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.
Lasalle French1. French: local name or occupational name for someone who lived or worked at a manor house, from Old French sal(e) ‘hall’ (modern French salle; see also
Sale), with the definite article la... [
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Lascelles FrenchFrench location name from Lacelle in Orne, northern France and referring to "small rooms or cells inhabited by monks".
Latino ItalianFrom the medieval personal name Latino, originally an ethnic name for someone of Latin as opposed to Germanic, Byzantine or Slavic descent.
Latour FrenchEither a topographic name for someone who lived near a tower usually a defensive fortification or watchtower from Old French
tūr "tower"; or a habitational name from any of various places called Latour or La Tour named with this word.
Lattanzio ItalianFrom the given name derived from Latin
Lactantius, which could derive from the minor Roman agricultural deity
Lactans, or directly from the Latin word
lactans "suckling, milking".
Lau Germannickname for a physically strong person from Middle High German
louwe lauwe "lion". In some cases the surname may have been a topographic or habitational name referring to a house or inn distinguished by the sign of a lion... [
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Läufer German, JewishHabitational name for someone from a place called Lauf, also an occupational name for a messenger or a nickname for a fast runner, from an agent derivative of Middle High German loufen, German laufen ‘to run’.
Lauffer GermanThe lauffer name is generally thought to have evolved from a place name to a surname. ... Versions of the name that evolve from the word "läufer," which meant "runner," are thought to have originally been an occupational name for a messenger.
Lauper German (Swiss)From the short form of a Germanic personal name composed of the elements liut 'people', 'tribe' + berht 'famous'. topographic name for someone who lived at a Lauben, a row of houses and stores with an arcade in front, from Middle High German loube 'arbor', 'bower', 'gallery'.
Laura ItalianEither from the given name
Laura or a topographic name from Latin
laurea meaning "laurel".
Laurie FrenchHabitational name from a place in Cantal derived from Latin
laurus "laurel" with the suffix -ea.
Laurin French, Slovene (Americanized)Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Emile, Marcel, Michel, Pierrette, Alphonse, Armand, Germain, Herve, Jacques, Jean-Marc, Luc.... [
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Lautemann GermanFrom
laute "lute" and
man "man". This name was used by musicians who played the lute
Lauterbach GermanFrom the name of various places in Germany, for example the village of
Lauterbach in the district of Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg.
Lautermilch German (Modern)Comes from German words Lauter, meaning 'pure', or 'nothing but', and Milch, meaning 'milk'. This could mean that the people who first used this name were farmers.
Lautz Germanabgeleitet vom deutschen Vornamen Lutz (Kurzform von Ludwig)
Lavecchia ItalianMeans "the old (one)" or "the old lady" in Italian, a nickname for a man who fussed like an old woman, or for someone from an old family. It can also denote someone from a toponym containing the element
vecchia.
Laveran FrenchThe surname Laveran probably became popular as a first name thanks to the French Nobel Prize in Medicine Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran. Laveran discovered that protozoan parasites were the causative agent of malaria.
Laverdière FrenchHabitational name from various places named La Verdière in France, or a variant of the name Leverdier (see
Verdier).
Laverdure FrenchFrom the French place name
La Verdure meaning "greenness, greenery".
Lavie FrenchDialectal variant of French
voie "way, road", ultimately from Latin
via "road, street, path", combined with the French feminine article
la.
Laviolette French, French (Quebec), French (Acadian)A secondary surname, associated with some forty family names in Canada and also used independently since 1698, a nickname from the flower
violette ‘violet’, with the definite article la. In feudal France it was a name given to soldiers and domestic servants.
Lazio ItalianNamed after the region called 'Lazio' of Italy.
Lebaron FrenchEither a variant of
Baron "baron" with the French masculine definite article
le. Or a habitational name from
Le Baron the name of several places in various parts of France.
Lebesgue FrenchMeans "the stammerer" in French, denoting a person with a stammer, from Old French
beguer "stuttering, stammering", from Middle Dutch
beggen “to chat”.
Lebleu FrenchFrom French
bleu "blue" with the masculine element
le from a nickname for someone who wore blue clothes with blue eyes or a person with a bluish complexion.
LeBoeuf FrenchNickname for a powerfully built man, derived from French
boeuf meaning "bull", with the definite article
le. In some cases it may have been originally a metonymic occupational name for a herdsman.
Lebon FrenchApprobatory (or ironic) nickname from
le bon "the good" a variant of
Bon with fused masculine definite article
le.
Lechner GermanThis name finds its origin in the Austrian Lechtal, where the Lech river flows.
Leconte Frenchfrom the Old French title of rank
conte "count", an occupational name for a servant in the household of a count or who was one.
Ledda Italian, SardinianProbably from the former Medieval town of Lella, in northern
Sardinia. The transformation of
-ll- into
-dd- is common in Sardinian.
Leduc French, BretonFrom the Old French title of rank
duc "duke" (from Latin
dux "leader" genitive
ducis) with the French masculine definite article
le used as a nickname for someone who gave himself airs and graces or else as a metonymic occupational name for a servant employed in a ducal household.
Lefils French, Haitian CreoleDerived from French
le "the" and
fils "son". This was originally a nickname to distinguish a son from his father with the same given name.
Lefort French, WalloonEither a nickname from French le fort "the strong" (see
Fort ). It is also found in Germany where it is probably of Alsatian origin (compare
Lefor ) and in Haiti where it most likely originates from the nickname Lefort... [
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Lefrançois FrenchFrom the given name
François. It may also mean "the Frenchman", probably used to denote someone who came from the region of Île de France in France.
Legendre Frenchrelationship name from Old French
gendre "son-in-law" (from Latin
gener) with fused masculine definite article
le.
Leggio ItalianFrom Sicilian
leggiu "light, not heavy; superficial", a nickname for someone considered unreliable or irresponsible. Variant of
Leggièri.
Lehigh German, IrishDerived from a Native American word "Lechauwekink", meaning "where there are forks in the stream". Variant of
Lechau .
Lehmkuhl German, Low Germantopographic or occupational name for someone working or living by a clay pit from Middle Low German
lēm "clay" and
kule "pit" a habitational name from any of several places called with this term for example Lehmkuhlen near Kiel.
Lehner GermanStatus name for a feudal tenant or vassal, from an agent derivative of Middle High German lehen 'to hold land as a feudal tenant'. variant of Leonhardt.
Lehnhart German"Lean deer." From the German words
lehn and
Hart, "lean" and "deer" respectively.
Leibniz GermanThe German surname Leibnitz emerged in the lands that form the modern state of Lower Saxony, which is presently bordered by the North Sea, the Hartz mountains and the Elbe and Ems rivers. Lower Saxony was previously a medieval dukedom... [
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Leich GermanA coworker at my job has this surname and they told me that it’s German. I know nothing more about this surname.
Leidig GermanFrom a short form of any of several Germanic personal names composed with the first element
liut ‘people’, ‘tribe’. Also a nickname for a disagreeable, cantankerous person, from Middle High German
leidic ‘disagreeable’, ‘tiresome’.
Leinbach GermanGerman topographic name from any of several streams called leinbach, from Middle High German
lin ‘flax’ or Middle Low German
leie (genitive leien) ‘rock’, ‘stone’ +
bach ‘stream’.
Leinberg GermanHabitational name for someone in Bavaria, or a topographic name from Middle High German
lin meaning "flax" and
berg meaning "mountain".
Leinen GermanName means LINEN in German. The first known Leinen was a tailor
Leiter GermanFrom Leiter ‘leader’, status name for a foreman or for the leader of a military expedition, from Middle High German leiten ‘lead’.German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Leitner.
Leleu FrenchFrom old French
le leu a Picard form of old french
le loup "the wolf".
Lemaître FrenchMeans "the master" in French, either used as a nickname for someone who behaved in a masterful manner or an occupational name for someone who was a master of their craft.
Lemass French, IrishMeaning uncertain. It may be derived from Old French
maistre meaning "master", ultimately from Latin
magister (see
Masterson). Another theory holds that it comes from Irish Gaelic
Laighmheasa, a given name meaning "dispatch"... [
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Lemberg GermanHabitational name from a place called Lemberg in Silesia, originally Löwenberg, from Middle High German
lewe,
löwe "lion" and
berg "mountain".
Lemercier FrenchFrench surname designating a vendor of sewing materials, from the word
mercier.
Lemire FrenchFrom Old French "Mire" (From Latin medicus, meaning physician), with French definite article "Le".
Le Monnier FrenchOccupational surname for a miller, literally meaning "the miller" in French.
Lenoir FrenchFrench surname which was originally a nickname for a person with dark hair or skin, derived from
noir "black" combined with the definite article
le. A famous bearer is Étienne Lenoir (1822 - 1900), the inventor of the internal combustion engine.
Lent English, German, DutchNickname from either Old English
lencten meaning "spring season, springtime" or from Germanic
langa-tinez meaning "long days" which refers to the increasing daylight of spring. Likely a nickname for someone who was born or baptized during springtime.
Leo ItalianNickname for a fierce or brave warrior, from Latin
leo meaning "lion".
Leonardo Italian, Spanish, GermanItalian, Spanish, and Portuguese from the Germanic personal name
Leonhard, formed from the elements
leo ‘lion’ +
hard, ‘hardy’, ‘brave’, ‘strong’; this was an early medieval saint’s name (see
Leonard).
Leopardi ItalianFrom the medieval given name
Leopardus. A famous bearer of this surname is Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837), one of the most influential Italian poets.
Léotard FrenchFrom the given name
Leopold. Jules Léotard was an acrobat who popularized the leotard, a gymnastics garment. The garment is named after him.
Lepp GermanUnflattering nickname from Middle High German
lappe "coxcomb", "puppy" (modern German
Laffe).... [
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Lepri ItalianFrom Italian
lepre "hare", a nickname for a fast runner, or for a timid person.
Le Roux FrenchNickname for a person with red hair, from Old French rous "red." Variant spelling of
Leroux.
Lescher GermanGerman metonymic occupational name for a mediator or arbitrator, or possibly for a fireman, from Middle High German
leschære ‘extinguisher’.
Lesieur FrenchFrom old French
sieur "lord, overlord" (from Latin
senior "elder") fused with
le either an occupational name for someone in service of a great lord or an ironic nickname for someone who gives himself airs or graces.
Lesnar GermanVariant spelling of German Lessner, a habitational name from any of various places in eastern Germany called Lessen, all named with Slavic les 'forest'.
Lessard FrenchName for someone who lived in a clearing, derived from French
l'essart meaning "the assart" (a term for cleared forest land used for agriculture). It is also a habitational name for someone from any of various locations named Lessard or Lessart, of the same origin and meaning.
Leto ItalianFrom the personal name Leto. From Latin
Laetus meaning "happy, joyful"... [
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Létourneau FrenchNickname for a chatty, gregarious person or an occupational name for a birdcatcher, derived from French
l'étourneau meaning "the starling".
Lever French, EnglishNickname for a fleet-footed or timid person, from Old French
levre "hare" (Latin
lepus, genitive
leporis). It may also have been a metonymic occupational name for a hunter of hares.
Levob FrenchThe family name Levob is believed to be from Lorraine, an ancient province of the East of France. Some of the variations are Lavoye, Lavois, Lavoi, Levoi, Levoie, Levoy, Levois, Levot, Lavot to distinguish but a few.
Lhomme FrenchFrom the name of the commune of
Lhomme, located in the Sarthe department in northwestern France.
L'Huillier FrenchDenoted a person who produces or sells oil, from French
huile "oil" with fused definite article
l'. Anne Geneviève L'Huillier (1958-) is a French physicist who beat the world record for the shortest laser pulse, of 170 attoseconds.
Libra ItalianDerived from the latin word
'libra' meaning "balance, weigh". It's probably a nickname for a deliberate or well-balanced person.
Librizzi ItalianHabitational name from
Librizzi in Messina province, Sicily.
Libutti ItalianComposed of the definite article
li and dialect
butti "barrels".
Licht German, Dutch, YiddishMeans "light" or "candle". Could be an occupational name for a chandler, a topographic name for someone who lived in a clearing (see
Lichte), or a nickname for someone who had light hair, or who was agile and slender.
Lichte GermanHabitational name for someone who lived in a clearing (see
Lucht) or topographic name from a town in Germany, situated by the Lichte river. Alternatively, a variant of
Licht.
Lichten German, JewishFrom German
licht meaning "light". Nickname for someone with a light complexion.
Lichter German, JewishOccupational name for someone who made candles or possibly for someone who tended a light, from an agent derivative of from Middle High German
lieht, Yiddish
likht "candle, light".
Licursi ItalianOf Albanian origin, either an occupational name for a tanner from
lëkurë "skin, leather", or a habitational name.
Lieb German, JewishNickname for a pleasant or agreeable person, from Middle High German
liep "dear, beloved"; Yiddish
lib or German
lieb. This word was also used as a personal name, both alone (German) and in compounds (German and Jewish).
Lieb GermanFrom a short form of the various compound Slavic personal names formed with
lubo- "love" as the first element.
Lieberknecht GermanA compound name where
lieber is derived from the given name
Liebert and
kneckt is an occupational surname for a journeyman, derived from the Middle Low German
knecht meaning "knight’s assistant, servant".
Liebermann German, JewishDerived from German
lieb or Yiddish
lib meaning "dear, beloved". Many Liebermann families originally spelled the name in Hebrew or Cyrillic characters, so variations in the spelling occurred during transliteration to the Latin alphabet.