Submitted Surnames Starting with Z
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
ZABALETABasqueThis indicates familial origin within either of 2 eponymous localities: the vicinity of the tower house in the Navarrese municipality of Lesaka or the neighborhood of the municipality of Nabarniz.
ZABELGermanThe surname has multiple meanings. It may come from a Slavic given name, or the High German word
zabel, meaning "board game" - given, perhaps, as a nickname to those who played many board games.
ZÁČEKCzechŽáček means "small school boy" in Czech. A famous bearer is Chicagoan writer Dennis Začek.
ZACHARYEnglishA reference to
Sacheverell, a location in Normandy. May also refer to the given name Zacharias, meaning "to remember God," or "the Lord recalled."
ZACHEREnglishA reference to
Sacheverell, a location in Normandy. May also refer to the given name Zacharias, meaning "to remember God," or "the Lord recalled."
ZACHRYEnglishA reference to
Sacheverell, a location in Normandy. May also refer to the given name
Zacharias, meaning "to remember God," or "the Lord recalled."
ZACKERTEnglish, GermanAn Americanization of the German surnames Zacher and Zachert. It comes from a vernacular form of the personal name Zacharias.
ZADEHPersianFrom Persian زاده
(-zâde) meaning "offspring (of)", also often used as a suffix for patronymic-based Persian surnames.
ZADRANPashtoMeaning unknown. This is the name of a Pashtun tribe inhabiting Afghanistan and Waziristan (Pakistan).
ZADZISAIShonaZadzisai means "you must fulfil - a pledge or promise".
The name is given as a reminder to fulfil a pledge or promise.
ZAGERGermanhabitational name from ZAGER, a place near Wollin
ZAGÓROWSKIPolishThis indicates familial origin within either the Lesser Polish village of Zagórowa or the Greater Polish town of Zagórów.
ZAGURSKIPolishDerived from the Polish places Zagórz and Zagórze. Also given to those who lived on the side of a hill opposite a main settlement -
za means "beyond" and
góra means "hill".
ZAHAVIHebrewDerived from Hebrew זָהָב
(zaháv) meaning "gold".
ZAHNGermanZahn was a nickname given to a person with a peculiar tooth or a strange or defective set of teeth. It comes from the Middle High German
Zan(t), which means "tooth".
ZÄHNEGermanThe German surname Zähne is derived from the Middle High German word "zan," which means "tooth." It is believed that the surname takes its origin from a nickname, most likely bestowed on the original bearer due to either a prominent tooth or a missing tooth.
ZAHNERGermanName given to people who lived in Zahna, near Wittenberg.
ZAHNISERGermanAlteration of German
Zahneisen and/or
Zahnhäuser and/or
Zahneiser. Refers to someone from a place called Zahnhausen. Also refers to those who made false teeth out of iron:
Zan means "tooth" and
iser means "iron" or "ironworker".
ZAHRANIArabicFrom the Arabic زهراني
(zahran) meaning "flowering, blossoming"; ultimately from زَهْرَة
(zahra) meaning "flower, blossom" (see
Zahrah). This surname is prevalent in Saudi Arabia.
ZAKPolishA nickname given to youthful or studious people. Comes from the Polish
zak, meaning "student" or "schoolboy". It originally meant "novice" or "candidate for the priesthood", and so in some cases it is perhaps a nickname for someone who had been destined for holy orders.
ZAKHAEVRussianRussian surname, likely a derivative of the given name
Zakhey combined with the Russian suffix "-ev" ("of"), therefore meaning "of Zakhey."...
[more] ZALBIDEABasqueThis indicates familial origin within either of 2 eponymous localities: the commune in the French canton of Bidaxunerria, Amikuze eta Oztibarre or the neighborhood of the municipality of Urduliz in the Spanish comarca of Uribe Kosta.
ZALDIBARBasqueThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality in the comarca of Durangaldea. It’s Castilianized form is
Zaldívar.
ZALDÍVARBasque, SpanishDerived from Basque
zaldi meaning "horse" combined with
ibar meaning "valley". This is also the name of a town in Biscay, Spain.
ZALEPolish (Anglicized)Possibly from a Polish surname, the meaning of which is uncertain (it may have been a variant of the surname
Zalas which originally indicated one who lived "on the other side of the wood", from
za "beyond" and
las "forest").
ZALUSKYUkrainianDerives from the Slavic word
zalew, meaning "bay" or "flooded area". Given to families who lived near water or areas that flooded often.
ZAMFIRRomanianFrom
zamfir, a variant of the Slavonic word
samfir or
safir meaning "sapphire".
ZAMLOCHGerman (Austrian)Altered, likely Americanized or Germanized, version of the Czech surname
Zemlicka. Zemlicka derives from
žemle, meaning "bread roll," and was a name given to bakers....
[more] ZAMORASpanishComes from the ancient city of Zamora in Northwest Spain. It means "wild olives."
ZAMUDIOBasqueThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality.
ZANAMWESouthern AfricanZimbabwean Surname, originally from the Chivi area, shona speaking people of the Shumba(lion) totem originate from the Masvingo province, Mwenezi, Chitanga,Chikombedzi, Boli Chibwedziva. Some migrated to the Mashonaland East province Mhondoro area and assumed the Moyo(heart) totem
ZANEEnglishMeaning unknown. It could be a Americanization of the German surname
Zahn.
Zane is also used as a given name.
ZANIItalianComes from the personal name Z(u)an(n)i, a northeastern (Venetian) form of Gianni (from Giovanni, Italian equivalent of John). Zani or Zanni is a comic figure in the Commedia del’Arte, and the surname may be a nickname derived from this use, which is also the origin of the English word zany.
ZANNIItalianFrom the first name
Gianni, which derives from
Giovanni, which is the Italian version of
John, which means "the grace/mercy of the Lord." ...
[more] ZAPATASpanishOccupational surname for a shoemaker; derived from the Spanish word
zapato meaning "shoe".
ZARATEBasqueNamed after Zarate, a place in Araba province, Spain. Zarate comes from the Basque word
zara, meaning "thicket".
ZARAUTZBasqueThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality.
ZAREMBAPolishName for a woodcutter, derived from polish "zarabac", meaning to hack or chop.
ZARGARIPersianDerived from Persian زرگر
(zargar) meaning "goldsmith", ultimately from زر
(zar) "gold".
ZARIŅŠLatvianFrom Latvian
zars meaning "branch, twig" combined with
-iņš, a diminutive suffix.
ZASLAVSKYRussian, JewishRussian Jewish surname derived from Iziaslav (also called Zaslav), the name of a city in Volhynia, Ukraine.
ZATARAINBasqueFrom the Biscayan and Gipuzkoan dialects of Basque; topographic surname meaning someone who lived or lives near a Shrub tree.
ZATZJewishAbbreviation of the Hebrew phrase
Zera TSadikim "seed of the righteous", assumed in a spirit of pious respect for one’s ancestors.
ZAZAIPashto, AfghaniMeaning unknown. The Zazai (or Zazi) are a Karlani Pashtun tribe in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
ŻBIKOWSKIPolishThis indicates familial origin within the Lesser Polish village of Żbikowice.
ZDROJEWSKIPolishHabitational name for someone from any of several places called Zdroje or Zdrojewo, in particular in Bydgoszcz voivodeship, named with Polish zdroje meaning "springs","spa".
ZEBRZYDOWSKIPolishThis indicates familial origin within the Lesser Polish village of Zebrzydowice.
ZECHMANJewishOccupational name from Yiddish tsekh meaning "guild" or "craft corporation" and man "man".
ZEGAMABasqueThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality.
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, LuxembourgishWestern 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’.
ZEITOUNArabicDerived from the Arabic زَيْتُون
(zaytūn) meaning "olive", a cognate of the Maghrebi
Zitouni. It could also be linked to the famous El-Zeitoun district in Cairo, Egypt.
ZELAYABasqueBasque surname related to the Euskara word for "field".
ZELDINJewishMeans "son of
Zelde", a Yiddish female personal name based on Middle High German
sælde "fortunate, blessed".
ZELLERGerman, Dutch, English, JewishOriginally 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.
ZELMERLÖWSwedish (Rare)Rare Swedish surname composed of the name of the family's ancestor
Selma Löf. One bearer is Swedish artist Måns Zelmerlöw (b.1986) who won Eurovision Song Contest 2016.
ZELNICKJewishOccupational name for a tax collecter, comes from Yiddish
tselnik which means
haberdashery.
ZELNÍČKOVÁCzechFeminine form of
Zelníček, this is the maiden name of Donald J. Trump's first wife,
Ivana Zelníčková Trump.
ZENGINTurkishFrom Turkish
zengin meaning "rich", ultimately from Persian سنگين
(sangin).
ZENGOTITABasqueThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous neighborhood of the municipality of Mallabia.
ZENNERUpper GermanSouth German: unflattering nickname for a surly, snarling person, from an agent derivative of Middle High German zannen 'to growl or howl' or 'to bare one's teeth'.
ZERAFAMalteseDerived from Arabic زَرَافَة
(zarāfa) meaning "giraffe" or ظَرِيف
(ẓarīf) meaning "charming, elegant, graceful".
ZEROUALArabic (Maghrebi)Derived from Arabic أزرق
(ʾazraq) meaning "blue" (chiefly Moroccan and Algerian). A notable bearer is Liamine Zéroual (1941–), the former President of Algeria from 1994 to 1999.
ZESCOIEnglishderived from the word zesty when used to describe someone
ZETTERBERGSwedishCombination of Swedish
säter "mountain pasture" and
berg "mountain, hill".
ZGŁOBICKIPolishThis indicates familial origin within the Lesser Polish village of Zgłobice.
ZGŁOBIEŃIAKPolishHabitational name for somebody who comes from the village of Zgłobień in Poland.
ZHUANGChineseDerived from Chinese 莊
(zhuāng) meaning "village, farmstead, hamlet" or "villa, manor".
ZHUGEChineseOne of the rare Chinese double character surnames. It is ranked 314th in the Hundred Family Surnames. The first character
諸 can be read as "all, these, various" and the second character
葛 as meaning "vine, vines"...
[more] ZIANIItalian (Rare, Archaic)Habitual surname denoting someone from Ziano, a locality in Italy. Unrelated to the Maghrebi surname of the same spelling.
ZICKUHRGermanZickuhr is a German surname that means "zigzag." Although, some person believe that Zickuhr means "cuckoo clock."
ZIDANEArabic (Maghrebi)From the given name
Zaydan, which in turn is derived from Arabic زاد
(zāda) meaning "to add, to increase". A notable bearer is
Zinedine "Zizou" Zidane (1972-), a former French footballer of Algerian descent.
ZIĘBAPolishFrom ‘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.
ZIELSDORFGermanHabitational name from an unidentified place, perhaps Ziersdorf in Lower Austria.
ZIVANAIShonaZivanai means "You must know each other". #This name is a call to family and relatives to get to know each other by visiting and fellowship - usually so that they do not drift apart"
ZOHARHebrewDerived from the the given name
Zohar meaning "light, brilliance" in Hebrew.
ZOLDANItalianfrom the name place Zoldo. Zoldan indicates also the name of a little valley North from Venice.
ZOLOTAREVRussianMeans "son of the goldsmith" derived from Russian золотарь
(zolotar) meaning "goldsmith".
ZOPFGermanNickname for someone who wore his hair in a pigtail or plait, Middle High German zopf, zoph, or from a field name from same word in the sense ‘tail’, ‘end’, ‘narrow point’.
ZORANSKYGerman (East Prussian)The surname Zoransky (alternatively Zoranski) is of Prussian origin and traces back to 1525 when Prussia was formed. The surname Zoransky or Zoranski is of nobility class, however, the family was stripped of its rights and titles in 1834 during the Needle losses which took place 1794-1870...
[more] ZOREFBiblical HebrewZoref, spelled צורף in Hebrew and pronounced Tzo-ref, though the typical American pronunciation is with a Z, means "Goldsmith" in both Biblical and Modern Hebrew, Zoref does not necessarily connote working only with gold; rather, it is a metalsmith that works with any kind of metallic substance....
[more] ZORNGermanFrom Middle High German
zorn "wrath, anger". A notable bearer was Swedish painter Anders Zorn (1860-1920) whose father was German.
ZOROROShonaZororo means "rest". #It may be given to mean that the parent has rested after the birth of this child". Zimbabwean politician Zororo Duri was a well known bearer of this name.
ZOUAOUIArabic (Maghrebi), BerberDerived from French
zouave, in turn from Arabic الزواويون
(al-zuwâwiyun), referring to a member one of the Algerian Kabyle tribes of
Zuwâwa (also spelled
Zouaoua; known as the ⵉⴳⴰⵡⴰⵡⵏ
(Igawawen) in Tamazight)...
[more] ZOZAIABasqueThis indicates familial origin within the eponymous neighborhood of the Navarrese municipality of Baztan.
ZRNIĆSerbianDerivative of Serbian tribal name located in Ozrinići, Montenegro.
ZSIROSHungarianHungarian surname derived from the Serbo-croation word
žȋr meaning "acorn".
ZUBELDIABasqueA famous bearer of this surname is Aritz Aduriz Zubeldia, a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Athletic Bilbao as a striker.
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] ZUCCOLIItalianThe surname Zuccoli was first found in Udine, a town in Venetia and capital of the province of Udine. An old walled city it dates back to early Roman times. There is an old castle (1517) in the center of the town which is now used as a museum and art gallery...
[more] ZUCKERBERGGerman, JewishMeans "sugar mountain" from German
zucker meaning "sugar" and
berg meaning "mountain, hill".
ZUFALLMedieval GermanA 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...
[more] ZUGRĂVESCURomanianPatronymic surname of uncertain origin. It may be derived from the verb
a zugrăvi meaning "to paint, to describe figuratively" and therefore mean "The descendant of he who describes/paints".
ZUILLEnglish, ScottishFrom the town of Zuill, Scotland. The "Z" pronounced as "Y" comes from ancient yogh representing a variety of sounds. The name itself is of unknown origin.