Swiss
names are used in the country of Switzerland in central Europe.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Abbruzzese ItalianHabitational name for someone originally from Abruzzo, a region in southern Italy.
Abegg German, German (Swiss)Topographic name for someone who lived near the corner of a mountain, from German
ab meaning "off" and
Egg, dialect form of
Eck(e) meaning "promontory", "corner".
About FrenchIt is a french surname that comes from the french word 'about', meaning "an extremity of a metallic or wooden element or piece." This surname is notably born by the French novelist Edmond François Valentin About... [
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Abplanalp German, German (Swiss)Topographic name for someone living high on a mountainside, from German
ab- "below", "off" +
Planalp "high, flat mountain-meadow".
Abreo French, ItalianAbreo or its variant Abreu comes from the French Alfred (alf = Elf; fred = conseil). The meaning is
wise counselor.... [
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Abruzzese ItalianRegional name for someone from the Abruzzi, a mountainous region of Italy east of Rome (cf.
Abruzzo).
Abruzzo ItalianName for a person originally from the region of Abruzzo in northern Italy.
Accola RomanshFrom Latin
accola ‘neighbor’, ‘inhabitant’ (from Latin
accolere 'to live near').
Accola also meant 'tenant' or 'farmer' in Medieval Latin, which is likely the definition of the word that this name comes from.
Ach GermanTopographic name for someone who lived by a spring or stream, from Old High German aha meaning "running water".
Achenbach GermanHabitational name from places in Hesse and Westphalia named Achenbach, from the obsolete word Ach or Ache (from Middle High German ahe meaning "water", "stream") + Bach meaning "brook".
Acquaviva ItalianFrom an Italian place name meaning "running water, spring", literally "living water".
Acri ItalianHabitational name from a place in Cosenza province named Acri.
Agassi Armenian, Persian, ItalianThe surname Agassi most likely evolved from a nickname for someone resembling a mappie, perhaps jokingly referred to as chattering or nagging person. ... [
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Agirmo Italiantwo hypotheses: either from the Greek
agyrmos meaning "symposium, meeting" which was the name of the first day of the
Misteri Eleusini in Athens.... [
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Aguzzi ItalianComes from an ancient Roman cognomen,
Acutus, also possibly derived from Italian "aguzzo" meaning sharp, pointed.
Ahlborn GermanFrom the old personal name
Albern, from Germanic
adal meaning "noble" and
boran meaning "born".
Ahlschläger GermanThe Ahlschlager family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Ahlschlager families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 6 Ahlschlager families living in Iowa... [
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Albanese ItalianSouthern Italian : ethnic name from albanese ‘(an) Albanian’, applied to someone from Albania or from one of the Albanian settlements in Abruzzo, Apulia, Campania, and Sicily.
Alber GermanAlber family name was first found in Alsace. The nickname given to someone fair in complexion or blond haired is derived from Latin word Albanus, which means white.
Albinet FrenchDerived from the medieval French masculine given name
Albinet, which was a diminutive (as the
-et suffix indicates) of the given name
Albin.... [
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Aldinger GermanHabitational name for someone from Aldingen in Württemberg.
Aler English (Rare), GermanFrom the alder tree, a tree found in the Americas, Europe and parts of Asia. The much less common given name
Aler is possibly derived from it.
Alfani Italian(or Alfano) three possibilities: from the German word
halfer ("helper"), from a place called Alfano, which is supposed to be from the Arab
al fannan ("wild donkey"), and Alfana is the name of a race (as in type) of Arab horses, so could be someone related to horses.
Alighieri ItalianFrom the given name
Alighiero, Italian form of
Aldiger. A famous bearer of this surname is Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), author of the Divine Comedy.
Alleman French (Cajun), Spanish (Canarian), GermanFrom the French and Spanish word for "German". Believed to have originated in the Alsace-Lorraine region. Some holders of the name migrated to the Canary Islands and are part of the larger Isleños population that settled throughout the Americas... [
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Allemann German (Swiss)Allemann (also spelled
Alleman,
Allemand,
Aléman,
Allamont,
Allemagne,
Alemaye,
Alemán, and
Allamán) is a surname that can be found primarily in Switzerland deriving from the Latin surname, Alemannus, which refers to someone of Germanic descent, specifically from the Alamanni tribe... [
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Allendorf GermanHabitational name from any of ten or more places called Allendorf.
Allgeier GermanThe harried officials at Ellis Island began to assign surnames based upon the pronunciation of the name by the immigrant, rather than attempting to ferret out the actual spelling. ... [
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Almendinger German, German (Swiss)Habitational name for someone from a place called Allmendingen, of which there are two examples in Switzerland, in Bern canton, and one in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.
Alpini Italian(or Alpino) possibly denoting a person from the Alpes.
Alscheid GermanProbably originally a locational surname and a place name for a village which no longer exists. Alscheid (Luxembourgish: Alschent) is a village in the commune of Kiischpelt, in northern Luxembourg. As of 2001, the village had a population of 47.... [
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Alt German, JewishFrom German
alt ‘old’, typically applied as a distinguishing epithet to the older of two bearers of the same personal name.
Althoff GermanA surname predominantly found in Westphalia and the Rhineland region of Germany which is derived from German
alt "old" and
Hof (
Hoff in the local dialects) "farmstead; farm; manor".
Altmeyer GermanStatus 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’
Altringer GermanHabitational name for someone from a place called Altringen or Aldingen, of which there are two in Württemberg.
Alwardt GermanFrom the personal name
Adelward, composed of the Germanic elements
adal ‘noble’ +
ward ‘keeper’, ‘protector’.
Amberg German, JewishGerman and possibly Jewish (Ashkenazic) habitational name from any of several settlements called Amberg (literally ‘by the mountain’), including a city in Bavaria. It could also be a topographic name of identical etymology... [
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Ameglio ItalianThere are two hypotheses: the first is it derived from the Latin name Amelius which came from Amius, name of Etruscan origin; the other is it derived from Amali, name of a mighty Ostrogothic family, which means "virgin of the forest".
Amendola ItalianSouthern Italian: habitational name from any of several places in southern Italy named Amendola or Mendola, named with the dialect word amendola 'almond', 'almond tree' (from Greek amygdalea), or a topographic name for someone who lived by an almond tree or trees.
Ames English, GermanEnglish: from the Old French and Middle English personal name
Amys,
Amice, which is either directly from Latin
amicus ‘friend’, used as a personal name, or via a Late Latin derivative of this,
Amicius.... [
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Ammann GermanA contraction of Ambetmann, for a court official. If there is a double "M", the origin might be Swiss.
Ammazzalorso ItalianFrom the profession of bear hunter, meaning literally "slaughter the bear".
Ammer German, English (Rare)This surname may be derived from Middle High German
amer which means "bunting (as in the bird)." As such, it is used as a nickname for someone with a fine voice or someone who is a flamboyant dresser.... [
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Anacker GermanNickname for a day laborer, as opposed to someone who owned fields, from Middle High German āne meaning "without" + acker meaning "field".
Angelo ItalianFrom a popular medieval personal name,
Angelo, Latin
Angelus, from Greek
angelos "messenger, angel" (considered as a messenger sent from God).
Angeloni ItalianMeans "great angels" in Italian. It derives from Biblical Latin
angelus meaning "angel", ultimately from Ancient Greek
angelos, originally meaning "messenger", changing meaning in the Bible.
Angrisani ItalianFrom Angrisano, a habitational name for someone from Angri in Salerno province.
Anguissola ItalianSofonisba Aguissola was a celebrated artist of the Italian Renaissance.
Anouilh FrenchFrom Catalan
anull, meaning "slow worm". It is originally a nickname given to a spineless and slow person. The French author Jean Anouilh is a famous bearer of this surname.
Anschütz GermanOccupational name for someone whose job was to keep a dam or pool filled with water. (Anschützen "to fill up")
Anzalone ItalianThe surname Anzalone was first found in Bolgna (Latin: Bononia).
Apicella ItalianSouthern Italian: from a diminutive of apa ‘bee’, probably applied as a nickname for an industrious person, or possibly as a metonymic occupational name for a beekeeper.
Apollo Italian, SpanishFrom the Greek personal name
Apollo. There are several saints Apollo in the Christian Church, including an Egyptian hermit and monastic leader who died in 395 ad. The personal name derives from the name in classical mythology of the sun god,
Apollo, an ancient Indo-European name, found for example in Hittite as
Apulana "god of the gate" (from
pula "gate", cognate with Greek
pylē), therefore "protector, patron".
Aquila ItalianHabitational name from L'Aquila in Abruzzo or from any of various smaller places called Aquila.
Aràbia Italian, SpanishEthnic name for someone from Arabia or some other Arabic-speaking country or a nickname for someone who had visited or traded with one of these countries.
Arabie FrenchEthnic name denoting someone from Arabia or an Arabic-speaking person.
Araldi ItalianMeans “heralds” in Italian. Famous bearers include Italian painters Alessandro Araldi (c. 1460 – c. 1529) and Paolo Araldi (18th century – after 1820).
Arbeiter GermanOccupational name from Middle High German arbeiter ‘laborer’.
Archeambeau FrenchThe name Archambeau is derived from the Latin personal name 'Arcambaldus'. In turn the name 'Arcambaldus', is derived from the Germanic word 'Ercan', which means precious in Germanic, and 'bald', meaning bold and daring.... [
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Arenaldi Italian (Rare)Originally found in the Campania, Foggia area. Derived from the medieval name of Germanic origin Arenaldus or Arinaldus
Argento ItalianMeans "silver" in Italian, originally used as an occupational name for a silversmith or a nickname for a person with gray hair.
Aries English, FrenchThe name means either a person who worked in a fashion of the "Arras" cloth, as in the quotation "one bede Coveringe of Aries" (1562), or someone who was a former inhabitant of Arras in France, or Arras in Yorkshire; the latter being a particularly popular source of the name.
Ariosto ItalianFrom the Germanic given name
Ariost, meaning "battle-ready". A famous bearer of this surname is Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533).
Arlinghaus GermanPerhaps a habitational name from Oerlinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Armand Pilon FrenchArmand is the original surname, and it is a French modification from a German surname. The original being Hartmann, that spelled by a francophone becomes Armand.... [
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Armellino ItalianItalian: of uncertain origin; possibly from a masculinized form of Armellina, an old female personal name derived from Latin animula, a diminutive of anima ‘spirit’, ‘soul’.
Armenia Italian, Catalan, Spanish, PortugueseEthnic name or regional name for someone from Armenia or who had connections with Armenia. This surname is derived from the feminine form of
Armenio, which is ultimately from Greek Αρμένιος (
Armenios) meaning "Armenian"... [
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Arouet FrenchA famous bearer was French philosopher Voltaire (1694-1778), whose birth name was François-Marie Arouet.
Arquette FrenchFrom arquet meaning "little bow" or "little arch" (diminutive of arche, from Latin arcus). It was originally an occupational name for an archer, but the French word arquet(te) is also found in the sense 'market trader' (originally, perhaps, one with a stall underneath an arch)... [
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Arrigo ItalianItalian: from the medieval personal name Arrigo, a variant of Enrico.
Ascencio Spanish, ItalianFrom the personal name (Latin Ascensius), favored by the early Christians, by whom it was bestowed with reference to the ascension of Christ (Late Latin ascensio).
Ascher GermanDerived from German
asche meaning "ash" (tanners worked with ash)
Ashen GermanThe medieval name originated from the German dukedom of Swabia. It denoted that the original bearer of the name probably held land in Swabia. Otherwise it could have been a name given to somebody who was from or born in Swabia.
Asperges ItalianIt means "you bless", and it is also the device used by priests to spread holy water over people or places
Astoni ItalianIt is the surname of the Home and Away family, The Astoni family, consisting of 4 members, Ben, Maggie, Coco and Ziggy.
Astore ItalianDerived from Italian
astore meaning "goshawk", which is a bird of prey that was used for hunting in the Middle Ages. The surname had first started out as a nickname: either for a falconer, or for a person who had aquiline features or who was cunning by nature.
Atzerodt English, GermanThis was the surname of George Atzerodt, a conspirator in a plot to kidnap Abraham Lincoln.
Auberjonois FrenchA French last name meaning "armourer". Actor René Murat Auberjonois is a notable bearer.
Aubine French (Rare)Derived from the medieval French feminine given name
Aubine, which was the French form of
Albina. But in other words, you could also say that Aubine was the feminine form of
Aubin.
Aubinet French (Rare)Derived from the medieval French masculine given name
Aubinet, which was a diminutive (as the
-et suffix indicates) of the given name
Aubin.... [
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Aubuchon French (Modern, ?)The Aubuchon name is French, but of uncertain origin. It is probably from the patronymic prefix au + buchon, a dialect term for a woodcutter (Standard French bûcheron).
Auclair FrenchPatronymic from the personal name
Clair or the nickname Leclair (‘the cheerful one’): (fils) à Leclair ‘(son) of Leclair’. It has also absorbed cases of Auclerc (from LeClerc).
Audelin FrenchVariant of
Odelin, which is not to be confused with
Odelín as it is Spanish while the other one is French, though they could have similar origins in name.
Audet FrenchSouthern French nickname from Gascon dialect audet "bird", variant of standard Occitan ausèl (modern French oiseau).
Audino ItalianDerived from first name 'Alda' which means 'wise and experienced.'
Auerbach German, JewishTopographical name for someone who lived by a stream (Middle High German
bach) that was near a swamp or marsh (
auer).
Augello ItalianItalian (Campania) dialect variant of
Uccello ‘bird’, hence either a nickname for a diminutive, birdlike person or an occupational name for a fowler. Compare
Auciello.
Aussendorf GermanOriginated in Germany. Means "Out of the Village". First used in the year 1135.
Autry English, FrenchA habitational name from any of the places in France named Autrey or Autry. French: from the Old French personal name Audry, from Germanic Aldric ‘ancient power’.