AbshireEnglish (American), German (Americanized) Probably an altered form of Upsher. In some cases, it could instead be an Americanized form of German Ibscher, a nickname for someone living on unallotted land derived from Middle High German überscher "surplus"... [more]
AcreEnglish Variant form of Acker, or an Americanized form of similar-sounding surnames such as Aaker or Egger.
AdelsteinGerman, Jewish Variant of Edelstein. Paul Adelstein (1969-) is an American actor known for his role as Paul Kellerman in the 2005-2017 television series Prison Break.
AignerGerman (Austrian) German: from an agent derivative of Middle High German aigen ‘own’ a status name originally denoting a landowner who held his land outright rather than by rent or feudal obligation. In the Middle Ages this was sufficiently rare to be worthy of remark and was normally a special privilege granted in recognition of some exceptional service... [more]
AikmanEnglish, Scottish Either a modified form of Akerman or Agemund (see Agmundr), or derived from a coven name composed of Old English ac "oak" and man "person, man".
AltmeyerGerman Status name for an older steward, headman, or tenant farmer, as distinguished from a younger one, from Middle High German alt ‘old’ + meier ‘steward’, ‘headman’, ‘tenant farmer’
AmmannUpper German, German (Swiss) Alemannic form of Amtmann "official". Ultimately derived from Middle High German ambet man "retinue man; retainer", this word came to denote various kinds of administrator including a tax farmer.
AmslerGerman (Swiss) Derived from German Amsel "(European) blackbird", this was an occupational name for a fowler (bird catcher).
AnschützGerman Occupational name for someone whose job was to keep a dam or pool filled with water. (Anschützen "to fill up")
AppelGerman, Dutch, Jewish, Yiddish From Low German Appel, Middle Dutch appel, or Yiddish epl "apple", an occupational name for a grower or seller of the fruit. As a Jewish surname, it is generally ornamental rather than occupational.
AppelmanDutch Occupational name from Middle Dutch apelmanger "apple seller".
AshmanEnglish, Anglo-Saxon Derived from Anglo-Saxon Æscmann, a byname meaning "pirate, seaman", composed of æsc "(boat or spear made of) ash tree" and man "person, man"... [more]
AßmanGerman Derived from Middle Low German asse "axle", this name used to denote an axle maker. In some cases, however, it can also be a variant of Asmussen.
AstGerman German and Ashkenazic Jewish: from German Ast ‘knot (in wood)’ hence a nickname for a tough or awkward individual or a metonymic occupational name for a lumberjack. ... [more]
AxtGerman From a Middle High German ackes or axt, meaning "axe". Name for a woodcutter, carpenter, or axe maker.
AylerEnglish occupational name from Old French aillier ‘garlic seller’, from ail ‘garlic’ (from Latin allium).... [more]
BaackGerman, North Frisian Either from a reduced form of the Germanic personal name Baldeke (a short form of any of the compound names with the first element bald "bold, brave ", for example Baldewin), or from Middle Low German baec, bake "pork, bacon", hence a metonymic occupational name for a butcher or pig farmer.
BacchusEnglish (i) Variant of Backus (meaning "one who lives in or works in a bakery", from Old English bǣchūs "bakehouse, bakery"), the spelling influenced by Bacchus (name of the Greek and Roman god of wine).... [more]
BackhouseEnglish (British), English (Australian) Denoted someone who worked in a bakery, from Old English bæchūs meaning "bakehouse, bakery", a word composed of Old English *bæc "something baked" and hus "house".
BackmanEnglish, Swedish, German Combination of Old English bakke "spine, back" and man "man". In Swedish, the first element is more likely to be derived from Swedish backe "hill", and in German the first element can be derived from German backen "to bake"... [more]
BaconEnglish, French, Norman An occupational surname for someone who sold pork, from Middle English and Old French bacun or bacon, meaning 'bacon', which is ultimately of Germanic origin. Can also be derived from the Germanic given names Baco, Bacco, or Bahho, from the root bag-, meaning 'to fight'... [more]
BadeGerman Occupational name for a messenger, derived from an element related to Old Germanic budą "message, offer".
BalDutch Means "ball, sphere" in Dutch, a nickname for a ball player or someone who made balls, or a habitational name for someone who lived by a landmark shaped like a ball. Cognate to English Ball.
BarbeGerman From Middle High German barbe, the name of a species of fish resembling the carp; hence by metonymy an occupational name for a fisherman or fish dealer, or possibly a nickname for someone thought to resemble the fish in some way.
BarkerEnglish SURNAME Town cryer, or someone who shouts out notices
BarkisEnglish Meant "person who works in a tannery" (from Middle English barkhous "tannery" - bark was used in the tanning process). A fictional bearer is Barkis, a carrier in Charles Dickens's 'David Copperfield' (1849) who sends a message via David to Clara Peggotty that "Barkis is willin'" (i.e. to marry her).
BarkusEnglish Probably a reduced form of Barkhouse, a topographic name for someone who lived by a tannery, Middle English barkhous, or an occupational name for someone who worked in one.
BarrowmanEnglish A man employed in wheeling a barrow; specifically, in coal-mining, one who conveys the coal in a wheelbarrow from the point where it is mined to the trolleyway or tramway on which it is carried to the place where it is raised to the surface.
BatchelorEnglish, Scottish Occupational name for an unmarried man, a young knight or a novice, derived from Middle English and Old French bacheler literally meaning "bachelor", ultimately from medieval Latin baccalarius.
BateyEnglish (?) Originates from mostly northern England. Is the presumed given name to fishers. (With it meaning "Small fishing boat" in old English.)
BauknechtGerman, Upper German Occupational name for a farm worker from Middle High German buknecht "plowboy, farmhand" derived from the elements bu "farm" and kneht "servant, apprentice".
BaumkötterGerman (Modern) From the German words 'Baum' meaning 'tree' and 'Kötter' a type of villager who dwelt in a cottage, similar to the Scottish Cotter. "Presumably a 'Baumkötter' earned money from a small orchard on their property."
BaygentsEnglish (American) Possibly derived from Old French bezant, a kind of silver or gold coin minted in Byzantium, ultimately derived from Latin byzantius "of Byzantium"... [more]
BaylisEnglish Derived from the Middle English 'bail(l)i', a development of the Old French 'baillis'. In Scotland the word survives as 'bailie', the title of a chief magistrate for a part of a county or barony. The word survives in England as 'bailiff', an officer who serves writs and summonses for the court.
BecherGerman Shortened form of Becherer as well as a surname given to for someone who distilled or worked with pitch, in which case it is derived from Middle High German bech / pech "pitch".
BechmannGerman (Rare) Surname denoting someone who worked with pitch, from Middle High German bech / pech "pitch" and man, a suffix which can mean "man" or simply be used as a name suffix.
BeckerEnglish Occupational name for a maker or user of mattocks or pickaxes, from an agent derivative of Old English becca "mattock".
BeeEnglish From Middle English be meaning "bee", Old English beo, hence a nickname for an energetic or active person or a metonymic occupational name for a beekeeper.
BeendersDutch Possibly an occupational name for a bookbinder or barrel maker, from Middle Dutch binden "to bind, to tie". Alternatively, could be related to been "bone".
BeerEnglish Habitational name from any of the forty or so places in southwestern England called Beer(e) or Bear(e). Most of these derive their names from the West Saxon dative case, beara, of Old English bearu "grove, wood"... [more]
BeerGerman, Dutch From Middle Low German bare, Middle Dutch bere "bear". Given as a nickname to someone who was thought to resemble a bear, a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept a performing bear, or a habitational name for someone who lived near a sign depicting a bear... [more]
BelzerGerman Occupational name for a furrier, from an agent derivative of Middle High German bel(li)z "fur"
BenderGerman, German (East Prussian) As a German surname, Bender is a regional occupational surname from the Rhineland area denoting a "barrel-maker" (the Standard German Fassbinder became "Fassbender" in the local dialects and ultimately was shortened to Bender).... [more]
BennerGerman Occupational name for a basket and bassinet maker, from an agent derivative of Middle High German benne 'work basket', 'bassinet', 'cradle'.
BergholdGerman Surname that denoted the owner of a vineyard.
BernerEnglish, Norman From the Norman personal name Bernier from Old English beornan ‘to burn’, hence an occupational name for a burner of lime (compare German Kalkbrenner) or charcoal... [more]
BernerGerman, Low German German habitational name, in Silesia denoting someone from a place called Berna (of which there are two examples); in southern Germany and Switzerland denoting someone from the Swiss city of Berne. ... [more]
BerryhillEnglish A name for someone who worked as a servant at the manor house.
BesemerGerman Occupational name meaning "broom maker".
BesteFrench, English Nickname from Middle English beste Old French beste "beast animal" (especially those used for food or work) applied either as a metonymic occupational name for someone who looked after beasts such as a herdsman or as a nickname for someone thought to resemble an animal... [more]
BickelGerman, German (Swiss), Jewish German: from bickel ‘pickaxe’ or ‘chisel’, hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who made pickaxes or worked with a pickaxe or for a stonemason. South German: from a pet form of Burkhart... [more]
BickermanEnglish The toponym Bickerton is derived from the Old English beocere, which means bee-keeper, and tun, which originally denoted a fence or enclosure.
BiddleEnglish, Irish Variant of English BEADLE or German BITTEL. The name is now popular in the north east region of America, where it was brought by English and Irish immigrants.
BiehlGerman From Middle Low German bil "hatchet", Middle High German biel; given to someone who made or used hatchets.
BielerGerman, Jewish Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of the many places in eastern Europe whose name incorporates the Slavic element byel- ‘white’.... [more]
BierGerman, Jewish from Middle High German bier "beer" German bier Yiddish bir a metonymic occupational name for a brewer of beer or a tavern owner or in some cases perhaps a nickname for a beer drinker.
BijlDutch Means "axe" in Dutch, a metonymic name for someone who used an axe in their work, such as a woodcutter, shipwright, or butcher. Alternatively, a metronym derived from a short form of Amabilia or Sibilia.
BindschädlerGerman (Swiss) Derived from German binden "to bind" and Swiss German schädlen "to make wood vessels", this is an occupational surname referring to a cooper, a barrel maker.
BingerEnglish Derived from the Old English name Binningas, which was a name for someone who lived near stables.
BirneEnglish, German, Jewish Means "pear" in German, making it the German equivalent of Perry 1, perhaps originally referring to a person who harvested or sold pears... [more]
BittenbinderGerman Occupational name for a cooper, from Middle High German büte(n) "cask", "(wine) barrel" + binder "binder" (agent derivative of binden "to bind").
BizzellEnglish a corn merchant; one who made vessels designed to hold or measure out a bushel.
BlaauwDutch, South African Archaic spelling of Dutch blauw "blue", a nickname referring to the bearer’s eye colour, clothes, or possibly a pale and sickly complexion. It could also be an occupational name for someone who made blue dye, or bluing for laundry.
BlacksmithEnglish Occupational name for a blacksmith, a smith who work with iron. The name is rare in England and mostly found in North America, suggesting that it's a translation of a non-English name meaning "blacksmith" (see Kowalski, Raudsepp and Lefèvre for example).
BladeEnglish Metonymic occupational name for a cutler, from Middle English blade "cutting edge, sword".
BlankenbijlDutch Means "white axe", from blanken "white, pale; bare" and bijl "axe". Possibly a toponymic name, or perhaps an occupational name for a woodcutter or carpenter.
BlazerDutch From Middle Dutch blaser "blower", from blâsen "to blow, to sound (a wind instrument); to brag", hence an occupational name for a player of the trumpet or other wind instrument, or a nickname for a braggart or boaster.
BleeckerDutch Old form of Dutch bleker "bleacher", an occupational name for a bleacher of textiles, a launderer, or the owner of a public bleaching ground.
BleekerDutch Occupational name for a bleacher of textiles, from Middle Dutch ble(e)kere.
BlemkerDutch (Americanized) Possibly an Americanized form of an occupational name for a bleacher of textiles, derived from Middle Dutch bleker.
BlesseEnglish (British), Filipino, Indian, French The last name Blesse was first discovered in Oxfordshire and held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. In the Philippines, Blesse means "a blessing in the family." In India, Blesse means "bless you."
BleulerGerman (Swiss) From an agent derivative of Middle High German bliuwen meaning "to pound". Hence an occupational name for the owner of a pounding mill.
BloemDutch Means "flower, bloom" or "flour (of wheat, corn)" in Dutch. Could be a nickname for a pretty or cheerful person, a metonymic occupational name for a florist, gardener, baker or miller, or a habitational name for a person who lived near flowers or a sign depicting them... [more]
BloemenDutch, Flemish Means "flowers, blooms" or "flour" in Dutch. Can be a nickname denoting beauty or a cheerful disposition, an occupational name for a gardener, miller, or baker, or a habitational name for someone who lived near flowers, or a sign depicting them... [more]
BloggEnglish The name is most likely Anglo-Saxon or early medieval English in origin. ... [more]
BlokDutch Means "block" in Dutch. This could be a nickname for someone with a heavy build, a metonymic occupational name for someone who used a block of wood in their work, such as a shoemaker, a milliner, or an executioner, or a toponymic surname for someone living on an enclosed piece of land.
BloodEnglish Evidently from Old English blod ‘blood’, but with what significance is not clear. In Middle English the word was in use as a metonymic occupational term for a physician, i.e. one who lets blood, and also as an affectionate term of address for a blood relative.
BloomEnglish Metonymic occupational name for an iron worker, from Middle English blome ‘ingot (of iron)’.
BluemelGerman Diminutive of the Middle High German bluome meaning "flower." The name is believed to be an occupational name.
BodeGerman, Dutch, English, Danish Means "messenger, deliverer, herald; prophet, omen", ultimately from Old Germanic budą. This can be an occupational name, or a patronymic derived from a given name containing the element (see Bothe).
BodemanGerman Bodeman is an occupational name meaning "adherent of the royal messenger".
BoettcherGerman Occupational name for a cooper, from Middle High German botecher, bötticher, bütticher, an agent derivative of botech(e), bottich, bütte "vat", "barrel".
BohnerGerman Occupational name from an agent derivative of Middle Low German bönen meaning "to board, to lay a floor", and a topographic name for someone who lived in a loft, derived from a variant of Bohne combined with the suffix -er, denoting an inhabitant.
BolDutch From Dutch bol "ball, sphere" or "bun, roll, round piece of bread or pastry", possibly an occupational name for a baker, a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a ball or globe, or a nickname for a bald man, or perhaps a ball player.
BoltEnglish From Middle English bolt meaning "bolt", "bar" (Old English bolt meaning "arrow"). In part this may have originated as a nickname or byname for a short but powerfully built person, in part as a metonymic occupational name for a maker of bolts... [more]
BoltzGerman May designate a creator of bolts for crossbows or bowmen. May also be a short form of Baldwin.
BondeSwedish, Old Swedish, Danish From Old Norse bóndi "farmer". Used as both a last name and a (rare) given name in Sweden (see Bonde for the given name and Bondesson as an example of a patronymic derived from this name)... [more]
BoomDutch From Old Dutch bom "tree", a nickname for someone tall or robust, or a toponymic surname for someone who lived by a notable tree. It could also be an occupational name for someone who operated a boom barrier
BoomgaardenEast Frisian, Dutch From Dutch boomgaard "orchard", literally "tree garden", an occupational name for an orchard worker or a topographic name for someone who lived in or by an orchard.
BouwmanDutch Means "farmer" in Dutch. Alternatively, a patronymic form of Boudewijn.
BowdlerEnglish From Dutch de Boelare meaning "from Boelare", the name of a town in the Netherlands. Alternatively, it could derive from English buddler, an occupational name for someone who washes crushed ore.
BoweMedieval English, English, Irish (Anglicized) There are three possible sources of this surname, the first being that it is a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of bows, a vital trade in medieval times before the invention of gunpowder, and a derivative of the Old English boga "bow", from bugan "to bend"... [more]
BowerEnglish, Scottish Scottish: occupational name for a bow maker, Older Scots bowar, equivalent to English Bowyer. ... [more]
BowkerEnglish A surname of French origin, from the occupational term for 'butcher' (boucher). Some theories have it that it derives from OE 'bocer', meaning a scribe, but the former is more likely and is more widely affirmed.
BowyerEnglish English: occupational name for a maker or seller of bows (see Bow), as opposed to an archer. Compare Bowman.
BraleyEnglish (American) A New England variant spelling of Brailey. French: from a diminutive of Brael, from Old French braiel, a belt knotted at the waist to hold up breeches; presumably an occupational name for a maker of such belts... [more]
BrasFrench, Dutch From Old French and Middle Dutch bras "arm". This was probably a descriptive nickname for someone with some peculiarity of the arm, but the word was also used as a measure of length, and may also have denoted a surveyor.
BreitnerGerman Derived from Middle High German breit meaning "broad, fat, wide". This was either a nickname for a stout or fat person, a topographic name for someone who lived on fertile and flat land, or an occupational name for a farmer who owned such land... [more]
BrennerGerman, German (Austrian), Jewish Derived from Middle High German brennen "to burn". Both as a German and a Jewish name, this was an occupational name for a distiller of spirits. As a German surname, however, it also occasionally referred to a charcoal or lime burner or to someone who cleared forests by burning.
BresserEnglish The surname is derived from the old English word brasian, meaning to make out of brass. This would indicate that the original bearer of the name was a brass founder by trade. The name is also derived from the old English Broesian which means to cast in brass and is the occupational name for a worker in brass.
BreuerGerman, Jewish occupational name for a brewer of beer or ale from Middle High German briuwer "brewer". Cognate of Brewer.
BroedersDutch From Middle Dutch broeder "brother, colleague" or "friar, monk, clergyman". Compare the German surname Bruder.
BrokerEnglish Name given to someone who worked as a broker, an agent for the sale and purchase of goods and services. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Anglo-French word brocour, which has the same meaning as the English word broker
BrucksGerman A variant of the German based surname 'Bruck', which roughly means 'bridge'.
BruecknerGerman, German (Silesian) German (Brückner): from Middle Low German brugge, Middle High German brugge, brücke, brügge ‘bridge’ + the agent suffix -ner, hence a topographic name for someone living by a bridge, an occupational name for a bridge toll collector, or in the southeast (Silesia for example) a bridge keeper or repairer... [more]
BrueggemannLow German, German North German (Brüggemann): topographic name for someone who lived near a bridge or a metonymic occupational name for a bridge keeper or street paver, Middle Low German brüggeman (see Bruckman, Brueckner).
BruggemanDutch, Flemish Means "bridgeman" in Dutch, an occupational name for someone who operated, guarded, or otherwise worked on a bridge. It could also denote someone who lived near a bridge, or who came from the Flemish city of Bruges, which also derives from Old Dutch brugga "bridge".
BrüggemannGerman Name for someone who worked as a street paver or bridge keeper, or someone who lived near a bridge. From Middle Low German brügge "bridge" or brüggeman "street paver".
BruggerGerman, American South German variant or Americanized spelling of North German Brügger (see Bruegger). habitational name for someone from any of various (southern) places called Bruck or Brugg in Bavaria and Austria.
BüchlerGerman Habitional name for someone from Büchle or Büchel, or who lived near beech trees, ultimately from Büche "beech (tree)". Alternatively, could be an occupational name for someone who pressed oil from beechnuts.
BucklerEnglish Occupational name for a maker of buckles, derived from Old French bouclier. Could also be a name for someone who used a buckle, a kind of small shield.
BuckmanEnglish Occupational name for a goatherd (Middle English bukkeman) or scholar (Old English bucman "book man"). It could also be a shortened form of Buckingham or a variant of BUCKNAM.
BuechlerGerman From the common field name Büchle 'beech stand', the -er suffix denoting an inhabitant. from buchel 'beech nut', hence a metonymic occupation name for someone who owned or worked in an oil mill producing oil from beech nuts.
BuermeisterGerman North German: status name for the mayor or chief magistrate of a town, from Middle Low German bur ‘inhabitant, dweller’, ‘neighbor’, ‘peasant’, ‘citizen’ + mester ‘master’.
BuffettFrench (Anglicized), English Americanised form or a variant of French Buffet, or probably an English variant of Bufford. Famous bearers of this name include the Americans Warren Buffett (1930-), a businessman, investor and philanthropist, and Jimmy Buffett (1946-), a musician.
BuijsDutch Patronymic form of Boso. Alternatively, could derive from Dutch buis "gambeson, jacket" as a nickname for someone who made or wore jackets, or from buis "herring buss, fishing boat" as a nickname for a fisherman.
BuisDutch Means "buss, fishing vessel" in Dutch, a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman. Alternatively, a variant of the patronymic surname Buijs.
BurgmeierGerman Occupational name for the tenant farmer of an estate belonging to a castle or fortified town, from Middle High German burc "(fortified) town, castle" and meier "tenant farmer" (see Meyer 1).
BurlEnglish Old English occupational name originally meaning "cup bearer" or "butler" for one who dispensed wine and had charge of the cellar. Eventually the name came to mean the chief servant of a royal or noble household and was replaced by the French language inspired named 'Butler,' akin to the world "bottler".
BurmeisterGerman North German: status name for the mayor or chief magistrate of a town, from Middle Low German bur ‘inhabitant, dweller’, ‘neighbor’, ‘peasant’, ‘citizen’ + mester ‘master’.
BusDutch Possibly derived from Middle Dutch busse meaning "firelock" or "round box, tin", an occupational name for someone who made containers or firearms.
BussemakerDutch Occupational name for a maker of boxes, tins or firearms, from Dutch bus "box, tin, container, firearm" and maker "maker".
ButkereitGerman (East Prussian) Derived from Prussian-Lithuanian butkėrė (Standard Lithuanian butkėrė), a Balticized form of German Böttcher "cooper, barrel maker" combined with the East Prussian German patronymic suffix -eit.
ButterEnglish, German 1. English: nickname for someone with some fancied resemblance to a bittern, perhaps in the booming quality of the voice, from Middle English, Old French butor ‘bittern’ (a word of obscure etymology)... [more]
ButtermanDutch Occupational name for someone who made or sold butter.
ButtermannGerman An occupational name for a dairyman or seller of dairy produce. See Butter.
BüttnerGerman Occupational name for a cooper or barrel-maker, an agent derivative of Middle High German büte(n) "cask", "wine barrel". This name occurs chiefly in eastern German-speaking regions.
BuurmanDutch From Old Dutch bur meaning "neighbour, resident" or "peasant, farmer" combined with man "person, man". Compare Baumann.
ByDutch Variant form of De Bie. Alternatively, could derive from a place name.
CaanScottish, German, Jewish Altered spelling of Jewish Cohen, or probably denoted a person from the city of Aberdeen in Scotland. Famous bearers of this surname include American actor James Caan (1940-2022), as well as his son Scott Caan (1976-), also a noted actor.
CabellCatalan, English, German As a Catalan name, a nickname for "bald" from the Spanish word cabello. The English name, found primarily in Norfolk and Devon, is occupational for a "maker or seller of nautical rope" that comes from a Norman French word... [more]
CableEnglish English: metonymic occupational name for a maker of rope, especially the type of stout rope used in maritime applications, from Anglo-Norman French cable ‘cable’ (Late Latin capulum ‘halter’, of Arabic origin, but associated by folk etymology with Latin capere ‘to seize’).... [more]
CaesarAncient Roman, English An Ancient Roman political title that indicated a military leader. A famous bearer was Julius Caesar, Roman general, dictator, and politician. In modern times, the surname is used to refer to an individual with a tyrannical attitude, which references the connotative meaning of the word "caesar", meaning "a dictator".
CageEnglish from Middle English, Old French meaning "cage, enclosure". Denoting someone who lived by or was the keeper of a cage, in the sense "lock-up, prison for petty offenders".
CaillotFrench (African), English From Old French maillot ‘big mallet’, used as a metonymic occupational name for someone who worked with such an implement, e.g. a smith, and perhaps also as a nickname for a fearsome warrior (see English Mallett)... [more]
CakeEnglish From the Middle English cake denoting a flat loaf made from fine flour (Old Norse kaka), hence a metonymic occupational name for a baker who specialized in fancy breads. It was first attested as a surname in the 13th century (Norfolk, Northamptonshire).
CallenderEnglish Occupational name for a person who finished freshly woven cloth by passing it between heavy rollers to compress the weave. From Old Franch calandrier, calandreur.
CandyEnglish perhaps from Middle English candi "crystallized cane sugar" (via French from Persian qand "sugar") and used as a metonymic occupational name for a sugar merchant... [more]
CaneEnglish From the English word meaning "cane, reed", a nickname for someone tall and thin, or perhaps an occupational name for someone who gathered reeds.
CantEnglish Means "singer in a chantry chapel", or from a medieval nickname for someone who was continually singing (in either case from Old Northern French cant "song").
CapelleFrench, English, Dutch, Flemish French topographic name for someone living by a chapel, from a regional variant of chapelle "chapel" (compare Chapell 2), or a habitational name from any of several places named La Capelle... [more]
CaplinEnglish Means "singer in a chantry chapel" (from Old Northern French capelain, a variant of standard Old French chapelain (cf. Chaplin)).
CaradineEnglish, German (Anglicized) Americanized form of German Gardein, itself a Germanized spelling of French Jardin. It could also denote someone from the village and civil parish of Carden in Cheshire, England.
CarawayEnglish Probably means "spice merchant" (from Middle English carewei "caraway").
CardEnglish English: metonymic occupational name for someone who carded wool (i.e. disentangled it), preparatory to spinning, from Middle English, Old French card(e) ‘carder’, an implement used for this purpose... [more]
CardenEnglish Derived from Middle English cardoon "wild thistle, artichoke thistle". Could be a nickname for someone who carded wool (which was originally done with thistles), for a person who lived near a thistle patch, or for a prickly and unapproachable person... [more]
CareEnglish Occupational name for a locksmith, Middle English keyere, kayer, an agent derivative of keye.
CarnellEnglish A crossbowman or archer who protected castles and fortresses.
CarradineEnglish, German (Anglicized) Variant spelling of Caradine. This name is borne by members of the Carradine family of actors, notably the American actor John Carradine (1906-1988).
CarrellEnglish English: from Old French carrel, ‘pillow’, ‘bolster’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of these. In some cases perhaps an altered spelling of Irish Carroll... [more]
CarrierEnglish An occupational name meaning someone who transports goods.
CartmanEnglish Originally referred to a man who worked with a cart. A famous bearer is Eric Cartman from the adult cartoon South Park