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.
Argento ItalianMeans "silver" in Italian, originally used as an occupational name for a silversmith or a nickname for a person with gray hair.
Argenziano ItalianDerived from a diminutive of the given name
Argenzio, ultimately from Latin
argenteus meaning "silver". A famous bearer was American actor Carmen Argenziano (1943-2019).
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.
Arrotino ItalianOccupational name meaning "knife-sharpener, knife-grinder" in Italian.
Aru ItalianMeaning uncertain, possibly from Sardinian
aru, a forked branch used to close hedges (possibly related to Latin
varus "bent outwards, bow-legged"), or from
arru "ring".
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)
Asperges ItalianIt means "you bless", and it is also the device used by priests to spread holy water over people or places
Aßman GermanDerived from Middle Low German
asse "axle", this name used to denote an axle maker. In some cases, however, it can also be a variant of
Asmussen.
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).
Aubut FrenchThe surname "Aubut" is Old French and was first found in the Burgundy region of France. It is derived from the Germanic name "Alberic" which is from the Latin name "Albericus."
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).
Aufderheide GermanTopographic name for someone who lived on a heath, derived from German
auf der heide literally meaning "on the heath".
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.
Auric FrenchMeaning unknown. Georges Auric (15 February 1899 – 23 July 1983) was a French composer, considered one of Les Six, a group of artists informally associated with Jean Cocteau and Erik Satie.
Auricchio Italian"A nickname from a dialect variant of orecchio ‘ear’ (from Latin auricula)."
Aurigemma ItalianFrom a Neapolitan given name, composed of
auri "gold" and
gemma "gem".
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’.
Avamilano Spanish, ItalianOf Spanish origin, but probably has its roots in Italy due to the word "milano" which means Milan in Italian.
Avena Spanish, ItalianA traditionally Spanish and Italian occupational surname for a "grain grower or merchant", or the Italian habitation surname for Avena, Calabria. Means "oats". From the Latin
avēna meaning 'oats, wild oats, straw'.
Avogadro ItalianAn occupational name for a lawyer or public official with administrative duties. Ultimately from Latin
advocator, "advocate".
Avril FrenchDerived from French
avril meaning "April", perhaps indicating a person who was baptized in that month.
Ayotte FrenchIt means 'small hedge' or 'small woody plot of land' in Old French.
Azuaje-fidalgo Portuguese (Rare), Spanish, ItalianFidalgo from Galician and Portuguese
filho de algo — equivalent to "nobleman", but sometimes literally translated into English as "son of somebody" or "son of some (important family)"—is a traditional title of Portuguese nobility that refers to a member of the titled or untitled nobility... [
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Babel FrenchEither (i) from the medieval French personal name
Babel, apparently adopted from that of St
Babylas, a 3rd-century Christian patriarch of Antioch, the origins of which are uncertain; or (ii) an invented Jewish name based on German or Polish
Babel "Babylon".
Bacharach German, JewishDerived from
Bacharach, a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. This surname was borne by the American composer and pianist Burt Bacharach (1928-2023).
Bacigalupo ItalianFrom Ligurian
bacigare "to beat with a stick" and
lupo "wolf", or from Genoese
basigâ "to swing, to tease" and
lupo "wolf". Possibly a nickname for someone considered courageous or cowardly, or an occupational name for a hunter.
Backman English, Swedish, GermanCombination of Old English
bakke "spine, back" and
man "man". In Swedish, the first element is more likely to be derived from Swedish
backe "hill", and in German the first element can be derived from German
backen "to bake"... [
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Bacon English, French, NormanAn occupational surname for someone who sold pork, from Middle English and Old French
bacun or
bacon, meaning 'bacon', which is ultimately of Germanic origin. Can also be derived from the Germanic given names
Baco,
Bacco, or
Bahho, from the root
bag-, meaning 'to fight'... [
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Bacot FrenchDerived from the root
bac-, which is of unknown meaning.
Baer GermanDerived from Old High German
bero "bear".
Baffa ItalianThe origins of this surname are uncertain, but it may be from Italian
baffo "mustache", with the Latinate feminine suffix probably due to the influence of the word
famiglia "family". Alternatively it may be Albanian in origin, of unexplained meaning.
Bain Scottish, French, EnglishNickname for a hospitable person from northern Middle English beyn, bayn meaning "welcoming", "friendly".... [
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Baio ItalianFrom a nickname for someone with light brown or reddish-brown hair or beard, from
baio meaning "bay horse", ultimately derived from Late Latin
badius meaning "red-brown".
Baldinger GermanGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name for someone from a place called Baldingen, either in Württemberg, Germany, or Aargau, Switzerland.
Baldoni ItalianFrom the Germanic word "baltha", which means "gallant" or "bold."
Ballou Haitian Creole, French (Caribbean), FrenchThe Ballou name comes from that Medieval landscape of northwestern France known as Brittany. The name Ballou was originally derived from the family having lived in Brittany, where this distinguished family was established from ancient times... [
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Ballut FrenchDerived from Old Occitan
baluter, cognate of French
bluter (via Middle French
beluter), meaning "to sift, to sieve, especially the flour from the bran", this name used to denote a miller.
Balma ItalianPerhaps a topographic name from the dialect word
balma meaning ‘grotto’, ‘cave’, ‘jutting rock’.
Balsam GermanOccupational name for a seller of spices and perfumes.
Balsano German (Austrian), ItalianThe roots of the distinguished surname Balzano lie in Austria. The name derives itself from "Balthasar," the name of one of the three Magi who followed the star to Bethlehem, and was popular as both a first name and a family name during the 18th century.... [
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Bandi ItalianDerived from Late Latin
Bandus itself from the Germanic
band and the Latin
banda, all meaning "sign, emblem, banner". It can also derive from the Italian word
bando meaning "announcement" from the Germanic
bann.
Barandun RomanshOf debated origin and meaning; theories include a derivation from Italian
baraonda "chaos; uproar".
Baratto ItalianFrom Italian
baratto "barter, exchange, swap", likely used for a merchant.
Barbagelata ItalianNamed after the hamlet of Barbagelata, located in the commune of Lorsica, Genoa, Liguria, Italy. The name possibly means "cold beard", as it derives from "barba" (beard) and "gelata" (female form of cold).
Barbe FrenchNickname for someone with a beard, Old French
barbe (Latin barba).
Barbe GermanFrom Middle High German
barbe, the name of a species of fish resembling the carp; hence by metonymy an occupational name for a fisherman or fish dealer, or possibly a nickname for someone thought to resemble the fish in some way.
Barbeau FrenchDerived from
barbeau meaning "barbel", a type of fish, hence a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman, or a nickname for a man with a sparse beard, the fish being distinguished by beardlike growths on either side of its mouth... [
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Barbera ItalianDerogatory nickname from barbera ‘barber’s wife’, a term also used to denote a prostitute or dishonest woman. Catalan (Barberà): habitational name from a place in Tarragona province, named with Late Latin Barbarianum ‘place of Barbarius’, a derivative of Barbarus (see Barbaro)... [
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Baril FrenchDuring the middle ages, when people were named after their given job, Baril was what winemakers and brewers were named. Baril simply means "Barrel" or "Keg"
Barile ItalianFrom Italian
barile "barrel" either an occupational name for a Cooper or a nickname for a fat man.
Barilla ItalianOccupational name from medieval Greek
barellas "cooper" from Italian
barella "barrel" with the suffix (e)as.
Barno Italian, Ukrainian, French, Ancient Aramaic, RussianThe surname Barno was first found in the north of Italy, especially in Tuscany. The name occasionally appears in the south, usually in forms which end in "o," but the northern forms ending in "i" are much more common... [
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Baron English, FrenchFrom a title of nobility derived from Old French
baron of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly from Frankish
barō meaning "servant, man, warrior". It was used as a nickname for someone who worked for a baron or for a peasant with ideas above their station.
Barreau FrenchPossibly a variant of
Barreur, an agent derivative of barrer ‘to bar’, ‘to close or block off’, hence possibly an occupational name for a jailer or doorkeeper.
Barriere FrenchOccupational name for a gatekeeper, from Old French
barier.
Barrineau FrenchThe history of the Barrineau family goes back to the Medieval landscape of northern France, to that coastal region known as Normandy. Barrineau is a habitation name, derived from the place name Barrault, in Normandy.... [
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Bartek Polish, Czech, Slovak, GermanPolish, Czech, Slovak, and eastern German: from a pet form of a vernacular form of the personal name Bartolomaeus (Czech Bartoloměj, Polish Bartłomiej, German Bartolomäus)
Bartolotta ItalianBartolotta was the name taken by the followers of Saint Bartholomew. Bartholomew was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus. He is credited as bringing Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century.
Barwick English, GermanEnglish: habitational name from any of various places called Barwick, for example in Norfolk, Somerset, and West Yorkshire, from Old English
bere ‘barley’ +
wic ‘outlying farm’, i.e. a granary lying some distance away from the main village.... [
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Barzagli ItalianProbably from
barezzo, an old word of Germanic origin used to denote people who bred pigs or sold ham.
Basciani ItalianThe surname Basciani derives from a nickname probably given to the family of origin (from the Latin "Bassus"), for the probable short stature of some components, although the derivation from the Campania family "Bassus" is not excluded.
Bascöurt FrenchThe Bascourt or Bascur surname is from France, from that place dates the beginning of the surname, however the French of previous centuries had no records of that surname. ... [
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Basel GermanHabitational name denoting someone from the city of Basel, Switzerland.
Basler GermanHabitational name denoting someone from the city of Basel, Switzerland.
Bastiat FrenchMeaning of this name is unknown. Possibly derived from
Sebastian The surname Bastiat was first found in Poitou, where this family held a family seat since ancient times.
Bataille Frenchnickname for a bellicose man from
bataille "battle" (from Latin
battualia) or a habitational name from (La) Bataille the name of several places in France all named as the site of a battle in former times.
Battistella ItalianFrom St. John the Baptist, the first bearers of this name were devoted to this saint. Another etymology would be a patronymic from the given name
Battista, anyway linked to the aforementioned saint.
Batz Upper GermanDerived from Alemannic Swabian
Batz "pile; large quantity", possibly applied as a nickname either for a man of large physical proportions or for a man of wealth. The term also denoted a coin and may have been used metonymically for a coiner... [
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Baudelaire FrenchA French surname, coming from the word "baudelaire", which is a short, broad, and curved sword used in heraldry.
Baudric French (Rare)Derived from the medieval French given name
Baudric, which was a variant form of
Baldéric, the French form of
Baldric.
Baudry FrenchDerived from the medieval French given name
Baudry, which was a variant form of
Baudric, a given name that itself was a variant form of
Baldéric (see
Baldric)... [
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Bauerdick GermanA surname originating from the Rhineland region of Germany. It is derived from German
Bauer (
Bur in the locals dialects) "farmer" and
Deich (
Diek and
Dick in the local dialects) "levee" or
Teich "pond"... [
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Bauersack GermanSemi-Germanized form of the Polish surname
Burczak, originally derived from Polish
burczec "growl; shout".... [
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Baumeister GermanOccupational name for a "builder" in German; from Middle High German 'buwen' 'to build' + meister 'master'.... [
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Baumkötter German (Modern)From the German words 'Baum' meaning 'tree' and 'Kötter' a type of villager who dwelt in a cottage, similar to the Scottish Cotter. "Presumably a 'Baumkötter' earned money from a small orchard on their property."
Bavaro ItalianEthnic name from
bavaro "Bavarian" someone from Bavaria, now part of Germany, but formerly an independent kingdom.
Bay English, French, DutchDerived from Middle English and Old French
bay,
bai and Middle Dutch
bay, all meaning "reddish brown". It was originally a nickname for someone with a hair color similar to that.
Bayle FrenchOccupational name for a Bailiff from Old French
Bailli "bailiff" (from Latin
baiulus).