-Oise), From Latin novientum and apparently an altered form of a Gaulish name meaning "new settlement".
NungesserGerman Apparently a variant spelling of German Nonnengasse, derived from a street name meaning "nuns, lane". It could also be a variant of Gnugesser, a nickname for a big eater, derived from g(e)nug meaning "enough" and esser meaning "eater" (which derived from essen meaning "to eat")... [more]
NunnallysEnglish (American) A common surname in America, belonging to 4058 individuals. Nunnally is most common among White (63.36%) and Black/African American (30.93%) individuals.
NürnbergerGerman, Jewish Habitational name for someone from the city of Nürnberg in Bavaria.
NussGerman from Middle High German nuz ‘nut’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a gatherer and seller of nuts, or a nickname for a man thought to resemble a nut in some way
NuteEnglish Possibly derived from the given name Cnute, or be a variant of Newitt. Alternatively, it may be from Old English hnutu "brown", a nickname for someone with a brown complexion or hair.
NuttallEnglish English: habitational name from some place named with Old English hnutu ‘nut’ + h(e)alh ‘nook’, ‘recess’. In some cases this may be Nuthall in Nottinghamshire, but the surname is common mainly in Lancashire, and a Lancashire origin is therefore more likely... [more]
NutterEnglish Means either (i) "scribe, clerk" (from Middle English notere, ultimately from Latin notārius); or (ii) "person who keeps or tends oxen" (from a derivative of Middle English nowt "ox")... [more]
OakEnglish Topographic surname for someone who lived near an oak tree or in an oak wood, from Middle English oke "oak".
OakdenEnglish A variant of Ogden, from a place name derived from Old English āc "oak" and denu "valley". Famous bearers include British diplomat Edward Oakden and English cricketer Patrick Oakden.
OakenshieldEnglish (British), Literature In J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit", the surname of Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the Company of Dwarves and the King of Durin's Folk.
OaksEnglish English variant spelling of Oakes and Americanized form of Jewish Ochs.
OakwellEnglish Probably either from the former village of Oakwell-in-the-Blean in the county of Kent, or Ockwell Manor, and again a former village, near Bray, in Berkshire
OchsGerman, Jewish Means "ox" in German, derived from Middle High German ohse, possibly denoting a strong person or someone who worked with oxen. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
OchsenkopfGerman Habitational name for a person living in any of the mountains across Germany, Austria, or Liechtenstein, literally meaning "ox's head" in German.
OchsnerGerman (Swiss) Means "oxen herder" in Swiss, from Middle High German ohse "ox".
OddyMedieval English Was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as the lords of the manor of Storkhouse, Gisbern and Withernsea in that shire. Believed to be descended from Count Odo.
OdhamEnglish Variant of Odom, altered by folk etymology as if derived from a place name formed with -ham.
OdomEnglish From a nickname for someone who married a daughter of a prominent figure in a community, derived from Middle English odam "son-in-law", from Old English aþum.
OechslinGerman (Swiss) South German (also Öchslein): from Middle High German ohse ‘ox’ + the diminutive suffix -lin. An occupational name for someone who tended cattle, or for a cattle dealer; or a nickname for a farmer who used oxen for plowing, or for someone perceived to resemble an ox.
OeffeltDutch Oeffelt is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant, part of the Boxmeer municipality.
OegemaDutch, Frisian Patronymic form of an uncertain personal name, possibly Hugo, using the Frisian suffix -ma "man of".
OffenbachGerman, Jewish From the name of the city of Offenbach am Main in Hesse, Germany. A famous bearer was the German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880).
OfficerEnglish (Canadian), English (American, Rare) Occupational name for the holder of any office, from Anglo-Norman French officer (an agent derivative of Old French office ‘duty’, ‘service’, Latin officium ‘service’, ‘task’).
OgilvieScottish, English From the ancient Barony of Ogilvie in Angus, Northeast Scotland. The placename itself is derived from Pictish ocel, 'high' and fa, 'plain'.
OgleScottish, English, Northern Irish Habitational name from a place in Northumbria, named with the Old English personal name Ocga + Old English hyll 'hill'.
OglethorpeEnglish It indicates familial origin within the civil parish of Bramham cum Oglethorpe in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
OglethorpeEnglish From Oglethorpe Hall in Bramham (WR Yorks) which is recorded as Ocelestorp in 1086 and Okelesthorp in 124 The place-name derives from the Old Scandinavian personal name Oddkell and Old Scandinavian or Old English þorp "secondary settlement outlying farmstead" meaning "Oddkell's village" the surname derived from oddr "point of a weapon" and ketill "cauldron".
OldEnglish From Middle English old, not necessarily implying old age, but rather used to distinguish an older from a younger bearer of the same personal name.
OldenhaveDutch From the name of a small village in the province of Drenthe, Holland, composed of Dutch oud and hoeve, meaning "old farm".
OldhamEnglish Habitational name from Oldham in Lancashire. The placename derives from Old English ald "old" and Old Norse holmr "island water meadow" or eald "old" and ham "farmstead" meaning either "old lands" or "old farm".
OlevianGerman (Latinized) Olevian is a latinised word meaning "from Olewig" (a town today incorporated into Trier, Germany). ... [more]
OleyEnglish Was my mother's fathers name. Also my mother's brother.
OlinEnglish Etymology uncertain, possibly derived from the Swedish surname Olander.
OliphantEnglish Means "elephant" (from Middle English, Old French and Middle High German olifant "elephant"), perhaps used as a nickname for a large cumbersome person, or denoting someone who lived in a building distinguished by the sign of an elephant.
OmsGerman Some characteristic forenames: German Matthias, Otto.... [more]
OmtzigtDutch Derived from Dutch omzicht meaning "cautious, careful, circumspection", ultimately from the verb omzien meaning "to look around". It may have originated in a Dutch village with several farms named Omzicht, or as a nickname for a cautious person... [more]
OnbekendDutch Means "unknown, anonymous" in Dutch, given to individuals who don’t have a family name (often for cultural reasons).
OnslowEnglish Locational name from a place called Onslow described in Victorian times as being "a place within the liberty of Shrewsbury, in Salop', the original and still confusingly used, name for the county of Shropshire.
OnstadNorwegian, German Habitational name from the name of any of seven farmsteads mainly in the southeast most of them with names formed from any of various Old Norse personal names plus stathir "farmstead" as for example Augunarstathir from the personal name Auðun (from Auth "wealth" plus un "friend")... [more]
OnstenkDutch Derived from a place name, ultimately composed of on- "un-, bad" and stede "city, town" combined with the possessive suffix -ink.
OosterwegelDutch From Dutch ooster meaning "eastern, east" and weg meaning "way, path, road". Dutch track and field athlete Emma Oosterwegel (1998-) bears this name.
OosterweghelDutch Derived from the Dutch words ooster "east" and weg "road".