West Germanic Submitted Surnames

This is a list of submitted surnames in which the language is West Germanic.
usage
language
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Stonestreet English
Topographic name for someone who lived by a paved road, in most cases a Roman road, from Middle English stane, stone, "stone" and street "paved highway", "Roman road".
Stonor English
Locational name from a village in Oxfordshire, England. The name comes from Old English stán "stony" and the place was named for a stone circle on the land.
Stoop Dutch
From Middle Dutch stoop "pitcher, stone bottle, wine jug", an occupational name for an innkeeper or a nickname for a heavy drinker.
Stoops English
May descend from Stoop or Stobe.... [more]
Storch German, Jewish
From Middle High German storch "stork", hence a nickname for someone thought to resemble the bird.
Storck German
German. from the meaning the House of the Storks. ... [more]
Storey English
From the Old Norse nickname Stóri, literally "large man". A literary bearer is British novelist and playwright David Storey (1933-).
Storie English (American)
Possibly a variant of Storey.
Storm English, Low German, Dutch, Scandinavian
Nickname for a man of blustery temperament.
Storm Dutch, Flemish
Occupational name for someone who rang an alarm bell warning of oncoming storms.
Stormborn English
most likely of Scandinavian origin
Storr German
Nickname for a crude man, from Middle High German storr 'tree stump', 'clod'.
Story English
Variant of Storey.
Stoss German, Jewish
Nickname for a quarrelsome person, from Middle High German stoz 'quarrel', 'fight'.
Stoter English (Modern)
Of Dutch origin and still in use there in a restricted region. Herder of large animals such as cattle or horses. May share a root with Ostler (unverified). Note: Stot in Scottish dialect still means a young bull.... [more]
Stough German (Anglicized)
Americanised spelling of Stauch.
Stout Scottish, English
Probably a nickname for a brave or powerfully built man, from Middle English stout ‘steadfast’. A contrary origin derives from the Old Norse byname Stútr ‘gnat’, denoting a small and insignificant person.
Stowell English
A locational name from various places in England called Stowell
Stoyle English
Variant of Styles.
St Peter English
Originally from French Canadian immigrants, an anglicized form of French St Pierre.
Stradling English (British)
Researchers found the origin of this surname Stradling by referring to such documents as the Viking Sagas, the Orkneyinga Sagas, the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, the Inquisitio and the translations of local manuscripts, parish records, baptismal & tax records, found in the north of Dingwall, and in the Orkneys and Shetlands.... [more]
Strahm German (Swiss)
Derived from Middle Hugh German strām "strip of land".
Straight English
Nickname from Middle English streʒt "straight, upright", presumably applied in either a literal or a figurative sense.
Strandheim German, Jewish
From a location name meaning "beach home" in German, from Middle High German strand meaning "beach" and heim meaning "home". As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.
Strang English
Originally given as a nickname to one who possessed great physical strength.
Strangeways English
Means "person from Strangeways", Greater Manchester ("strong current").
Strasburg German
It is derived from the Old Germanic phrase "an der Strasse," which literally means "on the street." Thus, the original bearer of this name was most likely someone whose residence was located on a street.
Strasse German
It derives either from the ancient Roman (Latin) word "straet" meaning a main road, and hence somebody who lived by such a place, or from a German pre-medieval word "stratz" meaning vain.
Strassmann German, Jewish
Topographic name for someone living on a main street, from Middle High German strasse, German Strasse "street, road" and man "man".
Stratton English
English: habitational name from any of various places, in Bedfordshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey, and Wiltshire, so named from Old English str?t ‘paved highway’, ‘Roman road’ + tun ‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’... [more]
Straube German
Variant of Straub.
Straughan English
Northern English (Northumbria and the Northeast) variant of Scottish Strachan.
Strauss German, Jewish
From the German word strauß, meaning "ostrich." In its use as a Jewish surname, it comes from the symbol of the building or family that the bearer occupied or worked for in the Frankfurter Judengasse... [more]
Strauß German, Jewish
An older spelling of Strauss, which is only used in Germany and Austria.
Strawberry English (American, Rare)
Possibly from the name of the fruit, or from any of the various places named Strawberry in the US.
Strawbridge English (American)
Someone who built bridges as a living.
Strayer German
Americanized form of German Ströher: habitational name for "someone from any of the places called Ströh in Westphalia and Lower Saxony".
Stream English
English topographic name for someone who lived beside a stream, Middle English streme. Americanized form of Swedish Ström or Danish Strøm (see Strom).
Streep Dutch
Means "stripe, hyphen" in Dutch.
Streeter English
English (Sussex) topographic name for someone living by a highway, in particular a Roman road (see Street).
Streicher German
Occupational name for someone who measured grain or inspected cloth
Streisand German, Jewish
Possibly an ornamental name, literally meaning "scattersand" in German. This surname is borne by the American singer and actress Barbra Streisand (1942-).
Streiter German
Topographic name from Middle High German struot 'swamp', 'bush', 'thicket' + -er, suffix denoting an inhabitant.
Strelow German, Polabian
Originally an Polabian name from the city Stralsund (pola. Stralov).
Strete English
Strete is derived from Old English "Straet" which, in turn is derived from the latin "strata". This surname has spelling variants including, Streeter, Street, Straight, and Streeten. The first occurrences of this surname include Modbert de Strete of Devon (1100), AEluric de Streitun and his heir Roger (at the time of Henry de Ferrers) and Eadric Streona, Ealdorman of Mercia.
Streufert m German (East Prussian)
Probably originated from northern Germany.
Stribling English
From a medieval nickname for a youthful or inexperienced person (from Middle English stripling "youth").
Stricker German, Low German, Dutch
Occupational name for a rope maker or knitter (of hose, for example), from an agent derivative of Middle High German, Middle Low German stricken ‘to tie’.
Strider English
Likely an anglicized variation of the Dutch term "Strijder" or German term "Streiter," this surname represents an occupational designation for a soldier or a descriptive term for someone with a combative demeanor.... [more]
Strigl German
Name given in 1056 a.d. Meaning- Keeper of the Royal Horses.
Strijbis Dutch
Etymology uncertain. Possibly derived from strijd meaning "conflict, strife" or "disputed, contested", an element in some place names.
Stringfellow English
Nickname for a powerful man, Middle English streng ‘mighty’, ‘strong’ + felaw ‘fellow’ (see Fellows).
Stroh English, German
Means "straw" when translated from German, indicating a thin man, a person with straw-colored hair, or a dealer of straw.
Strohm Upper German
From the noble name Strohmeier. Great river and electricity.
Stroll English
Stroll comes from the English word meaning to walk without hurry, probably for someone who liked to walk.
Strom German
Variant of Strahm.
Strubel German
German (also Strübel): from a diminutive of Middle High German strūp (see Strub).... [more]
Struijk Dutch
Topographic name derived from Middle Dutch struuc meaning "bush, shrub".
Struik Dutch
Variant of Struijk.
Strutz German
Variant of Strauss.
Struycken Dutch
Variant of Struijk, notably borne by the Dutch actor Carel Struycken (1948-).
Struyk Dutch (Anglicized)
Americanized variant of Struijk.
Strycker Dutch
From Dutch de Strycker, an occupational name for someone responsible for measuring out cloth or grain. See also Stryker.
Stryker Dutch
From Dutch Strijker, an occupational name for someone whose job was to fill level measures of grain by passing a flat stick over the brim of the measure, thus removing any heaped excess... [more]
Strynckx Flemish
Variant form of Dutch Streng "strong, rope, cord", a metonymic occupational name for a rope maker. Alternatively, it could be a nickname derived from streng "strict, severe, cruel".
Stuckey English
Stuckey was first found in Devonshire where they held family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence diminished after the battle of Hastings in 1066. For the next three centuries the Norman ambience prevailed... [more]
Studer German (Americanized, Rare), Russian, German
Often found in Switzerland and germany and in a more rare case Russia in north america it's a little more on the rare side
Studley English
From any number of places called Studley in Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, and North Yorkshire. The name comes from Old English stod "stud farm" + leah "pasture".
Stuhr German, Danish, German (Austrian)
A nickname for an inflexible, obstinate person.
Stuifzand Dutch
Means "drift-sand, quicksand" in Dutch, from the name of a town in the Netherlands.
Stukeley English
From a surname meaning "woodland clearing with tree stumps" in Old English.
Stukely English
Possibly meaning "stucco" or "stuck".
Stults German
The Stults surname is derived from the German word "stoltz," which means "proud," and as such, it was most likely originally a nickname, which became a hereditary surname.
Stumm German
Descriptive nickname for a mute person, from Middle High German, Middle Low German stum ‘mute’.
Stump German
From Middle Low German stump ‘tree stump’ (borrowed into Middle English), hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a prominent tree stump, or else a nickname for a short, stocky person.... [more]
Sturdivant English
Perhaps a nickname for messenger, a pursuivant or a hasty person, derived from Middle English stirten, sterten meaning "to start, leap" (ultimately from Old English styrtan) and avaunt meaning "forward" (itself from Old French).
Sturdy English
From a nickname meaning "strong".
Sturgeon English
From the word "sturgeon" from the Old French esturgeon "sturgeon". A nickname for someone who closely resembled the eponymous fish.
Sturgess English (British)
popular in 1680 in England.
Sturt English
Variant of Stuart
Sturtevant English
Variant form of Sturdivant.
Sturtz German
Sturtz comes from an alpine village in Germany. It literately means "to stumble".
Stutts German
Variation of Stutz. From the webpage: https://venere.it/en/the-meaning-and-history-of-the-last-name-stutz/ ... [more]
St Vincent English
Most likely referring to Vincent Ferrer, a friar and preacher or one of the many places called St. Vincent.
Style English
Variant of Styles.
Stylinson English (British)
Juxtaposed names Styles and Tomlinson, used to represent (relation)ship between Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles (Larry Stylinson).
Suadicani Danish (Rare), German (Rare)
A portmanteau of the Latin words suadeo and canis meaning "persuade" and "dog" respectively. Suadeo can also be used to mean "weapon", which explains the family's crest, which displays an armored gauntlet wielding a sword and a dog climbing a set of stairs... [more]
Suckling English
From a medieval nickname for someone of childlike appearance or childish character (from Middle English suckling "infant still feeding on its mother's milk"). Sir John Suckling (1609-1642) was an English poet and dramatist.
Sudlow English (British)
Apparently a habitational name from an unidentified place, perhaps Sudlow Farm in Cheshire.
Sugar German (Rare)
Sugar is the surname of talented storyteller, writer, and composer Rebecca Rae Sugar (creator of animated series Steven Universe).
Sugarbaker English
Occupational name for an owner of a sugar-house, a factory where raw sugar was made or refined, derived from Middle English sugre, suker meaning "sugar" and bakere meaning "baker".
Sugg English (British)
Surname of internet personalities Zoe and Joe Sugg. Zoe is known as Zoella on the website YouTube and has a book on sale called "Girl Online". Joe is also a YouTuber.
Suh Low German
North German from Middle Low German su ‘sow’, either a metonymic occupational name for a swineherd or an offensive nickname.
Suhr German
Nickname for a bitter or cantankerous person, from Middle Low German sūr meaning "sour".
Sullen English
Means "gloomy, ill-tempered, moody" in English, with the archaic meanings "lonely, desolate" and "mischievous, malignant, obstinate", derived from Anglo-Norman soleyn "solitary, alone".
Sullenberger German (Swiss)
Derived from an unknown place called Sullenberg or from Schallenberg in Baden, Switzerland. A famous bearer is Sully Sullenberger (1951-), an American retired Air Force fighter pilot and airline captain who is best known for saving all 155 people aboard in the 2009 ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan, after both engines were disabled by a bird strike.
Sully English
Sully, Varient of the last name Sullivan. Notable people include Alfred Sully, American Civil war officer famous for his paintings.
Sully English
English: of Norman origin a habitational name from any of the three places called Sully in Calvados (Normandy), Aisne (Picardy), & Loiret (Centre)... [more]
Sulzer German
occupational name for someone who made prepared meats from Middle High German sulzer "butcher charcutier". from a derivative of Middle High German sulze "brine" hence a topographic name for someone who lived near a spring of salty water or a habitational name for someone from any of the places called Sulz in Germany Austria Alsace and Switzerland.
Summ English
Variant of the surname Summers.
Summer English, German
From Middle English sum(m)er, Middle High German sumer "summer", hence a nickname for someone of a warm or sunny disposition, or for someone associated with the season of summer in some other way.
Summerhays English
Probably means "person living by a summer enclosure (where animals were grazed on upland pastures in the summer)" (from Middle English sumer "summer" + hay "enclosure").
Summerlee English (Rare)
This surname is originated from Old English sumer meaning "summer" and leah meaning "clearing, meadow."
Summerlin English, German, Scottish
An English surname.... [more]
Summerset English
Regional surname for someone from Somerset, an area in England. The name is derived from Old English sumer(tun)saete meaning "dwellers at the summer settlement".
Summit English (American)
Of uncertain origin and meaning.
Sumpter English
Occupational name for someone who drove a packhorse, from Middle English sompter.
Sumter English
This surname is derived from an official title. 'the sumpter.' Old French sommetier, a packhorseman, one who carried baggage on horseback
Sunday English
Denoted a person who was born on or is associated with Sunday, derived from Middle English Sonday. A famous bearer of the name was American evangelist and professional baseball outfielder Billy Sunday (1862-1935), full name William Ashley Sunday, which is an anglicized form of the surname Sonntag, as his parents were German immigrants.
Sunder English
From Sanskrit sundara‘beautiful’. This is only a given name in India, but has come to be used as a family name in the U.S.
Sunderland English
Habitational name from any of the locations with the name 'Sunderland', most notably the port city County Durham. This, along with other examples in Lancashire, Cumbria and Northumberland derives from either Old English sundor 'seperate' and land 'land' or Old Norse suðr 'southern' and land 'land' (see Sutherland)... [more]
Surface German (Americanized)
Americanized form of Zerfas.
Surfus German (Americanized)
Americanized form of Zerfas.
Surrey English
Regional name for someone from the county of Surrey.
Surridge English
From the medieval personal name Seric, a descendant of both Old English Sǣrīc, literally "sea power", and Sigerīc, literally "victory power".
Surridge English
Originally meant "person from Surridge", Devon ("south ridge").
Surridge English
Meant "person from the south" (from Old French surreis "southerner").
Susan English, Dutch, Jewish (Sephardic)
As an English (London) and Dutch surname, it comes from the feminine personal name Susanna, from Hebrew שושן (shushan) meaning "lily, lily of the valley".... [more]
Sussex English
Derived from an English county name meaning "region of the Saxons from the south" in Old English.
Süsskind Yiddish
Derived from a Medieval Yiddish given name, it is a variant of a German variant Ziskind
Sussman German, Jewish
In German, this is an elaborated form of Süß, meaning "sweet man".... [more]
Süssmann German, Jewish
A nickname for a sweet person.
Sutcliff English
From Old English sūth, meaning "south, southern" and cliff.
Sutcliffe English
Habitational name from any of the places in Yorkshire called Sutcliffe or similar, all derived from Old English suþ "south" and clif "cliff"... [more]
Sutherlin English
Variant of Sutherland
Sutter German, English
English and South German occupational name for a shoemaker or cobbler (rarely a tailor), from Middle English suter, souter, Middle High German suter, sutære (from Latin sutor, an agent derivative of suere ‘to sew’).
Sutterfield English
Possibly derives from the Old English word ''sutere'', and the Latin word ''sutor'', meaning a shoemaker.
Suttor English
English... [more]
Suurbier Dutch
Dutch cognate of Sauerbier. A famous bearer was the Dutch soccer player Wim Suurbier (1945-2020).
Swagger English (American)
Probably a nickname for someone who's confident but aggressive and arrogant.
Swaile English
Recorded in the spellings of Swaile, Swale and Swales, this is an English surname. It is locational, and according to the famous Victorian etymologist Canon Charles Bardsley, originates from either a hamlet called Swallow Hill, near Barnsley in Yorkshire, with Swale being the local dialectal pronunciation and spelling... [more]
Swain Scottish, Irish, English
Northern English occupational name for a servant or attendant, from Middle English swein "young man attendant upon a knight", which was derived from Old Norse sveinn "boy, servant, attendant"... [more]
Swan English, Scottish
Originally given as a nickname to a person who was noted for purity or excellence, which were taken to be attributes of the swan, or who resembled a swan in some other way. In some cases it may have been given to a person who lived at a house with the sign of a swan... [more]
Swanepoel Afrikaans, Dutch (Rare)
From the place name Zwaenepoel "swan pool".
Swaneveld Dutch
From the place name Zwanenveld, meaning "swan’s field" in Dutch.
Swank German (Anglicized)
Americanized form of Schwank or Schwenk. It is borne by the American actress Hilary Swank (1974-).
Swann English
Variant of Swan.
Swannell English
From the Old Norse female personal name Svanhildr, literally "swan-battle".
Swanton English
Habitational name from Swanton Court in Sevington, Swanton in Lydden, Swanton Farm in Littlebourne (all Kent), or any of the three places in Norfolk called Swanton (Swanton Abbott, Swanton Morley, and Swanton Novers)... [more]
Swanwick English
Habitational name from Swanwick in Derbyshire, possibly also Swanwick in Hampshire. Both are named from Old English swan, "herdsman," and wic, "outlying dairy farm."
Swart Afrikaans
Means "black" in Afrikaans
Swartwood English (American, Anglicized)
Variant of Swarthout, a Dutch locational name for a dweller in or near a black wood.
Swartzlander English (American)
Americanized form of German Schwarzländer, a habitational name for someone from an area of Bavaria known as Schwarzland ‘the black land’, from Middle High German swarz ‘black’ + land ‘land’.
Swasey English
Unexplained. Possibly an Anglicized form of Dutch Swijse(n), variant of Wijs "wise" (see Wise).
Swayze German (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Schweitzer. A famous bearer was American actor and singer Patrick Swayze (1952-2009).
Sweed English
Variant spelling of Sweet.
Sweeting English
Derived from Old English swete and Middle English sweting meaning "darling, sweetheart", hence a nickname for a popular and attractive person, or for somebody who habitually addressed people with the term (see Sweet).
Sweijs Dutch (Rare)
Etymology uncertain. Possibly derived from German Schweiz "Switzerland".
Swenson English, Swedish
Variant or Americanized form of Svensson or Svensen. As an English name it may also mean "son of Swain".
Swett English
Derived from the old English words "swete" and "swot".
Swiers English (British), Dutch
English (Yorkshire): variant of Swires.... [more]
Swigert German (Americanized)
Americanized form of German Schweigert or Zweigert, an occupational name for a gardener or tender of plants, from an agent derivative of Middle High German zwigen, meaning "to graft" or "to plant".
Swinburne English
habitational name primarily from Great and Little Swinburne (Northumberland) but perhaps also occasionally from one or other places similarly named from Old English swin "pig" and burna "stream" meaning "pig stream".
Swinehart English, German
Means "swine herder", from Middle High German swīn "hog, swine" and hertære "herder".
Swing English
Probably an Americanized spelling of German Schwing or from Middle High German zwinc meaning "legal district", hence possibly a metonymic occupational name for a district administrator.
Swinkels Dutch
Contracted form of Dutch des winkels meaning "from the corner". Compare Winkler.
Swinton English, Scottish
From various place names composed of Old English swin "pig, wild boar" and tun "settlement, enclosure".
Swisher German
Americanized form of German Schweitzer meaning Swiss.
Swiss English (American)
Americanized form of German Schweitz.
Switser English
Either (i) from the medieval nickname Swetesire (literally "sweet sir, amiable master"), applied sarcastically either to someone who used the expression liberally as a form of address or to someone with a de-haut-en-bas manner; or (ii) an anglicization of Schweitzer (from Middle High German swīzer "Swiss person").
Sycamore English
Probably comes from the tree Sycamore
Sydow Low German
Habitational name from any of several places so named in Germany.
Sykes English
English Surname (mainly Yorkshire): topographic name for someone who lived by a stream in a marsh or in a hollow, from Middle English syke ‘marshy stream’, ‘damp gully’, or a habitational name from one of the places named with this word, in Lancashire and West Yorkshire.
Syler German
Altered spelling of German Seiler.
Sylvester English
From the given name Sylvester.
Syme English
Variant of Symes, from a form of the given name Simon 1 (see Simms).
Symere English (American, Rare)
Name of unknown origin, typically used in the United States. It is best known as the real first name of American rapper Lil Uzi Vert.
Symmes English
Variant of Simms
Symond English
Variant of Simon.
Synge English (British)
First found in Shropshire where they had been anciently seated as Lords of the Manor of Bridgenorth, from the time of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 A.D.
Syrett English
Either (i) from the medieval male personal name Syred (from Old English Sigeræd, literally "victory-counsel"); or (ii) from the medieval female personal name Sigerith (from Old Norse Sigfrithr, literally "victory-lovely").
Sytsma Frisian
Son of Sietse/Sytse/Sijtse
Szarabajka Polish, English
His surname, Szarabajka, means "Grey Tale" in Polish. Last name is pronounced "sarah-bike-ah".
Szroeder German (Polonized), Polish
Polish phonetic spelling of German Schröder 1 or Schröder 2.
Tabak Dutch
Occupational name for a butcher or hog breeder, from Middle Dutch tucbake composed of tucken "to pull, push, strike" and bake "hog, pig; meat from the back of a pig".
Tabbert German, Frisian
From Middle Low German tabbert, Middle Dutch tabbaert ‘tabard’, a sleeveless overgarment worn by men in the Middle Ages, (ultimately from French tabard, from Late Latin tabardum)... [more]
Taber English, Polish
English: variant spelling of Tabor. ... [more]
Tabor English, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Jewish
English: metonymic occupational name for a drummer, from Middle English, Old French tabo(u)r ‘drum’.... [more]
Tacey English, English (American)
(East Midlands): From A Pet Form Of The Middle English Personal Name Eustace. Compare Stacey, Stace... [more]
Taffe English
Of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname "Ó Táth," meaning "descendant of Táth." It's believed to have originated as a personal name, possibly meaning "poet" or "philosopher."
Taiber German
German (also Täuber) and Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Taube ‘pigeon, dove’. The -er inflection denotes the male bird, but in most cases this is an occupational name for a pigeon breeder, from an agent noun derivative ending in -er(t).
Tait Scottish, English
Nickname for an energetic or cheerful person, derived from Middle English and Older Scots tayt "merry, lively". Compare Tate.
Talbert English, French
From a continental Germanic personal name composed of the elements tal "valley" and berth "bright".
Talcott English, Norman
Norman habitational name from Taillecourt in France.... [more]
Tallant English (British, ?), Norman, Irish
English (of Norman origin) occupational name for a tailor or nickname for a good swordsman, from taillant ‘cutting’, present participle of Old French tailler ‘to cut’ (Late Latin taliare, from talea ‘(plant) cutting’)... [more]
Tallent English
Habitational name from Talland in Cornwall, which is thought to be named as ‘hill-brow church site’, from Cornish tal + lann.
Tallentire English (Rare)
From a small village in Cumbria, England, meaning 'head of the land' in Cumbric.
Talley English (American)
Americanized form of Tallig.
Talley English
Variant of Tolley.