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.
Pickle GermanPickle is an Anglicized form of the North German word “pokel” and or the Dutch word “pekel”.
Picot FrenchFrom Old French
picot "pointed object pickaxe" a nickname for someone who used such an implement.
Picquet FrenchA variant of
Piquet of which it's meaning is of a military terminology of one soldier/small group of soldiers on a line forward of a postion to provide a warning of an enemy advance... [
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Piénoel French (Rare)French surname that possibly refers to the buckled shoes that the original bearer was wearing, in which case it is derived from Old French
pié meaning "foot" combined with Old French
noiel meaning "buckle"... [
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Pietrafesa ItalianThe derivation of the name Pietrafesa comes from the cracked aspect of the mountain on which it rose. In Italian "Pietra" mean Rock and "-fesa" comes from the Italian word fessura meaning cracked.... [
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Pigue FrenchFrench family last name may have been changed from the original French
Piketty FrenchPerhaps related to the English surname
Pickett. A notable bearer is French economist Thomas Piketty (1971-).
Pili ItalianSardinian form of Italian
pelo "hair, hairy".
Pillot FrenchMeaning unknown, possibly derived from Middle French
pilot or
pillot both meaning "stake, pole". This is the name of a wealthy merchant family from Besançon, France.
Pin French, DutchA topographic name for someone living by a pine tree or in a pine forest, or a habitational name from a place named with the Old French word
pin, meaning ‘pine’.
Pineau FrenchEither a diminutive of
Pin from Old French
pin "pine" or a habitational name from (Le) Pineau the name of several places in the western part of France of the same origin.
Pininfarina ItalianA combination of "pinin", Piedmontese for youngest/smallest brother, and
Farina, the Italian variant of
Miller. This is the name of the Italian coachbuilder, founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina, later Battista Pininfarina.
Pink English, GermanNickname, possibly for a small person, from Middle English pink
penkg ‘minnow’ (Old English pinc).English (southeastern): variant of
Pinch .Variant spelling of German
Pinck, an indirect occupational name for a blacksmith, an onomatopoeic word imitating the sound of hammering which was perceived as pink(e)pank... [
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Pinn English, GermanDerived from Middle English
pin and Middle Low German
pinne, both meaning "peg" or "pin". This was an occupational name from a maker of these things. The German name can in some cases be an occupational name for a shoemaker.
Pino Spanish, Galician, ItalianSpanish and Galician habitational name from any of the places in Galicia (Spain) named Pino from
pino "pine" or a topographic name for someone who lived by a remarkable pine tree. Italian habitational name from Pino d'Asti in Asti province Pino Torinese in Torino or Pino Solitario in Taranto all named with
pino "pine’... [
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Pinochet Basque, French, SpanishDerived from Basque
pinoche meaning "pine cone". Alternately, it could be derived from the name of the hamlet of
Pinouchet, located in the Gironde department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France... [
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Pinsker German, PrussianHabitational name from any of several places named near Posen (Polish Poznan) and in West Prussia.
Pinson FrenchFrom Old French
pinson "finch" a nickname applied to someone who whistles or sings like a finch or to a bright and cheerful person.
Pionke German, PolishGermanized form of Slavic Pinoek, which is a nickname from pionek ‘puppet’.
Piquet FrenchOccupational name for someone who dealt with picks from a diminutive of
pic ''pick, pickax''.
Pirovano ItalianProbably from a place in Lombardy, itself possibly deriving from Ancient Greek
πυρο- (
pyro-) "fire" and
-γενής (
-genes) "born of".
Pisa ItalianHabitational name from the city of Pisa in Tuscany. The city was probably founded by Greek colonists, but before coming under Roman control it was in the hands of the Etruscans, who probably gave it its name... [
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Piscopo ItalianFrom a reduced form of
episcopo "bishop" (Greek
episkopos "bishop", literally "overseer"), hence a metonymic occupational name for someone in the service of a bishop, or perhaps a nickname for a pompous person.
Pisoni Italianpatronymic "from Pisone", from a derivative of
Piso, from Latin pisum "pea"
Pitcher English, GermanFrom an agent derivative of Middle English
pich ‘pitch’, hence an occupational name for a caulker, one who sealed the seams of ships or barrels with pitch. English variant of
Pickard... [
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Pitsenbarger GermanProbably an altered spelling of
Bezzenberger, which is derived from
Boizenburg, a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
Pittler FrenchA surname which originally belonged to a person who lived by a pit or hollow. Meaning "King of the Pit" or "King of the Hollow".
Pizzuto ItalianItalian surname derived from a nickname meaning ‘malicious’.
Plain Frenchfrom Old French
plain an adjective meaning "flat" and a noun meaning "plain" hence a topographic name denoting e.g. a dwelling on a flat terrain.
Platini ItalianOccupational name for a person who coats objects with platinum, derived from Italian
platinare literally meaning "to platinize, to coat with platinum". A notable bearer is the former French soccer star Michel Platini (1955-).
Plum English, German, JewishEnglish and North German: from Middle English plum(b)e, Middle Low German plum(e) ‘plum’, hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a plum tree, or a metonymic occupational name for a fruit grower... [
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Plumer German, English, DutchNorth German (Plümer) and English: variant of
Plum, the suffix -er denoting habitation or occupation. Altered form of South German
Pflümer, an occupational name for a grower or seller of plums, from an agent derivative of Middle High German pflume ‘plum’... [
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Plumier French, BelgianPossibly an occupational name for a dealer in feathers and quills, from an agent derivative of Old French
plume "feather, plume" (compare English and Dutch
Plumer)... [
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Po ItalianDerived from
Po the longest river in Italy (651,8 km). It flows eastward across northern Italy starting from the Cottian Alps across the regions: Piemonte, Lombardia, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto... [
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Pobanz GermanNickname for a braggart or bogeyman, of uncertain Slavic origin.
Podda ItalianFrom Sardinian
podda "flour", or
pudda "chicken".
Poehler GermanGerman (Westphalian): topographic name for someone who lived by a muddy pool, from an agent noun derived from Middle Low
pol ‘(muddy) pool’.
Poh GermanFrom a dialect word for standard German Pfau ‘peacok’, a nickname for a vain person or for someone with a strutting gait.
Pointe FrenchDerivation of the name is from the pre 10th century Old French "pointe" meaning a sharp or pointed end, and ultimately from the Latin "puncta", to pierce.
Poisson FrenchPoisson is the French word for fish, and was given to one who was a fishmonger, fisherman, or could be a nickname for one who had the appearance similar to a fish.
Poitier FrenchEvidently an altered spelling of
Pothier. A famous bearer of this surname was the Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier (1927-2022).
Poland English, German, French (Anglicized), Irish (Anglicized)English and German name is derived from the Middle High German
Polan, which means "Poland". The surname originally signified a person with Polish connections.This French surname originated from an occupational name of a poultry breeder, or from a fearful person; it is derived from the Old French
poule, which means "chicken".In other cases, particularly in Ireland, the English Poland is a variant of Polin,which is in turn an Anglicised form of the original Gaelic spelling of
Mac Póilín, which translated from Irish means "son of little Paul"... [
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Polidori ItalianMeans "son of
Polidoro". Famous bearers include John William Polidori (1795-1821), a physician to Lord Byron and author of 'The Vampyre' (1819), and his sister Frances Polidori (1800-1886), the mother of painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti, poet Christina Rossetti, critic William Michael Rossetti, and author Maria Francesca Rossetti.
Politzer Hungarian, German, JewishHabitational name derived from any one of several places called
Police (known as
Pölitz in German) in the Czech Republic. Hugh David Politzer (1949-) is an American theoretical physicist who, along with David Gross and Frank Wilczek, discovered asymptotic freedom.
Polnareff FrenchMost known by famous French singer Michel Polnareff, and fictional Jojo's Bizarre Adventure character Jean-Pierre Polnareff (who is named after the singer).
Polombo ItalianDerived from Palombo literally meaning "Ring Dove" or Palombella meaning "Wood Pigeon" in the dialects of Southern Italy.
Pomante ItalianAn occupational name for someone who farms or sells fruit, from Italian
pomo "apple", descended from Latin
pomum "fruit, fruit tree".
Pomerantz GermanOccupational name for an importer or seller of bitter (Seville) oranges, Middle High German
pomeranz (medieval Latin
pomarancia, composed of the elements
arancia, the name imported with the fruit.
Pompei ItalianHabitational name from a place called Pompei in Naples province. Or a patronymic or plural form of
Pompeo.
Pontiff FrenchMeans "bridge builder". Comes from the French word
pont, which means bridge. ... [
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Porcelli ItalianFrom Italian
porcello, meaning "piglet". Used to denote someone who worked as a swineherd, or perhaps a nickname for someone who resembled a piglet in some way.
Porte Frenchfrom Old French
porte "gateway entrance" (from Latin
porta) hence a topographic name for someone who lived near the gates of a fortified town (typically the man in charge of them).
Portera ItalianOccupational name for a female servant, from Spanish portera.
Portmann GermanOccupational name for a gatekeeper, derived from Middle Low German
port(e) meaning "gate" and
man, or a topographic name for someone who lived near the gates of a fortified town.
Portugal Spanish, Portuguese, English, Catalan, French, JewishSpanish, Portuguese, Catalan, English, French, and Jewish surname meaning ethnic name or regional name for someone from Portugal or who had connections with Portugal. The name of the country derives from Late Latin Portucale, originally denoting the district around Oporto (Portus Cales, named with Latin portus ‘port’, ‘harbor’ + Cales, the ancient name of the city)... [
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Posada ItalianSpanish: habitational name from any of the numerous places named Posada, from posada ‘halt’, ‘resting place’. ... [
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Posey English, FrenchDerived from the Greek word "desposyni." The Desposyni is a term referring to a group of people that are allegedly direct blood relatives to Jesus. They are mentioned in Mark 3:21 and Mark 3:31. American actress Parker Posey is a famous bearer.
Poteet English, FrenchFrom the French name
Pottet, which is derived from
pot meaning "pot", originally a name for a potter.
Poverelli ItalianMeans "poor (person)" in Italian, given to foundlings and orphans.
Pregler GermanNickname for a chatterer or grumbler, from an agent derivative of Middle High German breglen ‘to chatter’, ‘complain’, ‘yell’, ‘roar’.
Preve ItalianDerives from the Latin "presbyter" with the meaning of "Older". Abundant in the Piedmont region.
Preve ItalianFrom Greek "πρεσβύτερος" (presbyteros), via Latin "presbyter" with the meaning of "The Old One".... [
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Prévost FrenchFrom Old French
prevost meaning "provost", a status name for officials in a position of responsibility.
Prevot FrenchA prevot was a govenment position during the Ancient Régime
Prieur Frenchfrom
prieur Old French
prior "prior" a monastic official immediately subordinate to an abbot (from Latin
prior "superior") hence an occupational name for a servant of a prior or an ironic nickname... [
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Prince English, FrenchNickname from Middle English, Old French
prince (Latin
princeps), presumably denoting someone who behaved in a regal manner or who had won the title in some contest of skill.
Príncipe Italian, SpanishFrom
principe "prince, heir" (Latin
princeps, genitive
principis, from
primus "first" and
capere "to take"), applied probably as a nickname for someone who gave himself airs and graces or for someone in the service of a prince.
Priore Italianfrom Italian
priore "prior" either a nickname or occupational name which probably most often originated as a metonymic occupational name for a servant of a prior or some important lay dignitary... [
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Privett French, English, Welsh (?)French, from the given name Privat (see
Privatus). Also an English habitational name from a place so named in Hampshire, derived from Old English
pryfet "privet".
Procida ItalianHabitational name from Procida, one of the Flegrean Islands off the coast of Naples in southern Italy.
Procopio ItalianItalian (Calabria) and Greek (Prokopios): from the personal name Procopio, Greek Prokopios, from pro ‘before’, ‘in front’ + kopē ‘cut’, actually an omen name meaning ‘success’, ‘prosperity’ but as a Church name taken to mean ‘pioneer’ as it was the name of the first victim of Diocletian's persecutions in Palestine in AD 303... [
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Proia ItalianFrom the name of a place in Italy. The meaning is uncertain, but it might be derived from Greek
πρωία (proía) "morning".
Proietti ItalianFrom Latin
proiecto "abandoned, thrown away", given to foundlings and children abandoned at orphanages. The name may have been taken from
la ruota dei proietti, or "foundling wheel", that some orphanages and religious institutes in Italy installed for infants to be anonymously abandoned in.
Prophet English, Scottish, French, GermanScottish, English, French, and German: nickname from Middle English and Old French
prophete, Middle High German
prophet ‘prophet’, ‘seer’, ultimately from Greek
prophetes ‘predictor’, from
pro ‘before’ +
a derivative of
phemi ‘to speak’... [
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Protzman GermanA habitational name for someone from any of various places in Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, and Luxembourg called Protz.
Proust FrenchFrom a nickname derived from French
preux meaning "valiant, brave". A famous bearer was Marcel Proust (1871-1922), a French writer.
Provencher FrenchFrom the French word for the flower periwinkle. (pervenche) Brought to Canada from France in 1660 by Sebastien Provencher.
Provost English, FrenchDerived from the Middle English
provost; referring to the person who heads a religious chapter in a cathedral or educational establishment. It was also used as a nickname for a self-important person and is a French variant of
Prevost.
Prudhomme French, English, Norman, Medieval FrenchFrench (Prud’homme) and English (of Norman origin): nickname from Old French prud’homme ‘wise’, ‘sensible man’, a cliché term of approbation from the chivalric romances. It is a compound of Old French proz, prod ‘good’, with the vowel influenced by crossing with prudent ‘wise’ + homme ‘man’... [
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Prue English, FrenchEnglish: nickname for a redoubtable warrior, from Middle English
prou(s) ‘brave’, ‘valiant’ (Old French
proux,
preux).... [
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Pudwill GermanOf Slavic origin, habitational name from Podewils in Pomerania.
Pugina ItalianMost likely derived from the feminine form of the Italian word
pugno which means "fist".
Pugno ItalianThe Italian family name Pugno is considered by scholars to be of nickname origin. While the majority of surnames that are derived from a sobriquet or nickname reveal to us some aspect of the physical appearance of the initial bearer of the name or may allude to a characteristic of this person, other nickname family names make reference to a particular piece of clothing or favorite article or indeed a favorite color of the bearer of the name... [
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Pujol Catalan, FrenchCatalan and French variant of
Puig. Spanish tennis player Marcel Granollers (1986-) bears this name.
Pulitzer Hungarian, German, JewishVariant form of
Politzer. A famous bearer was the Hungarian-American businessman, newspaper publisher and politician Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911). His family came from Hungary, but they were of Czech origin.
Pulow GermanPulow is the name of a small village in the northeast of Germany. There is also a lake with the same name.
Pulsipher Italian (Anglicized)from the nickname meaning "handsome man" of a member of the Italian Pulci family who settled in England around the time of the Norman conquest
Pulver Low German, French, EnglishI comes from the Latin verb meaning "to make powder." This name was given to either an alchemist or one who made gunpowder.
Punke GermanUnexplained; possibly an altered form of Bunke, from a Middle Low German personal name.
Purpura ItalianA nickname for someone associated with the color purple.
Pusch GermanName for someone who lived near bushes or a thicket. The distinguished name Pusch is derived from the Old German word busc, which means thicket or brush.
Pusey FrenchHabitational name form Pusey in Haute-Saône, so named from a Gallo-Roman personal name, Pusius, + the locative suffix -acum.
Pütt GermanHabitational name from any of several places so named in Rhineland, Westphalia, and Pomerania, but in most cases a topographic name from Middle Low German putte ‘pit’, ‘well’, ‘puddle’, ‘pond’.
Putz GermanGerman for "plaster". Likely used to denote someone who manufactured plaster
Pützstück German (Rare)Habitational name from a place so named near Königswinter, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Quaas GermanNickname for a big eater, from Middle Low German quās meaning "guzzling", "feasting".
Quaderer GermanNickname for someone stocky, from Middle High German quader meaning "building stone".
Quant Dutch, GermanMiddle High German, Middle Low German
quant "smart aleck, pranskter, rogue, imp".
Quast Germanhabitational name from any of several places so named in northern Germany. metonymic occupational name for a barber or nickname for someone who wore a conspicuous tassel or feather, from Middle Low German, Middle High German quast(e) "tuft", "tassel", "brush", also "fool".