Browse Submitted Surnames

Aamissepp Estonian
Aamissepp is an Estonian surname meaning "cooper". From "aam" (genitive: "aami", partitive "aami" meaning a "big barrel" and "sepp", meaning "smith".)

Agatep Filipino, Ilocano
Means "thatcher, roof maker" in Ilocano.

Alabaster English
From the name of a whitish kind of gypsum used for vases, ornaments and busts, ultimately deriving from Greek alabastros, itself perhaps from Egyptian 'a-labaste "vessel of the goddess Bast"... [more]

Balistreri Sicilian
Means "archer, crossbowman" or "crossbow maker" in Sicilian.

Baril French
During the middle ages, when people were named after their given job, Baril was what winemakers and brewers were named. Baril simply means "Barrel" or "Keg"

Barile Italian
From Italian barile "barrel" either an occupational name for a Cooper or a nickname for a fat man.

Barilla Italian
Occupational name from medieval Greek barellas "cooper" from Italian barella "barrel" with the suffix (e)as.

Bender German, German (East Prussian)
As a German surname, Bender is a regional occupational surname from the Rhineland area denoting a "barrel-maker" (the Standard German Fassbinder became "Fassbender" in the local dialects and ultimately was shortened to Bender).... [more]

Besemer German
Occupational name meaning "broom maker".

Bittenbinder German
Occupational name for a cooper, from Middle High German büte(n) "cask", "(wine) barrel" + binder "binder" (agent derivative of binden "to bind").

Boettcher German
Occupational name for a cooper, from Middle High German botecher, bötticher, bütticher, an agent derivative of botech(e), bottich, bütte "vat", "barrel".

Bottai Italian
From bottaio "cooper, barrel-maker".

Bottaro Italian
Possibly from Italian bottaio "cooper, barrel-maker".

Botticelli Italian
Etymology uncertain. It can derive from the Italian word botte meaning "barrel" and from the occupation bottaio meaning "cooper". In the case of Sandro Botticelli it has probably another origin... [more]

Butkereit German (East Prussian)
Derived from Prussian-Lithuanian butkėrė (Standard Lithuanian butkėrė), a Balticized form of German Böttcher "cooper, barrel maker" combined with the East Prussian German patronymic suffix -eit.

Büttner German
Occupational name for a cooper or barrel-maker, an agent derivative of Middle High German büte(n) "cask", "wine barrel". This name occurs chiefly in eastern German-speaking regions.

Cabell Catalan, English, German
As a Catalan name, a nickname for "bald" from the Spanish word cabello. The English name, found primarily in Norfolk and Devon, is occupational for a "maker or seller of nautical rope" that comes from a Norman French word... [more]

Ciaramitaro Italian
From Sicilian ciaramidaru "roof tile maker, potter", ultimately from Ancient Greek κέραμος (keramos) "potter's clay, pottery, tile".

Ciubotaru Romanian
Means "boot maker" in Romanian, the one that makes boots ("ciubota" (singular), regionalism for "cizma"/"gheata"). Not the same with "shoe maker" (or "Schumacher" in German) as the Romanian "Ciubotar" refers strictly to boots and not all kinds of shoes.

Cordell English
Means "maker of cord" or "seller of cord" in Middle English.

Crock English
Meaning "barrel," signifying one who made or worked with barrels.

Cutler English
Given to a "knife maker" or a man that "makes cutlery"

Daruwala Indian (Parsi)
Means "wine maker" or "wine seller" from Hindi दारू (dārū) meaning "liquor, wine, alcohol" and the suffix -वाला (-vālā) denoting an occupation.

Fassbinder German
Variant of Kiefer 2, from German Fass "barrel, keg, cask" and binder "girder, tie". Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1945-1982) was a German filmmaker, dramatist and actor, considered as one of the major figures and catalysts of the New German Cinema movement.

Feltscher Romansh
Derived from Romansh feltscher "scythe-maker", ultimately from Latin falcarius "scythe-maker; sickle-maker".

Fernel French
Derived from French ferronel, a diminutive of (obsolete) ferron "maker or seller of iron".

Gleave English
Means either "sword-maker" or "sword-seller", or else from a nickname applied to a skilled swordsman (in either case from Middle English gleyve "sword").

Goldner German
"Gold maker, gilder".

Haftek Polish
“From the english occupation name describing a maker of handles for tools - a hafter”... [more]

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.

Hornton English (Rare, Archaic)
Derived from the surname Horton or perhaps used to describe a horn maker meaning “maker of horns.”

Kalashnik Ukrainian
Means "maker of kalaches", a variant of калачник (kalachnik) - itself composed of калач (kalach), a type of bread, and the agent suffix -ник (-nik). See also Kalashnikov.

Kalashnikov Russian
Means "son of the kalach-maker", derived from Russian калашник (kalashnik), a variant of калачник (kalachnik) "maker of kalaches" - kalach being a type of bread - combined with ‎the patronymic suffix -ов (-ov)... [more]

Karakas Hungarian
Means "maker of wheels".

Kessler German, Jewish
Means "kettle-maker, tinker", denoting a maker of copper or tin cooking vessels, derived from Middle High German kezzel meaning "kettle, cauldron". In some instances, it could have referred to the shape of a landform.

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.

Klingemann German
Occupational surname for a knife maker, literally meaning "knife maker, weapons smith". It is derived from German klinge meaning "blade".

Knifati Arabic
Means "Knafeh maker," given to pasty makers specializing in Knafeh, a filo-dough middle-eastern pastry typically filled with cheese and syrup.

Kodikara Sinhalese
Derived from Sinhala කොඩිය (kodiya) meaning "flag, banner" and Sanskrit कार (kara) meaning "maker, doer", possibly an occupational name for a person who made flags.

Kübarsepp Estonian
Kübarsepp is an Estonian surname meaning "hat maker" (literally, "hat smith").

Kübler German, German (Swiss)
Derived from Middle High German kübel "tub vat barrel", this is an occupational surname referring to a cooper.

Kumbhakar Indian, Bengali, Hindi
From Sanskrit कुम्भकार (kumbhakara) meaning "potter", derived from कुम्भ (kumbha) meaning "jar, urn, pot" and कार (kara) meaning "maker, doer".

Kuperus Dutch
Latinized form of Kuiper "barrel cooper".

Lacasse French
Means "box maker"

Leivat Estonian
Leivat is an Estonian surname derived from "leivatehas" meaning "baker" ("bread maker").

Liimatainen Finnish
The meaning is: "Son of a Glue Maker"

Longbow English (American, Anglicized, Modern)
"Maker of strings".

Lorimer English
Means "maker or seller of metal items of a horse's harness and associated equipment (e.g. bits and spurs)" (from Anglo-Norman loremier, a derivative of Old French lorain "harness").

Malakar Indian, Bengali, Assamese
Means "florist, maker of flower garlands" in Bengali and "gardener" in Assamese.

Mesina Italian
From Sardinian mesina "keg, small barrel", probably given as a nickname to someone with a round or fat build.

Naismith English
Means either "nail-maker" (from Old English nægelsmith) or "knife-maker" (from Old English cnīfsmith).

Nestler German
Derived from the middle high German word nesteler meaning "maker of string or thread".

Ōtsutsuki Popular Culture
This surname is used as 大筒木 with 大 (tai, dai, oo-, -oo.ini, oo.kii) "large, big," 筒 (tou, tsutsu) meaning "cylinder, gun barrel, pipe, sleeve, tube" and 木 (boku, moku, ki, ko-) meaning "tree, wood."... [more]

Pabalat Tagalog (Filipinized, Archaic)
A Filipino surname meaning "cover, saddle" or "saddle maker". This surname was probably created when a Spanish surveyor conducts a census sometime in the 19th century in Cavinti, Laguna, Philippines... [more]

Palliser English
Means "maker of palings and fences" (from a derivative of Old French palis "palisade"). In fiction, the Palliser novels are a series of six political novels by Anthony Trollope, beginning with 'Can You Forgive Her?' (1864) and ending with 'The Duke's Children' (1880), in which the Palliser family plays a central role.

Panksepp Estonian
Panksepp is an Estonian surname meaning "bank smith". May also be derived from "pangsepp", meaning "bucket smith/maker".

Pelsmaker Dutch
Occupational name for a pelt maker, from Dutch pels "pelt, fur" and maker "maker"

Potisepp Estonian
Potisepp is an Estonian surname meaning "spade/shovel maker (smith)".

Puddephatt English
Probably from the unattested Old English *pudi "fat, swollen; round in the belly" combined with fæt "vat, cask, barrel", a nickname for someone with a large paunch, or perhaps who was known for drinking.

Rader German
Variation of Rademacher, meaning "maker of wheels" in German ("rat" meaning wheel), later shortened to Rader and other variations such as Redder, Raeder, Redler, etc.

Ripper English
Means "maker, seller or carrier of baskets" (from a derivative of Middle English rip "basket").

Sattler German
An occupational name meaning "saddle maker".

Schildhauer German
First appeared during the Middle Ages in Central Europe/Germany. The name means "Shield-Maker" and suggests correlation to Blacksmiths or or other forms of metalwork in the time period.

Schirmacher German
occupational name for someone who makes harnesses and bridles for horses from Middle High German geschirre "harness" and macher "maker".

Schops German
Means "scoop maker"

Sieber German
The roots of the German surname Sieber can be traced to the Old Germanic word "Siebmacher," meaning "sieve maker." The surname is occupational in origin, and was most likely originally borne by someone who held this position

Sievewright English
Denoted a person who makes sieves, from Middle English sive "sieve" and wyrhta "maker, craftsman".

Stellmacher German
occupational name for a cartwright from late Middle High German stelle "carriage" (originally "frame chassis") and mahhon "maker"... [more]

Stellrecht German
Occupational name for a cartwright, from Middle High German stel "framework" and reht (from Old High German wurht-) "maker". Compare English -wright.

Tamrakar Newar, Indian
Means "copper maker; craftsman" in Sanskrit. This is used by the Tamrakar caste of Nepal and India, and mainly of Newar ethnicity in Nepal.

Tõllasepp Estonian
Tõllasepp is an Estonian surname meaning "coach maker" or "coach smith"; derived form the compound words "tõld" (coach, chariot) and "sepp" (smith).

Trummel Estonian
Trummel is an Estonian surname meaning "drum" and "barrel".

Tubb English
Derived from the Middle English given names Tubbe and Tubbi, themselves possibly diminutives of Old Norse Þórbjǫrn (see Thorburn)... [more]

Vareli Greek
Means "barrel" in Greek.

Wannemacher German, 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]

Weingartner German
Derived from German weingärtner meaning "wine maker, vintner", which itself is derived from German weingarten meaning "vineyard". The latter is a composite word consisting of German wein "wine" combined with German garten "garden"... [more]

Wildsmith English
Probably means "maker of wheels, wheelwright".

Wimmer German
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.

Yapıcı Turkish
Means "builder, maker, constructor" in Turkish.

Zilčyan Armenian
Means "cymbal-maker" in Armenian, from Ottoman Turkish زلجی (zilci) "cymbal-maker" with a surname forming suffix.