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.
Grebenstein GermanMeans "stone from the cliff or ridge" from German
greben, (cliff or ridge) and
stein (stone).... [
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Greenberger German, JewishAnglicized form of the German surname
Grünberger, which is formed from the words
grün "green",
Berg "mountain", and the habitational suffix -er. This name indicated a person who lived on or near a forest-covered mountain.
Greenburgh German, JewishThe surname Greenburgh is anglicized for the German Jewish surname Greenberg which translates into English as green mountain.
Greif GermanMeans "Griffin" in German. From the mythological creature.
Greiner Upper German, German (Swiss)Nickname for a quarrelsome or cantankerous person, derived from Middle High German
grīner meaning "squabbler, quarreler" (ultimately an agent derivative of
grīn meaning "loud, cry, screaming, shouting")... [
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Grell GermanNickname for an irritable or irascible person, from Middle High German, Middle Low German
grellen "to be angry".
Grell GermanHabitational name from a place named Grelle.
Grenier FrenchOccupational name for a grain merchant (from Latin granarius), or a topographic name for someone who lived by a granary (from Latin granarium) or a metonymic occupational name for someone who supervised or owned one.
Gretzinger GermanHabitational name for someone from any of three places named Grötzingen (Old High German Grezzingun) in Baden-Württemberg.
Grieser Upper Germantopographic name for someone living on a sandy site, from Middle High German griez ‘sand’ + -er suffix denoting an inhabitant.
Griffo ItalianFrom
grifo "gryphon" (Latin
gryphus, Greek
gryps, of Assyrian origin), hence a nickname for someone thought to resemble the mythical beast.
Griffon FrenchFrom a diminutive of Old French
griffe "claw", hence a nickname for a grasping or vicious person, or perhaps for someone with a deformed or otherwise remarkable hand.
Grignon FrenchFrom French 'grignard' meaning "angry" and "contemptuous", and Old French (of Germanic origin) 'grignier' "to grit the teeth" or "curl the lips".
Grill GermanFrom a nickname for a cheerful person, from Middle High German grille "cricket" (Old High German grillo, from Late Latin grillus, Greek gryllos). The insect is widely supposed to be of a cheerful disposition, no doubt because of its habit of infesting hearths and warm places... [
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Grindstaff German (Anglicized)Americanized form of German
Frenzhof or
Grenzhof, a place near Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg or
Granzow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany.
Grindy German (Modern), FrenchI have seen elsewhere explanations about this name being German or French in origin. Sorry, I do not have the sources to hand
Griner German (Anglicized), JewishAmericanised form of German
Greiner. It could also denote a person who came from various German places called
Grüna or
Grünau. In Jewish, it is a topographic name for someone who lived in a green of leafy area, derived from Yiddish
grin meaning "green" or Middle High German
gruene meaning "greenery".
Grob GermanA nickname for a strong, heavy man, or for a lout, from Middle High German
g(e)rop "coarse".
Groll GermanDerived from
grollen, 'to be angry', often used as a nickname for an angry or sulky individual.
Grosch GermanEither a metonymic occupational name for a moneyer or possibly a nickname for an avaricious person from Middle High German Middle Low German
grosche "groschen" a medieval thick silver coin its name ultimately derived from medieval Latin
denarius grossus literally "thick coin".
Groulx FrenchFrench spelling, often found in Canada, of Groult, Grould, possibly reduced forms of
Gréoul, a personal name of Germanic origin, composed of the elements
gred "hunger" +
wolf,
wulf "wolf".
Grove GermanName from any of several places named Grove or Groven, which derive their name from Middle Low Germany
grove ‘ditch’, ‘channel’. In some cases the name is a Dutch or Low German form of
Grube.
Grube GermanName for someone who lived in a depression or hollow, from Middle High German
gruobe "pit", "hollow". See also
Gruber.
Grumbach German (Swiss), AlsatianFrom the name of various places in Switzerland and Germany, for example the municipality of
Grumbach in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Grunwald German, German (Swiss), JewishGerman and Swiss German (Grünwald): habitational name from any of various places named Grün(e)wald, from Middle High German gruene ‘green’ + walt ‘wood’, ‘forest’. ... [
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Guadagnino ItalianIt came from Italian word
guadagno which means "earnings" and has a diminutive suffix
ino which is also an occupation suffix.
Guàrdia Catalan, Spanish, ItalianCatalan, Spanish, and Italian from Catalan
guàrdia, Spanish and Italian
guardia ‘guard’, ‘watch’, a topographic name for someone who lived by a watch place, an occupational name for a member of the town guard, or a habitational name from any of the numerous places named (La) Guardia.
Guarracino ItalianNothing is known of this family name other then they grew up in Manhattan, New York, other states and cities too but most can from boats and had to be quertied at Ellis Island, New York
Guasti ItalianMeaning uncertain, may denote someone from the town of Guasto. Alternately, it may be an occupational name from
gastaldo "chamberlain", from Latin
gastaldus "manager, bailiff, steward", or be a nickname from
guasto "broken, crippled".
Gucciardo ItalianFrom the personal name Gucciardo, a revival of French Guichard, of Germanic origin, probably composed of the elements wig 'battle' or wisa 'experience' + hard 'strong', 'brave', 'hardy'.
Guengerich German (Americanized)Potentially from German “junge” and “reich,” meaning “rich at a young age.” Anglicized by immigrants as either Guengerich or Gingrich.
Guenther GermanGerman: from a Germanic personal name composed of
gund ‘battle’ +
hari,
heri ‘army’.
Guerrier FrenchNickname for an aggressive person or occupational name for a soldier, from Old French
guerrier "warrior". Making it a cognitive for
Guerrero and
Guerriero.
Guerry FrenchFrom the Germanic given name
Wigric derived from the elements
wig "battle" and
ric "powerful".
Guignard Frenchfrom the old Germanic name
Winhard composed of the elements
win "friend" and
hard "hard strong".
Guilbeau FrenchPossibly from Ancient Germanic
wil, meaning "will, power", and Latin
bellus, meaning "beautiful".
Guiles FrenchOf uncertain origin; it could be a variant of French Guill or of English Guile or Giles .
Guimond Frenchfrom the medieval French name
Guimond from the Germanic name
Wigmund composed of the ancient Germanic elements
wīg "battle combat" and
mund "protection".
Guin FrenchFrom the given name Guin the French form of
Wino a short form of names with the element
win "friend".
Guitry FrenchBased on a personal name composed of the Germanic elements
wid(u),
wit- ‘wood’ +
ric ‘power(ful)’.
Gülden Dutch, Germanfrom
gulden "golden" derived from vergulden vergolden "to gild" a metonymic occupational name for a craftsman who gilds objects; compare Guldner. From gulden the name of the coin (English guilder) applied as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house name such as In den silvren Gulden ("In the Silver Guilder") or from related verb meaning "to gild" applied as a topographic or habitational name referring to a house name such as De Gulden Hoeve ("The Gilded Farmhouse") or De Gulden Zwaan ("The Gilded Swan").
Gullette FrenchComes from Guillemme or William of Normandy. Reference 1066: The Battle of Hastings.
Guntli RomanshDerived from Romansh
cunt "count" in combination with the diminutive suffix
-li.
Gunzenhauser German, JewishHabitational name for someone from either of two places named Gunzenhausen, one in Württemberg and the other in Bavaria.
Gust GermanGerman: from a short form of the personal name
Jodocus, which is either a Latinized form of a Breton name,
Iodoc, borne by a 7th-century Breton saint (compare
Jost and
Joyce) or from a reduced form of the personal name
Augustus.... [
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Guthrie Scottish, Irish, GermanScottish: habitational name from a place near Forfar, named in Gaelic with
gaothair ‘windy place’ (a derivative of
gaoth ‘wind’) + the locative suffix
-ach. Possibly an Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic
Mag Uchtre ‘son of
Uchtre’, a personal name of uncertain origin, perhaps akin to
uchtlach ‘child’.... [
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Gütlin German, YiddishDiminutive of GUTE and GUTA, recorded in Frankfurt, Germany throughout the 14th century.
Guttenberg German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of various places, for example in Bavaria, called Guttenberg, from the weak dative case (originally used after a preposition and article) of Old High German guot ‘good’ + berg ‘mountain’, ‘hill’... [
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Gutting GermanOf uncertain origin. Probably from a Germanic personal name formed with
god "good" or
god,
got "god".
Guy English, FrenchFrom a French form of the Germanic personal name
Wido, which is of uncertain origin. This name was popular among the Normans in the forms
Wi,
Why as well as in the rest of France in the form
Guy.
Habelt Germanfrom a pet form of the Germanic personal name Habo, a short form of various compound names formed with had(u) ‘battle’, ‘strife’
Haberland GermanTopographic name from Middle High German
haber(e) "oats" and
land "land", or a habitational name from any of various places so called.
Habermann German, JewishOccupational name for a grower or seller of oats, composed of the elements
Haber and the agent suffix
-mann.
Habsburg GermanThis surname may have been used by someone whose descendants originated from the House of Habsburg, which was one of the most important royal houses in Europe. It is assumed that the surname is derived from High German
Habichtsburg meaning "hawk castle," but some historians and linguists believe that it may actually be derived from Middle High German
hab/hap meaning "ford", as there is a river with a ford nearby.
Hafer German, JewishMetonymic occupational name for a grower of or dealer in oats, from German
Hafer "oats". Compare
Haber. As a Jewish surname, it is in many cases ornamental.
Hagelberg GermanFrom German
hagel meaning "hail" and
berg meaning "mountain".
Hahm GermanMetonymic occupational name for a sealer of weights and measures, from Middle High German hāme ‘(standard) measure’.
Hahner GermanOccupational name for a poultry farmer, from an agent derivative of Middle High German
hane "rooster".
Hahner GermanHabitational name for someone from any of several places called Hahn or Hag.
Halberstadt GermanHabitational name from any of various places so named, notably the city near Magdeburg and Halberstadt near Königstein in Saxony.
Ham English, German, Scottish, Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxon meaning the home stead, many places in England. One who came from Hamm in North-Rhine Westphalia, or one who came from Ham in Caithness Scotland's most northerly county. In Scotland this surname devires from the Norse word "Hami", meaning homestead.
Hamberg German, Danish, JewishGerman, Danish, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) habitational name from any of several places named Hamberg. Jewish (Ashkenazic) variant of
Hamburg.
Hamberger German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic) habitational name for someone from any of various places named Hamberg. Jewish (Ashkenazic) variant of
Hamburger.
Hamburg German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic) habitational name from the great city and port at the mouth of the river Elbe, named with the Germanic elements
ham ‘water meadow’ +
burg ‘fortress’, ‘fortified town’.
Hamel Frenchtopographic name for someone who lived and worked at an outlying farm dependent on the main village Old French
hamel (a diminutive from an ancient Germanic element cognate with Old English
hām "homestead"); or a habitational name from (Le) Hamel the name of several places in the northern part of France named with this word.
Hamer English, GermanFrom the town of Hamer in Lancashire from the old english word
Hamor combining "Rock" and "Crag". It is also used in Germany and other places in Europe, possibly meaning a maker of Hammers.
Hammer German, English, JewishFrom Middle High German
hamer, Yiddish
hamer, a metonymic occupational name for a maker or user of hammers, for example in a forge, or nickname for a forceful person.
Handschuh GermanOccupational name for a maker or seller of gloves or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore gloves from Middle High German
hantschuoch "glove" literally "hand shoe" from the elements
hant "hand" and
schuh "shoe".
Harbach GermanHabitational name from any of several places named Harbach.
Harcourt FrenchThis name is of locational origin either from the town and ancient chateau of Harcourt near Brionne in Normandy.
Hardekop German (Rare)Derived from Middle High German
hart "hard" and
kopf "head". As a surname, it was given to a hard-headed, stubborn person.
Harlacher GermanHabitational name for someone from Ober- or Unter-Harlachen, near Überlingen.
Harless English, GermanEnglish: probably a variant spelling of
Arliss, a nickname from Middle English
earles ‘earless’, probably denoting someone who was deaf rather than one literally without ears.
Harpe GermanDerived from a short form of the given name
Harprecht.
Hartnagel GermanOccupational name for a nailsmith from the Middle High German elements
harte "hard" and
nagel "nail".
Hartung GermanGerman, Dutch, and Danish: from a Germanic personal name, a derivative (originally a patronymic) of compound names beginning with hart ‘hardy’, ‘strong’.
Hassdenteufel GermanA German Satzname, from the expression "Hass den Teufel" meaning "hate the devil".
Hasselbach GermanHabitational name from any of the places in various parts of Germany called Hasselbach.
Hässli German (Swiss), French (Rare)Swiss German diminutive form of
Haas. This is a French surname via Alsace-Lorraine. A notable bearer is French footballer (soccer player) Eric Hassli (1981-).
Hattendorf German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from places called Hattendorf, near Alsfeld and near Hannover. The element
hatt,
had means ‘bog’
Haueis GermanDerived from Middle High German
houwen "to beat" and
isen "iron". This surname denoted a smith.
Hauptmann GermanDerived from German
hauptmann, a word used for a German military rank meaning "Captain".
Haus GermanTopographic and occupational name for someone who lived and worked in a great house, from Middle High German, Middle Low German
hus "house" (see
House).
Hausch GermanFrom the Germanic personal name
Huso, a short form of a compound name composed with
hus ‘house’, ‘dwelling’ as the first element.
Hauschild GermanPossibly from German
haus "house" or
hauen "to chop, to hack" combined with
schild "shield".
Hauser German, JewishFrom Middle High German
hus "house", German
haus, + the suffix -
er, denoting someone who gives shelter or protection.
Hauswirth GermanFrom Middle High German
haus 'house' and
wirt 'owner' or 'master'.
Hay English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, FrisianScottish and English: topographic name for someone who lived by an enclosure, Middle English
hay(e),
heye(Old English
(ge)hæg, which after the Norman Conquest became confused with the related Old French term
haye ‘hedge’, of Germanic origin)... [
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Haydn GermanMeaning "heathen". Famous bearer is Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809).
Hazard English, French, DutchNickname for an inveterate gambler or a brave or foolhardy man prepared to run risks, from Middle English, Old French
hasard, Middle Dutch
hasaert (derived from Old French) "game of chance", later used metaphorically of other uncertain enterprises... [
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Hebel German1 German: metonymic occupational name for a baker, from Middle High German hebel ‘yeast’.... [
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Heber GermanOccupational name for a carrier (someone who loaded or transported goods), from an agent derivative of Middle High German
heben "to lift".
Hecht German, DutchFrom Middle High German
hech(e)t, Middle Dutch
heect,
hecht "pike", generally a nickname for a rapacious and greedy person. In some instances it may have been a metonymic occupational name for a fisher and in others it may be a habitational name from a house distinguished by a sign depicting this fish.
Hefler GermanDerived from the Old German and German word hof, which means settlement, farm or court.
Heid German, JewishTopographic name from Middle High German heide, German Heide ‘heath’, ‘moor’. Compare Heath.... [
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Heidenreich GermanFrom the medieval personal name Heidenrich, ostensibly composed of the elements heiden 'heathen', 'infidel' (see Heiden 2) + ric 'power', 'rule', but probably in fact a variant by folk etymology of Heidrich.
Heider GermanCombination of German
Heide "heath, headland" and the suffix
-er denoting an inhabitant. The surname can be either topographic for someone living on or near a heath, or habitational for someone from any place named with the element
Heide.
Heil GermanMost recognisably known for meaning ‘Salvation’, it was also one used as an indication of a doctor or healer.
Heiland GermanSouth German: from Middle High German
heilant ‘savior’, ‘Christ’, presumably either a name given to someone who had played the part of Christ in a mystery play or an occupational name for a healer, from Middle High German
heilen ‘to heal’, ‘save’.
Heimburg GermanGerman for "home". Originates in the German village of Heimburg (not to be confused with
Hamburg) and the nearby castle of the same name.
Heimburger German, JewishStatus name for a village head, derived from Middle High German
heim meaning "homestead, settlement" and
bürge meaning "guardian". It could also be a habitational name for someone from numerous places called
Heimburg or
Heimberg in Germany.
Heinbokel German(Hein) is a short form of the name
Heinrich, (the German form of the name Henry) & Bokel is a place name in Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein & North Rhine-Westphalia.