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.
Milingiana ItalianProbably from
milinciana "eggplant, aubergine", likely given to foundlings.
Millet French, Catalanmetonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of millet or panic grass or a topographic name for someone who lived by a field of millet from French and Catalan
millet (from Latin
milietum a derivative of
milium in Old French
mil "millet").
Minde GermanHabitational name denoting someone from the city of Minden.
Minden German, EnglishHabitational name from any of various places so named, for example in Westphalia (German) or Shropshire (English).
Minelli ItalianPatronymic or plural form of
Minello, a pet form of the personal name
Mino, which is a short form of a personal name formed with the hypocoristic suffix
-mino, such as
Adimino,
Giacomino,
Guglielmino, etc.
Minervino Italiana habitational name from either of two places, Minervino di Lecce or Minervino Murge, in the provinces of Lecce and Bari, which take their names from ancient temples dedicated to the Roman goddess Minerva.
Minion FrenchFrench form of
Miner, an occupational name for a someone working in a mine.
Mirabella Italian, SicilianItalian (Campania and Sicily): habitational name from Mirabella Eclano in Avellino or Mirabella Imbaccari in Catania, or from various places with the name Mirabello, all named from medieval Latin
mira, "viewpoint", and
bella, "beautiful"... [
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Miraglia ItalianFrom the Old Sicilian military title
miraglia di mari meaning "admiral".
Mittel GermanLiterally "middle", probably a topographic name from a farm occupying a middle position in a settlement. Compare
Mitter.
Mittelmann GermanFrom a byname from Middle High German
mittelman "mediator, arbitrator".
Mitter GermanTopographic name for someone who lived on or owned a property that was in the middle between two or more others, especially if the others were both held by men with the same personal name (for example,
Mitter Hans), from the strong form of Middle High German
mitte "mid, middle".
Möbius GermanPatronymic surname derived from the given name Bartholomäus, the German form of Bartholomew.
Modigliani ItalianUsed by Sepharditic Jews, this surname comes from the Italian town of
Modigliana, in Romagna. Famous bearers of this surname include painter Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920) and Nobel Prize in Economics recipient Franco Modigliani (1918–2003).
Molinaro ItalianOccupational name for a miller, derived from Italian
mulino meaning "mill".
Molinarolo ItalianProbably from a person's occupation, with
molino/
mulino meaning "mill" in Italian. The second part may come from
rullo, meaning "a roller" or "I roll."
Mollet FrenchTopographic name for someone who lived in a muddy or boggy place from a diminutive of mol "marsh, bog".
Molyneux FrenchPossibly a habitational name from Moulineux, meaning "mill of the waters", or derives from the Old French name De Molines or De Moulins, meaning "mill". The surname has been linked to a large French family that settled in Lancashire from France.
Monaco ItalianNickname for someone of monkish habits or appearance, or an occupational name for a servant employed at a monastery, from Italian
monaco "monk" (from Greek
monachos "monk", "solitary").
Mönch GermanDerived from German
Mönch "monk" (ultimately via Middle High German
münch and Old High German
munih from Latin
monicus. Compare
Monk).
Mond GermanEither from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with
munt "protection guardianship" making it a cognate of
Monday 1 or probably also a topographic or habitational name referring to a house with the sign of a moon from Middle High German
mane mone "moon".
Mondschein German, Jewishtopographic or habitational name referring to a house name meaning "moonshine" or a nickname for someone who was bald from the same word Middle High German
mōne mān(d)e "moon" and
schīn "shine".
Moneta ItalianPossibly originating from a nickname given to those who lived near a temple dedicated to
Juno Moneta. A famous bearer of this surname is Nobel Prize for Peace recipient Ernesto Teodoro Moneta (1833–1918).
Moneta Italianfrom
moneta "money" probably applied as either a nickname for a rich man or as a metonymic occupational name for a moneyer or money lender.
Monfils FrenchMonfils is a surname of French origin, meaning "my son."
Monopoli ItalianItalian: habitational name from a place called Monopoli in Bari province from Greek monē polis ‘single town’.
Mont French, Catalantopographic name for a mountain dweller from Catalan and Old French
mont "mountain" (from Latin
mons genitive
montis).
Montalbano ItalianHabitational name from Montalbano di Elicona in northeastern Sicily (earlier simply Montalbano), Montalbano Jonico (Matera province), or the district of Montalbano in Fasano, Brindisi.
Montale ItalianFrom Latin
mons ("mountain"), this surname was originally given as a nickname to people who lived on hills and mountains. A famous bearer of this surname is Italian poet and writer Eugenio Montale (1896-1981), winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1975.
Montalto Italian, PortugueseHabitational name from any of various places called Montalto or Montaldo especially Montalto Uffugo in Cosenza province in Italy or from a place in Portugal called Montalto from
monte "hill" and
alto "high" (from Latin
altus).
Montaperto ItalianMy father tells me this name means "open mountain." It seems to have come from a small area around Agrigento in Sicily, Italy.
Montecalvo ItalianHabitational name from any of various places called Montecalvo ("bald mountain") especially Montecalvo Irpino in Avellino province, from the elements
monte "mountain" and
calvo "bald".
Montefiore Italian, JewishDerived from
Montefiore, which is the name of several places in Italy. For example, there is Castle Montefiore in the town of Recanati (province of Macerata), the municipality of Montefiore Conca (province of Rimini) and the municipality of Montefiore dell'Aso (province of Ascoli Piceno)... [
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Monteleone ItalianFrom various place names, meaning "mountain lion", or "mountain of the lion".
Montesano ItalianFrom Italian
monte meaning "mountain" and
sano meaning "healthy".
Montesquieu FrenchFrom French
montagne, meaning "mountain" and possibly also from
queue, meaning "line". Charles Montesquieu was a 17th-century French aristocrat, philosopher and politician.
Monteverde ItalianHabitational name from any of various places called Monteverde, for example in Avellino province, from monte meaning "mountain" + verde meaning "green".
Monteverdi ItalianDerived from Italian
monte meaning "mountain" and
verdi meaning "green"; literally means "green mountain".
Montigny Frenchhabitational name from (Le) Montigny the name of several places in various parts of France (from a Gallo-Roman estate name Montiniacum formed either from a personal name or from a derivative of
mons "mountain" and the locative suffix
acum)... [
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Montisci ItalianOriginated in Sardinia, Italy in the 17th century given to fishermen
Montone Italiannickname from
montone "ram" (from Medieval Latin
multo genitive
multonis). Or a habitational name from any of numerous places called Montone ("big mountain").
Montoro Spanish, ItalianA Spanish habitational name from any of the places called Montoro in particular those in Córdoba or Teruel provinces. Italian habitational name from any of the places called Montoro in particular Montoro Inferiore and Montoro Superiore in Avellino province.
Montpelier English, FrenchEnglish and French variant of
Montpellier. This is the name of several places in the United States, for example the capital city of the state of Vermont, which was named after the French city of
Montpellier.
Montpellier FrenchMeans "woad mountain", derived from French
mont (itself from Latin
mōns) meaning "mountain" and
pastel (Latin
pastellus,
pestellus) meaning "woad, dye", referring to someone who lived near a mountain that was covered with woad (a plant that produces a blue dye)... [
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Monty French, EnglishTopographic name for a mountain dweller, from Old French mont 'mountain' (Latin mons, montis).
Monvoisin FrenchMarried surname of a infamous 17th century fortune teller and poisoner, Catherine Monvoisin nee Deshayes, known as La Voisin. Executed for witchcraft in 1680 in the affair of the poisons. Her clients included the elite of Paris including a mistress of Louis XIV.
Monzo ItalianPossibly a variant of Monsu, which may be an occupational name for a cook, Calabrian munsu, or a nickname or title from Milanese monsu ‘sir’, ‘lord’, ‘gentleman’.
Mook GermanThis surname means 'flying insect' from a German word that is mauke. (I think it is mauke, I am SO not sure.)
Morabito ItalianUltimately from Arabic
مُرَابِط (
murabit) "holy man, one who preaches in the street; soldier stationed in an outpost", from which comes Sicilian
murabitu "moderate, sober" and
murabbiu "teetotal".
Moralee English, FrenchFirst found in Norfolk where they were seated from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings.
Morand French, French (Swiss)from the medieval Latin personal name Maurandus Morandus derived from Maurus "Mauritanian Moor" and the suffix -andus (following the pattern of names formed from a verbal noun such as Amandus) or shortened from Moderandus which appears to be Latin for "he who is (able) to be guided"... [
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Morant English, FrenchFrom the Old French personal name
Morant, perhaps from a nickname meaning "steadfast", or alternatively of Germanic origin and meaning literally "courage-raven". A known bearer was the British-born Australian soldier and poet Breaker Morant, original name Edwin Henry Murrant (?1864-1902).
Moranville FrenchHabitational name from Moranville, probably derived from the personal name
Morand + Old French word
ville "settlement".
More Frenchnickname for a dark-skinned man from Old French
more "Moor" (from Latin
Maurus). French cognitive of
Moore 3.
Morell RomanshDerived from Latin
maurus "Moorish, North African" as well as a derivation from a diminutive of the given name
Maurus.
Moreschi ItalianNickname for a dark-skinned person, derived from the Medieval Latin word
moro, actually from the Latin
Maurus, meaning, "dark-skinned".
Moro Italian, SpanishNickname from
moro "moor" from Latin
maurus "moor, north african" and Italian variant of
Mauro.
Morreale ItalianHabitational name from the town of Monreale in Sicily, derived from Italian
monte regale meaning "royal mountain".
Mosbrucker GermanTopographic name for someone who lived by a bridge over a swamp, from Middle High German mos meaning "bog", "swamp" + brucke meaning "bridge".
Mosca RomanshYounger form of
Muos-cha which was derived from Romansh
muos-cha "fly (animal)".
Moscatelli ItalianThe name Moscatelli has its origins in a type of grape called Moscatel. This grape has its origin in ancient Egypt or Greece, but it was in Italy that it became famous. Here the farmers that planted the grape became known as the Moscatelli.
Moscato ItalianVariant of the personal name Muscato, also Americanized spelling of Greek Moskatos, a metonymic occupational name for a grower of muscat grapes.
Mosel GermanHabitational name from any of several places so named. topographic name from the
Mosel river in western Germany a tributary of the Rhine that rises in the Vosges and flows through
Lorraine and then a deep winding valley from
Trier to
Koblenz.
Mosele Italian, German (Austrian)This surname is to be found in north-eastern Italy, more specifically in the Vicenza and Verona provinces. Families with this name are certain to be originally from the mountain town of Asiago, situated on a plateau north of Vicenza and now a well-known skiing resort... [
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Most GermanMetonymic occupational name for a producer or seller of must, i.e. unfermented grape juice, from Middle High German
most, ultimately derived from Latin
mustum vinum meaning "young (i.e. fresh) wine"... [
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Motel FrenchTopographic name from a derivative of Old French motte ‘fortified stronghold’.
Motte French, Walloon, Flemish, Germanfrom old French
motte "motte" a word of Gaulish origin denoting a man-made protective mound or moat surrounding a castle or other fortified strongholds; or a habitational name from any of the various places in France and in Belgium named with this word.... [
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Mouton FrenchNickname from Old French
mouton "sheep" used for a docile mild-mannered person for someone easily led or perhaps for a curly-haired man. Original French cognitive of
Mutton.
Mozart GermanThe surname was first recorded in the 14th century as
Mozahrt, and later as
Motzhardt in Germany. It is a compound word, the first part of which is Middle High German
mos, also spelt
mosz, and meaning “bog, marsh” in southern dialects (compare modern German
Moos)... [
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Mulè ItalianFrom Arabic
مولى (
mawlan) "guide, chief, lord, master".
Müllerleile GermanDerived from Middle High German
mülnære,
müller meaning "miller" (see
Müller), and the German given names
Lawlin,
Lauwelin and
Lawelin, medieval diminutives of
Nikolaus.
Mullinix FrenchA locational name "of de Moloneaux" probably from the noble family who trace their descent from William the Conqueror, from Molineaux-sur-Seine, near Rouen. The name came to England during the wake of the Norman Conquest... [
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Munich GermanFrom the lower German word for monk, most likely first used as a surname for a former member of a monastery.
Münster German, Dutchhabitational name from any of the places called Münster (in Germany) or Munster derived from Latin
monasterium "monastery" or a topographic name for someone living near a monastery.
Müsch GermanEither a habitational name from a place named Müsch in Germany, or a topographic name meaning "bog", perhaps given to someone living near a bog.
Musso ItalianNickname for someone with some peculiarity of the mouth.
Mutter German(also Mütter): occupational name for an official employed to measure grain, from Middle High German mutte, mütte 'bushel', 'grain measure' (Latin modius) + the agent suffix -er.
Nabrotzky GermanSupposedly means "lived near water". Originated from Prussia.
Nachtrieb GermanIt possibly comes from the German name of a
nachtrab, which is a "night bird like the owl". Another possible meaning is "night tribe".
Nadeau FrenchVariant of Nadal, which can be a name or the meaning "Christmas".... [
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Nadel German, JewishMetonymic occupational name for a maker of needles, or in some cases for a tailor, from Middle High German
nadel(e), German
Nadel "needle".
Nadig German (Swiss), RomanshDerived from from Old High German
(gi-)nadig "kind", this was a nickname for a kind and benevolent person.
Naitana ItalianProbably from the name of a disappeared village, itself derived from Latin
navita "sailor, navigator".
Nantz GermanFrom a pet form of a Germanic compound name formed with Nant- (for example, Nantwig, Nantger); its meaning is reflected in Middle High German nenden 'to dare'.
Napello Italiana nickname taken from the plantname
Aconitum napellus, possibly for someone with a 'venerous' character (because the plant is venerous)
Narr GermanNickname for a foolish or silly person, from Middle High German narr ‘fool’, ‘jester’.
Nasers GermanHabitational, derived from any of several places called Nesse in Oldenburg and Friesland.
Nassau German, Dutch, JewishFrom the name of the town of
Nassau in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (formerly the seat of an independent duchy in the 19th century), derived from Old High German
naz meaning "damp, wet" and
ouwa meaning "water meadow"... [
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Nasser GermanSomeone from any of the places called Nassen, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, and Bavaria.
Nast GermanTopographic name for someone who lived in a thickly wooded area, or a metonymic occupational name for a woodcutter, from Middle High German nast meaning "branch", a regional variant of ast, resulting from the misdivision of forms such as ein ast meaning "a branch".
Nau GermanA variant of Neu; meaning "ship" or "boat."
Nault FrenchFrom a short form of various medieval personal names derived from Germanic personal names formed with wald 'rule' as the final element, in particular Arnold.
Navarre FrenchThe name means "By the sea". Originally a country of its own, located between Spain and France, Navarre became a part of France in 1284 when the Queen of Navarre married King Philip IV of France. After much war, becoming independent once again, and falling into Spanish rule, the Kingdom of Navarre is now split between Spain and France.
Neff German, German (Swiss)From Middle High German neve 'nephew', hence probably a distinguishing name for a close relation or familiar of a prominent personage.
Negro Italian, Spanish, Galician, Portuguese, JewishNickname or ethnic name from
negro "black" (continuation of Latin
niger), denoting someone with dark hair, dark eyes, a dark complexion, someone who wore dark clothes, someone who worked a job in the night, or was otherwise associated with the night.