KidderEnglish English: possibly an occupational name from early modern English kidd(i)er ‘badger’, a licensed middleman who bought provisions from farmers and took them to market for resale at a profit, or alternatively a variant of Kidman... [more]
KidmanEnglish English: occupational name, probably for a goatherd (from Middle English kid(e) ‘young goat’ + man ‘man’), but possibly also for a cutter of wood used for fuel. (from Middle English kidde ‘faggot’ (an archaic English unit for a bundle of sticks)).
KieblerGerman Comes from the Middle High German word "kübel" meaning a "vat," or "barrel." As such it was an occupational name for a cooper, or barrel maker.
KielDutch From Middle Dutch kidel, kedel "smock", hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who make such garments or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore one. Also a Dutch habitational name from a place so named in Antwerp or from the German city Kiel in Schleswig-Holstein.
KienerGerman Named after profession from Middle High German kien ‘pine chip, torch’ for someone who chips pine wood (wood from pine or spruce) and sells it (e.g. to smelters), a lumberjack or charcoal burner.... [more]
KiestlerGerman Possibly a form of Kistler an occupation name for a joiner or cabinet maker.
KilmesterGerman Kilmester is attested as a surname near Rostock in the 13th century.
KimmelGerman, Jewish Derived from Middle High German kumin and German kümmel meaning "caraway" (related to Latin cuminum, a word of Oriental origin, like the plant itself), hence a metonymic occupational name for a spicer, literally a supplier of caraway seeds... [more]
KimmichGerman The surname hence a metonymic occupational name for a spicer.
KinderknechtGerman Occupational name for a servant in charge of the children at a manor, derived from kinder (plural of kind) meaning "child" and knecht meaning "servant".
KindermannGerman, Jewish occupational name for a schoolteacher literally "children man", from the elements kind "child" and man "man".
KingmanEnglish From the words "king" and "man", denoting a servant of the king.
KinkleGerman Derived from the Middle High German word "kunkel," which meant "spindle." It is thus supposed that the first bearers of this surname were spindle makers in occupation.
KircherGerman from Middle High German kirchner "minister, sexton patron" hence an occupational name for a priest or a church assistant.
KirchmannGerman From Middle High German kirihha "church" and man "man" hence an occupational name for someone working in the service of the church or possibly a topographic name for someone living near a church... [more]
KirkmanEnglish A name originally found in both Scotland and England. From Kirk- meaning "church" and -man for someone who lived near or worked at a church.
KirschenmannGerman from Middle High German kirsche "cherry" and man "man" an occupational name for a grower or seller of cherries or a topographic name.
KirschnerGerman (Silesian) From the German word "kirchenære." The other occupation is that of a furrier and, in this case, the name is derived from the word "kuerschner."
KishEnglish A name for a person who worked as a maker of leather armor for the knight's legs.
KitchenerEnglish Variant spelling of Kitchen. A notable bearer was the Anglo-Irish senior British Army officer and colonial administrator Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener (1850-1916).
KitchenhamEnglish Occupational surname for a person who was in charge of the kitchen in a royal or noble house, or a monastery. From the Anglo Saxon cycene (German: Küche Dutch: kjøkken Latin: cocina Italian: cucina)
KitcherEnglish (British) This name derives from the Old English word "Cyta", and describes 'the cat' or perhaps more specifically a wild cat. This name may also refer to someone who worked in a Kitchen.
KitzmillerEnglish (American) Americanized form of German Kitzmüller, literally ‘kid miller’ ( see Kitz + Muller ), a nickname for a miller who kept goats; alternatively, the first element may be from a personal name formed with the Germanic element Gid-, cognate with Old English gidd ‘song’.
KlaverDutch Means "clover" in Dutch, a topographic name for someone who lived by a field of clovers or a sign depicting them, or an occupational name for a clover farmer.
KleberGerman, English (American) Derived from German kleben "to bind, to stick", hence an occupational name for someone who applied clay daub or whitewash on buildings.
KleiberGerman Derived from an agent Middle High German kleben "to stick or bind" an occupational name for a builder working with clay or in Swabia for someone who applied whitewash. in Bavaria and Austria an occupational name for a shingle maker from Middle High German klieben "to split (wood or stone)".
KleindienstGerman Originally an occupational name for a farmhand or laborer, who was second in line to a more highly paid class of servant. Derived from German klein meaning "small, little" and dienst meaning "service, duty".
KleinknechtGerman A combining of the German word klein "small" and knecht "servant", originally an occupational name for a secondary hired hand. A famous historic figure who bore this surname was Jakob Friedrich Kleinknecht (8 April 1722 in Ulm - 11 August 1794 in Ansbach), a German composer of many works of chamber music and symphonies, flutist and Kapellmeister (chapel master).
KleinschmidtGerman Occupational surname which means "small smith", that is, a maker of small forged items and metal hand tools.
KlempnerGerman Means "plumber, tinsmith" in German, originally from Central German and Low German, derived from Middle Low German klampe "clamp"
KlepperGerman A metonymic name for someone who bred or kept horses, from Middle High German klepper "knight’s horse", possibly derived from kleppen "to strike rapidly, to ring sharply" in reference to bells on their harness... [more]
KlijnDutch Could be a variant of Klein "small, little", or could be derived from Old Dutch kluin (also klyn or kloen) "peat".
KlingDutch Occupational surname meaning "blade" in Dutch, referring to a person who made knives. A Dutch cognate of Messer.
KlingbeilGerman From Middle High German klingen "to ring or sound" and bīl "axe", literally "sound the axe", an occupational nickname for a journeyman, carpenter, shipwright (or any occupation involving the use of an axe)... [more]
KlingemannGerman Occupational surname for a knife maker, literally meaning "knife maker, weapons smith". It is derived from German klinge meaning "blade".
KlokDutch From Middle Dutch clocke "bell", an occupational name for someone who made or rang bells, or perhaps for a clockmaker. Compare Van Der Klok and Kloek.
KlompDutch, Low German Means both "lump, block, compact heap" and "clog, wooden shoe" in Dutch, often an occupational name for someone who made such shoes. It could also be a nickname for a stocky or clumsy person, or a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a clog.
KloosterboerDutch Occupational name derived from Dutch klooster meaning "monastery, convent, cloister" and boer meaning "peasant, farmer".
KloostermanDutch Derived from Dutch klooster "cloister, monastery" and man "person, man", given to someone who worked for a monastery or lived near one.
KlopferGerman, Jewish (Ashkenazi) Derived from Middle High German klopfen "to knock, pound, hammer", an occupational name for a clothmaker, metalworker, miner, or hunter. As a Jewish name, it can refer to a shulklopfer, someone who knocks to call people to synagogue.
KluverGerman From the word kluven meaning "split wooden block". It used to refer to bailiffs.
KnappGerman Occupational name from the German word Knapp or Knappe, a variant of Knabe "young unmarried man". In the 15th century this spelling acquired the separate, specialized meanings "servant", "apprentice", or "miner"... [more]
KnechtGerman, German (Swiss), Dutch Means "servant, assistant" in German and Dutch, an occupational name for a journeyman or male servant derived from Old Germanic kneht meaning "servant, knight" or "youth, boy"... [more]
KnickerbockerDutch (Americanized) Americanized spelling of the Dutch occupational name Knickerbacker "marble baker", i.e., a baker of children's clay marbles. This lowly occupation became synonymous with the patrician class in NYC through Washington Irving's attribution of his History of New York (1809) to a fictitious author named Diedrich Knickerbocker... [more]
KnoedlerGerman Occupational name, probably for someone who made dumplings, from an agent derivative of Middle High German knödel.
KnolDutch Derived from Middle Dutch knolle "tuber, turnip, lump of earth", a nickname for a fat or clumsy person, or an occupational name for a farmer.
KnopflerEnglish, German Derived from Knopf (German for "button"), this surname was originally given to button makers or button sellers. A famous bearer of this surname is English musician Mark Knopfler (1949-).
KoelewijnDutch Derived from Dutch koel "cool, cold" and wei "whey", a metonymic occupational name for a dairy farmer. Altered by folk etymology to mean "cool wine". Can also derive from a place name.
KoelzerGerman From a noun derived from kolzen "ankle boots" (from Latin calceus "half-boot walking shoe") hence an occupational name for a boot maker or a cobbler. Or a habitational name for someone from Kölzen near Merseburg.
KoernerGerman Koerner is an occupational name for a grain merchant or possibly an administrator of a granary. ... [more]
KohlmanGerman This surname comes from the Middle High German word kol which translates into English as coal. However, German Kohl, kol or Kohle also translate into English as cabbage. Middle High German man and German Mann translate into English as man... [more]
KohrGerman 1. occupational name for a guard or watchman on a tower, Middle Low German kure.... [more]
KolberGerman From an agent derived from Middle High German kolbe "club, cudgel" an occupational name for someone who made wooden clubs later for an armorer, or a habitational name for someone from Kolben in Württemberg or Cölbe in Hesse.
KollerGerman The name is derived from the Alemmanic word "Kohler," meaning "charcoal burner," and was most likely originally borne by a practitioner of this occupation.
KomenDutch This name is more prevalent in Kenya than the Netherlands.
KömmUpper German Possible East Franconian dialect variant of Kempf meaning "champion, warrior, fighter".
KonzelmanGerman Orginating from Konrad, which is a variant of Conrad, meaning "brave counsel." The second half of the name indicates one who was a councilman or advisor to someone of importance or power.
KooijDutch From Dutch kooi meaning "cage", often referring to a pen or duck decoy (a plot of land with a pond set aside to lure in ducks). Occupational name for someone who raised or hunted ducks, or who made cages.
KoopmeinersDutch, German Perhaps derived from koop "purchase, buy" and meiners "mine." An alternate interpretation is that "meiners" could be derived from the German word miner.
KoopsDutch, Low German Patronymic from the given name Koop, a diminutive form of Jakob. Alternatively, a variant of German and Dutch Koop.
KorbGerman Means "basket" in German, denoting a basket maker or a basket vendor.
KornGerman From Middle High German korn "grain", a metonymic occupational name for a factor or dealer in grain or a nickname for a peasant.
KorverDutch Derived from Dutch korf meaning "basket", an occupational name for someone who either made baskets or used them, such as a fisherman.
KotenGerman Derived from German Kate / Kote, originally from Middle Low German kote "small house; hut".... [more]
KraanDutch Means "crane" in Dutch, referring to both the bird and the machine. Usually a nickname for a tall or long-legged person, but can also be an occupational name for someone who worked a mechanical crane, or a habitational name from a place containing the element kraan.
KrabbeGerman, Dutch, Danish Means "crab, shrimp", either a metonymic occupational name for someone who caught or sold shellfish, or a nickname based on someone’s way of walking.
KrauledatGerman (East Prussian) East Prussian German (and thus heavily Lithuanian influenced) name referring to a barber-surgeon well versed in bloodletting, derived from Lithuanian kraujaleidys.
KrautGerman metonymic occupational name for a market gardener or a herbalist from Middle High German krūt "herb plant; cabbage".
KrengelGerman, Jewish An occupational name for a pastry chef from Middle High German krengel German kringel "(cake) ring doughnut". As a Jewish name this may also have been adopted as artificial name.
KressGerman From Middle High German kresse "gudgeon", hence probably a nickname for someone thought to resemble the fish in some way or an occupational name for a fisherman.
KretschmerGerman Means "innkeeper, tavernkeeper, pubkeeper", derived from Proto-Slavic *кърчьмарь (kъrčьmařь).
KretzerGerman Occupational name for a basketmaker or a peddler, from an agent derivative of Middle High German kretze 'basket'.
KreulGerman From Middle Low German krouwel "hook, claw; three-pronged fork, trident, meat hook", a metonymic name for someone who made such tools, or a nickname for someone who used them.
KriebelGerman Nickname from Middle High German kribeln "to tickle, tingle, itch". Can also be a variant form of Kreul.
KriegerGerman Noun to kriegen, kämpfen meaning "to fight (with words)". Describes a person who likes to argue. A wrangler, a quarreler, a brawler. Literal translation "warrior", from the German noun krieg "war" and the suffix -er.
KriesGerman From Middle High German kriese "cherry" hence an occupation for someone who sold soft fruits or a locational surname for some who lived by a cherry tree.
KrijgsmanDutch Means "warrior, soldier" in Dutch, derived from krijg "war, warfare" and man "person, man".
KritzmanGerman, Jewish German (Kritzmann): topographic name for someone living near a cross.... [more]
KroesDutch, Low German Means "chalice, cup, jug" in Dutch, an occupational name for someone who made drinking vessels, such as a potter. Could also be a habitational name for someone who lived by a sign depicting a cup.
KrouwelDutch From Middle Dutch crauwel meaning "trident, hook, claw", an occupational name for someone who used such a tool, or habitational name for someone who lived near a landmark depicting it.
KruisDutch, Flemish Means "cross" in Dutch, a habitational name for someone who lived near a crossroads, a sign depicting a cross, or a place where people were executed. Could also denote someone who made crosses, either the religious symbol or the instrument of torture.
KüblerGerman, German (Swiss) Derived from Middle High German kübel "tub vat barrel", this is an occupational surname referring to a cooper.
KuchGerman German metonymic occupational name for a pastry cook, from German kuchen ‘cake’, or simply a variant of Koch ‘cook’.
KuchenmeisterGerman Occupational name for a master cook (literally "kitchen master"), a court official.
KucherGerman Occupational name for a pastry cook from an agent derivative of Middle High German kuoche "cake pastry".
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.
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]
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".
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).
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.
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".
LambergGerman Derived from any of several places so named in Germany.
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]
LansdowneFrench, English The first marquis lansdowne, land owners for there lords and farmers also know as tenants.
LapishEnglish (British) Derives from the surname Lapage, referring to a "law-page", that is, someone who worked as a servant.
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.
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.
LatimerEnglish English occupational name for a clerk who could translate documents to and from Latin and/or other languages, from Anglo-Norman French latinier, latim(m)ier.
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".
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)".
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’.
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".
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 English (chiefly northern England, especially Liverpool): nickname for a messenger or for a fast runner, from Middle English lyght ‘light’, ‘nimble’, ‘quick’ (Old English lioht) + fote ‘foot’.
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]
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.
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.
LorimerEnglish Means "maker or seller of metal items of a horse's harness and associated equipment (e.g. bits and spurs)" (from Anglo-Norman loremier, a derivative of Old French lorain "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)".
LovecraftEnglish An English surname coming from the Old English lufu, meaning "love, desire", and cæft, meaning "strength, skill".... [more]
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.
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).
MachenEnglish Occupational name for a stonemason, Anglo-Norman French machun, a Norman dialect variant of Old French masson (see Mason).
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]
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]
MakerDutch (Rare) An occupational name for someone who makes or repairs things, from Dutch maken "to make, mend, create".
MallerGerman An occupational name given to a painter of stained glass.
MalthouseEnglish Occupational name for a maker of malt or a malt merchant. It could also be a topographic name for a person who lived at a malt house.
MantelEnglish, German, French, Dutch nickname for someone who wore a cloak in a particularly conspicuous way or with a striking design, from Middle English, Middle High German, Old French, and Middle Dutch mantel "cloak, coat" (from Late Latin mantellus)... [more]
MarchantFrench, English, Spanish Variant of Marchand, from French marchand meaning "merchant, mercantile". Though it is of French origin, it was transferred into the Spanish-speaking world, especially Chile, by French invasion of the Iberian Peninsula.
MarinerEnglish, Catalan Occupational name from Middle English mariner "sailor seaman boatman" (Anglo-Norman French mariner Old French mariniermarniermerinier) Catalan mariner (from Late Latin marinarius a derivative of marinus "marine").
MarlerEnglish (British) The name Marler might be loosely tied to marl, the type of crumbly clay made up of sand, silt, or clay. The name Marler likely means to mine marl, so they were called Marlers.
MarnerEnglish, German Occupational name for a sailor from Anglo-Norman French mariner Middle, High German marnære "seaman". English variant of Mariner.
MarquisFrench, English for someone who behaved like a marquis or an occupational name for a servant in the household of a marquis, from Old Northern French marquis... [more]
MarschallGerman, English occupational name for a man in the service of a member of the nobility originally one who looked after the horses derived from Middle High German marschalc from Latin mariscalcus, ultimately from Old High German marah "horse" and scalc "servant"... [more]
MarsmanDutch Derived from Middle Dutch marsch, mersch (Southern Dutch meers), meaning "marsh". In some cases, however, it can also be a variant of Meersman.
MarstellerGerman Occupational name for a stable boy in or for the supervisor of the stables on a noble estate, from Middle High German mar(c) 'noble horse' stall 'stable' + the agent suffix -er.
MasseterEnglish Perhaps means "brewery worker" (from Middle English mash "fermentable mixture of hot water and grain" + rudder "rudder-shaped stirrer").
MastGerman, Dutch Derived from Middle High German and Middle Dutch mast "mast (fodder made of acorns and beechnuts); the process of fattening livestock", an occupational name for a pig farmer or a swineherd. In some cases, however, the German name may also have been derived from Middle High German mast, mastic "fat, stout".
MastDutch Derived from Middle Dutch mast "(ship's) mast; pole", a nickname for a tall, lanky man. Alternatively, it can derive from the homonym mast "pig fodder, animal fodder".
MastermanEnglish occupational name meaning "servant of the master" from Middle English maister "master" (Latin magister "teacher, master, leader") and mann "man".
MastinFrench, Flemish, Walloon occupational name for a household servant or guard from Old French mastin "watchdog, manservant" (from Latin mansuetudinus "domestic"). The Old French word had the further sense of a bad-tempered dog and was used as an adjective in the sense of "bad cruel".
MayorEnglish, Spanish, Catalan English variant of Mayer 3 and Catalan variant of Major. Either a nickname for an older man or a distinguishing epithet for the elder of two bearers of the same personal name, from mayor "older", from Latin maior (natus), literally "greater (by birth)"... [more]
MeadesEnglish The name Meades is a plural variation of the name Meade, Mead, Mede, etc., the spelling being rather arbitrary and phonetic in the middle ages (even among the very few scribes, clerics and high-born persons who were literate) and without due consideration of standarized form, hence the various spellings of the name today... [more]
MeeboerDutch (Rare) Possibly an occupational name for someone who brewed or sold mead, from Dutch mede (also mee) "mead" and boer "farmer, peasant; merchant, producer (of a product)".
MeersmanFlemish An occupational name for a travelling salesman, from Middle Dutch merseman "itinerant merchant, peddler".
MeesterDutch, Flemish, German Occupational name for a teacher, lecturer or a master craftsman, or a nickname for someone who had a bossy demeanor, derived from Dutch meester meaning "master". A famous bearer of this surname is the American actress, singer and model Leighton Meester (1986-).
MesmerGerman Occupational name for a maker of knives from Middle High German messer meaning "knife". A famous bearer was Franz Mesmer (1734-1815), a German doctor known for his theory of "animal magnetism", which was eventually incorporated into the field of hypnosis.
MessingGerman, Jewish Derived from Middle High German messinc meaning "brass", referring to a person who makes or repairs brass objects. A famous bearer is American actress Debra Messing (1968-).
MetcalfeEnglish An occupational name from Northern England, from Old English mete, 'food' and calf, 'calf', i.e calfs being fattened for consumption in late summer. Thus, making this surname an occupational name for either a slaughterer or herdsman... [more]