KuijtDutch Occupational name for a brewer of beer, derived from Dutch kuit, koyt literally meaning "beer". A famous bearer of this name is retired Dutch soccer player Dirk Kuijt (1980-), also known as Dirk Kuyt.
KumbhakarIndian, Bengali, Hindi From Sanskrit कुम्भकार (kumbhakara) meaning "potter", derived from कुम्भ (kumbha) meaning "jar, urn, pot" and कार (kara) meaning "maker, doer".
KupferGerman, Jewish German (Küpfer) and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a worker or trader in copper, Middle High German kupfer, German Kupfer ‘copper’... [more]
KurianGreek Originated from the name Quriaqos (ܩܘܪܝܩܘܣ) or the Greek Kyrios or kurios (Ancient Greek: κύριος) meaning Lord, master, power or authority, and is very popular among Kerala Christians both as a first name and as a surname.
KurpjuhnGerman (East Prussian) East Prussian German (and thus heavily Lithuanian influenced) name meaning "shoemaker", derived from Old Prussian kurpjuns "shoemaker", ultimately from Old Prussian kurpe, kurpi "shoe".
KutsarEstonian Kutsar is an Estonian surname meaning "coachman".
KutschGerman Topographic name of Slavic origin, from Sorbian kut ‘corner’, ‘nook’. Variant of Kutsche, metonymic occupational name for a coachman or coachbuilder, from the Hungarian loanword kocsi (see Kocsis).
KutscherGerman, Jewish occupational name for a coachman or coach builder from a derivative of the 16th-century Hungarian loanword kocsi "coach" German kutsche. The German -u- vowel comes from Slavic (Polish kucer).
KüttEstonian Means "hunter" in Estonian, derived from Middle Low German schütte.
KuttelwascherGerman Surname given to those who had the occupation of cleaning tripe. Combines the words kuttel meaning "tripe" and washer meaning "washer". Bearers of the surname typically live in Austria.
KutzerGerman Occupational name for a coachman or coach builder from old high German kutsche from Hungarian kocsi "coach". Variant of Kutscher.
KuutEstonian Kuut is an Estonian surname meaning "kennel".
LabontéFrench (Quebec), Haitian Creole, Mauritian Creole From French la bonté meaning "(the) kindness, (the) goodness", originally used as a soldier's name and perhaps also as a nickname for a benevolent person. This surname is rare in France.
LabordeFrench Derived from the French word borde meaning "small farm" (from Frankish bord meaning "plank") with the definite article la. This is an occupational surname for a tenant farmer.
LabradorSpanish, Portuguese, Filipino From the root word "labora" meaning labor or work. This means laborer or worker but often associated to farmers as in San Isidro Labrador
LaevaEstonian Laeva is an Estonian surname meaning "ship".
LaffeyIrish Reduced anglicisation of Gaelic Ó Laithimh, itself derived from the earlier form Ó Flaithimh, ultimately from flaitheamh meaning "ruler". It could also be a variant of Leahy.
LakemanDutch Either a topographic name for someone who lived by a lake or pond, from Middle Dutch lake "lake, pool; stream, marshland" and man "person, man", or an occupational name from laken "broadcloth".
LakerbaiaAbkhaz Mingrelian form of the Abkhaz aristocratic family name Lakrba possibly from Abkhaz а-лакра (a-lakra) meaning "in thickets, to catch in thickets" or "to rank, to include". It was most likely used to refer to a hunter or a member of a large group of peasants.
LambergGerman Derived from any of several places so named in Germany.
LambillotteFrench (Modern) Currently, a common name in Wallonia, Belgium with some descendants in USA. Believed to be derived from three terms..."lamb" "ill" "otte". The first term has remained unchanged from early Germanic term; the second is latin for "of the" and the third a dimiuative or feminine form suffix... [more]
LambiotteBiblical French A derivative of Lambillotte often occurring among Belgian/Wallowing immigrants entering the USA.
LanaItalian, Spanish Means "wool" in Spanish and Italian. Occupational name for a wool merchant.
LanceFrench From Old French lance "lance, long spear", an occupational name for a soldier or a nickname for a fighter who used the weapon.
LanciaItalian From Latin lancea, meaning "spear", given to those who made, sold or used spears. A famous bearer of this surname is Vincenzo Lancia (1881-1937), who established the Lancia car brand in 1906.
LançonFrench Can be a habitational name from any of several locations in France, a diminutive form of Lance, or possibly derived from Old French lançon "branch", a topographic name for someone living in a forested area or an occupational name for a woodcutter... [more]
LanderGerman, Jewish Topographic or status name from Middle High German lant "land, territory".
LandisGerman, German (Swiss) German and Swiss German nickname for a highwayman or for someone who lays waste to the land, from Middle High German landoese.
LanierFrench, English Occupational name designating one who worked in the wool trade (see Lane 2), derived from Old French lanier (ultimately from laine) meaning "wool", or for a keeper of donkeys, from Old French asnier literally "donkey keeper, donkey driver"... [more]
LapidarioSpanish (Philippines) Unaccented form of Spanish lapidário "lapidary". Severino Lapidario (1847-1896) was a corporal in the Spanish Navy Marines who was implicated in the Cavite Mutiny of 1872. He was one of the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite.
LapishEnglish (British) Derives from the surname Lapage, referring to a "law-page", that is, someone who worked as a servant.
LaplumemFrench (Rare) It is a French last name translated to the feather. It can also mean the quill, the writer, and the pen.
LappGerman From Middle High German lap(pe) ‘cloth’, ‘patch’, ‘rag’; a metonymic occupational name for a mender of clothes or shoes, or a nickname for a simple-minded person.... [more]
LarkEnglish From the name of the bird, a nickname for a singer or a cheerful person, or perhaps someone who caught and sold larks. Alternatively, could be a shortened form of the personal name Larkin.
LasalleFrench 1. French: local name or occupational name for someone who lived or worked at a manor house, from Old French sal(e) ‘hall’ (modern French salle; see also Sale), with the definite article la... [more]
LaskarisGreek From ancient and medieval Greek laskaris, a kind of soldier, from Persian laeshkaer "army". This is the same word as Urdu lascar "sailor" and Arabic el-askari "the army", "the troops".
LasterEnglish Occupational name for a shoemaker, or for someone who made lasts, a wooden tool in the shape of a foot used for stretching and shaping leather when making boots.
LatellaItalian Possibly derived from the Calabrian word tella or tiella, meaning "baking tray, pan", ultimately from Latin tegula "tile". Alternatively, it could be a habitational name from the town of Atella.
LatimerEnglish Occupational name for an interpreter or clerk who wrote documents in Latin, ultimately derived from Latin latinarius "interpreter, speaker of Latin".
LatoHungarian, Polish From Hungarian látni meaning ‘to see’, hence a nickname for a wise person or an occupational name for a clairvoyant, or possibly for an official who checked the quality of products at markets.... [more]
LaufferGerman The lauffer name is generally thought to have evolved from a place name to a surname. ... Versions of the name that evolve from the word "läufer," which meant "runner," are thought to have originally been an occupational name for a messenger.
LaunderEnglish From English launder, itself from French lavandier both meaning "washerman".
LavenderEnglish, Dutch Occupational name for a washerman or launderer, Old French, Middle Dutch lavendier (Late Latin lavandarius, an agent derivative of lavanda "washing", "things to be washed"). The term was applied especially to a worker in the wool industry who washed the raw wool or rinsed the cloth after fulling... [more]
LaverEnglish Occupational name for a washer, from French laveur (see Lavers). Also the name of a parish in Essex, England.
LaversEnglish English (chiefly Devon and Cornwall): Medieval English and occupational, from pre-10th century Old French "lavandier". Introduced by the Normans after 1066, originally described a worker in the wool industry, and was a metonymic or nickname for a person employed to wash raw wool or rinse the cloth after fulling... [more]
LawmanEnglish Derived from Middle English lagman or lagheman "lawyer".
LeatherEnglish, Scottish A metonymic occupational name for a leatherworker or seller of leather goods, and derived from Middle English and Old English lether meaning "leather".
LebaronFrench Either a variant of Baron "baron" with the French masculine definite article le. Or a habitational name from Le Baron the name of several places in various parts of France.
LeconteFrench from the Old French title of rank conte "count", an occupational name for a servant in the household of a count or who was one.
LedgerEnglish From the given name Leodegar or Legier. Alternatively, could be an occupational name for a stonemason, ultimately derived from Old English lecgan "to put, place, lay (down)".
LeducFrench, Breton From the Old French title of rank duc "duke" (from Latin dux "leader" genitive ducis) with the French masculine definite article le used as a nickname for someone who gave himself airs and graces or else as a metonymic occupational name for a servant employed in a ducal household.
LemassFrench, Irish Meaning uncertain. It may be derived from Old French maistre meaning "master", ultimately from Latin magister (see Masterson). Another theory holds that it comes from Irish Gaelic Laighmheasa, a given name meaning "dispatch"... [more]
LemercierFrench French surname designating a vendor of sewing materials, from the word mercier.
LemireFrench From Old French "Mire" (From Latin medicus, meaning physician), with French definite article "Le".
Le MonnierFrench Occupational surname for a miller, literally meaning "the miller" in French.
LenoirFrench Means "the black" in French, from noir "black", a variant of Noir combined with a definite article le. A famous bearer of the name was Belgian-French engineer Étienne Lenoir (1822-1900), the inventor of the internal combustion engine.
LernerGerman, Jewish Its literal meaning can be either "student" or "scholar".
LescherGerman German metonymic occupational name for a mediator or arbitrator, or possibly for a fireman, from Middle High German leschære ‘extinguisher’.
LesieurFrench From old French sieur "lord, overlord" (from Latin senior "elder") fused with le either an occupational name for someone in service of a great lord or an ironic nickname for someone who gives himself airs or graces.
LesorukovmRussian From Russian dialectal лесорук (lesoruk), meaning "lumberjack, woodcutter". The word itself comes from лес (les) "forest" and рука (ruka) "hand, arm".
L'hernaultMedieval French Originating in Northern France, Rouen River Valley, Normandie, L'Hernault is an Old French word for a "heralder", one who would act as an announcer, diplomat or town crier.... [more]
L'HuillierFrench Denoted a person who produces or sells oil, from French huile "oil" with fused definite article l'. Anne Geneviève L'Huillier (1958-) is a French physicist who beat the world record for the shortest laser pulse, of 170 attoseconds.
LhuillierCebuano, Filipino Borrowed from French L'Huillier used in the Philippines. Jean Henri Diago Lhuillier (1969) is a Filipino businessman, diplomat, and sports patron.
LichtGerman, Dutch, Yiddish Means "light" or "candle". Could be an occupational name for a chandler, a topographic name for someone who lived in a clearing (see Lichte), or a nickname for someone who had light hair, or who was agile and slender.
LichterGerman, Jewish Occupational name for someone who made candles or possibly for someone who tended a light, from an agent derivative of from Middle High German lieht, Yiddish likht "candle, light".
LicursiItalian Of Albanian origin, either an occupational name for a tanner from lëkurë "skin, leather", or a habitational name.
LieberknechtGerman A compound name where lieber is derived from the given name Liebert and kneckt is an occupational surname for a journeyman, derived from the Middle Low German knecht meaning "knight’s assistant, servant".
LightfootEnglish From a nickname for a messenger or a swift runner, derived from Middle English light "having little weight" and fot "foot".
LimonSpanish An occupational name for a grower or seller of the fruit.
LindtGerman, Dutch Derived from given names containing the elements lind "tender, mild, gentle hearted" or lind "linden tree, shield"... [more]
LineEnglish Americanized form of German Lein: occupational name for a grower of or dealer in flax from Middle High German līn, meaning “flax”.... [more]
LinéFrench (Rare) From Old French liné meaning "made of linen". This name was an occupational name for someone who weaved linen or was a linen merchant.
LingChinese From Chinese 凌 (líng) meaning "ice", originally used as an occupational name for a palace official who was in charge of storing and handling ice.
LinnGerman (Silesian), Jewish (Ashkenazi) Derived from the Slavic word lin "tench (fish)", a nickname for a fisherman, or for a person who somehow resembled a tench.
LirnykUkrainian Derived from Ukrainian лірник (lirnyk) meaning "lirnyk". Lirnyky were itinerant Ukrainian musicians who performed religious, historical and epic songs to the accompaniment of a lira.
LockhartScottish, German Scottish: of uncertain origin, probably from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements loc ‘lock’, ‘bolt’ + hard ‘hardy’, ‘brave’, ‘strong’. English: occupational name for a herdsman in charge of a sheep or cattlefold, from Old English loc ‘enclosure’, ‘fold’ + hierde ‘herd(er)’.
LocklearEnglish Variant of Lockyer. Locklear is an occupational name of anglo-saxon origin meaning "locksmith".
LockyerEnglish Variant of Locklear. Lockyer is an occupational name of anglo-saxon origin meaning "locksmith".
LoeschGerman German metonymic occupational name from Middle High German lösch ‘fine leather’.
LoescherGerman German variant of Löscher, an occupational name for a fireman, from Middle High German leschen ‘to extinguish’. Als a variant of Loesch and Lescher or a derivative of Loesche.
LöfflerGerman Derived from German löffel, it denotes a person who produces or trades spoons.
LoglisciItalian Possibly derived from Italian loglio "ryegrass, darnel", a plant often found as a weed in wheat fields, sometimes hosting an intoxicating fungus.
LoiPunjabi The surname Loi is predominantly associated with the Sikh Punjabi Jatt community, specifically within the Jatt caste. Originating from North East Punjab, the Lois constitute a relatively small Jatt clan known for their prowess in agriculture... [more]
LoiselFrench Derived from Old French oisel "bird" with fused definite article l' used as a nickname for a flighty individual or perhaps for a small birdlike person but possibly also as a metonymic occupational name for a bird-catcher.
LokhandeIndian, Marathi Derived from Marathi लोखंड (lokhanda) meaning "iron", either a nickname for a person who was strong and well-built or an occupational name for a blacksmith.
LorainFrench Occupational name for a saddler, derived from the Old French word lorain, meaning "a leather strap used on a horse's breastplate".
LorimerEnglish, Scottish Occupational name for a maker or seller of bits and other metal parts of a horse's bridle, and other metal pieces, derived from Old French lorain "tackle, harness".
LöschLow German, Upper German North German metonymic occupational name for a maker of fine leather, from Middle Low German losche ‘fine leather’. South German variant of Lesch (see Loesch).
LoudermilkGerman In German the word “lauter” translates into English as “pure” and the German word “milch” translates into English as “milk”. This surname belonged to those who worked in the dairy industry.
LouwersDutch Either a patronymic from a short form of Laurentius, or an occupational name for a tanner from Dutch looien "to tan (leather)".
LovchikovmRussian Means "son of the catcher", from Russian ловчик (lovchik), meaning "catcher".
LovecraftEnglish An English surname coming from the Old English lufu, meaning "love, desire", and cæft, meaning "strength, skill".... [more]
ŁuczakPolish Derived from the Polish word łuk meaning "bow."
LuddEnglish Etymology uncertain. Possibly derived from Middle English ladde "male servant, commoner, boy", or from Old English lade "bearing, carrying; way, passage, watercourse". In the case of Ned Ludd, legendary founder of the Luddite movement, it may have originated in the surname Ludlam.
LuiskEstonian Luisk is an Estonian surname meaning "grinding stone" or "whet stone".
LukkseppEstonian Lukksepp is an Estonian surname meaning "locksmith".
LurieJewish It is one of the oldest family trees in the world, tracing back at least to King David born c. 1037 BCE, as documented by Neil Rosenstein in his book The Lurie Legacy... [more]
LusongTagalog From Tagalog, which is referring to a particular kind of large wooden mortar used in dehusking rice.
LussierFrench Occupational name from old French ussier "usher, doorkeeper".
LuterEnglish From Middle English leuter "lute player", or else from Old French lutre "otter", either a nickname or a metonymic name for someone who hunted otters.
LuttrellEnglish From a diminutive of Old French loutre, meaning "otter" (from Latin lutra), applied as a nickname for someone thought to resemble an otter or a metonymic occupational name for someone who hunted otters (for their pelts).
LuurEstonian Luur is an Estonian surname meaning "reconnaissance".
LuuriEstonian Luuri is an Estonian surname, possibly derived from luuraja meaning "scout". Possibly a variation of the masculine given name Lauri.
LuurmeesEstonian Luurmees is an Estonian surname meaning "scout" (literally, "reconnaissance man").
LüüsEstonian Lüüs is an Estonian surname meaning "lock" and "sluice".
MaarendEstonian Maarend is an Estonian surname derived from either "maa rendileandja" meaning "landholder", or "maa rendilevõtja" meaning "land tenant".
Mac A’ ChrosainScottish Gaelic Patronymic surname which means “son of the satirist” and derives from crosán, which means “satirist.”
MacadangdangFilipino, Cebuano, Ilocano Derived from Cebuano dangdang "to broil, to grill" or Tagalog dangdang "heating, toasting, or drying through exposure to fire or glowing coals", possibly an occupational name for someone who dries things by the fire.
MacalusoItalian Possibly from Arabic مخلوص (maklus) "freed, liberated", indicating a freedman or slave who had been liberated, which may be related to Sicilian macaluscio, "cleaned and prepared cotton".
Mac an BhreitheamhanIrish Means "son of the judge" in Irish, derived from Old Irish brithem "judge, brehon, jurist".
MaccaroneItalian from maccaroni "macaroni" (or in northern Italy "gnocco") perhaps applied as a metonymic occupational name for a maker of pasta or in the North as a nickname for a silly or foolish person.
MacedoPortuguese, Spanish (Latin American) Referred to a person who worked or lived at an apple orchard. It is derived from Vulgar Latin mattianēta meaning "place with apple trees."
MacGillisScottish The MacGillis surname is a very rare surname from Scotland. It means "Mac Giolla Iosa", and translates to "son of the servant of Jesus". The surname was first found in Perthshire in central Scotland.... [more]
MacGillivrayScottish Anglicisation of Scottish Gaelic Mac Gillebhràth meaning "son of the servant of judgement".
MaconFrench, German French: See Maçon. An occupational name for a mason, French maçon. Habitational name from places so called in Saône-et-Loire, Allier, Aube, the Côte d’Or, Gers, and Deux-Sères... [more]
MacWhorterScottish (Anglicized) Anglicized form the surname of the Gaelic 'Mac Chruiteir', meaning 'player of the crwth', a string instrument primarily used in Celtic music. A famous bearer of this surname is the American clergyman, Alexander MacWhorter.
MadedduItalian Possibly a variant of Madau "sheepfold". Alternately, may derive from a Sardinian variant of Amato "beloved", or from the Latin cognomen Metellus "hired servant".
MadigaIndian, Telugu Telugu occupational name for a leather worker, a job historically considered polluting and impure in India, where the surname belongs to Dalit, or "Untouchables" - members of the lowest caste.
MagsinoFilipino, Tagalog Means "to look closely", derived from Tagalog sino meaning "who". It was probably used as an occupational name for an investigator.
MahajanIndian, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali Means "great (number of) people" or "tradesman, merchant" from Sanskrit महा (maha) meaning "great" combined with जन (jána) meaning "person, people".
Mahi'aiHawaiian From the elements "mahi" (farm) and "'ai" (food).
MahlerGerman Variant of Maler, a German occupational surname meaning "painter", particularly a stained glass painter.... [more]
MaidmentEnglish Occupational name for a servant of maidens (such as nuns), from Middle English maiden (ultimately from Old English mægden) meaning "young girl, virgin, maiden" and man ending with an excrescent -t.
MaiselYiddish, German, French Predominantly seems to be a matronymic surname from the Yiddish feminine name Mayzl. Although it is believed that it derived from the Hebrew name Meïser, which means “representative of God”... [more]
MallerGerman An occupational name given to a painter of stained glass.
MalletAnglo-Norman, Medieval English, French, Catalan Originated in Norman France and spread to England following the Norman conquest of 1066. The surname comes from the given name Malle, an Old English diminutive of Mary or from the given name Malo, a popular form of the name of Saint Maclovius, a 6th-century Welsh monk who the church of Saint Maclou in Rouen is named for.... [more]