TedderEnglish From the Middle English word Thedere or Teddere which either comes from the Old English name Thēodhere or the Germanic name Theudher. Alternatively, it could be an occupational name from the Middle English Teddere, meaning “one who teds”... [more]
TeissièrOccitan Occupational name meaning "weaver", ultimately from Latin texarius.... [more]
TejeroSpanish Occupational Spanish surname for a tiler, its origin may be in Saragossa, Spain. A famous bearer is Antonio Tejero, a Lieutenant Colonel who was responsible for the 23-F coup attempt.
TeklićCroatian Derived from teklić, a rare form of the word "messenger".
TelferScottish, English, Italian From a personal name based on a byname for a strong man or ferocious warrior, from Old French taille or tailler "to cut" + fer "iron" Latin: ferrum "iron" (see Tagliaferro).
TempleEnglish, French Occupational name or habitational name for someone who was employed at or lived near one of the houses ("temples") maintained by the Knights Templar, a crusading order so named because they claimed to occupy in Jerusalem the site of the old temple (Middle English, Old French temple, Latin templum)... [more]
TemplerEnglish Templer is an Old English surname denoting either a servant of one of the Knights Templar, or a person living near or serving at a church. The meaning is “church attendant”.
TemplierFrench French cognitive and variant of Temple given to someone who wa a member of the Templar order.
TennantEnglish, Scottish The Strathclyde-Briton people of ancient Scotland were the first to use the name Tennant. It is a name for someone who works as a tenant farmer. The name was applied to those who paid for the rent on their land through working the fields and donating a percentage of the take to the landlord... [more]
TerwilligerEnglish An anglicized version of the Dutch surname, Der Willikeur, meaning "a by-law; a statute". Also, Der willige-waar, means "serviceable ware", or "ware that sells well" and could be related as well.
TesauroItalian metonymic occupational name for a treasurer or person in charge of financial administration from Old Italian tesauro "treasure treasury" (from Latin thesaurus "hoard"). It may also be from the personal name Tesauro with the same origin.
TeslaSerbian From a special kind of ax a woodworker would use - adze, called tesla.... [more]
TesoroSpanish, Italian from tesoro "treasure" (from Latin thesaurus "hoard") applied as a metonymic occupational name for a treasurer. In some cases this may be a habitational name from El Tesoro in southern Spain... [more]
TessierFrench Occupational Name For A Weaver, From Old French Tissier (From Late Latin Texarius, A Derivative Of Texere ‘To Weave’). It Is Also Found In England As A Surname Of Huguenot Origin. Compare Tacey.
ThainScots, English Occupational surname meaning a nobleman who served as an attendant to royals or who was awarded land by a king.
ThaneScots, English Occupational surname meaning a nobleman who served as an attendant to royals or who was awarded land by a king. Variant of Thain.
TheumaMaltese Most likely derived from Arabic ثُوم (ṯūm) meaning "garlic", used in reference to someone who grew garlic or owned a garlic field. Alternatively, it may also be from تَوْأَم (tawʾam) meaning "twin, double".
TimoneyIrish (Gallicized) The name Timoney is an Irish name. It originated in the west of Ireland. In Irish it is O'Tiománaí. Tiománaí means driver in Irish.
TokarevRussian Patronymic name derived from Russian токарь (tokar) meaning "turner". A turner was a person who used a lathe to create small objects from wood or bone. A notable bearer of this name was the Russian-American singer and songwriter Willi Tokarev (1934-2019).
TõldseppEstonian Tõldsepp is an Estonian surname meaning "carriage" or "coach smith".
TolivarAsturian (Modern, Rare), English (Rare) Variant of Tolliver. Apparently, this name may have originated in Candamo, Asturias, in the 18th (or earlier) century. The "var" last syllable may be related to "fer," and the meaning may be related to iron, e.g. iron miner, iron refiner, etc... [more]
TõllaseppEstonian Tõllasepp is an Estonian surname meaning "coach maker" or "coach smith"; derived form the compound words "tõld" (coach, chariot) and "sepp" (smith).
TornatoreItalian Derived from Italian tornatore meaning "turner", which refers to a craftsman who turns and shapes various materials (such as wood and metal) on a lathe. In other words: this surname is the Italian cognate of the English surname Turner... [more]
TorreyEnglish Means "conqueror, victor" in Old English.
TozerEnglish Tozer is a surname commonly believed to have originated in Devon, South West England. It is a reference to the occupation of carding of wool which was originally performed by the use of teasels (Latin carduus), via the Middle English word tōsen, to tease (out).
TraegerGerman Derived from the German word Trager which means "Someone who carries something." Traeger could also mean "gift of God."
TrainEnglish English (Devon): 1. metonymic occupational name for a trapper or hunter, from Middle English trayne, Old French traine ‘guile’, ‘snare’, ‘trap’. ... [more]
TransonFrench Possibly from Old French tronçon "block of wood", perhaps an occupational name for a woodcutter.
TreadwellEnglish Occupational name for a fuller, a person who cleaned and shrunk newly woven cloth by treading it. It is derived from Middle English tred(en) "to tread" and well "well".
TreialEstonian Treial is an Estonian surname meaning "turner".
TrejoSpanish Spanish habitational surname, for someone from Trexo, a place in Asturias in northwest Spain.
TrexlerGerman It is derived from the Middle High German "Drehseler," meaning "turner," and was most likely initially borne by a turner or lathe worker.
TrezeguetFrench Meaning uncertain, possibly an occupational name derived from Old French treize, treze meaning "thirteen" and guet (itself from Old French gué) meaning "look-out, watch, vigil"... [more]
TrippierEnglish This surname is derived from an occupation. 'a tripherd,' a goatherd, Yorkshire and Lancashire. 'Trip, a flock of sheep, a herd of swine or goats' (Halliwell).
TriskaCzech Meaning "splinter" in Czech. Nathan Triska is a celebrity born in 1999.
TrotterEnglish, Scottish, German Northern English and Scottish: occupational name for a messenger, from an agent derivative of Middle English trot(en) 'to walk fast' (Old French troter, of Germanic origin). ... [more]
TroxelGerman Roots of the German surname Troxel can be found in the region of Hesse, where the name originated. Troxel may be an occupational name, derived from the Middle High German word "truhsaesee," meaning "leader." In this case, Troxel would be a variation of the German surname Truchsess.
TroyerGerman (Anglicized) Surname common among the Amish and the Mennonites. It is the Pennsylvania German form of the German last name "Dreier", "Dreyer" or "Treyer". Hans Treyer, an early Anabaptist leader, died as a martyr of his faith in Bern in 1529... [more]
TrustyEnglish This is a late medieval occupation descriptive name given to a professional witness, in effect an early Solicitor, the name deriving from the Olde French "Attester" - one who testifies or vouches for a contract or agreement.
TsuryūJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 釣 (tsu), from 釣り (tsuri) meaning "fishing; angling" and 流 (ryū) meaning "flow of water, style", referring to a fisher.... [more]
TuppenEnglish It comes from people who shepherds. The word tup refers to a male sheep, and pen comes from where the sheep were kept. Tupping is a word used to refer to the mating of sheep and may also be related.
TurturroItalian, Sicilian Metonymic occupational name for a groom (a person employed to take care of horses), derived from Sicilian turturo, (ultimately from Italian tortoro) meaning "straw, hay, plait used for strapping horses"... [more]
TütüncüTurkish Occupational name for a grower or seller of tobacco, from Turkish tütün meaning "tobacco".
TüürEstonian Tüür is an Estonian surname meaning "(boat) rudder".
TuveriItalian Possibly from Sardinian Campidanese tuvera, meaning "pipe of the bellows", indicating someone who worked at a forge.
TweedelEnglish Tweedel is Scottish for "the dell on the tweed river"
TwineEnglish Metonymic occupational name for a maker of string or thread, and derived from Old English twin meaning "thread, string".
TwinerEnglish Occupational name for a maker of thread or twine; an agent derivative of Old English twinen meaning "to twine".
UhlířCzech Uhlíř is a originally craftsman dedicated to the production of charcoal. It is also called a person involved in the distribution of coal.... [more]
UhrGerman, Jewish Derived from the given name Ulrich. In Jewish, it is a metonymic occupational name for a watch or clock maker, derived from German uhr meaning "watch, clock".
ÜlgeküttEstonian Ülgekütt is an Estonian surname derived from "hülgekütt" meaning "seal hunter".
UmabeJapanese From Japanese 馬部 (umabe), a shortened word for 馬飼部 (umakaibe) meaning "horse feeding department".
VaišysmLithuanian Possibly from vaišės ("feast, entertainment") or a related word.
VakiliPersian Derived from Persian وکیل (vakil) meaning "lawyer, attorney".
ValletFrench, English French topographic name from a diminutive of Old French val "valley" (see Val ) or a habitational name from (Le) Vallet the name of several places mainly in the northern part of France and French and English occupational name for a manservant from Old French and Middle English vallet "manservant groom".
Van De LeestDutch Possibly an allusion to the shoemaker's profession, whether or not through a house name 'De Leest', which may have been the name of a shoemaker's building. A last is a (wooden) shape over which shoes are formed.
VanderpanDutch Means "of the bannner" meaning most likely indicates ancestry of high-ranking occupation.
VangardeFrench "(A soldier) in the leading edge of an army formation"
Van SmootDutch Americanized spelling of Dutch Smout, a metonymic occupational name for someone who sold fat or lard, Dutch smout, or a nickname for someone who had a taste for, and could afford, rich foods.
VargeidNorwegian Invented by Sverre Kristian (then) Olsen and his brother Willy Anfinn (also then) Olsen. They thought Olsen was boring, and invented the new Vargeid.
VaskEstonian Vask is an Estonian surname meaning "copper".
VassEnglish Status name denoting a serf, Middle English, Old French vass(e), from Late Latin vassus, of Celtic origin. Compare Welsh gwas "boy", Gaelic foss "servant".
VassarFrench, English Name indicating the status of "a vassal or serf" in feudal society.
VaynerYiddish Weiner is a surname or, in fact, the spelling of two different surnames originating in German and the closely related Yiddish language. In German, the name is pronounced vaɪnɐ(ʁ),of which the rare English pronunciation vaɪnər is a close approximation... [more]
VəzirovAzerbaijani Means "son of the vizier", from the Arabic title وَزِير (wazīr) denoting a minister or high-ranking official in an Islamic government.
VeeversEnglish Means "dealer in foodstuffs" (from Old French vivres "victuals").
VeilleuxFrench variant of veilleur, a night guard of nightwatch.
VelamaIndian, Telugu It is a Telugu name, denoting mainly agricultural laborers.
VellalaIndian, Tamil It is a Tamil name, denoting agricultural laborers.
VerdierFrench, Norman, English Occupational name for a forester. Derived from Old French verdier (from Late Latin viridarius, a derivative of viridis "green"). Also an occupational name for someone working in a garden or orchard, or a topographic name for someone living near one... [more]
VerneFrench, English As a French surname refers to someone who lived where alder trees grew. While the English version can mean someone who lived where ferns grew, Verne can also mean a seller of ferns which in medieval times were used in bedding, as floor coverings and as animal feed.
VeryardMedieval Spanish (Rare) Rumour has it that the surname De-Veryard represented a Spanish occupation, but unclear what that might be - have never been able to establish the origin.
VeskiEstonian Veski is an Estonian surname meaning "mill".
VicaireFrench Means "vicar" in old French From Latin vicarius. French cognitive of Vicario.
VicaryEnglish (British) There are a number of theories as to the origins of the name, Spanish sailors shipwrecked after the Armada and French Huguenots fleeing the Revolution are two of the more romantic ones. It is more likely to have come as someone associated with the church - the vicar, who carried out the pastoral duties on behalf of the absentee holder of a benefice... [more]
ViceconteItalian Means viscount in Italian, Originally for served as or worked for a viscount.
VickersEnglish Means "son of the vicar". It could also be the name of someone working as a servant of a vicar.
VietmeyerGerman German: distinguishing name for a tenant farmer who was a tenant of or owed some obligation to an estate or monastery named for Saint Veith.
VigneronFrench Means "vintner" in French from vin "wine" (from Latin vinum).
ViinEstonian Viin is an Estonian surname, derived from "viinapuu", meaning "grape".
VirayFilipino, Tagalog, Pampangan, Pangasinan Occupational name derived from Tagalog, Pampangan and Pangasinan biray referring to a type of small, flat-bottomed rowing boat.
VirtuosoEnglish (American), Spanish, Italian This Italian surname could possibly be connected to those whose ancestors were involved in playing a musical instrument or somehow connected to the musical instrument industry.
VlachodimosGreek Occupational name for a person who builds walls.
VoborníkCzech, Slovak Příjmení Voborník vzniklo dle svého bydliště, tedy z obory. Oborníky mívali naši předkové, byli to správcové nebo strážcové obor, lesní a hajní v oborách (slovo toto žije v příjmení Oborník, Voborník)... [more]
VogelmannGerman occupational name for a birdcatcher from Middle High German Middle Low German fogal "bird" and mann "man".
Vogt Von HeselholtMedieval German Toponymic variant of Vogt meaning Lord Protector of Hazelwood. Bearers of this surname descend from the Edelherren Vögte von Heselholt.
Vogt Von HunolsteinMedieval German Toponymic variant of Vogt. Members also use the surname Vogt de Hunolstein. This noble family split into several lines to include the older and younger lines and the Vogt de Hunolstein de Niederwiesen.
Vogt Von SumerauMedieval German Toponymic variant of Vogt. Members of this baronial family also use the surnames Vogt zu Sumerau, Vogt von Sumerau zu Leupolz, Vogt von Altensumerau und Prasberg, and Vogt von Alten-Summerau zu Prasberg.
Vogt Von WeidaMedieval German Toponymic variant of Vogt. This noble family split into several lines to include Weida, Gera, and Plauen. The Princes of Reuss descend from the Plauen line.
VoogdDutch Name for a bailiff, farm manager, or other personal with supervisory authority, Middle High German voget, Late Latin vocatus, from Latin advocatus, past participle of advocare ‘to call up (to help)’... [more]
VoogdesOld Dutch Occupational name and feminine title from Old Dutch meaning Lord Protector or Governor. Derived from Latin advocatus. Dutch masculine variant Voogd, German variant Vogt, Polish variant Wójt, Swedish variant Fogde... [more]
VoughtGerman The surname Vought originates in the Latin form "vocatus" or "advocatus," and referred to someone who appeared in court on another's behalf. As a surname, Vought is an occupational hereditary surname for a "bailiff" or "overseer of a nobleman's estate".
VuittonFrench Derived from the Old High German word "witu" and the Old English pre 7th century "widu" or "wudu", meaning a wood, and therefore occupational for one living by such a place.
VyasHindi Brahmin name from Sanskrit व्यास (vyāsa) meaning 'compiler'. This was the name of the Sanskrit sage said to have compiled the Mahabharata.
WangKorean From Sino-Korean 王 (wang) meaning "king; monarch", referring to the royals of the former dynasty of Goryeo.
WannemacherGerman, 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]
WardropScottish Metonymic occupational name for someone who was in charge of the garments worn by a feudal lord and his household, from Norman French warde(r) meaning "to keep or guard" + robe meaning "garment".
WarmbierGerman Metonymic occupational name for a brewer, derived from Middle Low German warm meaning "warm" and ber meaning "beer".
WäscherGerman Occupational surname for a washer, from Middle High German waschen, weschen "to wash".
WashiJapanese Occupational name for a paper worker. From 和 (wa) meaning "sum" and 紙 (shi) meaning "paper".
WassermannGerman German cognate of Waterman 2. occupational name for a water-carrier or a topographic name from Middle High German wazzar "water" and man "man"... [more]
WaxGerman, Jewish, English German and Jewish variant and English cognitive of Wachs, from Middle English wax "wax" (from Old English weax).
WaxmanEnglish, German (Americanized), Jewish (Americanized) Occupational name for a seller or gatherer of beeswax from wax "wax" plus Middle English man "man". According to the Oxford English Dictionary wax-man is an obsolete term for an officer of a trade guild who collected contributions from members for wax candles to be used in processions... [more]