This is a list of submitted surnames in which the pattern is *er.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
LancasterEnglish From the name of a city in northwestern England derived from Middle English Loncastre, itself from Lon referring to an ancient Roman fort on the River Lune combined with Old English ceaster meaning "city, town".
LancerJewish, Polish Ornamental name from German Lanze "lance, spear" combined with the agent suffix -er.
LanierFrench, English Occupational name designating one who worked in the wool trade (see Lane 2), derived from Old French lanier (ultimately from laine) meaning "wool", or for a keeper of donkeys, from Old French asnier literally "donkey keeper, donkey driver"... [more]
LannisterLiterature Created by author George R. R. Martin for his series A Song of Ice and Fire, published beginning 1996, and the television adaptation Game of Thrones (2011-2019). The Lannisters are the wealthiest family in Westeros... [more]
LarterEnglish Uncertain etymology. Possibly a variant of the French Habitational surname Latour. Other theories connect it to Old Teutonic lahtro "place where animals bear young", or to Old English lyrt "liar, deceiver; crooked", though the latter is unlikely.
LasherEnglish Their are many possible meanings. 1. One who lashes ropes together. 2. One who lashes or wipps. 3. One who lashes out in anger.
LasterEnglish Occupational name for a shoemaker, or for someone who made lasts, a wooden tool in the shape of a foot used for stretching and shaping leather when making boots.
LatimerEnglish Occupational name for an interpreter or clerk who wrote documents in Latin, ultimately derived from Latin latinarius "interpreter, speaker of Latin".
LauderScottish, Northern Irish From a village in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders. It derives from the Celtic Lauuedder, probably indicating a rapidly flowing river, cognate with Modern Welsh llifer meaning 'to gush'.
LäuferGerman, Jewish Habitational name for someone from a place called Lauf, also an occupational name for a messenger or a nickname for a fast runner, from an agent derivative of Middle High German loufen, German laufen ‘to run’.
LaufferGerman The lauffer name is generally thought to have evolved from a place name to a surname. ... Versions of the name that evolve from the word "läufer," which meant "runner," are thought to have originally been an occupational name for a messenger.
LaunderEnglish From English launder, itself from French lavandier both meaning "washerman".
LauperGerman (Swiss) From the short form of a Germanic personal name composed of the elements liut 'people', 'tribe' + berht 'famous'. topographic name for someone who lived at a Lauben, a row of houses and stores with an arcade in front, from Middle High German loube 'arbor', 'bower', 'gallery'.
LauwerFlemish Occupational name for a tanner, from Dutch looien "to tan (leather)".
LavenderEnglish, Dutch Occupational name for a washerman or launderer, Old French, Middle Dutch lavendier (Late Latin lavandarius, an agent derivative of lavanda "washing", "things to be washed"). The term was applied especially to a worker in the wool industry who washed the raw wool or rinsed the cloth after fulling... [more]
LaverEnglish Occupational name for a washer, from French laveur (see Lavers). Also the name of a parish in Essex, England.
LawlerIrish, Scottish This Irish surname is of Gaelic language origin. The surname derives from the original Gaelic 'O'Leathlobhair' meaning 'descendant of leathlobhair'. Leathlobhair derives from 'Leath' meaning 'Half' and 'Lobhar' meaning 'leper'.... [more]
LeatherEnglish, Scottish A metonymic occupational name for a leatherworker or seller of leather goods, and derived from Middle English and Old English lether meaning "leather".
LedgerEnglish From the given name Leodegar or Legier. Alternatively, could be an occupational name for a stonemason, ultimately derived from Old English lecgan "to put, place, lay (down)".
LehnerGerman Status name for a feudal tenant or vassal, from an agent derivative of Middle High German lehen 'to hold land as a feudal tenant'. variant of Leonhardt.
LeiningerGerman Smeone from any of several places called Leiningen.
LeiterGerman From Leiter ‘leader’, status name for a foreman or for the leader of a military expedition, from Middle High German leiten ‘lead’.German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Leitner.
LemberEstonian Lember is an Estonian surname derived from "lembe", meaning "loving" and "affectionate".
LemercierFrench French surname designating a vendor of sewing materials, from the word mercier.
Le MonnierFrench Occupational surname for a miller, literally meaning "the miller" in French.
LescherGerman German metonymic occupational name for a mediator or arbitrator, or possibly for a fireman, from Middle High German leschære ‘extinguisher’.
LesterEnglish Habitational name from Leicester which is recorded as Ligeraceastre in the 10th century. The placename derives from an Old English folk name Legore "the dwellers by the river Legor (a lost river name)" and Old English ceaster "city Roman fortification" (from Latin castrum) "camp fortress".
LetcherEnglish Topographic name for someone who lived beside a stream. From Old English læcc, plus the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.
LeverFrench, English Nickname for a fleet-footed or timid person, from Old French levre "hare" (Latin lepus, genitive leporis). It may also have been a metonymic occupational name for a hunter of hares.
LeverEnglish Topographic name for someone who lived in a place thickly grown with rushes, from Old English lǣfer "rush, reed". Compare Laver. Great and Little Lever in Greater Manchester (formerly in Lancashire) are named with this word, and in some cases the surname may also be derived from these places.
L'HuillierFrench Denoted a person who produces or sells oil, from French huile "oil" with fused definite article l'. Anne Geneviève L'Huillier (1958-) is a French physicist who beat the world record for the shortest laser pulse, of 170 attoseconds.
LhuillierCebuano, Filipino Borrowed from French L'Huillier used in the Philippines. Jean Henri Diago Lhuillier (1969) is a Filipino businessman, diplomat, and sports patron.
LichterGerman, Jewish Occupational name for someone who made candles or possibly for someone who tended a light, from an agent derivative of from Middle High German lieht, Yiddish likht "candle, light".
LindenmeyerGerman Habitational name for the tenant of a farm identified by a lime tree, derived from Middle High German linde meaning "lime tree" and meier meaning "tenant farmer".
LinderGerman Derived from the German word linde, which means lime tree.
LinekerEnglish From a place name composed of Old English lin meaning "flax" and æcer meaning "field". A famous bearer is retired English soccer player Gary Lineker (1960-).
LinzmeyerGerman, Portuguese (Brazilian) Means "bailiff of Linz, Austria" in German, derived from Proto-Celtic *lentos (“bend”) and Middle High German meier meaning "bailiff, administrator", derived from Latin maior meaning "greater".... [more]
LoescherGerman German variant of Löscher, an occupational name for a fireman, from Middle High German leschen ‘to extinguish’. Als a variant of Loesch and Lescher or a derivative of Loesche.
LorimerEnglish, Scottish Occupational name for a maker or seller of bits and other metal parts of a horse's bridle, and other metal pieces, derived from Old French lorain "tackle, harness".
LuterEnglish From Middle English leuter "lute player", or else from Old French lutre "otter", either a nickname or a metonymic name for someone who hunted otters.
MacgyverScottish Prominently used in the action TV series of the same name, and the title character of that show, Angus MacGyver.
MacherGerman Either a habitational name for someone from any of several places called Machern, for example one near Leipzig... [more]
MacWhorterScottish (Anglicized) Anglicized form the surname of the Gaelic 'Mac Chruiteir', meaning 'player of the crwth', a string instrument primarily used in Celtic music. A famous bearer of this surname is the American clergyman, Alexander MacWhorter.
MagnerIrish, Germanic Irish from a pet form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, in Ireland borne by both Vikings and Normans.... [more]
MaherIrish (Rare) The originally spelling was "O'Meachair" which means the 'kindly' or the 'generous'. The Maher family resided in the O'Carrol... [more]
ManchesterEnglish Habitational name from the city in northwestern England, formerly part of Lancashire. This is so called from Mamucio (an ancient British name containing the element mammā "breast", and meaning "breast-shaped hill") combined with Old English ceaster "Roman fort or walled city" (Latin castra "legionary camp").
MarinerEnglish, Catalan Occupational name from Middle English mariner "sailor seaman boatman" (Anglo-Norman French mariner Old French mariniermarniermerinier) Catalan mariner (from Late Latin marinarius a derivative of marinus "marine").
MarkerGerman Status name for someone who lived on an area of land that was marked off from the village land or woodland, Middle High German merkære.
MarlerEnglish (British) The name Marler might be loosely tied to marl, the type of crumbly clay made up of sand, silt, or clay. The name Marler likely means to mine marl, so they were called Marlers.
MarnerEnglish, German Occupational name for a sailor from Anglo-Norman French mariner Middle, High German marnære "seaman". English variant of Mariner.
MarstellerGerman Occupational name for a stable boy in or for the supervisor of the stables on a noble estate, from Middle High German mar(c) 'noble horse' stall 'stable' + the agent suffix -er.
MasseterEnglish Perhaps means "brewery worker" (from Middle English mash "fermentable mixture of hot water and grain" + rudder "rudder-shaped stirrer").
MateerNorthern Irish (Anglicized) A variant of Mcateer used chiefly by Northern Irish Protestants. The change in spelling of the element Mac or Mc, meaning "son" in Irish, removed its bearers' connections to Irish-speaking Catholics during a time when it would have been socially beneficial to be seen as Protestant Unionists.
MeeboerDutch (Rare) Possibly an occupational name for someone who brewed or sold mead, from Dutch mede (also mee) "mead" and boer "farmer, peasant; merchant, producer (of a product)".
MeederEstonian Meeder is an Estonian surname derived from "meede (measure, arrangement)".
MeesterDutch, Flemish, German Occupational name for a teacher, lecturer or a master craftsman, or a nickname for someone who had a bossy demeanor, derived from Dutch meester meaning "master". A famous bearer of this surname is the American actress, singer and model Leighton Meester (1986-).
MelanderSwedish Combination of the element Mel-, which is unexplained but probably derived from a place name, and the common surname suffix -ander (a combination of land "land" and the habitational suffix -er)... [more]
MellerGerman Denoting someone hailing from Melle in Germany.
MeltzerGerman German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a maltster, a brewer who used malt, from German Meltzer (an agent derivative of Middle High German malt ‘malt’, ‘germinated barley’), Yiddish meltser ‘maltster’... [more]
MendlerGerman Occupational name for a maker of coats from an agent derivative of Middle High German mantel, mandel, mendel "coat".
MentzerGerman Habitational name with the agent suffix -er, either from Mainz, earlier Mentz, derived from the medieval Latin name Mogontia (Latin Mogontiacum, probably from the Celtic personal name Mogontios), or from Menz in Brandenburg and Saxony.
MertesackerGerman Means "Merten's field" in German, derived from the given name Merten and Middle High German acker meaning "field". A famous bearer is the retired German soccer player Per Mertesacker (1984-).
MesmerGerman Occupational name for a maker of knives from Middle High German messer meaning "knife". A famous bearer was Franz Mesmer (1734-1815), a German doctor known for his theory of "animal magnetism", which was eventually incorporated into the field of hypnosis.
MessengerEnglish Occupational name for someone who brings messages, from Middle English messangere, a compound of message "communication" with an agent suffix. A famous bearer of the name was Australian footballer Dally Messenger, real name Herbert Henry Messenger (1883-1959), known as Australasia's first professional rugby footballer.
MesserGerman Occupational name for an official in charge of measuring the dues paid in kind by tenants, from an agent derivative of Middle High German mezzen "to measure".
MesserScottish Occupational name for someone who kept watch over harvested crops, Middle English, Older Scots mess(i)er, from Old French messier (see Messier).
MessierFrench Occupational name for someone who kept watch over harvested crops, Old French messier 'harvest master' (Late Latin messicarius, agent derivative of messis 'harvest').
MesslerGerman Habitational name for someone from Messel near Darmstadt.
MeusburgerGerman (Austrian) The history of this last name is that it means "Mountain Dweller." Being as part of the Austrian surnames, it's a widely used one in it's home country. A few brothers had gone to various countries, as of now there is Meusburgers in Columbia, as well as the United States and throughout Europe... [more]
MidlerEnglish Nickname for a person who causes trouble or meddles in the affairs of others, derived from Middle English medeler meaning "meddler, troublemaker, one who interferes". This name is borne by the American singer, actress and comedienne Bette Midler (1945-).
MiedingerGerman Habitational name for someone from Meitingen in Württemberg.
MierDutch Derived from Dutch mier "ant", perhaps denoting an industrious person.
MilnerEnglish, Scottish Northern English (mainly Yorkshire) and Scottish: variant of Miller, retaining the -n- of the Middle English word, which was a result of Scandinavian linguistic influence, as in Old Norse mylnari.
MinerEnglish English occupational name for someone who built mines, either for the excavation of coal and other minerals, or as a technique in the medieval art of siege warfare. The word represents an agent derivative of Middle English, Old French mine ‘mine’ (a word of Celtic origin, cognate with Gaelic mein ‘ore’, ‘mine’).
MinteerIrish An Irish variation of the Gaelic surname, Macateer, "Mac" meaning "son of the".
MinterEnglish Occupational name for someone involved in the production or distribution of coins, such as a moneyer or a clerk in a mint, derived from Old English mynet "coin".
MitterGerman Topographic name for someone who lived on or owned a property that was in the middle between two or more others, especially if the others were both held by men with the same personal name (for example, Mitter Hans), from the strong form of Middle High German mitte "mid, middle".
MittermeierGerman (Austrian) Literal meaning "middle farmer" its thought to have been given to farmers living between two there farms in the mountains.
MocklerEnglish, Irish Might derived from Gaelic names Ó Mochlair or Mac Mochlair, where moch means "swift."
MonierFrench, English, French (Huguenot) French variant of Monnier and occupational name for a moneyer from Middle English monier "moneyer" (Old French monier) or for a miller from Old French monier "miller".
MontpelierEnglish, French English and French variant of Montpellier. This is the name of several places in the United States, for example the capital city of the state of Vermont, which was named after the French city of Montpellier.
MontpellierFrench Means "woad mountain", derived from French mont (itself from Latin mōns) meaning "mountain" and pastel (Latin pastellus, pestellus) meaning "woad, dye", referring to someone who lived near a mountain that was covered with woad (a plant that produces a blue dye)... [more]