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.
Gravelotte FrenchDerived from a commune (town) in the Moselle department in Grand Est in north-eastern France, near Metz.
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.
Griebe GermanOccupational name for a butcher or fat dealer from Middle High German
griebe griube "rendered bacon pieces crackling".
Grieser Upper Germantopographic name for someone living on a sandy site, from Middle High German griez ‘sand’ + -er suffix denoting an inhabitant.
Griessler GermanTopographic name for someone who lived or farmed in an area of sand.
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".
Grisel French, French (Swiss)Derived from the Old French adjective
grisel, a variant of
gris meaning "grey". It was a nickname for a person with grey hair a grey complexion or who habitually wore grey.
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.
Grullon Dominican, Mexican, FrenchPossibly from a derivative of Spanish
grulla "crane (bird)" presumably applied as a nickname for tall thin person; in Mexico however
grulla denotes a crafty person
Grumbach German (Swiss), AlsatianFrom the name of various places in Switzerland and Germany, for example the municipality of
Grumbach in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Grün German, Jewishfrom Middle High German
gruoni "green fresh raw" hence a nickname for someone who habitually dressed in green a topographic name for someone who lived in a green and leafy place or a habitational name for someone from a place called with this word such as
Gruna Grunau in Silesia... [
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Grünbaum German, Jewishfrom Middle High German
gruoni "green" and
boum "tree" probably a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a tree in leaf... [
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Grundel German, SwedishA German/swedish name. Meaning unknown, possibly means "bottom". A person bearing this surname is Heinz Grundel, a former footballer. ... [
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Grünfeld German, JewishHabitational name from any of several places in northern and central Germany named
Grünfeld named with elements meaning "green open country" derived from the elements
gruoni "green" and
feld "field"... [
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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.
Guardia Italian, SpanishFrom Spanish and Italian
guardia "guard watch" a topographic name for someone who lived by a watch place by a watchtower or a habitational name from any of numerous places called
La Guardia named with the same word; or a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept watch or for a member of the town guard... [
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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’.
Guertin FrenchA French surname that evolved from the Old Germanic given name
Warin meaning "to guard" or "protection". This surname was often given as an occupational name for a guard, or someone who served as a protector in their community.
Guet FrenchFrench - From Old French
guet "lookout, watchman".
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 .
Guin FrenchFrom the given name Guin the French form of
Wino a short form of names with the element
win "friend".
Guitry FrenchDerived from the given name
Witeric. A famous bearer of this name was Sacha Guitry (1885-1957), a French actor, playwright, screenwriter and director.
Gülden GermanVariant of
Gulden, a metonymic occupational name for a craftsman who gilded objects, or a habitational name referring to a house name such as In den silvren Gulden ("In the Silver Guilder"), De Gulden Hoeve ("The Gilded Farmhouse") or De Gulden Zwaan ("The Gilded Swan").
Gulden Dutch, GermanMeans "golden, gilded" or "guilder, florin (coin)", possibly an occupational name for a goldsmith, or a habitational name derived from a house.
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.
Gurney English, French, NormanOriginated from the region Normandy in France, is also a biospheric name from Gournay-en-Bray, a commune in France. It is also a fictional character's maiden name, Jacqueline "Jackie" Bouvier from the animated sitcom show,
The Simpsons.
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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Gutherz German, JewishNickname for a kindly or righteous person. Derived from Middle High German
guot meaning "good" and
herz meaning "heart".
Gütlin German, YiddishDiminutive of GUTE and GUTA, recorded in Frankfurt, Germany throughout the 14th century.
Gutting GermanOf uncertain origin. Probably from a Germanic personal name formed with
god "good" or
god,
got "god".
Gutwald f GermanGutwald is a surname of German origin, which can be derived from the German words ‘Gut’ meaning ‘good’ and ‘Wald’ meaning ‘woods’, thus creating the meaning ‘good woods’. The surname is also derived from the German personal name 'Gottwald', which was derived from the Old High German 'Gottwalt' meaning ‘rule of God’ or ‘God’s power’.
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.
Häberli German (Swiss)Derived from Alemannic and Upper German
Haber, a variant of Standard High German
Hafer "oats" in combination with the diminutive suffix
-li. This name denoted a young farmer of oats.
Habermann German, JewishOccupational name for a grower or seller of oats, composed of the elements
Haber and the agent suffix
-mann.
Habermehl Germanmetonymic occupational name for a producer or seller of oatmeal from Middle High German
habaro "oats" and
melo "flour".
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".
Hagen German, Dutch, Danishfrom the ancient Germanic personal name
Hagen a short form of various compound names formed with
hag "enclosure protected place" as the first element.
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.
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
ham "homestead"); or a habitational name from (Le) Hamel the name of several places in the northern part of France named with this word.
Hamel German, JewishHabitational name from the town of Hamelin, which sits on the Hamel river.
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.
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-).
Haste English, FrenchDerived from Old French
haste meaning "(roasting) spit" (ultimately from Latin
hasta "spear, lance, pike"), an occupational name for a seller of roast meat or a servant who turned the spit to cook meat.
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".