CommanderEnglish From Middle English comander "commander, leader, director", derived from Old French comandeor "military commander". This may have been either an occupational name or a nickname.
ComperatoreItalian (Rare) Derived from the Italian noun comperatore meaning "buyer, purchaser", which in turn is ultimately derived from the Italian verb comperare meaning "to buy, to purchase". The former word is archaic, whilst the latter word is still in use but rare... [more]
ConejoSpanish from conejo "rabbit" (from Latin cuniculus), presumably applied as a nickname with various possible connotations (big ears, timidity, etc.) or otherwise as a metonymic occupational name for a rabbit catcher or dealer... [more]
ConeyEnglish Means "seller of rabbits", or from a medieval nickname for someone thought to resemble a rabbit (in either case from Middle English cony "rabbit").
ConfaloneItalian from gonfalone "standard banner" from Old French gonfalon (of ancient Germanic origin) a metonymic occupational name for a standard bearer either in a military context or as the officer of a guild responsible for carrying the banner in religious processions... [more]
ConiglioItalian From coniglio "rabbit" (from Latin cuniculus ) applied as a nickname for a timid person or a metonymic occupational name for a dealer in rabbits. Italian cognitive of Coelho.
ConsiglioItalian Meaning "counselor" or "one who gives good advice".
ContractorIndian (Parsi) Parsi occupational surname for a contractor, or someone who works on the basis of a contract. As the British rule of India demanded for all Parsees to adopt a surname, many adopted English vocabulary based on their occupation (i.e. Engineer or Merchant).
CoolidgeEnglish Probably an occupational name for a college servant or someone with some other association with a university college, for example a tenant farmer who farmed one of the many farms in England known as College Farm, most of which are or were owned by university colleges.
CopeEnglish From Middle English cope "cape, cloak", an occupational name for a maker of cloaks, or a nickname for someone known for wearing one.
CopusEnglish For full analysis of the origin for the name Copus/Copas I would refer you to my family website copusfamily.co.uk
CordeiroPortuguese, Galician Means "young lamb" in Portuguese and Galician (Latin cordarius, a derivative of cordus "young", "new")... [more]
CordellEnglish Means "maker of cord" or "seller of cord" in Middle English.
CordenEnglish Derives from Old French Cordon meaning "a seller of ribbon" or from Cordoan, a locational job description for a worker in fine kid leather. Originally associated with the city of Cordova in Spain... [more]
CorderFrench (Anglicized, Archaic), English (American) Linked to both English, French and Spanish origin. Cordier, Cordero, Corder- one who makes cord. Can refer to both the act of making cords (rope), cores of fire wood, or actual location names.... [more]
CordierFrench Given to someone who worked or made with cord and or strings from old French corde "string".
CordiscoItalian Possibly from Italian cordesco "second-born lamb, butchered calf".
CordonnierFrench An occupational surname for a cordwainer or shoemaker, and derived from Old French cordouanier, literally meaning "cobbler".
CorkEnglish Metonymic occupational name for a supplier of red or purple dye or for a dyer of cloth, Middle English cork (of Celtic origin; compare Corkery).
CornetFrench, Walloon Either a topographic name for someone who lived on a street corner, from a derivative of corne "corner". From cornet, denoting either a rustic horn or an object made of horn, hence a metonymic occupational name for a hornblower or for a worker in horn... [more]
CorteSpanish, Catalan, Italian, Portuguese From corte "court", applied as an occupational name for someone who worked at a manorial court or a topographic name for someone who lived in or by one.
CossartEnglish, French From French, referring to "a dealer of horses" (related to the English word "courser"). This surname was brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066, and became one of the many Anglo-Norman words that made up Middle English.
CosterEnglish Metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of costards (Anglo-Norman French, from coste 'rib'), a variety of large apples, so called for their prominent ribs.
CotijaSpanish (Mexican) Derived from a small town in Michoacán named "Cotija de la Paz". It is also known to be a type of cheese.
CotnerMedieval Low German (Americanized) Likely originating from an Americanized spelling of Kötner or Köthner, status names for a cotter. Derived from Middle Low German kote ‘shelter’, ‘cottage’.
CottEnglish From the Old English personal name Cotta. Possibly an altered spelling of French Cotte, a metonymic occupational name for a maker of chain mail, from Old French cot(t)e ‘coat of mail’, ‘surcoat’... [more]
CotterEnglish Derived from the Old English elements cot "cottage, hut" and the suffix -er. In the feudal system a cotter held a cottage by service (rather than by rent). Reaney gives the surname deriving from the Old French cotier "cottager" (see: villein)... [more]
CottoItalian From Italian meaning "baked, cooked". Perhaps an occupational name for someone who worked as a cook or baker.
CottrellEnglish, French First found in Derbyshire where the family "Cottrell" held a family seat and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege lord for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings, 1066CE... [more]
CoulonFrench From Old French colomb "pigeon" (from Latin columba) used as a metonymic occupational name for a breeder.
CourtEnglish, French, Irish A topographic name from Middle English, Old French court(e) and curt, meaning ‘court’. This word was used primarily with reference to the residence of the lord of a manor, and the surname is usually an occupational name for someone employed at a manorial court.... [more]
CourtierFrench, Medieval French, Medieval English French: habitational name from places called Courtier (Seine-et-Marne, Aples-de-Haute-Provence), Courtié (Tarn), or Courtière (Loir-et-Cher). ... [more]
CouturierFrench occupational name for a tailor Old French cousturier from an agent derivative of cousture "seam". status name from Old French couturier "farmer husbandman" an agent derivative of couture "small plot kitchen garden".
CrippsEnglish Occupational name of a pouch maker. Derived from the Middle English plural "crippes" meaning pouch. Metathesized version of Crisp.
CrivelliItalian From the Italian crivello, which is derived from the Latin cribrum, meaning "sieve," (a mesh food strainer); likely an occupational name for a maker or user of sieves.
CrockEnglish Meaning "barrel," signifying one who made or worked with barrels.
CrofterEnglish A surname of Scottish origin used in the Highlands and Islands and means “an owner or a tenant of a small farm”. The Old English word croft seems to correspond with the Dutch kroft meaning “a field on the downs”.
CroitoruRomanian Croitoru is a Romanian-language surnames derived from the occupation of croitor, meaning "tailor".
CronjeAfrikaans Altered form of the French surname Cronier, derived from Old French crones, a term denoting a sheltered area by a river bank where fish retreat to. This could be used as an occupational name for someone who fished in such an area, or derived from a place named with the element, such as the French village Crosne.
CroomEnglish An occupational surname for a maker, seller, or user of hooks. Derived from Middle English crome or cromb, meaning "hook" or "crook".
CrownerEnglish Means "coroner" (from Anglo-Norman corouner "coroner", a derivative of Old French coroune "crown").
CrowtherEnglish Originally meant "person who plays the crowd (an ancient Celtic stringed instrument)". It was borne by British entertainer Leslie Crowther (1933-1996).
CrozierEnglish, French English and French occupational name for one who carried a cross or a bishop’s crook in ecclesiastical processions, from Middle English, Old French croisier.
CulpeperEnglish Variant of Culpepper. Known bearers of this surname include: Nicholas Culpeper (1616-1664), an English herbalist, physician and astrologer; and English colonial administrator Thomas Culpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper (1635-1689), governor of Virginia 1680-1683... [more]
CulpepperEnglish Means "person who collects, prepares and/or sells herbs and spices" (from Middle English cullen "to pick" + pepper).
CulverEnglish Means "person who keeps or looks after doves", or from a medieval nickname for someone thought to resemble a dove (e.g. in mild disposition) (in either case from Middle English culver "dove")... [more]
CurrierEnglish Occupational surname meaning "a worker who prepared leather".
CusterGerman (Anglicized) Anglicization of the German surname Köster or Küster, literally "sexton". A famous bearer was George Custer (1839-1876), the American cavalry general. General Custer and his army were defeated and killed by Sioux and Cheyenne forces under Sitting Bull in the Battle of Little Bighorn (1876; also known colloquially as Custer's Last Stand).
CutlerEnglish Given to a "knife maker" or a man that "makes cutlery"
CutrightEnglish (?) Possibly an occupational name for someone who makes carts.
CutterEnglish This surname is derived from an occupation. 'the cutter,' i.e. cloth-cutter
CuvelierFrench, Walloon, Flemish Occupational name for a Cooper derived from an agent in Old French cuve "vat tun". Also found in the Netherlands.
CwynarPolish Polonized form of the German surname Zwirner, an occupational name for a yarn or twine maker, from an agent derivative of Middle High German zwirn ‘twine’, ‘yarn’
DaggettEnglish Derived from the Old French word "Dague", meaning knife or dagger, and as such was a Norman introduction into England after the 1066 Conquest. The name is a medieval metonymic for one who habitually carried a dagger, or who was a manufacturer of such weapons.
DagotFrench Derived from the Old French word "fagot", meaning "bundle of firewood". This was likely given as an occupational surname to a gatherer or seller of firewood.
DahanJewish (Sephardic) Occupational name for a painter or a seller of oils from Arabic دُهْن (duhn) meaning "grease, fat, oil".
DaiberGerman Derived from either Middle High German tiuber "pigeon breeder, pigeon fancier" or from Middle High German touber "wind musician, musician who plays a wind instrument".
DainoFilipino From daino ‘fallow deer’, applied as a nickname, perhaps for someone who was timid or fleet of foot, or as a metonymic occupational name for a game warden or hunter.
DancerEnglish Occupational name for someone who dances.
DanieleItalian my mother Eugenia Daniele born Oct 29 1899 lived in casamarciano till 1921, before emigrating to Long Island City in New York .he died at 103 in 2004
DarabontHungarian, Romanian Occupational name meaning "guardsman" in Hungarian, ultimately derived from French brabançon. The American movie director Frank Darabont (1959-) is a famous bearer of this name.
DaruwalaIndian (Parsi) Means "wine maker" or "wine seller" from Hindi दारू (dārū) meaning "liquor, wine, alcohol" and the suffix -वाला (-vālā) denoting an occupation.
DaskalakisGreek Comes from the Greek root word of "Daskalalos" (Δάσκαλος) that means "teacher", with the adittion of the ending "akis" (ακης) that usually shows a connection with the island of Crete
DatsyukUkrainian Believed to mean “to give or provide with a service.” The prefix -uk is a diminutive.
DatuimamFilipino, Maranao From Maranao datoʼ meaning "chieftain, leader" combined with Arabic إِمَام (ʾimām) meaning "leader". It is used as a title for religious leaders.
DavariPersian Derived from Persian داور (davar) meaning "judge, arbiter".
De BeerDutch, Afrikaans, South African Means "the bear" or "the boar" in Dutch and Afrikaans, a nickname for a person who resembled the animal in some way, such as being very large, strong, or aggressive, or a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting one... [more]
De BieDutch Means "the bee" in Dutch, a nickname for a beekeeper or a for a busy person, or perhaps a habitational name for someone who lived near a sign depicting a bee.
DeburauCzech (Gallicized) Gallicized form of Dvořák. Jean-Gaspard Deburau, born as Jan Kašpar Dvořák (1796-1846), was a Bohemian-French mime. He performed from 1816 to the year of his death at the Théâtre des Funambules, which was immortalized in Marcel Carné's poetic-realist film Children of Paradise.
DebyeDutch Variant of De Bie. A notable bearer of the surname was the Dutch-American physicist and physical chemist Peter Debye (1884-1966), born Petrus Debije.
DefoorFlemish Derived from Dutch voort "ford". Alternatively, can be a variant of the French surnames Dufour or Deford.
DeforgeFrench This is a surname of French origins. Introduced into England after the famous Invasion and Conquest of 1066, it is residential, but also possibly occupational. It is a surname which in its different forms is widely recorded heraldically, and particularly in the French regions of Brittany and Normandy... [more]
DegenGerman, Swiss Means "rapier, small sword, dagger" in German, an occupational name for someone who made rapiers. Alternately, it could be derived from a given name containing Old High German degan "soldier, warrior", such as Degenhard or Herdegen.
De GraaffDutch Variant spelling of De Graaf "the count", an occupational name for someone who worked for a count, or perhaps a nickname for someone who behaved like one.
De GroeveFlemish Etymology uncertain. Possibly a habitational name from any of several places called De Groeve, derived from groeve "quarry, pit; excavated watercourse"... [more]
DegutisLithuanian Occupational name for a person who sold tar; from the Lithuanian word degutas meaning "tar".
De HartDutch Can mean "the hart", "the heart", or "the hard", derived from Middle Dutch hart "male deer, stag" (see Hart), harte "heart" (see Hertz), or hart "hard, solid, sturdy; harsh, cruel"... [more]
De HeerDutch Means "the lord" or "the gentleman" in Dutch, derived from Middle Dutch hêre "feudal lord, master, leader, gentleman". Could be a nickname for a person who acted as a leader, or an occupational name for someone who worked for a lord... [more]
De LaatDutch Derived from Middle Dutch laet "serf, freed serf, tenant", probably an occupational name for a tenant farmer.
DelacourtFrench Denoting someone who lived or worked at a manorial court a courtly retainer. Derived from French de la meaning "of the" or "from the" and court meaning "court, yard".
De La MuerteSpanish (Rare) Means "of death" in Spanish. Name given to a person who worked as a graveyard worker.
Del CastilloSpanish Means "of the Castle" in Spanish, referring to someone who worked in one.
Del ToroSpanish Means "of the bull" in Spanish, denoting a person who owns bulls or a tender of bulls.
DemandGerman from Middle Low German demant "diamond" a metonymic occupational name for either a cutter or dealer in diamonds.
DemestreFrench It's an occupational word coming from Latin. It means "master". It is of French origin.
DempsterManx, English, Scottish The name for a judge or arbiter of minor disputes, from Old English dem(e)stre, a derivative of the verb demian ‘to judge or pronounce judgement’. Although this was originally a feminine form of the masculine demere, by the Middle English period the suffix -stre had lost its feminine force, and the term was used of both sexes... [more]
Den HartogDutch Derived from Dutch hertog "duke", a nickname for someone behaved in a haughty manner, or an occupational name for someone who worked for a duke’s household.
DepooterFlemish Variant of De Poorter, or alternatively, an occupational name for a farmer or gardener derived from poten "to plant, to sow seeds". Compare Potter.
DeremerDutch Occupational name for a belt maker or cutter of leather straps, from Dutch riem "belt, strap". It could also be a name for a peat digger, someone who "riems" peat.
DermatisGreek The surname is derived from the Greek word for skin: derma (δέρμα).
De RuiterDutch Means "the rider" in Dutch, derived from Middle Dutch ruter "freebooter, vagrant, robber", later meaning "cavalryman, soldier, armed horseman". It could also be a nickname based on an event, in one case deriving from an incident involving a ride on a runaway pig.
DeschanelFrench Derived from French eschamel meaning "stepladder" or des chanels meaning "from the channels, from the little jugs". An occupational nickname for a trader, it supposedly originated in the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France... [more]
DeshmukhIndian, Marathi From the historical title देशमुख (deśmukh) meaning "district head", derived from Sanskrit देश (deśá) meaning "country, district" combined with मुख (múkha) meaning "face".
DeshpandeIndian, Marathi Means "district accountant", derived from Sanskrit देश (deśá) meaning "country, kingdom, province" combined with पण्डित (paṇḍitá) meaning "learned, wise man".
DesnoyersFrench (Quebec) Means "of the walnut trees", from French word "noyer", meaning walnut. "Des noyers" literally translates to "the walnuts".
DesrouleauxFrench, Haitian Creole Means "of the scrolls" in French. It is a occupational name for a scribe, a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of automatic printing... [more]
De WaardDutch From Dutch waard "innkeeper, host, landlord, protector", derived from Middle Dutch weert. Alternatively, from Middle Dutch waert "floodplain, riverine island".
DewanIndian, Pakistani Status name for a treasurer or court official, from Arabic diwan "royal court", "tribunal of justice", or "treasury". Under the Mughal administration in India the dewan was usually the highest official in a state.
DewanIndian, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali From a title for a high-ranking government official or minister, derived from Persian دیوان (divan) meaning "royal court, tribunal, ministry, assembly".
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.
DoãnVietnamese Vietnamese form of Yin, from Sino-Vietnamese 尹 (doãn).
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.
DolleGerman (?) “Dolle is a German word for a specific type of lock used on boats and also a small town in Germany”
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]
DoukainafHistory, Late Greek Feminine form of Doukas. Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina was a Byzantine Empress by marriage to the Byzantine Emperor Alexios III Angelos.
DoukakisGreek Means "son of the duke", from Greek Δούκας (doúkas) combined with the patronymic suffix ακης (akis).
DovbykUkrainian Means "one who works with wood", from Ukrainian довбати (dovbaty), which means "to dig, to make a hole, to cut out" (referring to wood in this case).
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’.
DrostDutch, German, Danish Means "reeve, steward; sheriff, bailiff" in German and Dutch, a title for the administrative head of a court or district.
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".
DucaItalian from the title of rank duca "duke" (from Latin dux genitive ducis "leader") an occupational name for someone who lived or worked in the household of a duke or a nickname for someone who gave himself airs and graces like a duke... [more]
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".
DuldulaoIlocano From Ilocano duldulaw referring to a variety of early-maturing rice with a red kernel, used as an occupational name for a grower of this type of rice.
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 cognate 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.
DürerGerman, History In the case of the German painter Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), this was a variant of the German surname Türer, a German translation of Hungarian Ajtósi, meaning "doormaker", to adapt to the local Nuremberg dialect... [more]
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.
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.
EamerEnglish Possibly derived from the given name Eomer, or from Middle English yẹ̄mer "guardian, keeper, protector; guard".
ÉcoleFrench (Rare) From French meaning "school". Given to a person who lived or worked near a school.
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 Metonymic occupational name from Yiddish emer "pail, bucket".
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)
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).
FaberGerman, Dutch, French, Danish An occupational name for a blacksmith or ironworker, ultimately derived from Latin faber "artisan, creator, craftsman, smith".