Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
DickerEnglish Either an occupational name for a digger of ditches or a builder of dikes, or a topographic name for someone who lived by a ditch or dike, derived from Middle English dike or dik meaning "dyke.
DickterGerman From dichter, the German word for "poet".
DierJewish the name allegedly means "dyer (of clothes)"
DikiciTurkish Means "tailor, sewer, stitcher" in Turkish.
DimondsteinGerman This is a German name which translates into English as diamond stone. It most likely belongs to a miner who mined diamonds or perhaps a jeweler.
DingerEnglish Means "one who rings the bell," which is most likely a butler
DinjerGerman (Rare) Occupational surname that originated in the German dialect spoken in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. ... [more]
DinklageGerman Occupational name for a grain farmer or grain merchant, derived from an agent derivative of Middle High German dinkel meaning "spelt" (a variety of wheat). It could also be derived from Dinkelsbühl, a historic town in the state of Bavaria (formerly in central Franconia), or Dinklage, a town in the Vechta district, in Lower Saxony, Germany... [more]
DithKhmer Derived from Sanskrit पण्डित (paṇḍitá) meaning "scholar, teacher, learned man". It can also be considered a form of the Chinese surname Di.
DobbersteinGerman Metonymic occupational name for a dice maker or a nickname for a dice player, from Middle High German topel ‘die’ + stein ‘stone’, ‘cube’.
DockGerman An occupational name for someone who worked with textiles, related to the German word Tuch "cloth, piece of fabric".
DoepnerGerman Derived from Middle Low German top and dop "pot". This is an occupational surname originally given to a potter.
DomeEnglish Occupational name from the Old English root doma, dema ‘judge’, ‘arbiter’. Compare Dempster.
DominieScottish Occupational name for a church schoolmaster, from Latin domine, a vocative form of dominus, "lord" "master".
DondoJapanese (Rare) From Japanese 闐々 (dondo), from ドンド (dondo), an onomatopoeic word for sounds of thuds and bangs, referring to a water gate; to a person working at one.... [more]
DoukakisGreek Means "son of the duke", from Greek Δούκας (doúkas) combined with the patronymic suffix ακης (akis).
DowlerEnglish Occupational name for a maker of dowels and similar objects, from a derivative of Middle English “dowle”.
DraculaRomanian The Wallachian name for dragon was "Drac" or "Dracul". Vlad II of Wallachia joined a semi-secret order known as The Order of the Dragon and took the name Vlad Dracul. The word "Drac" can also mean "devil" or "evil spirit"... [more]
DragonFrench, English Nickname or occupational name for someone who carried a standard in battle or else in a pageant or procession, from Middle English, Old French dragon "snake, monster" (Latin draco, genitive draconis, from Greek drakōn, ultimately from derkesthai "to flash")... [more]
DraxlerGerman Derived from the Middle High German "Drehseler," meaning "turner," and was most likely initially borne by a turner or lathe worker.
DrażbaPolish Polish occupational name from dražba "auction".
DrescherYiddish, German German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a thresher, German Drescher, Yiddish dresher, agent derivatives of Middle High German dreschen, Yiddish dresh(e)n 'to thresh'.... [more]
DriverEnglish Occupational name for a driver of horses or oxen attached to a cart or plow, or of loose cattle, from a Middle English agent derivative of Old English drīfan ‘to drive’.
DruxGerman Variant of Trux, which itself is a contracted form of Truxes and derived from the German word Truchsess, ultimately from Middle High German truhsaeze and Old High German truhtsazzo (from truht "band; cohort; regiment" and saza "seat; chair").... [more]
DryerEnglish From an agent derivative of Old English dr̄gean "to dry"; possibly an occupational name for a drier of cloth. In the Middle Ages, after cloth had been dyed and fulled, it was stretched out in tenterfields to dry.
DucaRomanian Derived from the old Romanian title duca "vaivode duke".
DuckEnglish, Irish English from Middle English doke "duck", hence a nickname for someone with some fancied resemblance to a duck, or an occupational name for someone who kept or hunted ducks. Alternatively, a variant form of Duke... [more]
DudinRussian Derived from Russian дудка (dudka), which denotes a wind-blown instrument similar to a flute or pipe. It was probably used to denote a musician or shepherd who played the flute or pipe, as well as someone who made pipes... [more]
DudkinRussian Derived from Russian дудка (dudka) meaning "fife, pipe", referring to a folk instrument played by shepherds. Thus, it was used to denote someone who made pipes or a shepherd who played pipes.
DukakisGreek Alternate transcription of Greek Δουκάκης (see Doukakis). This name is borne by the American lawyer and politician Michael Dukakis (1933-), who served as Governor of Massachusetts twice... [more]
DukelowEnglish This surname is of Old French origin. It was initially introduced into England by the Normans after the Conquest of 1066, and subsequently by French Huguenot refugees fleeing religious persecutions in their own country... [more]
DulayFilipino, Tagalog Occupational name for a picker of fruit or a gatherer of bird nests, from Tagalog dulay meaning "climbing a tree".
DülgerTurkish Means "carpenter" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian درگر (dorgar).
DulinFrench The surname Dulin is most common in France and is an occupational name meaning "from flax". Pronounced "du LIN" in English; however, in French it is pronounced "du LON". Anglicized in some cases as Duling, Dowling, or Dulong (a more common French surname brought to England, Ireland and Scotland from French Normans and later Huguenots).
DupainFrench Means "of the bread" in French, probably used as an occupational name for a baker.
DuqueSpanish, Portuguese Spanish and Portuguese cognitive of Duke. from duque "duke" (from Latin dux genitive ducis "leader") an occupational name for someone who worked in the household of a duke or as a nickname for someone who gave himself airs and graces.
DurwardEnglish, Scottish (?) Means "guardian of the door, door-keeper" (cf. Durward). A fictional bearer of the surname is Quentin Durward, eponymous hero of the novel (1823) by Sir Walter Scott.
DutcherAnglo-Saxon The name Dutcher is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a worker who was a dike or ditch maker. The surname Dutcher was first found in East Sussex and either Upper Dicker or Lower Dicker, villages that date back to 1229 where they were listed as Diker... [more]
DžambasRomani Meaning "herdsman, horse trader", from Persian ganbas, which translates as "herdsman". In the Turkish language, this term has the same meaning as... [more]
DziałoPolish Derived from Polish działo "cannon" or "gun" as an occupational name metonymically. It can also be a nickname from Polish działać "to work", "to do", "to influence", etc.
DziekanPolish Occupational name for "dean" from Polish dziekan.
EconomosGreek (Anglicized, Expatriate, ?) Alternate transcription of Greek Οικονόμος (see Oikonomos), which was an occupational surname meaning "one who manages a household, steward of an estate, housekeeper" from the ancient Greek word οἰκόνομος (oikonomos), itself derived from οἶκος (oikos) "house, household" and νόμος (nomos) "law, custom".
EiseleGerman Either from a diminutive of any of the Germanic given names formed with the element isarn meaning "iron" (such as Isanhard) or from Isenlin, a nickname for a blacksmith, ironworker or dealer in iron, composed of Middle High German īsen "iron" and the diminutive suffix -līn.
EisenGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name for an ironworker or smith, or an ironmonger, from Middle High German isen ‘iron’, German Eisen. It may also have been used as a nickname, with reference to the strength and hardness of iron or to its color, while as a Jewish name it was also adopted as an ornamental name from modern German Eisen ‘iron’ or the Yiddish cognate ayzn.
EisenhauerGerman Occupational name meaning "iron cutter" where Eisen- means "iron" and -hauer means "hewer". The verb 'hew' being less well used in English than in earlier times, but still understood to mean cut, such as in hewing tree limbs... [more]
EisenhowerEnglish (American) American form of German Eisenhauer. A notable bearer was Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969), president of the United States between 1953 and 1961. His ancestors immigrated to Pennsylvania from Germany in the 1740s and at some point the spelling changed from Eisenhauer to Eisenhower.
EisensteinGerman, Jewish topographic name for someone who lived by a place where iron ore was extracted or perhaps a habitational name from a place called for its iron works. Jewish artificial compound of German isarn "iron" and stein "stone".
EisnerGerman, Jewish Occupational name for an ironworker, smith, or ironmonger, from an agent derivative of Middle High German īsen and German Eisen, meaning ‘iron’ (see Eisen).
EllerbrockLow German North German: topographic name for someone who lived by a low-lying swamp overgrown with alders, from Middle Low German elre 'alder' brock 'swamp'.
ElmalehJudeo-Spanish, Arabic From Arabic مَالِح (māliḥ) meaning "salty, savoury", probably used to refer to a salt trader.
EmamiPersian From Persian امام (emam) meaning "imam, leader", of Arabic origin.
EmbiidFrench (African) Meaning unknown. A famous bearer is Philadelphia 76ers player Joel Embiid. (1994-)
EmerJewish, Anglo-Saxon Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name from Yiddish emer ‘pail’, ‘bucket’. ... [more]
EmmerGerman A topographic name for someone who lived by land where grain was grown, a status name for someone who owned such land, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or dealt in grain.
EngineerIndian (Parsi) Parsi name literally meaning "engineer", referring to someone who made machines or engines. As the British rule of India demanded for all Parsees to adopt a surname, many used English vocabulary based on their occupation.
EpplerGerman Occupational name for a fruit grower or dealer, from Middle High German epfeler meaning "grower of or dealer in apples".
ErtelGerman South German: from a pet form of a personal name beginning with Ort-, from Old High German ort "point" (of a sword or lance)
EscribanoSpanish An occupational name from escribano "scribe" (from Late Latin scriba "scribe" genitive scribanis from Latin scriba genitive scribae).
EscuderoSpanish An occupational name for a squire a young man of good birth attendant on a knight or shield bearer escudero (medieval Latin scutarius a derivative of Latin scutum "shield")... [more]
EslerGerman German: byname or occupational name for someone who drove donkeys, from Middle High German esel ‘donkey’ + the agent suffix -er.
EspadaPortuguese, Spanish metonymic occupational name for an armorer or a swordsman from espada "sword" (from Latin spata from Greek spathe originally denoting a broad two-edged sword without a point)... [more]
EspaillatCatalan, Occitan Occupational name from Catalan espallat, in an old spelling, or directly from Occitan espaiat, espalhat, past participle of espallar meaning "to winnow", "to separate the wheat from the chaff".
EsperónSpanish From Spanish espera meaning to wait. Perhaps an occupational name for a waiter.
EulerGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a potter, most common in the Rhineland and Hesse, from Middle High German ul(n)ære (an agent derivative of the dialect word ul, aul "pot", from Latin olla).
FalascaItalian Possibly from a dialectical word falasca meaning "straw", referring to someone's build or hair, or possibly an occupation of making things out of straw.
FarishScottish "Farish" derives from "Fari" meaning "Farrier".This unravells to many decades ago when people forged shoes for horses,people who were extremly skilled blacksmiths and named "farrier".This group of "farriers" named "Farish" lived in the highlands of the cool misty moors of scotland-the mighty country,who unleashed highly educated citizens who dispersed all over britain.
FarrarEnglish (British) Northern English: occupational name for a smith or worker in iron, from Middle English and Old French farrour, ferour, from medieval Latin ferrator, an agent derivative of ferrare ‘to shoe horses’, from ferrum ‘iron’, in medieval Latin ‘horseshoe’... [more]
FarrowEnglish Northern English: hyper-corrected form of Farrar, occupational name for a smith or worker in iron. The original -ar or -er ending of this name came to be regarded as an error, and was changed to -ow.
FarrugiaMaltese Derived from Maltese farruġ meaning "chicken, cockerel", ultimately from Arabic فُرُوج (furūj). It was used as a nickname for someone who fed chickens.
FassGerman From Middle High German faz, German Fass 'cask', 'keg', hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of casks and kegs, or a nickname for someone as rotund as a barrel. German: variant of Fasse, Faas.
FavierFrench Occupational name for a grower of beans or a bean merchant derived from Latin faba "bean".
FawleyEnglish This is a name for someone who worked as a person who worked as the fowler or the bird-catcher having derived from the Old English word "fugelere" which literally means "hunter of wild birds, fowler"... [more]
FeatherEnglish from Middle English fetherfedder "feather" or perhaps a shortened form of Middle English fetherer applied as a metonymic occupational name for a trader in feathers and down a maker of quilts or possibly a maker of pens... [more]
FechterGerman Occupational name derived from Middle High German vehten "to fence", denoting a fencer. Notable bearers include German bricklayer Peter Fechter (1944–1962), and American engineer and inventor Aaron Fechter (1953-), creator of the band Rock-afire Explosion.
FederGerman, Jewish metonymic occupational name for a trader in feathers or in quill pens from Middle High German vedere German feder "feather quill pen"... [more]
FederspielGerman (Swiss) Derived from Middle High German vederspil "bird of prey (trained for hunting)", this was an occupational name for a falconer.
FeemsterEnglish, Scottish Occupational name meaning "herdsman", from Middle English fee "cattle" and English master.
FellEnglish, German, Jewish Metonymic occupational name for a furrier, from Middle English fell, Middle High German vel, or German Fell or Yiddish fel, all of which mean "skin, hide, pelt". Yiddish fel refers to untanned hide, in contrast to pelts "tanned hide" (see Pilcher).
FellerEnglish, German, Jewish Occupational name for a furrier, from an agent derivative of Middle English fell, Middle Low German, Middle High German vel, or German Fell or Yiddish fel "hide, pelt". See also Fell.
FeltscherRomansh Derived from Romansh feltscher "scythe-maker", ultimately from Latin falcarius "scythe-maker; sickle-maker".
FendrichDutch The surname Fendrich has its origin in Austria, and mean "flag-bearer".
FennerEnglish A surname of either Old French origin, allegedly meaning “huntsman”, or else more probably referring to those who were brought over from the Low Countries to assist in draining the “fens” or wetlands of England and Ireland – a process which lasted from the 9th to the 18th centuries.
Fenrich De GjurgjenovacGerman Fenrich is a German family name, derived from a military title 'fenrich'/'fähn(d)rich' meaning "ensign" or "standard bearer" (bannerman), from early New High German fenrich. The term was formed and came into use around 1500, replacing Middle High German form vener, an agent derivative of Alemannic substantive van (flag).... [more]
FensterGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a window maker from Middle High German venster German fenster "window".
FerreireCeltic It means smith. In the Gaelic languaje is gofaint or ngfaint.
FerreiriCeltic (Latinized, Archaic) Ferreiri or Ferreiro is a Galician surname in the north of Spain. It's a last name belonging to ancient Celtic tribes.
FerrierScottish Scottish: occupational name for a smith, one who shoed horses, Middle English and Old French ferrier, from medieval Latin ferrarius, from ferrus ‘horseshoe’, from Latin ferrum ‘iron’. Compare Farrar.
FeuerGerman Metonymic occupational name for a stoker in a smithy or public baths, or nickname for someone with red hair or a fiery temper, from Middle High German viur "fire".
FeuersteinGerman This name comes from the German feuer meaning fire, and stein meaning stone. This was a name commonly given to a blacksmith.
FeulnerGerman Franconian dialect form of Feilner (see Feiler), or derived from Feuln, a town near the district of Kulmbach, Bavaria, Germany. A notable bearer is the American academic Edwin Feulner (1941-).
FicheraItalian From Sicilian fichera "fig tree", a nickname for someone who grew or sold figs, or perhaps lived near them.
FicoItalian from fico "fig" (from Latin ficus) applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or sold figs a topographic name for someone who lived in an area where figs grew or a habitational name from a place called with this word such as the district so named in Valderice Trapani province Sicily.
FifieldEnglish Local. Has the same signification as Manorfield. Lands held in fee or fief, for which the individual pays service or owes rent.
FilosaItalian Southern Italian: Probably an occupational nickname for a fisherman, from Sicilian filuòsa ‘fishing net’. Also from the subphylum: Filosa. These are known as euglyphids, filose (which means stringy or thread-like), amoebae with shells of siliceous scales or plates, which are commonly found in soils, nutrient-rich waters, and on aquatic plants.
FinocchioItalian From Italian finocchio "fennel", a nickname for someone who grew or sold the plant. In modern Italian, the word is a derogatory slang term for a gay man. The meaning "fine eye, keen eyesight" has also been suggested.
FischmannGerman, Jewish Cognate of Fishman. occupational name for a fish seller from Middle High German visch Yiddish fish (German fisch) "fish" and Middle High German and Yiddish man (German mann) "man".
FiscusGerman From Latin fiscus ‘basket’, a humanistic Latinization of the German name Korb. This is a metonymic occupational name for a basketmaker or a peddler, or a habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a basket... [more]
FishMedieval English, Jewish From Middle English fische, fish ‘fish’, a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or fish seller, or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a fish.... [more]
FiskEnglish (British) English (East Anglia): metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or fish seller, or a nickname for someone supposedly resembling a fish in some way, from Old Norse fiskr ‘fish’ (cognate with Old English fisc).
FiskeEnglish, Norwegian From the traditionally Norwegian habitational surname, from the Old Norse fiskr "fish" and vin "meadow". In England and Denmark it was a surname denoting someone who was a "fisherman" or earned their living from selling fish.
FlackEnglish Probably from Middle English flack / flak meaning "turf, sod" (as found in the place name Flatmoor, in Cambridgeshire), and hence perhaps an occupational name for a turf cutter.
FlannerEnglish This early occupational and mainly 'midlands' English surname, is actually of pre-medieval French origins. Introduced into England at the time of the Norman Conquest of 1066, it derives from the French word flaonet meaning a 'little flan', and described a maker of patisserie or pancakes.
FlaxEnglish Metonymic occupational name for someone who grew, sold, or treated flax for weaving into linen cloth,
FleischGerman Metonymic occupational name for a butcher. Derived from Middle High German fleisch or vleisch "flesh meat".
FleischhackerGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a butcher from German fleisch "flesh meat", and an agent derivative of hacken "to chop or cut".
FleischhauerGerman Occupational name for a butcher from Middle High German fleisch or vleisch "flesh meat" and an agent derivative of Middle High German houwen "to cut". Variant of Fleischauer.
FleischmanGerman (Austrian) Fleischman translates in English to Meat Man, or Butcher It is most often used with a single "n" for those who were persecuted as Jews. Other Germanic spellings for Christians and others not deemed Jewish are Fleischmann, or Fleishmann... [more]
FleischmannGerman, Jewish occupational name for a butcher literally "meatman, butcher" from Middle High German fleisch "flesh, meat" and man "man".
FlowerEnglish Occupational name for an arrowsmith, from an agent derivative of Middle English flō ‘arrow’ (Old English flā).
FolandAnglo-Saxon (Archaic) Originally an English name, Foland is actually a variant of the name Fowler (as in bird-catcher). Most migrating to Ireland, other Fowlers/Folands first came to the Americas in 1622; John Fowler.... [more]
FolladoriItalian It is the italian variant of the british surname WALKER.... [more]
FormaggioItalian Occupational name for someone who makes or sells cheese.
FormanEnglish An occupational surname for a keeper of swine, Middle English foreman, from Old English for hog, "pig" and mann ‘man’. The word is attested in this sense from the 15th century but is not used specifically for the leader of a gang of workers before the late 16th century.
FornariItalian From Italian fornaio "baker", ultimately from Latin furnus "oven".
FragolaItalian apparently from fragola "strawberry" probably applied as either a topographic name for someone who lived by a patch of wild strawberries a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of soft fruits or a nickname for someone with a conspicuous strawberry mark.
FranklandEnglish Status name for a person whom lived on an area of land without having to pay obligations. From Norman French frank, 'free' and Middle English land, 'land'. This surname is common in Yorkshire.... [more]
FrattiniItalian Probably from Italian frate "monk, friar; brother". May also be from a place name.
FraviRomansh Derived from Old Romansh fravi "smith".
FreierGerman Status name of the feudal system denoting a free man, as opposed to a bondsman, from an inflected form of Middle High German vri "free".
FreierGerman Archaic occupational name, from Middle High German, Middle Low German vrier, vriger, denoting a man who had the ceremonial duty of asking guests to a wedding.
FreirePortuguese, Galician Means "friar" in Portuguese and Galician, either an occupational name or a nickname for a pious person.
FrettEnglish English from Middle English frette, Old French frete ‘interlaced work (in metal and precious stones)’ such as was used for hair ornaments and the like, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of such pieces.
FriarEnglish Denoted a member of any of certain religious orders of men, especially the four mendicant orders. (Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans)
FrobisherEnglish The surname Frobisher is derived from an occupation, 'the furber' or 'furbisher.' (Middle English fourbishour, from Old French forbisseor). A furbisher was a scourer of armour and metals generally, found also as' furbearer.' Frobisher is the most prominent modern form of the surname... [more]
FroehnerGerman Derived from Middle High German vröhner meaning "servant".
FromagerFrench Occupational name for someone who makes or sells cheese.
FromentFrench, Walloon, English from French froment "wheat" (from Latin frumentum "grain") probably applied as a nickname for a peasant or as metonymic occupational name for a dealer in wheat... [more]
FuckebeggerMedieval English (Rare) In 1286/1287 there is an individual with the surname Fuckebegger, recorded as one of King Edward I’s servants who managed his horses. It’s not clear from this name what the fucke- part was referring to, with the leading hypothesis being a “striker” of some sort.
FudeyasuJapanese Fude means "handwriting, painting/writing brush" and yasu means "cheap, relax, peaceful".
FuhrerGerman Originally, an occupational name for a carrier or carter, a driver of horse-drawn vehicles.... [more]
FurmanPolish, Czech, Slovak, Jewish, Slovene, English, German (Anglicized) Polish, Czech, Slovak, Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic), and Slovenian: occupational name for a carter or drayman, the driver of a horse-drawn delivery vehicle, from Polish, Yiddish, and Slovenian furman, a loanword from German (see Fuhrmann)... [more]
FusterCatalan Means "carpenter" in Catalan, derived from the word fusta meaning "wood".
FuttermanJewish Occupational name for a furrier, from Yiddish futer "fur, fur coat" and Yiddish man "man".
GainBengali Alternate transcription of Bengali গায়েন (see Gayen).
GaitherEnglish Occupational name for a goatherd, derived from Middle English gaytere literally meaning "goatherd".
GakpoWestern African, Ewe Means "iron, metal" in Ewe, possibly derived from a nickname or an occupation. It is usually found in Ghana and Togo. Dutch soccer player Cody Gakpo (1999-) bears this name.
GaleaSpanish, Italian, Maltese From Spanish galea "galleon, warship" presumably a metonymic occupational name for a shipwright or a sailor. Italian habitational name from Galea in Calabria.
GalishoffUpper German, German (Austrian) Derived from the ancient Roman name Gallus, meaning "rooster" in Latin. Hoff meaning house combines the growing or tending to poultry on a farm house, hence the name Galishoff which has been modified over the millennia... [more]
GalpinEnglish English: occupational name for a messenger or scullion (in a monastery), from Old French galopin ‘page’, ‘turnspit’, from galoper ‘to gallop’.
GambierFrench Derived from gambier, a Northern French variant of jambier, the masculine form of jambière "greave (a piece of armour that protects the leg, especially the shin, and occasionally the tops of the feet)"... [more]
GanasGreek Occupational name for a coppersmith, from gana "coating", "verdigris". Possibly also a variant of Ganis.
GandhiIndian, Gujarati, Marathi, Hindi, Punjabi Derived from Sanskrit गान्धिक (gandhika) meaning "perfumier, perfume seller". Notable bearers include Indian civil rights leader Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948), also known as Mahatma Gandhi, and Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi (1917-1984).
GanjooIndian, Urdu, Persian Ganjoo is a surname from Kashmiri Pandit clan . The original name was Ganwar, meaning Person in charge of Treasury in Kings court. This name gradually changed to Ganjoo or Ganju.
GansGerman, Dutch Meaning "goose", perhaps referring to someone who worked with geese, related to Ganser.
GanserGerman From the Middle High German word ganser meaning "gander", occupational name for a geese shepherd.
GardeFrench from Old French garde "watch", "protection"; an occupational name for someone who kept watch or guard, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a vantage point or watchtower.
GarlickEnglish (i) "grower or seller of garlic"; (ii) perhaps from a medieval personal name descended from Old English Gārlāc, literally "spear-play"; (iii) an anglicization of the Belorussian Jewish name Garelick, literally "distiller"
GarrighanIrish to denote 'son of Geargain' a name which originally in derived from 'gearg' which meant grouse but which was often used figuratively for warrior
GartenGerman, Jewish metonymic occupational name for a gardener or overseer of a garden or enclosure. Originally the term denoted the keeper of an enclosure for deer later of a vineyard or smallholding from Middle High German garte "garden enclosure"... [more]
GasnierFrench From Old French gaaigner meaning "to win, to earn" or "to till, to cultivate", possibly used as an occupational name for a farmer.
GasserGerman (Swiss) Occupational name for a goat herd from Middle High German geiz meaning "Goat" and (n)er an agent suffix.
GildnerJewish Occupational name for a worker in gold, from Yiddish gildner 'golden'.
GillespieScottish, Irish Gillespie can be of Scottish and Irish origin. The literal meaning is "servant of bishop", but it is a forename rather than a status name. The Irish Gillespies, originally MacGiollaEaspuig, are said to to be called after one Easpog Eoghan, or Bishop Owen, of Ardstraw, County Tyrone... [more]
GironSpanish Of Galician origin. Occupational name for a clothing maker.
GiudiceItalian Occupational name for an officer of justice, Italian giudice " judge" (Latin iudex, from ius "law" + dicere "to say"). In some cases it may have been applied as a nickname for a solemn and authoritative person thought to behave like a judge.
GleaveEnglish 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").
GobleEnglish From “Gobble”, meaning “to gorge, to guzzle”
GodetFrench From Old French godet, meaning "glass, tumbler", used as a nickname for a maker or seller.
GoebbelsGerman, History Originally an occupational name for a brewer. Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.
GogliaItalian Nickname or a metonymic occupational name for a person who used leaves from a kind of plant to bind grafts, derived from the Italian dialectal goglia.
GogolUkrainian, Polish, Jewish Means "Common goldeneye (a type of duck)" in Ukrainian. Possibly a name for a fowler. A famous bearer was Nikolai Gogol.