PercherEnglish In textile mills, woven fabric coming off the mill / loom would pass over a frame, or rod, called a 'perch'. It was the job of the 'Percher' to examine the cloth for defects, and repair them when they were found... [more]
PerlmutterJewish Jewish (Ashkenazic): ornamental name from German Perlmutter ‘mother-of-pearl'.
PernierItalian A famous bearer is the Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier (1874 - 1937), who discovered the mysterious Phaistos disc on the Greek island of Crete.
PesurEstonian Pesur is an Estonian surname meaning "washer".
PettiferEnglish Nickname for a good infantryman, an old soldier who had lost a foot, or a person who was never tired of walking, derived from Old French pedefer, pied de fer meaning "iron foot".
PfefferGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a spicer, or a nickname for a person with a fiery temper, for a small man, or for a dark-haired person. Derived from German Pfeffer "pepper".
PfotenhauerGerman High German, carpenter's and woodworker's main occupation. Actual old German translation is "paw slapper" or "large paw" as in an animal (bear).
PicklerEnglish Derived from the occupation of "pickler," which referred to someone who worked in the pickling industry, preserving foods such as vegetables or meats in brine or vinegar.
PilcherEnglish Occupational name for a maker or seller of pilches, from an agent derivative of Pilch. In early 17th-century English, pilcher was a popular term of abuse, being confused or punningly associated with the unrelated verb pilch "to steal" and with the unrelated noun pilchard, a kind of fish.
PilgaonkarKonkani, Indian Pilgaonkar is a Konkani surname used mostly in Goa by Konkani Hindus. Sachin Pilgaonkar of Bollywood fame is a famous person with that surname... [more]
PillerEstonian Piller is an Estonian surname meaning "stanchion".
PitcherEnglish, German From an agent derivative of Middle English pich ‘pitch’, hence an occupational name for a caulker, one who sealed the seams of ships or barrels with pitch. English variant of Pickard... [more]
PitsenbargerGerman Probably an altered spelling of Bezzenberger, which is derived from Boizenburg, a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
PittlerFrench A surname which originally belonged to a person who lived by a pit or hollow. Meaning "King of the Pit" or "King of the Hollow".
PlayfairEnglish From a medieval nickname for an enthusiastic competitor in sports and games (from Middle English pleyfere "companion in play, playmate"), or else a different form of Playford (from a Suffolk place-name meaning "ford where sports are held")... [more]
PlumerGerman, English, Dutch North German (Plümer) and English: variant of Plum, the suffix -er denoting habitation or occupation. Altered form of South German Pflümer, an occupational name for a grower or seller of plums, from an agent derivative of Middle High German pflume ‘plum’... [more]
PlumierFrench, Belgian Possibly an occupational name for a dealer in feathers and quills, from an agent derivative of Old French plume "feather, plume" (compare English and Dutch Plumer)... [more]
PlummerEnglish 1. Occupational name for a worker in lead, especially a maker of lead pipes and conduits, from Anglo-Norman French plom(m)er, plum(m)er ‘plumber’, from plom(b), plum(b) ‘lead’ (Latin plumbum)... [more]
PoehlerGerman German (Westphalian): topographic name for someone who lived by a muddy pool, from an agent noun derived from Middle Low pol ‘(muddy) pool’.
PolitzerHungarian, German, Jewish Habitational name derived from any one of several places called Police (known as Pölitz in German) in the Czech Republic. Hugh David Politzer (1949-) is an American theoretical physicist who, along with David Gross and Frank Wilczek, discovered asymptotic freedom.
PõlluäärEstonian Põlluäär is an Estonian surname meaning "arable (land) side".
PortierFrench occupational name for the gatekeeper of a walled town or city, or the doorkeeper of a great house, Old French portier (from Late Latin portarius)... [more]
PotierFrench An occupational name for a maker of drinking and storage vessels, from potier "potter", an agent derivative of Old French pot "drinking vessel"... [more]
PrieurFrench from prieur Old French prior "prior" a monastic official immediately subordinate to an abbot (from Latin prior "superior") hence an occupational name for a servant of a prior or an ironic nickname... [more]
PriorEnglish Occupational surname for a prior (a high-ranking official in a monastery), ultimately from Latin prior meaning "superior, first".
PriorIrish Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mac an Phríora meaning "son of the prior".
ProctorEnglish Occupational name from Middle English prok(e)tour "steward" (reduced from Old French procurateour, Latin procurator "agent", from procurare "to manage"). The term was used most commonly of an attorney in a spiritual court, but also of other officials such as collectors of taxes and agents licensed to collect alms on behalf of lepers and enclosed orders of monks.
PudiwitrCzech Originally Pudivitr, or Pudivitrova(female only). V was switched to W when the family came to the U.S., though there are both names in the U.S.
PuharSerbian (Modern, Rare) The last name of the contestant Mirjana Puhar from America's Next Top Model, who originally was born in Serbia. She died on February 24, 2015, aged 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
PulitzerHungarian, German, Jewish Variant form of Politzer. A famous bearer was the Hungarian-American businessman, newspaper publisher and politician Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911). His family came from Hungary, but they were of Czech origin.
PulsipherItalian (Anglicized) from the nickname meaning "handsome man" of a member of the Italian Pulci family who settled in England around the time of the Norman conquest
PulverLow German, French, English I comes from the Latin verb meaning "to make powder." This name was given to either an alchemist or one who made gunpowder.
PuntarSlovene, Croatian Derived from a 19th century phrase that denoted someone who supported the unification of the Kingdoms of Croatia and Dalmatia within Austria-Hungary.
QuadererGerman Nickname for someone stocky, from Middle High German quader meaning "building stone".
QuakerEnglish, Scottish This surname was used to indicate someone who worked as a son of a vicar, who was a priest in charge of a parish in which most or all of the tithes were paid to another recipient, while the vicar received a stipend.
RaaperEstonian Raaper is an Estonian surname, possibly derived from "raapiik", meaning "yardarm" (the outer extremity of a ship's yard).
RaderGerman 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.
RadlerGerman Occupational name, which was derived from the kind of work done by the original bearer. It is a name for a wheelmaker or wheelwright. The name stems from the German noun rat, meaning wheel. The origin is more clear in the variant Rademacher
RaffenspergerGerman Altered spelling of Ravensburger or Ravensberger, a habitational name for someone from Ravensburg in Württemberg, but there are a number of similar surnames, for example Raffenberg, a farm name near Hamm, and Raffsberger.
RafterIrish, Scottish The original Gaelic form of Rafter was O Raithbheartaigh, which was modified to O Raifeartaigh. The surname is derived from the words rath bheartach meaning prosperity wielder.
RainwaterEnglish (American) Americanized form of the German family name Reinwasser, possibly a topographic name for someone who lived by a source of fresh water, from Middle High German reine ‘pure’ + wazzer ‘water’.
RamserGerman, German (Austrian) Habitational name derived from either any of several places called Ramsen in Germany and Switzerland, or from places in Austria and upper Bavaria called Ramsau... [more]
RamseyerSwiss Note: the 'Ramseyer Song' in Switzerland
RändurEstonian Rändur is an Estonian surname meaning "itinerant" and "migrant".
RandviirEstonian Randviir is an Estonian surname meaning "beach line/bar".
RangerEnglish, German, French English: occupational name for a gamekeeper or warden, from Middle English ranger, an agent derivative of range(n) ‘to arrange or dispose’.... [more]
RapierDutch Dutch: perhaps from Middle Dutch rapiere ‘foil, sword’, for someone carrying such a weapon, or form a topographic name Raepier ‘land on which rapes are grown’.... [more]
RastoderBosnian Possibly derived from hrast, meaning "oak", and derati, meaning "tearing, to tear".
RatherGerman, Jewish 1. Occupational name for a counsellor or nickname for a wise person, from Middle High German rater ‘adviser’. ... [more]
RathgeberGerman From Middle High German ratgebe or Middle Low German ratgever "giver of advice, counselor", an occupational name for an adviser or wise man.
RatzingerGerman Ratzinger means that someone has origins in the town of Ratzing. There are several German towns with this name. RATZ means ‘Serb’. Serbs were indigenous people in Germany, and many German cities originally had Serbian names (Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Brandenburg)... [more]
RäuberGerman, German (Swiss) German, Swiss German: derogatory nickname, from Middle High German roubære ‘robber’, ‘bandit’, ‘highwayman’ (from roub, roup ‘booty’, ‘spoils’).
RechnerGerman Occupational name from Middle High German rechenære "reckoner keeper of accounts".
RectorEnglish Status name for the director of an institution, in particular the head of a religious house or a college. Also an anglicized form of Richter.
RedenbacherGerman (Americanized) Habitational name for someone from any of several places in Bavaria and Austria called Rettenbach, derived from German bach "stream" and an uncertain first element; possibly Old Germanic retten "swamp, moor", reudan "to clear (land), clearing", or roden "to redden, become red".
ReifingerGerman 1 German: perhaps a habitational name for someone from any of several places called Reiting in Bavaria and Austria, or from a Germanic personal name, a variant of Rediger .... [more]
ReimerGerman From a Germanic personal name, a reduced form of Reinmar, composed of the elements ragin "counsel" + mari, meri "fame".
ReisenauerGerman Probably denoted a person from a minor place called Reisenau, or a topographic name for someone living by an overgrown water meadow, derived from Middle High German ris meaning "undergrowth" and owe meaning "water meadow".
ReiserGerman, Upper German Habitational name for someone from Reis or Reissen in Bavaria (see Reis). An occupational name from Middle High German reisære ‘warrior’, ‘traveler’... [more]
ReisnerJewish Jewish (Ashkenazic) nickname for a traveler, from an agent derivative of German reisen ‘to travel’ (see Reise). Also a variant of Reis.
ReisnerGerman A habitational name for someone from a place called Reisen (for example in Bavaria), Reissen in Thuringia, or Reussen on the Saale river. A variant of Reiser Also from an agent derivative of Middle High German, Middle Low German rise ‘veil’; perhaps an occupational name for someone who made veils.
ReisserUpper German An occupational name for a woodcutter, Middle High German risser.
ReizigerDutch, Dutch (Surinamese) Derived from Middle Dutch reisiger meaning "traveller, voyager", ultimately from Middle High German meaning "soldier on horseback". It is notably borne by the Dutch former soccer player Michael Reiziger (1973-).
RellerGerman (Swiss) Occupational name for a miller, derived from the Swiss German dialect term relle meaning "grist mill".
ReusserSwiss, German, Upper German In Switzerland, an occupational name for a fisherman or maker of fish traps, from an agent derivative of Middle High German riuse "fish trap, weir basket". A nickname from an agent noun based on Middle High German riusen "to moan or complain"... [more]
ReznorGerman May be a variant of the German surname Reisner, a habitational name for someone from a place called Reisen (for example in Bavaria), Reissen in Thuringia, or Reussen on the Saale river.
RibarCroatian Derived from ribar, meaning "fisherman".
RibchesterEnglish This name originates from the small village in Lancashire that shares the same name. Interestingly, most people with the name 'Ribchester' are in Lancashire, but a lot are also found in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
RidingerGerman A habitational name for someone from a place named Riding or Rieding. It is also possibly an altered spelling of Reitinger, a topographic name from Reit(e), which means ‘clearing’ (Old High German riuti).
RingerEnglish From the Norman name Reinger or Rainger derived from the Germanic elements ragin meaning "advice, counsel" and ger meaning "spear"... [more]
RipperEnglish Means "maker, seller or carrier of baskets" (from a derivative of Middle English rip "basket").
RocherFrench From French roche, meaning "rock'. It indicates a person who worked at a quarry.
RochesterEnglish Means "person from Rochester", Kent (probably "Roman town or fort called Rovi"). A fictional bearer of the surname is Mr Rochester, the Byronic hero of Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre' (1847).
RochesterEnglish Habitational name from one of three places in Northumberland called Rochester, with names whose early spellings are very similar and sometimes difficult to distinguish from each other... [more]
RockefellerGerman Means "from Rockenfeld." Some famous bearers include founder of the Standard Oil Company and philanthropist John Davison Rockefeller (1839-1937), and 41st Vice President of the U.S.A. Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (1908-1979).
RoeberLow German Habitational name from a place named Roben, for example in Thuringia or Schleswig. From a Germanic personal name based on hrod ‘renown’, ‘victory’. Low German variant of Räuber and Rauber.
RohrGerman, Jewish Topographic name for someone who lived in an area thickly grown with reeds, from Middle High German ror. Also a habitational name from one of the several places named with this word.
RosemeyerGerman Derived from the Middle High German rose meaning "rose" and meier meaning "(tenant) farmer steward". This is a German nickname and distinguishing name for a farmer who grew or liked roses.
RoserGerman German: topographic name for "someone who lived at a place where wild roses grew" (see Rose 1), with the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.German (Röser): habitational name from places called Rös, Roes, or Rösa in Bavaria, Rhineland, and Saxony, or a variant of Rosser.Swiss German (Röser): from a short form of a Germanic personal name based on hrod "renown".English: "unexplained".
RosevearCornish, English From the name of a Cornish village near St Mawgan which derives from Celtic ros "moor, heath" and vur "big".
RosierFrench French for "rose tree" or "rose bush". A common surname in Francophone areas. It is also the name of a fallen angel who was considered the patron demon of tainted love and seduction.
RothackerGerman Either a topographic name based on a field name derived from Middle High German riutenroten "to clear land (for cultivation)" and acker "field"... [more]
RotterGerman Variant spelling of Rother, an occupational name for the foreman or leader of a group or association of men, or a work gang, from an agent derivative of Middle High German rotte ‘team’, ‘gang’... [more]
RöverGerman This surname was originally used as a derogative nickname for an unscrupulous individual, from Middle Low German rover meaning "pirate, robber."
RoverEnglish, German (Anglicized) This surname is derived from Middle English roof (from Old English hrof) combined with the agent suffix (i)er, which denotes someone who does/works with something. Thus, the surname was originally used for a constructor or repairer of roofs.... [more]
RuckerGerman Middle High German: nickname rucken "to move or draw". North German: nickname from Middle Low German rucker "thief", "greedy or acquisitive person". German: from a reduced form of the Germanic personal name Rudiger... [more]
RudererGerman Occupational name meaning "Rower" in German.
RuegerGerman The name was likely first bestowed on someone thought to have the characteristics of a heron as a nickname, eventually becoming a hereditary surname.