SeidGerman From the Germanic given name Sito, a short form of a compound name formed with sigi "victory".
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.
SeidenbergGerman, Jewish Derived from several places with the same name. As an ornamental name, it is derived from German seide meaning "silk" and berg meaning "mountain".
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’.
SeinfeldGerman, Jewish From the German word sein "to be" and the word of German Jewish origin feld which means "field". It was a name given to areas of land that had been cleared of forest.
SelmerGerman Teutonic name meaning "hall master" for a steward or keeper of a large home or settlement.
SelzGerman The Selz is a river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and a left hand tributary of the Rhine. It flows through the largest German wine region, Rheinhessen or Rhenish Hesse. Also, Seltz (German: Selz) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department of the Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine region in north-eastern France.... [more]
SengGerman 1. Topographic name for someone who lived by land cleared by fire, from Middle High German sengen ‘to singe or burn’. ... [more]
SennGerman Derived from the Middle High German word senne meaning "dairy farmer".
SensenbachGerman A topographic name formed with an unexplained first element + Middle High German bach ‘creek’. Pretty common in Iowa and Pennsylvania.
SetzerGerman, Jewish Derived from either Middle High German "setzen", used to refer to market inspectors and tax officials, or Yiddish "setser", a typesetter.
SewinaGerman, Polish The first available record of the Sewina family name is around 1620 in the province of Silesia, a mixed cultural region between Germany and Poland. Once part of the Prussian Empire and Germany. After World War Two, the area is now part of Poland... [more]
ShadeEnglish, German, Dutch, Scottish Topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary, from Old English scead ‘boundary’.nickname for a very thin man, from Middle English schade ‘shadow’, ‘wraith’.... [more]
ShatnerGerman (Anglicized), Jewish (Anglicized) Anglicized form of Schattner. A notable bearer was Canadian actor William Shatner (1931-), who is known for his roles as Captain James T. Kirk in 'Star Trek', T.J. Hooker in 'T.J. Hooker', Denny Crane in 'Boston Legal', and the Priceline Negotiator in Priceline.com commercials.
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
SiebernGerman German. People known with this name are: Emelia Siebern, Hannah Siebern, Caleb Siebern.
SieckGerman The name is originally spelled "Siecke". Eric Siecke came from Norway and settled in Holstein, Germany in the year 1307. The final "e" was dropped by most of the family, though one branch still retains it... [more]
SiegfriedGerman From a Germanic personal name composed of the elements sigi "victory" and fridu "peace". The German surname has also occasionally been adopted by Ashkenazic Jews.
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.
SilbermanGerman, Jewish Variant of Silber, with the addition of Middle High German man meaning "man" or Yiddish man meaning "man".
SilbersteinGerman, Jewish From Middle High German silber "silver" and stein "stone"; a habitational name from a place so named in Bavaria, or a topographic name.... [more]
SimbeckGerman Originates from the German prefix sim meaning "of the head" and the German word becka meaning "bull". When combined in this order, the meaning was "bull-headed", meaning stubborn and obstinant.
SingerGerman variant of Sänger, in the sense of ‘poet’
SkeltonEnglish, German, Norwegian (Rare) Habitational name from places in Cumbria and Yorkshire, England, originally named with the same elements as Shelton, but with a later change of ‘s’ to ‘sk’ under Scandinavian influence.
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.
SparkEnglish, German Northern English: from the Old Norse byname or personal name Sparkr ‘sprightly’, ‘vivacious’.... [more]
SpäthGerman Derived from Middle High German spæte "late".
SpaughGerman Was originally "Spach," was changed when first introduced into America
SpeckGerman Variant of Specker as well as a locational surname from one of various places called Speck, Specke and Specken in northern Germany and Spöck in southern Germany, as well as an occupational surname derived from German Speck "bacon" denoting a butcher who sepcialized in the production of bacon, as well as a derisive nickname for a corpulent person.
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.
SpielbergJewish, German From Old High German spiegel "lookout point" or German Spiel "game, play" and berg "mountain". Locational surname after a town in Austria. A famous bearer is American director Steven Spielberg (1946-present).
SpiesGerman While it translates to the plural of "spy" in English, Spies is a semi-common name found throughout Germany and the surrounding nations. This surname is also popular throughout states with a high German population.
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.
SpohrGerman Occupational name for a maker of spurs, from Middle High German spor ‘spur’, or a topographic name, from Middle High German spor ‘spoor’, ‘animal tracks’.... [more]
SpringGerman From Middle High German sprinc, Middle Low German sprink "spring, well", hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a spring or well, or habitational name from Springe near Hannover.
SpringerGerman, English, Dutch, Jewish Nickname for a lively person or for a traveling entertainer. It can also refer to a descendant of Ludwig der Springer (AKA Louis the Springer), a medieval Franconian count who, according to legend, escaped from a second or third-story prison cell by jumping into a river after being arrested for trying to seize County Saxony in Germany.
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 Metonymic occupational name for a smith or armorer, from Middle High German stahel "steel, armor".
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'.
StangGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) from Middle High German stang, German Stange ‘pole’, ‘shaft’, hence a nickname for a tall, thin person, a metonymic occupational name for a maker of wooden shafts for spears and the like, or a metonymic occupational name for a soldier.
StanislawPolish, German Polish from the personal name Stanislaw, composed of the Slavic elements stani ‘become’ + slav ‘glory’, ‘fame’, ‘praise’... [more]
StantzGerman Possibly an altered spelling of German Stanz, a habitation name from places called Stans or Stanz in Austria and Switzerland (see also Stentz).
StarGerman, Dutch, Jewish, English German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname from German Star, Middle High German star, ‘starling’, probably denoting a talkative or perhaps a voracious person.... [more]
StateGerman Nickname from Middle High German stæt(e) meaning "firm", "steadfast", "constant".
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.
StauchGerman From Middle High German stuche, a term used to denote both a type of wide sleeve and a headcovering. Also a habitational name from a place called Staucha, near Dresden.
StaufferGerman This surname refers either to various towns named Stauffen or else it might be derived from Middle High German stouf "high rock/cliff/crag".
StegerGerman Means "head miner" or "overman" from the German verb "steigen" meaning "to climb" or in this case "to lead a climb".
StegerGerman From a derivative of Middle High German stec "steep path or track, narrow bridge". The name was likely given to someone living close to a path or small bridge.
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'
SteinbachGerman, Jewish German habitational name from any of the many places named Steinbach, named with Middle High German stein ‘stone’ + bach ‘stream’, ‘creek’. ... [more]
SteinbeckGerman Denotes a person hailing from one of the many places in Germany called Steinbeck or Steinbach, from Middle High German stein "stone" and bach "stream, creek". In some cases it is a South German occupational name for a mason... [more]
SteinbergGerman From stony mountain. From "stein" meaning stone, and "berg" meaning mountain.
SteinbockGerman From German 'stein' meaning "stone" and 'der bock' meaning "goat".
SteinkampGerman North German topographic name for someone living by a field with a prominent rocky outcrop or boulder in it, and derived from Middle Low German sten meaning "rock, stone" and kamp meaning "enclosed field".
SteinmetzGerman, Jewish Occupational name from Middle High German steinmetze, German steinmetz "stonemason", "worker in stone".
SteinwedelGerman From the German word "stein" and "wedel" which mean "stone frond", which was a name given to someone who lived near a stone wall covered in plants.
StellrechtGerman Occupational name for a cartwright, from Middle High German stel "framework" and reht (from Old High German wurht-) "maker". Compare English -wright.
StelterGerman nickname for a disabled person; from Middle Low German stelte, stilt "wooden leg"
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.
StiefelGerman Either from stiefel "boot", which could mean a boot maker or from middle low german stief which means "stiff", a nickname for a stubborn person
StieglitzGerman Meaning goldfinch, Stiglitz was borrowed into German from a Slavic language, probably Old Czech stehlec. Several possible origins: of the surname can be: ... [more]
StifterGerman Unknown History of Stifter. Stifter means Founder in German
StoehrGerman From Middle Low German store ‘sturgeon’, hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who caught or sold sturgeon, or a nickname for someone with some supposed resemblance to the fish... [more]
StoltenbergGerman, Norwegian Habitational name from places so called in Pomerania and Rhineland. A famous bearer is Jens Stoltenberg (b. 1959), Prime Minister of Norway 2000-2001 and 2005-2013.
StoltzfusGerman Stoltzfus is a surname of German origin. It is common among Mennonites and Amish. All American Stoltzfuses are descended from Nicholas Stoltzfus (1719–1774), an Amish man who migrated from Germany to America in 1766.
StrandheimGerman, Jewish From a location name meaning "beach home" in German, from Middle High German strand meaning "beach" and heim meaning "home". As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.
StrasburgGerman It is derived from the Old Germanic phrase "an der Strasse," which literally means "on the street." Thus, the original bearer of this name was most likely someone whose residence was located on a street.
StrasseGerman It derives either from the ancient Roman (Latin) word "straet" meaning a main road, and hence somebody who lived by such a place, or from a German pre-medieval word "stratz" meaning vain.
StrasserGerman (East Prussian) Topographical name for someone living by a main street or highway, from Middle High German strasse, German Strasse 'street', 'road'.
StrassmannGerman, Jewish Topographic name for someone living on a main street, from Middle High German strasse, German Strasse "street, road" and man "man".
StraussGerman, Jewish From the German word strauß, meaning "ostrich." In its use as a Jewish surname, it comes from the symbol of the building or family that the bearer occupied or worked for in the Frankfurter Judengasse... [more]
StreiterGerman Topographic name from Middle High German struot 'swamp', 'bush', 'thicket' + -er, suffix denoting an inhabitant.
StrelowGerman, Polabian Originally an Polabian name from the city Stralsund (pola. Stralov).
StrickerGerman, Low German, Dutch Occupational name for a rope maker or knitter (of hose, for example), from an agent derivative of Middle High German, Middle Low German stricken ‘to tie’.
StriglGerman Name given in 1056 a.d. Meaning- Keeper of the Royal Horses.
StrohEnglish, German Means "straw" when translated from German, indicating a thin man, a person with straw-colored hair, or a dealer of straw.
StultsGerman The Stults surname is derived from the German word "stoltz," which means "proud," and as such, it was most likely originally a nickname, which became a hereditary surname.
SturtzGerman Sturtz comes from an alpine village in Germany. It literately means "to stumble".
SuhrGerman Nickname for a bitter or cantankerous person, from Middle Low German sūr meaning "sour".
SulickGerman Americanized form of German Auligk, a habitational name from a place in Saxony so named.
SullenbergerGerman (Swiss) Derived from an unknown place called Sullenberg or from Schallenberg in Baden, Switzerland. A famous bearer is Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III (1951-), an American retired Air Force fighter pilot and airline captain who is best known for saving all 155 people aboard in the 2009 ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan, after both engines were disabled by a bird strike.
SummerEnglish, German From Middle English sum(m)er, Middle High German sumer "summer", hence a nickname for someone of a warm or sunny disposition, or for someone associated with the season of summer in some other way.
SutterGerman, English English and South German occupational name for a shoemaker or cobbler (rarely a tailor), from Middle English suter, souter, Middle High German suter, sutære (from Latin sutor, an agent derivative of suere ‘to sew’).
SzászGerman Ethnic or regional name for a German speaker from Transylvania or Szepes, etymologically a derivative of German Sachs.
TabbertGerman, Frisian From Middle Low German tabbert, Middle Dutch tabbaert ‘tabard’, a sleeveless overgarment worn by men in the Middle Ages, (ultimately from French tabard, from Late Latin tabardum)... [more]
TannenGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) habitational name from any of several places in Lower Saxony or Baden named with German Tannen ‘pine’, or from a short form of any of the many compound names formed with this element... [more]
TannenbaumJewish, German German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) topographic name or Jewish ornamental name from German Tannenbaum ‘fir tree’, ‘pine tree’.
TaronGerman (Rare) The standardized variant of Tarruhn which has origins in the Neumark region of Brandenburg, Prussia dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The Taron family was one of many German families who left the Neumark region and moved eastward into present-day Poland and Ukraine... [more]
TarruhnGerman Origins are found in Neumark, Brandenburg, Prussia.
ThirringUpper German (Rare) The name Thirring has many different forms/variant spellings. These include Thiering, Thiring, Thuring,Thuringer, Turinger, Duringer, Diringer, Diring and During. One of the reasons for all the variant spellings is that the church scribes in Hungary originally all recorded the name differently... [more]
ThomaGerman, German (Swiss) German and Swiss German: variant of Thomas. Greek: genitive patronymic from Thomas. Genitive patronymics are particularly associated with Cyprus.
TimmGerman, Dutch, English English: probably from an otherwise unrecorded Old English personal name, cognate with the attested Continental Germanic form Timmo. This is of uncertain origin, perhaps a short form of Dietmar... [more]
TombaughGerman topographic name from to dem bach ‘at the creek’, perhaps a hybrid form as Bach is standard German, bek(e) being the Low German form. habitational name from places in Hesse, Baden, and Bavaria called Dombach (earlier Tunbach, from tun, tan ‘mud’).
ToplitzGerman German: habitational name from Teplice in northern Bohemia.
ToppGerman German: from Low German topp 'point', 'tree top', hence a topographic name; or alternatively a metonymic occupational name or nickname from the same word in the sense 'braid'.
TornGerman Derived from Old High German dorn / torn "thorn". As a surname, it was usually given to someone who lived near a thorn hedge.
TothEnglish (Anglicized), German Either an anglicized form of Hungarian Tóth or derived from German tot "dead" or Middle High German tote "godfather".
TrachtenbergGerman, Jewish Could mean either mean "mountain of thoughts", from Yiddish trakhtn (טראַכטן) "to think" and berg "mountain" or "mountain of costumes", from German tracht "to wear, carry" and berg "mountain"... [more]
TraegerGerman Derived from the German word Trager which means "Someone who carries something." Traeger could also mean "gift of God."
TrauschGerman, Slavic, Low German, Luxembourgish A nickname either derived from Trauschke, a nickname from Old Slavic drugu "companion", or from Middle Low German druus "sullen", "dour".