AamisseppEstonian Aamissepp is an Estonian surname meaning "cooper". From "aam" (genitive: "aami", partitive "aami" meaning a "big barrel" and "sepp", meaning "smith".)
AbadJudeo-Spanish Nickname from abad ‘priest’ (from Late Latin abbas ‘priest’, genitive abbatis, from the Aramaic word meaning ‘father’). The application is uncertain: it could be a nickname, an occupational name for the servant of a priest, or denote an (illegitimate) son of a priest.
AbadžićSouth Slavic Means "son of the cloak-maker, descendant of the woolen coat tailor" from abadžija (or abadzhija), which comes from the Turkish word abacı, meaning “cloak-maker” or “wool-worker” combined with the suffix -ić which means "son of" or "descendant of".
AbagnaleItalian Either an occupational name for a shepherd or a person who lived near a sheepfold (derived from Italian abbagnale meaning "good shepherd, good sheepfold"), or a topographic name for someone who lived in a wet or swampy area (from abagnato meaning "drenched, soaked")... [more]
AbajianArmenian The surname Abjian is a patronymic from Turkish abacι ‘maker or seller of coarse woolen cloth or garments’, from aba ‘coarse woolen cloth’.
AbajyanArmenian From Turkish abacı referring to a maker or seller of woollen homespun cloth or garments, ultimately from aba meaning "coarse woollen cloth".
AbelleiraGalician Means "beehive, apiary" in Galician, either used as an occupational name for a beekeeper or a habitational name for someone from any of various places in Galicia called Abelleira (derived from the same word).
AbitbolJudeo-Spanish Means "father of drums" (figuratively referring to a drum maker) from Arabic أَبُو (abū) meaning "father" and طَبْل (ṭabl) meaning "drum".
AbshireEnglish (American), German (Americanized) Probably an altered form of Upsher. In some cases, it could instead be an Americanized form of German Ibscher, a nickname for someone living on unallotted land derived from Middle High German überscher "surplus"... [more]
AdelsteinGerman, Jewish Variant of Edelstein. Paul Adelstein (1969-) is an American actor known for his role as Paul Kellerman in the 2005-2017 television series Prison Break.
AderEstonian Ader is an Estonian surname meaning "plow".
AdornadoFilipino Derived from the given name Adorno meaning "adorned". However, its root actually came from Spanish meaning “decoration, embellishment, ornament”... [more]
AdornoSicilian Means "honey buzzard" in the Calabrian dialect, a nickname given to someone with a hawklike appearance, or an occupational name for a falconer.
AgrasGalician, Catalan (Rare) Refers to ancient type of grape. Possibly given to someone was known for being a bit tart or sour in personality, or that they owned or worked on a vineyard or in the wine-making industry.
AgrazSpanish Refers to an ancient type of grape. In Spanish, agraz means "sour grape, unripe grape, verjuice" Possibly an occupational name for someone who worked on a vineyard or in the wine-making industry... [more]
AidlaEstonian Aidla is an Estonian surname meaning "store/goods area".
AignerGerman (Austrian) German: from an agent derivative of Middle High German aigen ‘own’ a status name originally denoting a landowner who held his land outright rather than by rent or feudal obligation. In the Middle Ages this was sufficiently rare to be worthy of remark and was normally a special privilege granted in recognition of some exceptional service... [more]
AikmanEnglish, Scottish Either a modified form of Akerman or Agemund (see Agmundr), or derived from a coven name composed of Old English ac "oak" and man "person, man".
AjaSpanish Means "adze" in Spanish, denoting a person who uses the tool.
AjtósiHungarian Derived from a destroyed medieval settlement in Békés County, meaning "with door" in Hungarian, from Hungarian ajtó "door". It could also mean "doormaker" in Hungarian.
AkıncıbayTurkish (Rare) From Turkish akıncı meaning "akinji, cavalry soldier, raider" and bay meaning "gentleman".
AkinnuoyeWestern African, Yoruba Means "chief warrior" in Yoruba. A famous bearer is English actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (1967-).
AlabanzaSpanish Means "praise" in Spanish, possibly denoted for a worshipper. from Spanish alabar "to praise" and a suffix. Travis Alabanza (1995-) is a British performance artist, writer, and theatremaker.
AlcaldeSpanish Spanish: from alcalde 'mayor' from Arabic al-qāḍī 'the judge' a title dating from the days of Moorish rule in Spain.
AldermanEnglish Occupational name for a person who is a member of the governing body of a city or borough, from Middle English alderman, a compound of Old English ealdor "elder" and man.
AleghieriMedieval Italian (Tuscan, Rare, Archaic) It has a hard to trace meaning, but the research shows that the meaning might be "clurgyman's family" or "son of professers." People know this last name for the poet Dante Aligheri who wrote the Dievine Comedy.
AlemdarTurkish Occupational name for a carrier of flags, banners or ensigns, from Turkish alem meaning "banner, flag".
AlfieriItalian From Italian alfiere "standard-bearer, ensign", ultimately from Arabic فارس (al-faris) "horseman, rider; knight, cavalier". May alternately derive from the Germanic given name Adalfarus, meaning "noble journey".
AlhadeffJudeo-Spanish Possibly an occupational name for a weaver from Arabic الهداف (al-̣haddāf) meaning "the weaver's shuttle". Alternately, it may be from Arabic الهدى (al-hadā) meaning "the guided one".
AlifierisGreek From Italian alfiere "standard-bearer, ensign" cognate to the Italian surname Alfieri.
AlmiraSpanish, Spanish (Philippines) Occupational surname meaning "admiral", referring to the highest rank in the navy, derived from the Spanish almirante meaning "admiral"
Al MokaddemArabic History: Descendants of the blessed Fatima the daughter of prophet Mohammed in the Arabian Peninsula.... [more]
AltmeyerGerman Status name for an older steward, headman, or tenant farmer, as distinguished from a younger one, from Middle High German alt ‘old’ + meier ‘steward’, ‘headman’, ‘tenant farmer’
AmatayakunThai (Rare) Means "government officer clan", from Thai อมาตย (amataya-) meaning "government official; public officer; bureaucrat" and กุล (kun), a transcription of Pali kula meaning "clan".
AmburEstonian Ambur is an Estonian surname meaning "arbalist (crossbowman)"
AmigasayaJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 編笠屋 (Amigasaya) meaning "Amigasa Store", from 編笠 (amigasa) meaning "braided hats", referring to a store that sells braided hats.
AmmannUpper German, German (Swiss) Alemannic form of Amtmann "official". Ultimately derived from Middle High German ambet man "retinue man; retainer", this word came to denote various kinds of administrator including a tax farmer.
AmmazzalorsoItalian Means "slaughter the bear" from Italian ammazzare "to kill, to murder" and orso "bear", given as an occupational name to someone who hunted bears, or as a nickname to someone considered to be courageous or bold.
AmslerGerman (Swiss) Derived from German Amsel "(European) blackbird", this was an occupational name for a fowler (bird catcher).
AmusanJapanese (Rare) The Amusan Clan (秋道一族, Amusan Ichizoku) is a prominent clan in Kanazawa. Since its disbandment, most of its known members reside in Neuilly-sur-Seine ,Britain and Washington D.C.
AnabukiJapanese 穴 (Ana) means "hole, pit" and 吹 (buki) means "blow into".
AnbarArabic Means "amber" in Arabic (see English name Amber). Notable actress Nihal Anbar was born in 1960.
AndishmandOld Persian ANDISHMAND (pronounced: AEN-DEESH-MAND, in the West D is silent), Origin Middle-Persian, means one who thinks (i.e. an intellectual). Given to people of Persian and non-Persian descent of diverse Persian or Central Asian ethnic and religious backgrounds (including Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians) based on a person's profession that requires thinking (technocrat, writer, poet, intellectual).
ApelsinovmRussian From Russian aпельсин (apel'sin) meaning "orange (fruit)". Probably denoted to someone who worked with oranges or lived by orange trees.
ApfelGerman, Jewish Means "apple" in German, from Middle High German apfel, an occupational name for someone who grew or sold apples. As a Jewish name, it is ornamental.
ApicellaItalian Possibly derived from a diminutive of Italian ape "bee", an occupational name for a beekeeper, or perhaps a nickname for an industrious person. Alternatively, it could derive from the Latin cognomen Apicius.
AppelGerman, Dutch, Jewish, Yiddish From Low German Appel, Middle Dutch appel, or Yiddish epl "apple", an occupational name for a grower or seller of the fruit. As a Jewish surname, it is generally ornamental rather than occupational.
AppelmanDutch Occupational name from Middle Dutch apelmanger "apple seller".
ArabacıTurkish Occupational name for a driver, maker or seller of carts and wagons, from Turkish araba meaning "cart, carriage".
ArablePopular Culture An occupational surname for people who are capable of being farmed productively. Also used in the novel Charlotte's Web (1952).
AradhyaIndian, Sanskrit Means "one who worships god". Commonly seen in India, Karnataka and other parts of India like kashi. They wear holy thread (yagnopaveetha).
AraldiItalian Means “heralds” in Italian. Famous bearers include Italian painters Alessandro Araldi (c. 1460 – c. 1529) and Paolo Araldi (18th century – after 1820).
ArceriItalian From Italian arciere "archer, bowman". May alternately be from a place name, such as Arcera.
ArcidiaconoItalian Means "archdeacon" in Italian, denoting someone who worked for an archdeacon or acted like an archdeacon.
ArcillaSpanish (Philippines) From Spanish arcilla meaning "clay," derived via Latin from Greek ἄργιλλος (árgillos), ultimately from ἀργός (argós) meaning "white."
ArderEstonian Arder is an Estonian surname meaning, possibly a corruption of "ader", meaning "plow".
ArendiEstonian Arendi is an Estonian surname derived from "arendaja" meaning "developer".
ArgentisGreek Means "silver" in Italian, originally used as an occupational name for a silversmith or a nickname for a person with gray hair. Greek version of the Italian surname Argenti.
ArgentoItalian Means "silver" in Italian, originally used as an occupational name for a silversmith or a nickname for a person with gray hair.
ArmasSpanish Occupational name for an arms maker or soldier, from Spanish armas meaning "arms, weapons".
ArmijoSpanish Derived from the Spanish adjetive "armigero", meaning "one who bears arms". First found in the Northern Region of Spain in Cantabria. Alternate spellings include: Armijos, Armigo, and Armija.
ArmourScottish, Northern Irish From Middle English, Old French armure, blended with the agent noun armer (see Armer), hence an occupational name for a maker of arms and armor. The collective noun armure denoted offensive weapons as well as the more recently specialized sense of protective gear.
ArousiJewish, Hebrew, Judeo-Arabic, Arabic Yemenite Jewish and Arabic name possibly deriving from Arabic words aroosi, "bridal, relating to a wedding", rousi, "groom". El Aroussi, a variant, is found densely in Morocco and Francophone populations (France, Canada).
ArquetteFrench From arquet meaning "little bow" or "little arch" (diminutive of arche, from Latin arcus). It was originally an occupational name for an archer, but the French word arquet(te) is also found in the sense 'market trader' (originally, perhaps, one with a stall underneath an arch)... [more]
ArrotinoItalian Occupational name meaning "knife-sharpener, knife-grinder" in Italian.
ArrowsmithEnglish Occupational name for someone who made the iron tips for arrows.
ArsenaultFrench (Acadian) From French arsenal meaning "workshop". This is the occupational surname for someone who worked at an arsenal.
AsaJapanese Variously written, sometimes with characters used phonetically. It can mean ‘morning’, but the most likely meaning is ‘hemp’, making it a topographic or occupational name. Both forms are found mostly in Amami, one of the Ryūkyū Islands.
AsariIndian, Hindi, Malayalam From a caste originating from Kerala, India. They belong to a larger group called Vishwakarma. The caste name is mostly linked to the community of people who do carpentry work.
AsensioBasque It signifies "dweller at the place where the blackberry bushes grew."
AshmanEnglish, Anglo-Saxon Derived from Anglo-Saxon Æscmann, a byname meaning "pirate, seaman", composed of æsc "(boat or spear made of) ash tree" and man "person, man"... [more]
AškāpuBabylonian Means "leatherworker", deriving from the Akkadian aškāpu ("a leatherworker , a cobbler , a shoemaker").
AßmanGerman Derived from Middle Low German asse "axle", this name used to denote an axle maker. In some cases, however, it can also be a variant of Asmussen.
AstGerman German and Ashkenazic Jewish: from German Ast ‘knot (in wood)’ hence a nickname for a tough or awkward individual or a metonymic occupational name for a lumberjack. ... [more]
AstoreItalian Derived from Italian astore meaning "goshawk", an occupational name for a falconer, or a nickname for a person who had aquiline features or who was cunning by nature.
AuberjonoisFrench A French last name meaning "armourer". Actor René Murat Auberjonois is a notable bearer.
AubuchonFrench (Modern, ?) The Aubuchon name is French, but of uncertain origin. It is probably from the patronymic prefix au + buchon, a dialect term for a woodcutter (Standard French bûcheron).
AugelloItalian Italian (Campania) dialect variant of Uccello ‘bird’, hence either a nickname for a diminutive, birdlike person or an occupational name for a fowler. Compare Auciello.
AvenaItalian, Spanish Means "oats" in Spanish and Italian, an occupational surname for a grain grower or merchant. It can also be a toponymic surname derived from Avena, Calabria.
AviñaGalician Galician surname referring to someone who "lives by a vineyard", from d’Aviña, a variant of da viña.
AvogadroItalian An occupational name for a lawyer or public official with administrative duties. Ultimately from Latin advocator, "advocate".
AwadArabic Occupational name for a player or maker of lutes, ultimately derived from Arabic عود ('ud) meaning "oud, lute".
AwwadArabic Alternate transcription of Arabic عواد (see Awad).
BaackGerman, North Frisian Either from a reduced form of the Germanic personal name Baldeke (a short form of any of the compound names with the first element bald "bold, brave ", for example Baldewin), or from Middle Low German baec, bake "pork, bacon", hence a metonymic occupational name for a butcher or pig farmer.
BabaylanVisayan From "babaylan" which were pre-Hispanic priestesses or mediums. The root word of which is "babaye" which is Cebuano for woman.
BacalRomanian, Jewish Derived from Romanian bacal, an alternative form of băcan meaning "grocer".
BacallRomanian, Jewish Variant spelling of Bacal. A famous bearer was the American actress Lauren Bacall (1924-2014).
BaccellieriItalian From baccelliere "batchelor", a title for a young knight, or a university disciple who had studied Canon Law for 5 years and Civil Law for 7 years.
BacchusEnglish (i) Variant of Backus (meaning "one who lives in or works in a bakery", from Old English bǣchūs "bakehouse, bakery"), the spelling influenced by Bacchus (name of the Greek and Roman god of wine).... [more]
BaciuRomanian Romanian surname from the word "baci" (shepherd)or the capitan of the game "oina".
BackhouseEnglish (British), English (Australian) Denoted someone who worked in a bakery, from Old English bæchūs meaning "bakehouse, bakery", a word composed of Old English *bæc "something baked" and hus "house".
BackmanEnglish, Swedish, German Combination of Old English bakke "spine, back" and man "man". In Swedish, the first element is more likely to be derived from Swedish backe "hill", and in German the first element can be derived from German backen "to bake"... [more]
BaconEnglish, French, Norman An occupational surname for someone who sold pork, from Middle English and Old French bacun or bacon, meaning 'bacon', which is ultimately of Germanic origin. Can also be derived from the Germanic given names Baco, Bacco, or Bahho, from the root bag-, meaning 'to fight'... [more]
BacriJudeo-Spanish Possibly derived from Arabic بكر (bikr) meaning "firstborn, eldest". Alternately it may be an occupational name for a cowherd or cattle merchant from بقر (baqar) meaning "cattle".
BadeGerman Occupational name for a messenger, derived from an element related to Old Germanic budą "message, offer".
BaishōJapanese Bai (倍) means "double", while shō (賞) means "Prize" or "Award". When you combine the two, it would likely mean "Double the Award".
BajajIndian, Punjabi, Hindi Occupational name for a clothier from Punjabi ਬਜਾਜ (bajaj) meaning "cloth merchant", ultimately derived from Arabic بزاز (bazzaz).
BakshiIndian, Bengali, Punjabi Derived from Persian بخشی (baxši) meaning "paymaster, scribe, secretary", used as a title for officials who distributed wages in Muslim armies.
BalTurkish Means "honey" in Turkish, originally denoting a person who worked as a beekeeper.
BalDutch Means "ball, sphere" in Dutch, a nickname for a ball player or someone who made balls, or a habitational name for someone who lived by a landmark shaped like a ball. Cognate to English Ball.
BalcıTurkish Means "beekeeper" in Turkish, ultimately from bal meaning "honey".
BaldacchinoMaltese Derived from Italian baldacchino meaning "baldachin (or baldaquin)", referring to a type of canopy placed over a throne. It was originally used as an occupational name for a maker of baldachins.
BallasterEnglish Meant "person who makes or is armed with a crossbow" (from a derivative of Middle English baleste "crossbow", from Old French).
BallesteroSpanish Means "crossbowman" or "crossbow builder" in Spanish, derived from Spanish ballesta "crossbow".
BallutFrench Derived from Old Occitan baluter, cognate of French bluter (via Middle French beluter), meaning "to sift, to sieve, especially the flour from the bran", this name used to denote a miller.
BalsamGerman Occupational name for a seller of spices and perfumes.
BanovićSerbian, Croatian "Son of a Ban", the -ić "son of" suffix with ban, the title of class of Croatian nobility beginning in the 7th century approximately equivalent to viceroy, lord or duke, stemming potentially from the Turkic bajan ("rich, wealthy").
BarbeGerman From Middle High German barbe, the name of a species of fish resembling the carp; hence by metonymy an occupational name for a fisherman or fish dealer, or possibly a nickname for someone thought to resemble the fish in some way.
BarbeauFrench Derived from barbeau meaning "barbel", a type of fish, hence a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman, or a nickname for a man with a sparse beard, the fish being distinguished by beardlike growths on either side of its mouth... [more]
BarchoCircassian Possibly derived from an Adyghe word meaning "band, lace", referring to someone who made ropes or binding tapes, or from a Chechen word referring to a tailor.
BarileItalian From Italian barile "barrel" either an occupational name for a Cooper or a nickname for a fat man.
BarillaItalian Occupational name from medieval Greek barellas "cooper" from Italian barella "barrel" with the suffix (e)as.
BarjaktarovićMontenegrin Derived from barjaktar (барјактар), meaning "flag bearer, standard bearer".
BarkerEnglish SURNAME Town cryer, or someone who shouts out notices
BarkisEnglish Meant "person who works in a tannery" (from Middle English barkhous "tannery" - bark was used in the tanning process). A fictional bearer is Barkis, a carrier in Charles Dickens's 'David Copperfield' (1849) who sends a message via David to Clara Peggotty that "Barkis is willin'" (i.e. to marry her).
BarkusEnglish Probably a reduced form of Barkhouse, a topographic name for someone who lived by a tannery, Middle English barkhous, or an occupational name for someone who worked in one.
BarónSpanish nickname from the title barón "baron" applied as a nickname or as an occupational name for a member of the household of a baron; or from an old personal name of the same origin in the sense "free man"... [more]
BarreauFrench Possibly a variant of Barreur, an agent derivative of barrer ‘to bar’, ‘to close or block off’, hence possibly an occupational name for a jailer or doorkeeper.
BarretoPortuguese Occupational name for a cap maker. Comes from barreto which means ‘cap’.
BarrowmanEnglish A man employed in wheeling a barrow; specifically, in coal-mining, one who conveys the coal in a wheelbarrow from the point where it is mined to the trolleyway or tramway on which it is carried to the place where it is raised to the surface.
BaruaIndian, Assamese From a military title historically used in Assam, derived from an Ahom word meaning "ten thousand" (referring to the number of soldiers under the command of such an officer).
BaryshnikovmRussian From Russian барышник (baryshnik), meaning "an immoral salesman".
BarzagliItalian Probably from barezzo, an old word of Germanic origin used to denote people who bred pigs or sold ham.