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.
Lucca ItalianA habitational name from Lucca Sicula in Agrigento province, Sicily, which was called simply Lucca until 1863. It was probably originally named with a Celtic element meaning ‘marshy.’
Lucchese ItalianDenoted someone from
Lucca, a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy.
Lucci ItalianPatronymic or plural form of
Luccio, a reduced form of a personal name formed with this suffix.
Luce Norman, FrenchForm of Lucius, meaning "light". A notable bearer of this surname is French singer-songwriter Renan Luce (1980-).
Luchs GermanMeans "lynx" in German, a nickname possibly given to someone with good eyesight. Alternatively, a variant form of
Lux.
Lucht German, DutchTopographic name from
Lucht "cleared area, garden", ultimately from Old German
leuhtą "light".
Lucier FrenchDerived from old French
lucière meaning "light".
Ludenberg GermanFrom Latin
ludere meaning "to play" and German
berg meaning "mountain".
Luker GermanLuker see also Lucher or Luchre, meaning money more specifically money obtained by nefarious means.
Lüll GermanFrom a short form of any of the Germanic personal names formed with liut- ‘people’ as the first element.
Lunatici ItalianA nickname for a quirky or temperamental person, ultimately from Latin
lunaticus "of the moon, moonstruck".
Lunz GermanNickname for a careless or slovenly person, from Middle High German
lunzen 'to doze'. Can also be a habitational name for someone from Lunz in Tyrol.
Lupin FrenchLupin is a variant on the Latin word "lupus", meaning "wolf". Two important literary characters, Arsène Lupin, the famous French gentleman-burglar, and Professor Remus Lupin, from the world of Harry Potter, have this name... [
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Lusa ItalianUsed by people from Lusa, Italy, a town named after the Roman 'gens lusia'.
Lussier FrenchOccupational name from old French
ussier "usher, doorkeeper".
Lustig Swedish, German, Jewish, DutchA nickname for a cheerful person, derived from Swedish and German
lustig "humorous, funny, enjoyable" or Middle High German
lustig "merry, carefree". Usually ornamental as a Jewish surname.
Lyé FrenchA habitational name from places named Lié located in Deux-Sèvres and Vendée.
Lyman GermanAmericanized form of German
Leimann, Americanized form of
Leinemann, habitational name for someone from Leine in Pomerania, or for someone who lived by either of two rivers called Leine, near Hannover and in Saxony.
Maag GermanComes from the Middle High German “mage”, meaning “relative” or “kinsman”.
Macaluso ItalianPossibly from Arabic
مخلوص (
maklus) "freed, liberated", indicating a freedman or slave who had been liberated, which may be related to Sicilian
macaluscio, "cleaned and prepared cotton".
Maccarone Italianfrom
maccaroni "macaroni" (or in northern Italy "gnocco") perhaps applied as a metonymic occupational name for a maker of pasta or in the North as a nickname for a silly or foolish person.
Macchia ItalianTopographic name from Italian
macchia "thicket, scrub, brush" (from Latin
macula "spot, fleck, stain") as well as a habitational name from any of various places named
Macchia... [
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Macchiarini ItalianPossibly a variant of
Macchia, or else derived from the related
macchiare "to stain, mark, blot" combined with a plural form of the diminutive suffix
-ino.
Macchione ItalianOriginally from the south of italy (Calabria or Sicily), from an augmentative of Macchia (stain), in some cases, a habitational name from various places so named in Campania and Puglia.
Macis ItalianFrom Sardinian
maccia "shrub, thick bush, brush", or possibly denoting someone from the village Simax.
Macon French, GermanFrench: See
Maçon. An occupational name for a mason, French
maçon. Habitational name from places so called in Saône-et-Loire, Allier, Aube, the Côte d’Or, Gers, and Deux-Sères... [
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Macri ItalianItalian variant of
Magro. It could also be a southern Italian nickname for a person who had long limbs or who was tall, derived from Greek μακρύς (
makrýs) literally meaning "long, tall" (see
Makris)... [
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Madau ItalianFrom Sardinian
madau "fold, enclosure for sheep".
Maddaloni ItalianHabitational name from
Maddaloni, a town in Campania, South Italy, of uncertain etymology. Theories include a derivation from Arabic مِجْدَل
(majdal) "fortress, tower", or from a now-destroyed monastery dedicated to Mary
Magdalene, among others.
Madeddu ItalianPossibly a variant of
Madau "sheepfold". Alternately, may derive from a Sardinian variant of
Amato "beloved", or from the Latin cognomen
Metellus "hired servant".
Madonia ItalianHabitational name from any of numerous places named Madonia, or a regional name for someone from Madonie in Sicily.
Madonna ItalianFrom the person name
Madonna, from donna meaning "lady", bestowed in honor of the Virgin Mary.
Maffessanti ItalianMeaning is overall unknown, but might come from Saint of Matthew. In Italian the name “Maffeo” is an Italian spelling of Matthew and “Santi” means saints, so combined it would be Maffessanti... [
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Maffione ItalianPossibly a derivative of the given name
Maffeo. This surname is from the Puglia region of Barletta, southern Italy.
Maffret Frenchbeleived to originated in{ NICE, france} in the late 19th century, emmigration from france to london,{stepney}, where the surname was mistakenly added an extra letter "T" resulting in the surname MAFFRETT
Magaldi Italian, South AmericanPatronymic or plural form of the Old German personal name
Magoald (from the elements
megin,
magan "strength, might, power" and
wald "power"), or else a nickname from
magaldo meaning "evil, wicked", which was derived from the personal name... [
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Magdalena Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Portuguese, Occitan, Italian, Sicilian, Romanian, Greek, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Croatian, SloveneFrom the given name
Magdalena.
Maggio ItalianFrom a nickname or personal name from the month of May,
maggio, from Latin
Maius (
mensis), from
Maia, a rather obscure goddess of fertility, whose name is derived from the same root as
maius "larger" and
maiestas "greatness"... [
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Magnesi ItalianDerived from the word "magnesia," which is an ancient term for a region in present-day Greece that was known for its deposits of magnesium and other minerals. The surname may have been given to someone who originated from this region or was associated with it.
Mahina Italian, PolishIn Italian, it is likely derived from "màcina," which refers to a millstone or grindstone. This suggests the surname may have been given to individuals who worked as millers or lived near a place with such a feature... [
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Mahler GermanVariant of
Maler, a German occupational surname meaning "painter", particularly a stained glass painter.... [
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Mai GermanDerived from German
der Mai meaning "May", perhaps indicating a person who was baptized in that month.
Maimeri ItalianSurname of italian painter and entrepreneur Giovanni (Gianni) Maimeri.
Maine FrenchFrench topographic name from Old French
maine ‘dwelling’, ‘residence’, ‘abode’, or a habitational name from any of numerous places so named.
Maisel Yiddish, German, FrenchPredominantly seems to be a matronymic surname from the Yiddish feminine name
Mayzl. Although it is believed that it derived from the Hebrew name
Meïser, which means “representative of God”... [
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Maison French, WalloonDerived from Old French
maison "residence", this name used to be given to someone who lived by an important house.
Maitre Frenchoccupational name for one who was the head of a craft or trade guild, from Old French maistre ‘master’ (Latin magister).
Malandra ItalianPossibly related to Italian
malandrino "dishonest, mischievous; rascal".
Malatesta ItalianMeans "bad head" in Italian, a nickname for a stubborn or perhaps malicious person. It could have also indicated the bearer had a misshapen head. ... [
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Malebranche French (Rare)Means "bad branch" in French, denoting a person who is on the bad side of a family tree. It could also possibly be a variant of
Malherbe. Nicolas Malebranche was a French Oratorian Catholic priest and rationalist philosopher.
Malfait FrenchDerived from French
mal fait, which literally means "poorly done, badly done". In the context of the surname, it refers to the first bearer being "malformed" or "deformed" (as it was in the eyes of people from older times), which means that he either was physically disabled or able-bodied but with a physical trait that deviated from the norm.
Malfatto ItalianMeans "badly made, shoddy; deformed" in Italian, possibly originating with the nickname Malefactus "ugly, injured". Cognate to French
Malfait.
Malfoy FrenchMalfoy is a French name roughly translating to "bad faith"
Malin French, FlemishFrom the masculine given name
Madalin, a short form of names composed of the Germanic element
mahal "council, assembly, meeting" such as
Madalbert.
Maller GermanAn occupational name given to a painter of stained glass.
Mallet Anglo-Norman, Medieval English, French, CatalanOriginated in Norman France and spread to England following the Norman conquest of 1066. The surname comes from the given name
Malle, an Old English diminutive of
Mary or from the given name
Malo, a popular form of the name of Saint
Maclovius, a 6th-century Welsh monk who the church of Saint Maclou in Rouen is named for.... [
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Mallow GermanVariant spelling of
Malow, a habitational name from Malow in Mecklenburg.
Malo ItalianPossibly from Italian
mano "hand", a nickname for a skillful person, or a short form of a given name such as
Romano.
Maloret FrenchThis surname comes from the French and means 'unfortunate' or 'luckless'.
Malpass English, Scottish, FrenchHabitational name from any of various places named Malpas, because of the difficulty of the terrain, from Old French
mal pas "bad passage" (Latin
malus passus). It is a common French minor place name, and places in Cheshire, Cornwall, Gwent, and elsewhere in England were given this name by Norman settlers... [
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Malta Italian, Spanish, Portuguesehabitational or ethnic name for someone from the Mediterranean island of Malta (from Latin
Melita Greek
Melitē).
Maltese Italianhabitational or ethnic name for someone from the island of Malta.
Malvestio ItalianFrom Venetian
malvestio "poorly-dressed, shabby", given to foundlings turned into an orphanage with shabby clothes.
Mameli ItalianPossibly from latin surname Mamelius. A famous bearer was Goffredo Mameli, author of the italian national anthem.
Manacorda ItalianPossibly means "bad heart", from Latin
malus "bad" and
cordis "heart".
Managniello ItalianThe name likely comes from the Italian word mangano, meaning "mangle" or "machine for pressing," referring to tools used in fabric and textile production, which were common in medieval Italy. The suffix "-ello" is a diminutive, which could imply that the name originally referred to a person who worked with or operated one of these machines, such as a cloth presser or laundry worker... [
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Manai ItalianFrom Sardinian
mannai "grandfather, grandmother".
Mancio FrenchMancio derives from the surname Venâncio and Amâncio, being an unusual French variation.
Mandarino ItalianMeans "mandarin, mandarin orange" in Italian, referring to both the fruit and the colour.
Mandato ItalianDerived from an uncertain given name, possibly Old Tuscan
Mandatus, an omen or well-wishing name taken from Italian
mandato da Dio "sent by God", or perhaps from an Old Germanic name.
Mandeville French, English, IrishFrench habitational name from
Mandeville the name of two places in Normandy derived from Latin
magna villa "large estate" or a variant of Manneville a habitational name from Manneville the name of several places in Normandy... [
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Manera ItalianEither a habitational name from any of two places called
Manera in the Italian provinces of Cuneo and Como, a nickname and perhaps a metonymic occupational name (from the dialect word
manèra meaning "executioner's axe, cleaver" or from Italian
manero "well-behaved, skilled"), or derived from the given name
Mainiero (ultimately from Frankish
Maginhari, composed of the Ancient Germanic elements
magin "strength, might" and
hari,
heri "army").
Manganaro Italianoccupational name from
manganaro agent noun from
Mangano (see
Mangano) in any of its various senses. Manganaris and Manganaras are also found as Greek surnames.
Mangano Italianoccupational name from
mangano "mangle" (a device consisting of a pair of rollers used to press textiles and clothes) or "calender" (a similar device used in making paper). The term mangano also denoted a bucket elevator (used for raising water from a well) and any of various other devices including a catapult... [
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Mangialaglio ItalianMeans "eats garlic" in Italian, from
mangia "to eat" and
aglio "garlic". Possibly a nickname for someone known for heavily seasoning their food, or for having bad breath.
Mangiaracina ItalianThe Sicilian name for salpa, a kind of fish, from
mangia "to eat" and
racina "grapes".
Mangione ItalianFrom Italian
mangiare meaning "to eat". Perhaps a nickname for someone who eats a lot.
Mangone Italianhabitational name from Mangone a place in Cosenza province. Or an occupational name for a merchant from Latin
mango (genitive
mangonis) "dealer, slave trader". Or possibly also from an ancient Germanic personal name (see
Mangold ).
Maniago ItalianFrom the name of a town in Friuli, Italy, probably derived from the given name
Manilius and the Italian toponymic suffix
-ago, ultimately from Proto-Celtic
-*akos.
Maniscalco ItalianIt means 'blacksmith' in Italian. The variant
Maniscalchi is the plural.
Manocchio ItalianMeaning uncertain, possibly from Italian
mano "hand" and
occhio "eye", an elaboration of the surname
Mano, or an altered form of
malocchio meaning "evil eye".
Mansell Anglo-Norman, FrenchA status name for a particular type of feudal tenant, Anglo-Norman French
mansel, one who occupied a manse (Late Latin
mansa ‘dwelling’), a measure of land sufficient to support one family... [
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Mantel English, German, French, Dutchnickname for someone who wore a cloak in a particularly conspicuous way or with a striking design, from Middle English, Middle High German, Old French, and Middle Dutch
mantel "cloak, coat" (from Late Latin
mantellus)... [
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Manteuffel GermanThe Manteuffel family is the name of an old and influential German Pomeranian noble family. Manteuffel family was first mentioned in 1256, but the family history officially begins with Henricus Manduvel who is first mentioned on 14... [
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Mantey German, PolishHabitational name for someone from a place called Manthei in Schwerin province. This name is also established in Poland.
Manville FrenchA locational surname deriving from any of the various places in France called "Manneville or Magneville", named, from the Old Germanic personal name "Manno" or the Old French adjective "magne", great, with the word "ville", meaning a town or settlement.
Manzoni ItalianOf uncertain origin: could be derived from a nickname given to those who raised and took care of bullock, or from the medieval terms
manso or
mansueto, denoting a gentle person.... [
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Maqueron FrenchOf debated origin and meaning. Theories include a derivation from Picard
maqueron "chin" (in which case this would have been a pejorative nickname for someone with a protruding chin) and a diminutive of
Macquart.
Maquet FrenchFrom a derivative of
bac ‘tub’, also ‘ferry’, used as a metonymic occupational name for a maker or for a boatman.... [
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Mar SwissThe surname Mar has roots from Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, France, Germany, Portugal and Spain. MAR: topographic name for someone living by the sea, from mar ‘sea’ (Latin mare). German: nickname from Middle High German mar(w) ‘tender’, ‘delicate’.
Marable French, EnglishFrom the feminine personal name
Mirabel, equated in medieval records with Latin mirabilis "marvelous", "wonderful" (in the sense "extraordinary").
Marano ItalianHabitational name from any of various places named
Marano, derived from the Latin given name
Marius combined with the suffix
-ano... [
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Marasco ItalianMeans "morello, morello cherry" in Italian, derived from Latin
amarus "bitter".
Marcantonio ItalianAncient family, called Marcantonio or Di Marcantonio, of clear and ancestral virtue, flourished in Abruzzo.
Marchant French, English, SpanishVariant of
Marchand, from French
marchand meaning "merchant, mercantile". Though it is of French origin, it was transferred into the Spanish-speaking world, especially Chile, by French invasion of the Iberian Peninsula.
Marchese ItalianFrom the title of rank
marchése "marquis" (in Italy the rank immediately below that of duke), probably applied as a nickname for someone who behaved like a marquis, or an occupational name for a servant in the household of a marquis... [
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Marchesini ItalianDerived from the Latin word “marchese,” which means “marquis.” It is a title of nobility that was used in medieval Italy and referred to the leader of a march or border region. It likely refers to someone who was descended from or associated with a marquis or who held a similar position of authority in a border region.