Submitted Surnames from Occupations

Given Name   Occupation   Location   Nickname   Ornamental   Other
usage
source
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Falasca Italian
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.
Falconi Italian
Means "Falconer"
Fallah Persian
Derived from Arabic فلاح (fallah) meaning "farmer, peasant".
Fallahi Persian
Derived from Arabic فلاح (fallah) meaning "farmer, peasant".
Falone Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from a dialectical word for a row of grapes or tomatoes.
Fanara Italian
A Sicilian occupational name from Greek φαναράς (fanarás) "lampmaker", ultimately from φανός (fanós) "torch, lamp".
Farand English (Canadian), French (Quebec)
Derived from the given name FARIMOND or from the French word ferrer meaning "to be clad in iron" or "to shoe a horse".
Fargo Hungarian
Comes from the surname Vargo.
Farish Scottish
"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.
Farrar English (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]
Farris Italian
From Sardinian farris "barley flour".
Farrow English
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.
Farrugia Maltese
Derived from Maltese farruġ meaning "chicken", used as a name for someone who kept chickens.
Fass German
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.
Fassbender German
Occupational name for a maker of keg barrels.
Fassbinder German
Variant of Kiefer 2, from German Fass "barrel, keg, cask" and binder "girder, tie". Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1945-1982) was a German filmmaker, dramatist and actor, considered as one of the major figures and catalysts of the New German Cinema movement.
Fauci Sicilian
Means "sickle" in Sicilian, originally an occupational name for a maker of sickles.
Fauré Occitan
Fauré is an Occitan family name, a variant of Faure.
Fauriel Occitan, French
Diminutive of Occitan faure meaning "blacksmith" (see Faure).
Favaro Italian, South American
it is the regional venetian variant of Fabbri, it means "blacksmith"
Favier French
Occupational name for a grower of beans or a bean merchant derived from Latin faba "bean".
Fawley English
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]
Fayerman Yiddish
It literally means "fireman".
Feather English
from Middle English fether fedder "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]
Featherman English
Derived from the Old English word "feþerman," which means "falconer" or "hawk trainer." It was likely used as an occupational surname for someone who was involved in hunting with birds of prey using the falconry or hawking methods.
Fechter German
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.
Feder German, Jewish
metonymic occupational name for a trader in feathers or in quill pens from Middle High German vedere German feder "feather quill pen"... [more]
Federspiel German (Swiss)
Derived from Middle High German vederspil "bird of prey (trained for hunting)", this was an occupational name for a falconer.
Feemster English, Scottish
Occupational name meaning "herdsman", from Middle English fee "cattle" and English master.
Feig German
From German meaning "fig".
Feigenbutz German
Occupational name for someone who sells figs.
Feiler German
Occupational name for a filemaker, from Feil + the agent suffix -er.
Felder German, Croatian
Derived from German feld, meaning "field".
Fell English, 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).
Feller English, 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.
Feltscher Romansh
Derived from Romansh feltscher "scythe-maker", ultimately from Latin falcarius "scythe-maker; sickle-maker".
Fendrich German
From German Fähndrich (older form Fähndrich) meaning "ensign, flag-bearer".
Fenner English
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 Gjurgjenovac German
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]
Fenster German, Jewish
Occupational name for a window maker from Middle High German venster German fenster "window".
Fenstermaker German
Means 'one who makes windows' in German.
Ferreire Celtic
It means smith. In the Gaelic languaje is gofaint or ngfaint.
Ferreiri Celtic (Latinized, Archaic)
Ferreiri or Ferreiro is a Galician surname in the north of Spain. It's a last name belonging to ancient Celtic tribes.
Ferreirous Galician (Latinized, Archaic)
Its meaning is smith. It comes from Galicia (Spain) and north of Portugal.
Ferreyre Galician
Meaning the goldsmith or the ironsmith.
Ferrier Scottish
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.
Fettiplace English (British)
Means “make room” from Anglo-French fete place, probably a name for an usher.
Feuer German
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".
Feuerstein German
This name comes from the German feuer meaning fire, and stein meaning stone. This was a name commonly given to a blacksmith.
Feulner German
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-).
Fichera Italian
From Sicilian fichera "fig tree", a nickname for someone who grew or sold figs, or perhaps lived near them.
Fico Italian
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.
Fieldman English
Meaning "ploughman".
Fieraru Romanian
Means "smith."
Fifield English
Local. Has the same signification as Manorfield. Lands held in fee or fief, for which the individual pays service or owes rent.
Filosa Italian
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.
Finocchio Italian
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.
Firestone German (Americanized), Jewish (Americanized)
Calque (translation into English) of the German and Ashkenazi surname Feuerstein.
Fisch German, Jewish
From German (fisch) meaning "fish".
Fische German
Variant of Fisch.
Fischkus German
tax collector (fiscal)
Fischmann German, 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".
Fiscus German
From Latin fiscus "basket", a humanistic Latinization of the German surname 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.
Fišer Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Czech, Slovak and Slovene form of Fischer.
Fišerová f Czech, Slovak
Feminine form of Fišer.
Fish Medieval 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]
Fisk English (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).
Fiske English, 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.
Flack English
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.
Flanner English
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.
Flax English
Metonymic occupational name for someone who grew, sold, or treated flax for weaving into linen cloth,
Fleisch German
Metonymic occupational name for a butcher. Derived from Middle High German fleisch or vleisch "flesh meat".
Fleischhacker German, Jewish
Occupational name for a butcher from German fleisch "flesh meat", and an agent derivative of hacken "to chop or cut".
Fleischhauer German
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.
Fleischman German (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]
Fleischmann German, Jewish
occupational name for a butcher literally "meatman, butcher" from Middle High German fleisch "flesh, meat" and man "man".
Flower English
Occupational name for an arrowsmith, from an agent derivative of Middle English flō ‘arrow’ (Old English flā).
Folladori Italian
It is the italian variant of the british surname WALKER.... [more]
Fontenot French (Cajun)
From the Old French word "fontaine", meaning "fountain."
Foo Chinese (Hakka)
Hakka romanization of Hu.
Forconi Italian
From Italian forcone "pitchfork, fork".
Formaggio Italian
Occupational name for someone who makes or sells cheese.
Forman English
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.
Fornari Italian
From Italian fornaio "baker", ultimately from Latin furnus "oven".
Forster English (Anglicized), German, Jewish, Slovak
English: occupational and topographic name for someone who lived or worked in a forest (see Forrest). ... [more]
Fragola Italian
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.
Frankland English
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]
Frattini Italian
Probably from Italian frate "monk, friar; brother". May also be from a place name.
Fravi Romansh
Derived from Old Romansh fravi "smith".
Freier German
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".
Freier German
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.
Freire Portuguese, Galician
Means "friar" in Portuguese and Galician, either an occupational name or a nickname for a pious person.
Frett English
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.
Freyer German
Variant of Freier.
Friar English
Denoted a member of any of certain religious orders of men, especially the four mendicant orders. (Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans)
Frischkorn German, Jewish
An occupational name for a farmer composed of German frisch "fresh" and korn "grain"... [more]
Friseur German
From German meaning "barber, hairdresser".
Fristensky Czech, Slovak
Sugar Beet Farmer.
Frobisher English
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]
Froehner German
Derived from Middle High German vröhner meaning "servant".
Fromager French
Occupational name for someone who makes or sells cheese.
Froment French, 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]
Fruitman English
Likely referring to someone who sold fruit.
Fuckebegger Medieval 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.
Fudeyasu Japanese
Fude means "handwriting, painting/writing brush" and yasu means "cheap, relax, peaceful".
Fuhrer German
Originally, an occupational name for a carrier or carter, a driver of horse-drawn vehicles.... [more]
Fümm Romansh
Derived from Romansh füm "smoke", this is an occupational surname denoting a blacksmith.
Fundador Spanish (Philippines)
From Spanish meaning "founder".
Fundora Spanish (Canarian), Spanish (Caribbean)
From Spanish fundador meaning "founder". Possibly an occupational name for someone who owns a business.
Funke German
German: variant of Funk.
Furman Polish, 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]
Fuster Catalan
Means "carpenter" in Catalan, derived from the word fusta meaning "wood".
Futterman Jewish
Occupational name for a furrier, from Yiddish futer "fur, fur coat" and Yiddish man "man".
Fyler English (American)
Americanized spelling of German Feiler.
Gaarder Norwegian
Norwegian form of Gardener.
Gagné French (Quebec, Modern)
From Gagnier/Gagner (cf. Gagner), alternative form of Gagneux/Gagneur ("ferm laborer"), from Old French gaignier, "to farm, to work the earth".
Gagner French (Rare), French (Anglicized)
Alternate or anglicized form of Gagné or Gagneur.
Gain Bengali
Alternate transcription of Bengali গায়েন (see Gayen).
Gaither English
Occupational name for a goatherd, derived from Middle English gaytere literally meaning "goatherd".
Gakpo Western 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.
Galea Biblical Latin
Galea in Latin is HELMET. The Galea was a Roman helmet in excess of 1000 BC. Another basis for the name was for a type of boat with oars and sails. The first Greek boats called galea, appeared around the second half of the 2nd millennium BC... [more]
Galea Spanish, 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.
Galijašević Bosnian
Means "galley worker" or "man from Gaul".... [more]
Galishoff Upper 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]
Gallogly Irish, Irish (Anglicized)
shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac An Ghalloglaigh from galloglach "foreign warrior" or "galloglass"... [more]
Galpin English
English: occupational name for a messenger or scullion (in a monastery), from Old French galopin ‘page’, ‘turnspit’, from galoper ‘to gallop’.
Gamache French, Walloon
From French meaning "glove" or "mitten". Possibly an occupational name for a glover, someone who makes gloves or mittens, or had a connection to the glove-making industry.
Gambier French
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]
Ganacsade Somali
Meaning "businessperson" or "entrepreneur." It is often used to refer to someone involved in trade or commerce.
Ganas Greek
Occupational name for a coppersmith, from gana "coating", "verdigris". Possibly also a variant of Ganis.
Gangemi Sicilian, Italian
Arab origin meaning healer
Gangopadhyay Bengali
From the name of the Ganges River combined with Sanskrit उपाध्याय (upadhyaya) meaning "teacher, instructor, priest".
Ganjoo Indian, 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.
Gans German, Dutch
Means "goose" in German and Dutch, either an occupational name for someone who worked with geese, a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a goose, or a nickname for someone walked oddly or was considered silly or foolish... [more]
Ganser German
From the Middle High German word ganser meaning "gander", occupational name for a geese shepherd.
Garde French
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.
Garlick English
(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"
Garrighan Irish
to denote 'son of Geargain' a name which originally in derived from 'gearg' which meant grouse but which was often used figuratively for warrior
Garson Scottish, French, English, German (Anglicized), Spanish, Jewish
Variant of Scottish Carson and Corston, French Garçon, Spanish-Jewish Garzon and English Garston, or an Americanised form of German Gerson... [more]
Garten German, 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]
Garth English
Means "garden" from northern Middle English garth (Old Norse garþr, garðr) "piece of enclosed ground; garden, paddock" originally denoting one who lived near or worked in a garden.
Gasnier French
From Old French gaaigner meaning "to win, to earn" or "to till, to cultivate", possibly used as an occupational name for a farmer.
Gasser German (Swiss)
Occupational name for a goat herd from Middle High German geiz meaning "Goat" and (n)er an agent suffix.
Gauda Indian, Hindi, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Gowda.
Gauda Indian, Hindi, Odia
An occupational name for a dairy farmer.
Gaul Scottish (Latinized, Rare), Irish, German
Scottish and Irish: variant of Gall ... [more]
Gaydos Hungarian, English
Anglicized spelling of Hungarian GAJDOS.
Gayen Bengali
Occupational name for a singer or bard of traditional Bengali music, ultimately derived from Sanskrit गै (gai) meaning "to sing".
Gayer German
Derived from Slavic gaj "grove", this name denoted a forest warden.
Gazanchyan Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Ղազանչյան (see Ghazanchyan).
Gear English
Derived from the Germanic name element ger, meaning "spear".
Geigle German
Meaning "violinist" in Swabian German.
Geiser German, German (Swiss)
Occupational name for a goatherd, from a derivative of Middle High German geiz 'goat'.
Geister German (Silesian)
Occupational name for a goatherd, from an agent derivative of Geist
Generalov m Russian
Russian cognate of General.
Ghazanchian Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Ղազանչյան (see Ghazanchyan).
Ghazanchyan Armenian
From Turkish kazancı denoting a maker or seller of cauldrons, kettles or boilers, derived from kazan meaning "kettle, cauldron".
Ghazi Persian
Persian form of Qazi.
Ghosh Indian, Bengali, Assamese, Odia
Derived from Sanskrit घोष (ghosha) meaning "milkman" or "cowherd", ultimately from गो (go) meaning "cow".
Ghoshal Indian, Bengali
Possibly derived from the surname Ghosh.
Giardiniere Italian
Italian form of Gardener.
Gildner Jewish
Occupational name for a worker in gold, from Yiddish gildner 'golden'.
Gill Punjabi
Gill is an Indian (Punjab): Sikh name, probably from Punjabi gil ‘moisture’, also meaning ‘prosperity’. There is a Jat tribe that bears this name; the Ramgarhia Sikhs also have a clan called Gill... [more]
Gillespie Scottish, 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]
Ginige Sinhalese
From Sinhala ගිනි (gini) meaning "fire" combined with the suffix ගේ (ge) meaning "of, home, house" or "custodian". It was used as an occupational name for someone who used fuel and firewood to create fire before the introduction of firearms and gunpowder.
Girón Galician (Hispanicized)
Of Galician origin. Occupational name for a clothing maker.
Giudice Italian
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.
Glaessel German (Anglicized)
Anglicized spelling of German Gläßel.
Gleave English
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").
Goble English
From “Gobble”, meaning “to gorge, to guzzle”
Godet French
From Old French godet, meaning "glass, tumbler", used as a nickname for a maker or seller.
Goebbels German, 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.
Goglia Italian
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.
Gogol Ukrainian, Polish, Jewish
Means "Common goldeneye (a type of duck)" in Ukrainian. Possibly a name for a fowler. A famous bearer was Nikolai Gogol.
Golder German
Meaning "gold worker, jeweller".
Goldfarb English, German, Jewish
Goldfarb is a Jewish occupational name that was originally derived from the Old German word gold.
Goldmann German, Jewish
occupational name for someone who worked with gold denoting anything from a gold-miner to a maker of gold jewelry or a gilder (someone skilled in decorating surfaces with a very thin layer of gold leaf)... [more]
Goldner German
"Gold maker, gilder".
Goldschmid German
Variant spelling of Goldschmidt.
Goldschmitt German
Variant of Goldschmidt, meaning "gold smith" in German.
Goldschneider German
Means "gold cutter" in German, from the elements gold "gold" and snidan "to cut".
Goldsmith English
Occupational name for a worker in gold, a compound of Old English gold "gold" and smið "smith". In North America it is very often an English translation of German or Jewish Goldschmidt.
Goldstern Yiddish (Germanized, Rare)
It is a Jewish surname that means (Gold Star), which in Hebrew is כוכב המלך דוד the star of King David. This surname has its origins in Hungary, Austria and Germany, this surname was bought by the Jews who worked as sellers of gold, diamonds, emeralds and jewels... [more]
Golovanov Russian
Means "son of the head chief".
Golovkins Latvian
Latvian form of Golovkin.
Golovsky Belarusian, Russian
From Russian голова (golova) meaning "head, chief".
Goncharov Russian
Derived from Russian гончар (gonchar) meaning "potter".
Gontsov Russian
From gonets, meaning "courier".
Goodall English
From Middle English gode "good" and ale "ale, malt liquor", hence a metonymic occupational name for a brewer or an innkeeper.
Goodbar German (Anglicized), English
Possibly an altered spelling of English Godber, derived from the medieval given name Godebert, or an occupational name for a beer brewer and a nickname for a toper... [more]
Goose English, Norman
Occupational name for a goose-herd (a person who tends to geese) or a medieval nickname for a person who resembled a goose in some way. It could also be a English (of Norman French origins) cognate of Gosse.
Gopallawa Sinhalese
From Sinhala ගොපල්ලා (gopallā) meaning "cowherd, cattle keeper".
Gorter Dutch
Occupational name for someone who brewed beer or supplied ingredients for doing so, derived from either Dutch gruit, an herbal mixture used to flavour beer, or from the related word gort (also grut) "groat, grit, husked barley, pearl barley".
Goshawk English
Probably referring to a breeder of Eagle-Owls or an eagle-tamer. Shares its name with the Wizarding World author, Miranda Goshawk.
Gotówko Polish
Derived from Polish gotówka "cash".
Goud Dutch, Afrikaans
Means "gold" in Dutch, an occupational name for a goldsmith, or possibly a nickname for a person with blonde hair. It could also be a variant form of Gott.
Gouda Indian, Hindi, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Gowda.
Gouda Indian, Hindi, Odia
Alternate transcription of Gauda.
Gould English
Variant of Gold.
Gove Scottish
Scottish form of Goffe.
Gow Scottish
Occupational name from Gaelic gobha meaning "smith".
Gowda Indian, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada
From the ancient Telugu caste name gamunda meaning "village headman".
Graaf Dutch
Means "count, earl", a Dutch cognate of Graf.
Graanoogst Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)
Occupational name for a person who harvested grain, derived from Middle Dutch grâen literally meaning "grain, cereal" and ôgest meaning "harvest". A famous bearer is the Surinamese soldier and politician Ivan Graanoogst (c... [more]
Grabarek Polish
Occupational name from a diminutive of Polish grabarz meaning "gravedigger".
Grable German
Means "digger of ditches or graves" (from a derivative of Middle High German graben "ditch"). A famous bearer was US actress, dancer and singer Betty Grable (1916-1973).
Građankić Bosnian (Rare)
Derived from "građan" meaning "citizen" in Serbo-Croatian.
Graef Dutch, German
Variant form of Graf or De Graaf.
Graff English
Metonymic occupational name for a clerk or scribe, from Anglo-Norman French grafe "quill, pen" (a derivative of grafer "to write", Late Latin grafare, from Greek graphein).
Grammenos m Greek
Means "written" in Greek.
Grammer German, English
Variant of Krämer or a habitational name for someone possibly from German places called Gram or Grammen. It can also be an English occupational name for a scholar or an astrologer, derived from Old French gramaire meaning "grammarian, scholar, astrologer"... [more]
Granados Spanish
Occupational name for a grower or seller of pomegranates, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a pomegranate tree, from granado "pomegranate tree" (cf. GARNETT).
Granarolo Italian
It means bread baker.
Granato Italian
Occupational name for a jeweler or lapidary, from granato "garnet".
Granier French
French for a grain merchant (from Latin granarius), a topographic name for someone who lived by a granary (from Latin granarium) or a metonymic role name for someone who monitors or owned one.
Grano Italian, Spanish
from grano "grain" (from Latin granum) probably applied as a metonymic occupational name for a farmer or grain merchant.
Grap Low German
Variant of Grape.
Grape Low German
Metonymic occupational name for a maker of metal or earthenware vessels, from Middle Low German grope "pot".
Grass English, German
Topographic name for someone who owned or lived by a meadow, or a metonymic occupational name for someone who made or sold hay, from Middle English gras, Middle High German gras "grass, pasture, grazing".
Grass Scottish
Occupational name, reduced from Gaelic greusaiche "shoemaker". A certain John Grasse alias Cordonar (Middle English cordewaner "shoemaker") is recorded in Scotland in 1539.
Graupman German
Occupational name for someone who produced or dealt with grits and legumes, from early modern German graupe "pot barley" (bohemian krupa) and man "man".
Grave English
Occupational name from Middle English greyve "steward", from Old Norse greifi or Low German greve
Graves English, French, German
Derives from someone who had an occupation as a grave digger or a caretaker for a graveyard.
Grawert Low German, German (East Prussian)
As a Low German name, Grawert is derived from Middle High German grā and Old High German grāo "gray" (originally "shimmery, gleaming"). As a surname, it was a nickname given to someone with gray hair.... [more]
Grazer English
Not available.
Grealish English
The name derives from the Old Norman French word "greslet", meaning pitted or scarred, and is itself derived from the very early Germanic word "gresle", or hailstone.
Greensmith English
Occupational name for a greensmith, a smith who works with lead.
Grenier French
Occupational name for a grain merchant (from Latin granarius), or a topographic name for someone who lived by a granary (from Latin granarium) or a metonymic occupational name for someone who supervised or owned one.
Grewe German, Low German
Low German form of Graf via Middle Low German grave / greve.
Griebe German
Occupational name for a butcher or fat dealer from Middle High German griebe griube "rendered bacon pieces crackling".
Grinder English
Occupational name for a grinder.
Grindy German (Modern), French
I have seen elsewhere explanations about this name being German or French in origin. Sorry, I do not have the sources to hand
Grosch German
Either a metonymic occupational name for a moneyer or possibly a nickname for an avaricious person from Middle High German Middle Low German grosche "groschen" a medieval thick silver coin its name ultimately derived from medieval Latin denarius grossus literally "thick coin".
Grosvenor English
English surname of Norman origin meaning ‘the master huntsman’. Derived from Le Grand Veneur, this title was held by Hugh d'Avranches who accompanied William the Conqueror in the Norman invasion of England in 1066.
Gruszka Polish
Means "pear".
Gschwendtner German (Austrian)
From the German word "schwenden", which means "swidden agriculture" in English
Guadagnino Italian
It came from Italian word guadagno which means "earnings" and has a diminutive suffix ino which is also an occupation suffix.
Guardia Italian, Spanish
From Spanish and Italian guardia "guard watch" a topographic name for someone who lived by a watch place by a watchtower or a habitational name from any of numerous places called La Guardia named with the same word; or a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept watch or for a member of the town guard... [more]
Guasti Italian
Meaning uncertain, may denote someone from the town of Guasto. Alternately, it may be an occupational name from gastaldo "chamberlain", from Latin gastaldus "manager, bailiff, steward", or be a nickname from guasto "broken, crippled".
Guay French
Variant of Guyet or Guet.
Guchetl Adyghe (Russified)
From Circassian гъукӏэ (ġ°č̣̍ă) meaning "blacksmith" and лӏы (ḷə) meaning "man".
Guddi Somali
Woodworker
Guerrer Catalan
It literally means "warrior".
Guerrier French, Haitian Creole
Nickname for an aggressive person or occupational name for a soldier, from Old French guerrier "warrior". Cognate of Guerrero and Guerriero.
Guertin French
A French surname that evolved from the Old Germanic given name Warin meaning "to guard" or "protection". This surname was often given as an occupational name for a guard, or someone who served as a protector in their community.
Guet French
French - From Old French guet "lookout, watchman".
Guez Judeo-Spanish
Either derived from Hebrew גָּזַז (gazaz) meaning "to shear, to cut (hair)" or Arabic قزاز (qazzaz) meaning "silk merchant, sericulturist".
Guilder English
Occupational name for someone who worked in gold. The derivation is from the Old English pre 7th Century "gyldan" and the Old High German "gold", a refiner, jeweller, or gilder.
Gülden German
Variant of Gulden, a metonymic occupational name for a craftsman who gilded objects, or a habitational name referring to a house name such as In den silvren Gulden ("In the Silver Guilder"), De Gulden Hoeve ("The Gilded Farmhouse") or De Gulden Zwaan ("The Gilded Swan").
Gulden Dutch, German
Means "golden, gilded" or "guilder, florin (coin)", possibly an occupational name for a goldsmith, or a habitational name derived from a house.
Gullit Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)
Possibly derived from Old Dutch golt meaning "gold", most likely referring to a person who worked with gold. The former Dutch soccer player Ruud Gullit (1962-; birth name Rudi Dil) is a famous bearer of this name.
Gunji Japanese
From Japanese 郡 (gun) meaning "county, district" and 司 (ji) meaning "officer, official, boss".
Gunner English
From Old English gunne meaning "cannon, gun" and the agent suffix "-er"
Guralnick Jewish
Occupational name from Ukrainian guralnyk, Yiddish guralnik "distiller".