This is a list of submitted surnames in which the usage is Danish or Dutch or English or German or Norwegian or Swedish; and the source is Occupation.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
SalmDutch Denoted a person from any of various places called Salm. It could also derive from Dutch zalm meaning "salmon", referring to someone who lived near a sign depicting them, or to someone who fished for salmon.
SalterEnglish Occupational name for an extractor or seller of salt (a precious commodity in medieval times), from Middle English salt 'salt' + the agent suffix -er.
SalzerGerman For someone who worked with salt from Middle High German salz "salt" (from Latin sal).
SalzmannGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a producer or seller of salt, from German salz "salt" + mann "man".
SametGerman, Jewish, Yiddish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of velvet, from Yiddish samet ‘velvet’ (German Samt, ultimately from Greek hexamiton, a compound of hex ‘six’ + mitos ‘thread’).
SarverEnglish, Jewish English and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) occupational name from Old French serveur (an agent derivative of server ‘to serve’), Yiddish sarver ‘servant’.
SattlerGerman An occupational name meaning "saddle maker".
SauerbierGerman From German sauer meaning "sour" and bier meaning "beer". It originally referred to a brewer of sour beer.
SauerweinGerman Occupational nickname for someone who sold sour wine, or perhaps a nickname for someone with a sour disposition, from Middle High German sur "sour" + win "wine", i.e. vinegar.
SaxEnglish From Middle English sax meaning "knife", an occupational name for a knife maker, or perhaps a nickname for someone skilled with a knife.
SayerEnglish Occupational name for a professional reciter or minstrel, derived from Middle English seier "speaker".
SchaafGerman Metonymic occupational name for a shepherd, from Middle High German schāf ‘sheep’. In some cases it may have been a nickname for someone thought to resemble a sheep, or a habitational name for someone living at a house distinguished by the sign of a sheep... [more]
SchaalGerman, Dutch, French, Jewish Either a nickname for a braggart or a market crier, (derived from Middle High German schal meaning "noise, bragging"), an occupational name for someone who made dishes for scales and vessels for drinking, (from Middle Low German and Dutch schale "dish"), a habitational name from Schaala in Thuringia or the Schaalsee lake near Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living on marshy land, (from Dutch schald "shallow")... [more]
SchaapDutch Means "sheep" in Dutch, an occupational name for a shepherd. Alternatively, it could be a nickname for someone who looked or behaved like a sheep in some way, or who lived by a sign depicting a sheep.
SchachtGerman, Flemish From Middle Low German and Middle Dutch schacht "shaft; pole, tunnel", a metonymic occupational name for someone who made shafts for tools or weapons, or who worked in a mineshaft.
SchadeGerman, Dutch From schade "damage, injury", a derivative of schaden "to do damage, harm, hurt", generally a nickname for a thug or clumsy person, or, more particularly, a robber knight, who raided others’ lands.
SchaffterGerman An occupational name for a shaft maker or maker of tools and weapons, from Middle Low German schaft "shaft, spear, lance."
SchalkGerman, Dutch From Old High German scalc "servant, retainer, jester", which eventually evolved to mean "joker, rogue, knave". Could be an occupational name for an attendant or jester, a nickname for someone mischievous, or derived from a given name containing scalc as an element, such as Godschalk.
SchatzGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a treasurer, from German Schatz ‘treasure’, Middle High German scha(t)z. It may also have been a nickname for a rich man (or ironically for a miser), or else for a well-liked person or a ladies’ favorite, from the use of the vocabulary word as a term of endearment... [more]
SchauerGerman The Schauer surname comes from the Middle High German word "schouwen" meaning "to inspect;" as such, the name is thought to have originally been occupational, for some kind of inspector, perhaps an official of a market.
ScheetzGerman Anglicized version of the German surname, Schütz, "archer," "yeoman," "protect."
ScheidGerman, Jewish Either a topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary (between two valleys etc.) or crossroads Middle High German scheide, a habitational name from any of various places called ScheidtScheiden... [more]
SchiffGerman, Jewish From Middle High German Schif "ship", indicating the bearer was either a sailor, or lived in a house distinguished by a ship sign.
SchildGerman, Dutch Occupational name for a maker or painter of shields, from Middle High German, Middle Dutch schilt "shield".
SchilderDutch Means "painter" in Dutch, derived from Middle Dutch schildere "shield painter" (from schilt "shield"), originally denoting someone who painted coats of arms on shields. An occupational name for someone who painted houses, shields, or anything else.
SchildknechtGerman From the occupation of a page or squire for a knight derived from schilht "shield" and kneht "servant".
SchirmacherGerman occupational name for someone who makes harnesses and bridles for horses from Middle High German geschirre "harness" and macher "maker".
SchmelzerGerman occupational name for a smelter from an agent derivative of Middle High German smelzen German schmelzen "to smelt metal" or "make glass".
SchmidlappGerman Derived from Middle High German smit "smith, metalworker" and lap(pe) meaning "cloth, patch, rag".
SchmidlkoferGerman, German (Austrian) Occupational name for a farmer who was also a blacksmith, derived from a diminutive of Middle High German smit meaning "smith" and the suffix -kofer (a variant of -hofer).
SchmidtbergerGerman A distinguishing name for someone named Berger who worked as a blacksmith, or a habitational name for someone from any of several places called Schmidtberg in Bavaria and Switzerland.
SchmuckGerman, German (Austrian) From Middle High German smuc meaning "jewel", "finery", hence a metonymic occupational name for a jeweler, or a nickname for someone who wore a prominent jewel or ornament.North German: nickname from Middle Low German smuck meaning "neat", "dainty".
SchnitzGerman From Upper German schnitz, meaning "woodcutter".
SchnitzerGerman From Upper German schnitz, referring to someone who cuts wood, ultimately from Middle High German snitzære "woodcutter, carver, crossbow maker".
SchoenDutch Means "shoe" in Dutch, an occupational name for a shoemaker.
SchoendienstGerman Occupational name meaning "beautiful service", from Middle High German schoen "beautiful" and dienst "service, duty". A famous bearer was the American baseball player Albert "Red" Schoendienst (1923-2018).
SchopenhauerGerman Derived from German schöpfen meaning "to scoop, ladle" and hauen meaning "to chop", referring to a maker of wooden and metal scoops and buckets. This name was borne by the German pessimist philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), the author of the 1818 book The World as Will and Representation among other works.
SchopffGerman German (Schöff): in most cases an occupational name from Middle High German scheffe ‘lay assessor at a court, juror’ (modern German Schöffe)
SchottlerGerman Occupational name for a wood turner, Middle Low German scoteler (an agent derivative of scotel ‘wooden bowl’).
SchreinerGerman Occupational surname for a joiner (maker of wooden furniture), ultimately from Middle High German schrīnære.
SchrepferGerman (Swiss), German Derived from from Middle High German schrepfer "barber-surgeon's assistant", ultimately from the verb schrepfen "to bleed someone".
SchrootDutch Possibly an altered form of des Groot via Sgroot, meaning "son of the Groot", itself a byname meaning "great, large". Alternatively, it could be related to schroot "scrap (metal)" or the older scrode "to cut", an occupational name for someone who worked with metal, or perhaps a tailor.
SchruijerDutch Possibly a variant form of Schreier, from Dutch schreien or schreeuwen, meaning "to scream, shout, yell".
SchuchGerman Likely derived from SCHUMACHER (Shoe Maker)
SchuhGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a maker or repairer of shoes, derived from Middle High German schuoch meaning "shoe". In some cases, it may have denoted a person to a house distinguished by the sign of a shoe.
SchutzGerman Occupational surname for an archer or a watchman, from Middle High German schützen "to guard, protect". Also a habitational name from Schutz, a place near Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
SchweinGerman Metonymic occupational name for a swineherd from Middle High German swīn "hog".
SchweinsteigerGerman Occupational name for a pig farmer, an overseer of pigs or a nickname for someone who rode a pig, derived from Middle High German swīn meaning "hog, swine" and stīger meaning "foreman, mine inspector"... [more]
SchwerdtfegerGerman occupational name for an armorer or specifically for a servant whose job was to polish swords Middle High German Middle Low German swertfeger (from swert "sword" and an agent derivative of fegen "to polish or clean").
SchwertnerGerman Either a habitational name for someone from Schwerta in Silesia or an occupational name for a sword maker.
SchwimerGerman, Jewish Occupational name meaning "swimmer" in German. As a Jewish name, it may be ornamental.
SchwingGerman Occupational name for someone whose job was to swingle flax, i.e. to beat the flax with a swingle in order to remove the woody parts of the plant prior to spinning, from Middle German swingen meaning "to swing" or swing meaning "swingle".
SearsEnglish Version of Sayer. Used in the United States. Famous bearer of the name is Richard Warren Sears, one of the founders of Sears, Roebuck and Co.
SeelGerman Occupational name for a person who makes or sells ropes.
SegaleEnglish, Italian Respelling of SEGAL. A famous bearer is Mario A. Segale, the inspiration for Nintendo's video game character Mario
SeideGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German side, German Seide ‘silk’ (from Late Latin seta, originally denoting animal hair), hence a metonymic occupational name for a manufacturer or seller of silk.
SeiderGerman Originating in the region of Saxony. Name of a silk merchant, from the German word for silk: seide
SeifGerman, Jewish Metonymic occupational name for a soap maker, from Middle High German seife, German Seife 'soap'.
SeilerGerman German and Jewish occupational surname for a rope maker.
SeimUpper German German: metonymic occupational name for a beekeeper, from Middle High German seim ‘honey’.
SellmeyerGerman Occupational name for the steward of a hall or manor house from Middle High German sal "hall residence" and meier "steward" (see Meyer 1).
SelmerGerman Teutonic name meaning "hall master" for a steward or keeper of a large home or settlement.
SennGerman Derived from the Middle High German word senne meaning "dairy farmer".
SetzerGerman, Jewish Derived from either Middle High German "setzen", used to refer to market inspectors and tax officials, or Yiddish "setser", a typesetter.
SheriffEnglish, Scottish Occupational name for a sheriff, derived from Middle English schiref, shreeve, shryve literally meaning "sheriff", or from Old English scir meaning "shire, administrative district" and (ge)refa meaning "reeve"... [more]
ShieldEnglish Metonymic occupational name for an armorer, from Middle English scheld "shield" (Old English scild, sceld).
ShinglerEnglish An occupational name for someone who laid wooden tiles, or shingles on roofs, from an agent derivative of Middle English schingle ‘shingle’. ... [more]
ShinnEnglish Metonymic occupational name for a Skinner, from Old English scinn, Middle English shin ‘hide’, ‘pelt’. In Middle English this word was replaced by the Norse equivalent, skinn.
ShipEnglish This unusual name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is an occupational surname for "a mariner", or perhaps, occasionally a "ship or boat-builder". The derivation of the name is from the Olde English pre 7th Century scip, ship, in Middle English schip
ShipmanEnglish Occupational name for a mariner, or occasionally perhaps for a boatbuilder, from Middle English "schipman". One notable person is known evildoer Harold Shipman. He was an English general practitioner who is believed to be one of the most prolific serial killers in modern history.
ShipperGerman, Jewish, English German and Jewish Cognate and English variant of Schipper. occupational name from Middle English shippere "shipman sailor seaman" (Old English scipere) perhaps also with the sense "skipper" (Middle Low German schipper).
ShoesmithEnglish occupational name for a blacksmith who either specialized in shoeing horses (a farrier) or in making and fitting iron blades known as shoes such as the tips of spades and the plowshares on plow moldboards from Middle English sho "shoe" (Old English scoh) and smith "smith" (Old English smiþ).
SieberGerman The roots of the German surname Sieber can be traced to the Old Germanic word "Siebmacher," meaning "sieve maker." The surname is occupational in origin, and was most likely originally borne by someone who held this position
SievewrightEnglish Denoted a person who makes sieves, from Middle English sive "sieve" and wyrhta "maker, craftsman".
SilberGerman, Jewish From Middle High German silber, German Silber "silver"; a metonymic occupational name for a silversmith, or often, in the case of the Jewish surname, an ornamental name.
SilbermannGerman, Jewish Variant of Silber. from Middle High German silber German silber "silver" and Middle High German Yiddish man "man" an occupation for a man who worked with silver.
SlaatsDutch Possibly a contracted form of Dutch des laats meaning "the serf", from Middle Dutch laets "serf, bondsman, freedman".
SlateEnglish Occupational name for a slater, from Middle English slate, "slate".
SlaughterEnglish occupational name from Middle English slaughter "butcher" a derivative of Middle English slaught "butchery" and the suffix er or from a shortened form of the synonymous Middle English slaughterer a derivative of slaughter "butchery" and the suffix er.
SleegersDutch Older form of modern Dutch slager "butcher" and slachter "slaughterer", derived from Old Germanic *slahaną "to hit, to strike; to kill".
SlingerEnglish Travelled with the army's a user of Slings for war. The variant Slingo is a misspelling only appeared after the English civil war. YDNA between the two matches.
SlipperEnglish Occupational surname for a sword-slipper, or scabbard maker.
SlotDutch Means "lock, clasp" in Dutch, an occupational name for a locksmith.
SluiterDutch Means "gatekeeper, porter, prison guard, cellar master" in Dutch, literally "one who closes".
SmartEnglish From Old English (smeart) meaning "quick". This surname was used to refer to person who worked as a handyman.
SmockEnglish From Middle English smoc, smok meaning "smock", "shift", hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who made or sold such garments, or a nickname for someone who habitually wore a smock (the usual everyday working garment of a peasant).
SmokerEnglish Derived from the Old English word "smoc," meaning "smock" or, literally, "woman's undergarment." The name was most likely originally borne by someone who made or sold smocks.
SmoutDutch, Flemish Means "oil, lard, melted animal fat" in Dutch, an occupational name for someone who sold fat or lard, or a nickname for someone who ate – or who could afford to eat – large amounts of food containing it.
SmuldersDutch Occupational name derived from Dutch des mulders meaning "son of the miller". A famous bearer is Canadian-American actress Cobie Smulders (1982-).
SouterEnglish, Scottish Occupational name for a cobbler or shoemaker, derived from Middle English soutere, from Old Norse sutare, ultimately derived from Latin sutor meaning "to sew".
SovereignEnglish Occupational surname for a leader or supervisor, derived from the English word sovereign meaning "possessing supreme or ultimate power".
SpaansDutch Either a patronymic from the archaic given name Spaan, of uncertain etymology, or an occupational name derived from Middle Dutch spaen "wood chip, piece of wood; spoon, spatula".
SpaderGerman Occupational name for a spade maker or for someone who used a spade in his work, derived from Middle High or Middle Low German spade. A notable bearer is American actor James Spader (1960-).
SpanglerGerman Spangler is an occupational surname for "metal worker" having derived from the German word spange, meaning a clasp or buckle of the sort such a craftsman might have designed.
SpellingEnglish, Irish, Jewish Occupational name for a scholar, speaker or a story teller, derived from Middle English spellan meaning "to tell or relate". It could also be a variant of Irish Spillane or Jewish Spellman... [more]
SpenderEnglish Occupational name for a paymaster or someone in charge of finances, from Old English spendan "to spend" and Latin expendere "to pay out".
SpenglerGerman Occupational surname literally meaning “metal worker” or “tin knocker”.
SpiceEnglish From Middle English spice meaning "spice", referring to a spice dealer or an apothecary.
SpicerEnglish, Jewish, Polish English: occupational name for a seller of spices, Middle English spic(i)er (a reduced form of Old French espicier, Late Latin speciarius, an agent derivative of species ‘spice’, ‘groceries’, ‘merchandise’).... [more]
SpiegelGerman, Jewish Metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of mirrors, from Middle High German spiegel, German Spiegel "mirror" (via Old High German from Latin speculum, a derivative of specere "to look").
SpieglerGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a maker or seller of mirrors, from Middle High German spiegel, German Spiegel "mirror" and the agent suffix -er.
SpielerGerman, Jewish Occupational Name For A Tumbler Or Jester German Spieler ‘Player’ Middle High German Spilære An Agent Derivative Of Spiln ‘To Play To Jest To Sport’.
SpindlerEnglish, German, Jewish Occupational name for a spindle maker, from an agent derivative of Middle English spindle, Middle High German spindel, German Spindel, Yiddish shpindl "spindle, distaff".
SplinterLow German, German From Low German splinter ‘splinter’; probably a metonymic occupational name for a woodworker.
SpoonEnglish Apparently a metonymic occupational name either for a maker of roofing shingles or spoons, from Old English spon "chip, splinter" (see also Spooner).
SpoorEnglish, Dutch From Middle Dutch and Middle English spoor "spur", an occupational name for a maker or seller of spurs.
SpoorsEnglish From Middle English spoor "spur", an occupational name for someone who made spurs, or perhaps a nickname for someone known for wearing them.
SpringallEnglish Means (i) "operator of a springald (a type of medieval siege engine)" (from Anglo-Norman springalde); or (ii) from a medieval nickname for a youthful person (from Middle English springal "youth").
SpringerEnglish An occupational name for a dancer, or perhaps a hunter, from either Old English springen "to leap" or Middle English springe "snare, trap".
SquireEnglish Surname comes from the occupation of a Squire. A young man who tends to a knight.
SquiresEnglish Surname is plural of Squire. A young person that tends to his knight, also someone that is a member of a landowner class that ranks below a knight.
StaalDutch From Old Dutch stal meaning "steel", a metonymic occupational name for a steelworker or blacksmith.
StadtmuellerGerman From Middle High German stet meaning "place", "town" + müller meaning "miller", hence an occupational name for a miller who ground the grain for a town.
StahlGerman, Danish Metonymic occupational name for a smith or armorer, from Middle High German stahel "steel, armor".
StahlerGerman Occupational name for a foundry worker, from an agent derivative of Middle High German stal 'steel'.
StahlingGerman (Rare) Denoted a person who worked with steel. Derived from the name "Stähling", which was derived from "Stalin."
StålhammarSwedish Means "steel hammer" (from Swedish stål "steel" and hammare "hammer"). Was originally a name common among blacksmiths.
StallmanGerman Variant of Staller. German: topographic name for someone who lived in a muddy place, from the dialect word stal. English: habitational name from Stalmine in Lancashire, named probably with Old English stæll 'creek', 'pool' + Old Norse mynni 'mouth'.
StaterEnglish Occupational name for an official in charge of a public weighing machine derived from Middle English stater(er), from Latin statera "balance, scales, steelyard; value", ultimately from Ancient Greek στατήρ (stater) "a weight, a standard; a type of coin".
StaubGerman (Swiss), German, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) occupational nickname for a miller, from Middle High German stoup, German Staub ‘dust’. The Jewish surname may also be ornamental.
StauberGerman, Jewish An occupational name from Staub, with the addition of the German agent suffix -er.
SteelEnglish Variant spelling of Steele, or an Americanized form of the German and Swedish cognates Stahl or Stål.
SteelworkerEnglish (Rare) Modern version of Smith, meaning "someone who works with steel". Comes from the occupation Steel Worker .
StegerGerman Means "head miner" or "overman" from the German verb steigen meaning "to climb" or in this case "to lead a climb".
StehrGerman From Middle High German ster ‘ram’, hence probably a nickname for a lusty person, or possibly a metonymic occupational name for a shepherd.
SteigerGerman Occupational name from Middle High German stiger 'foreman', 'mine inspector'
SteinbrecherGerman occupational name for someone who worked in a stone quarry from Middle High German stein "stone" and an agent derivative of brechen "to break".
SteinbrennerGerman occupational name for a lime burner from Middle High German stein "stone" (in this case limestone) and an agent derivative of brennen "to burn".
SteingräberGerman occupational name for a quarry worker from Middle High German stein "stone" and agent derivative of Middle High German graben "to dig".
SteinmeierGerman Distinguishing name for a tenant farmer (Meyer) whose farm was on stony ground or was distinguished by a conspicuous rock formation (Middle High German stein 'rock').
SteinmetzGerman, Jewish Occupational name from Middle High German steinmetze, German steinmetz "stonemason", "worker in stone".
StellmacherGerman occupational name for a cartwright from late Middle High German stelle "carriage" (originally "frame chassis") and mahhon "maker"... [more]
StellrechtGerman Occupational name for a cartwright, from Middle High German stel "framework" and reht (from Old High German wurht-) "maker". Compare English -wright.
StellwagenGerman metonymic occupational name for a carter or a cartwright from Middle High German stelle "cart" and wagen "wagon".
StelznerGerman Variant of Stelzer, probably an occupational name for a stilt-maker. Also, a habitational name for anyone from any of the places named Stelzen.
StempferGerman Derived from occupation means 'Stump remover'