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.
Schweigert GermanDerives from an agent derivative of the German "schweigen", to be silent, and the nickname would have been given to a silent, quiet, taciturn person.
Schweinsteiger GermanOccupational name for a pig farmer, an overseer of pigs or a nickname for someone who rode a pig, derived from Middle High German
swīn meaning "hog, swine" and
stīger meaning "foreman, mine inspector"... [
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Schweitz GermanEthnic name for a Swiss, from German Schweitz meaning "Swiss".
Schwenk GermanVariant spelling of
Schwanke, or apparently a nickname referring to a person's gait, derived from Middle High German
swenken meaning "to swing back and forth, to sling" (see
Schwenke 1).
Schwimer German, JewishOccupational name meaning "swimmer" in German. As a Jewish name, it may be ornamental.
Schwing GermanOccupational name for someone whose job was to swingle flax, i.e. to beat the flax with a swingle in order to remove the woody parts of the plant prior to spinning, from Middle German swingen meaning "to swing" or swing meaning "swingle".
Scimia ItalianFrom an archaic form of Italian
scimmia "monkey", from Ancient Greek
σιμός (
simos) "snub-nosed". Has figurative meanings of "drunk" and "imitator, mimic, aper".
Sciortino ItalianOccupational name from a diminutive of
sciorta,
sciurta "city guard, watchman, policeman" (Arabic
̣shuṛtī).
Scognamiglio ItalianLiterally "millet thresher", probably from the Neapolitan verb
scugnà ("to thresh") and
miglio ("millet"), denoting cereal threshers.
Scorfano ItalianWas in the Disney + Original Movie, Luca. "Alberto Scorfano"
Scornavacche ItalianPossibly deriving from Italian words
scorno meaning shame, and
vacca meaning cow. Sicilian variant of
Scornavacca.
Scorrano ItalianDenotes someone from Scorrano, Italy. Coincides with
scorrano "to run, to flow".
Scorsese ItalianFrom a nickname that indicated a person who came from Scotland, derived from Italian
scozzese literally meaning "Scotsman, Scottish". This spelling arose from a transcription error of the surname
Scozzese... [
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Scotto Italianethnic name for someone from Scotland or Ireland from medieval Italian
scotto "Scot". Italian cognitive of
Scott. Variant of
Scotti.
Sebert German, FrenchFrom a German personal name composed of the elements sigi meaning "victory" + berht meaning "bright", "famous".
Secchi ItalianProbably related to Italian
secco "thin, dry". May alternately derive from
secare "to cut", Sardinian
seghi "sixteen",
segete "harvest, harvest fodder", or a shortened form of
seneche "old, aged".
Sedda ItalianFrom a place name in Sardinia, meaning "top of a mountain". May alternately derive from Sardinian
sedda "saddle", indicating the bearer's occupation.
Sedita ItalianFrom Italian
sei "six" +
dita, plural of
dito "finger", hence a nickname either for someone having six fingers or metaphorically for someone who was very dextrous.
See English, GermanTopographic name for someone who lived by the sea-shore or beside a lake, from Middle English see meaning "sea", "lake" (Old English sǣ), Middle High German sē. Alternatively, the English name may denote someone who lived by a watercourse, from an Old English sēoh meaning "watercourse", "drain".
Seedorf Germanhabitational name from any of the numerous places so named from
See "lake" and
Dorf "village".
Seel GermanOccupational name for a person who makes or sells ropes.
Seese GermanComes from a Germanic personal name, Sigizo, from a compound name formed with sigi ‘victory’ as the first element.
Segale English, ItalianRespelling of
SEGAL. A famous bearer is Mario A. Segale, the inspiration for Nintendo's video game character Mario
Seib GermanShort form of
SEIBOLD. Ultimately derived from names composed of the Germanic name element
sigi "victory".
Seid GermanFrom the Germanic given name
Sito, a short form of a compound name formed with
sigi "victory".
Seide German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German side, German Seide ‘silk’ (from Late Latin seta, originally denoting animal hair), hence a metonymic occupational name for a manufacturer or seller of silk.
Seidenberg German, JewishDerived from several places with the same name. As an ornamental name, it is derived from German
seide meaning "silk" and
berg meaning "mountain".
Seider GermanOriginating in the region of Saxony. Name of a silk merchant, from the German word for silk: seide
Seif German, JewishMetonymic occupational name for a soap maker, from Middle High German seife, German Seife 'soap'.
Seiler GermanGerman and Jewish occupational surname for a rope maker.
Seim Upper GermanGerman: metonymic occupational name for a beekeeper, from Middle High German seim ‘honey’.
Seinfeld German, JewishFrom the German word
sein "to be" and the word of German Jewish origin
feld which means "field". It was a name given to areas of land that had been cleared of forest.
Selmer GermanTeutonic name meaning "hall master" for a steward or keeper of a large home or settlement.
Selva Catalan, ItalianFrom any of various places in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, or northern Italy named Selva, as for instance the Catalan district La Selva, from
selva "wood", Latin
silva.
Selz GermanThe Selz is a river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and a left hand tributary of the Rhine. It flows through the largest German wine region, Rheinhessen or Rhenish Hesse. Also, Seltz (German: Selz) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department of the Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine region in north-eastern France.... [
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Senatore Italianstatus name from
senatore "senator" (from Latin
senator) or a nickname for a stately or perhaps pompous man.
Sénécal Frenchstatus name for a seneschal an official in a large household who was responsible for overseeing day-to-day domestic arrangements from Old French seneschal (of ancient Germanic origin composed of the elements
sini "old" and
scalc "servant")... [
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Seng German1. Topographic name for someone who lived by land cleared by fire, from Middle High German sengen ‘to singe or burn’. ... [
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Senjean FrenchProbably from St John (saint-jean) from Christianization of Basques and misspelled
Senn GermanDerived from the Middle High German word
senne meaning "dairy farmer".
Sensenbach GermanA topographic name formed with an unexplained first element + Middle High German bach ‘creek’. Pretty common in Iowa and Pennsylvania.
Sereno Italian1 Italian: from the personal name Sereno (from Latin serenus, serena ‘clear’, ‘calm’).... [
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Serrao ItalianProbably from a dialectical term meaning "closed, shut".
Sette ItalianMeans "seven". Probably a nickname for the seventh child of a family, though it could derive from a place name containing the element.
Setzer German, JewishDerived from either Middle High German "setzen", used to refer to market inspectors and tax officials, or Yiddish "setser", a typesetter.
Sewina German, PolishThe first available record of the Sewina family name is around 1620 in the province of Silesia, a mixed cultural region between Germany and Poland. Once part of the Prussian Empire and Germany. After World War Two, the area is now part of Poland... [
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Seyfried GermanDerived from the given name
Siegfried. The American actress Amanda Seyfried (1985-) is a well-known bearer of this name.
Sferrazza ItalianOccupational name for a scrap-metal merchant, from a derivative of Sferro in the sense ‘old and broken iron’. Habitational name from the district of Paternò in Catania, Sicily.
Sforza ItalianDerived from the Italian verb
sforzare meaning "to force, strain"; also compare the related word
forza "force, strength". This was the surname of a dynasty of Milanese dukes, which held power in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Shade English, German, Dutch, ScottishTopographic name for someone who lived near a boundary, from Old English
scead ‘boundary’.nickname for a very thin man, from Middle English
schade ‘shadow’, ‘wraith’.... [
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Shatner German (Anglicized), Jewish (Anglicized)Anglicized form of
Schattner. A notable bearer was Canadian actor William Shatner (1931-), who is known for his roles as Captain James T. Kirk in 'Star Trek', T.J. Hooker in 'T.J. Hooker', Denny Crane in 'Boston Legal', and the Priceline Negotiator in Priceline.com commercials.
Shrout GermanThis surname is related to the German surname Schroder which means cut as in a wood cutter etc.
Siddi ItalianFrom the name of a municipality in Sardinia, possibly deriving from Vulgar Latin
casilli "huts, farmhouses".
Siddu ItalianFrom Sardinian
siddu "seal, brand", or the related
siddai/re "to seal, to tighten", from which come the phrases 'siddai is dentis' "to grit one's teeth" and 'siddàu siast ingùnis' "may you be sealed there", the latter of which would have been affectionately said to a child that wouldn't stay still.
Sieber GermanThe roots of the German surname Sieber can be traced to the Old Germanic word "Siebmacher," meaning "sieve maker." The surname is occupational in origin, and was most likely originally borne by someone who held this position
Siebern GermanGerman. People known with this name are: Emelia Siebern, Hannah Siebern, Caleb Siebern.
Sieck GermanThe name is originally spelled "Siecke". Eric Siecke came from Norway and settled in Holstein, Germany in the year 1307. The final "e" was dropped by most of the family, though one branch still retains it... [
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Siegfried GermanFrom a Germanic personal name composed of the elements
sigi "victory" and
fridu "peace". The German surname has also occasionally been adopted by Ashkenazic Jews.
Sies German, DutchFrom the ancient Germanic name
Sigizo formed with the element
sigi "victory" (from proto Germanic
segiz).
Signore Italianfrom the medieval personal name Signore (from Latin
senior "senior elder" genitive
senioris). from
signore ‘lord’ hence a derisive nickname for a peasant who gave himself airs and graces or an occupational name for someone in the service of a great lord... [
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Silber German, JewishFrom Middle High German
silber, German
Silber "silver"; a metonymic occupational name for a silversmith, or often, in the case of the Jewish surname, an ornamental name.
Silbernagel GermanOccupational for a silversmith from middle high German
silber "silver" and
nagel "nail".
Silberstein German, JewishFrom Middle High German
silber "silver" and
stein "stone"; a habitational name from a place so named in Bavaria, or a topographic name.... [
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Silhouette French (Rare)Famous bearers include Étienne de Silhouette (1709–67), French author and politician. He was a French Ancien Régime Controller-General of Finances under Louis XV.
Silvestrini ItalianMeans "Little Tree" or "Little Woods." Derived from the given name SILVESTER.
Simbeck GermanOriginates from the German prefix
sim meaning "of the head" and the German word
becka meaning "bull". When combined in this order, the meaning was "bull-headed", meaning stubborn and obstinant.
Simonin FrenchFrom the given name
Simon. Possibly brought by the Russian migrants who came to France.
Sinatra ItalianComes from a personal name in Sicily and souther Calabria. The name was apparently in origin a nickname from Latin senator member of the Roman senate, Latin senatus, a derivative of senex ‘old’... [
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Siracusa Italian, SicilianFrom the name of the city of
Syracuse in Sicily, Italy (
siracusa in Italian and
sarausa in Sicilian).
Sirtori ItalianPerhaps a habitational name from a comune (municipality) in Northern Italy.
Skelton English, German, Norwegian (Rare)Habitational name from places in Cumbria and Yorkshire, England, originally named with the same elements as
Shelton, but with a later change of ‘s’ to ‘sk’ under Scandinavian influence.
Sodano Italian, Siciliannickname or ethnic name from Arabic
sawdān "black Negro". nickname from Old Sicilian
sudanu "sultan".
Soderini ItalianPossibly related to French
soudoyer "to bribe", referring to paid mercenaries. Alternately, an elaborate form of
Sodero.
Sodero ItalianProbably related to the Greek name
Soter, from Ancient Greek
σωτήρ (
sōtḗr) meaning "saviour".
Solari ItalianHabitational name from any of various places called "Solaro" or "Solara", from
solaro 'site', 'plot', 'meadow', literally "land exposed to the sun".
Soldano Italian, Sicilianfrom
soldano "sultan" (earlier
sultano from Arabic
sulṭān "ruler") used as a nickname for someone who behaved in an outlandish or autocratic manner.
Soldner GermanGerman surname meaning mercenary. German spelling has umlaut over the O, but American spelling is Soldner or Soeldner.
Soldo Italian, CroatianNickname from
soldo "penny cent" also "military pay wage" (from Latin
solidus "solid" the name of a gold Roman coin). From a short form of a compound personal name ending with -soldo such as
Ansoldo... [
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Solebello ItalianMeans, "beautiful sun". Derived from "bello", meaning beautiful, and "sole", meaning sun.
Solié FrenchNotable bearers include French cellist Jean-Pierre Solié, who was originally named Jean-Pierre Soulier, possibly making it a variant of
Soulier.
Solinas ItalianMeaning uncertain; could be related to Latin
solum, from which comes Italian
suolo "earth, ground, soil" and
suola "sole (of the foot or shoe)", or from Italian
salina "salt pan, salt marsh".
Sonnenberg German, JewishFrom various place names derived from Middle High German
sunne meaning "sun" and
berg meaning "mountain, hill".
Soprano ItalianFor
soprano "higher, situated above", a topographic name for someone who lived at the top end of a place on a hillside.
Sorbo Italian, Norwegianthe surname of Kevin Sorbo (from Hercules, from God's Not Dead movie or two) comes from the word for the "sorb apple" the fruit of the true service tree
Sorbus domestica, or from the location-name made up of
saurr "mire mud" +
bœ´r ‘farm settlement’.
Sorella ItalianMeans "sister". Nickname for someone known for behaving in a sisterly manner, or perhaps like a nun.
Sottile ItalianSouthern Italian: nickname from sottile ‘delicate’, ‘refined’, also ‘lean’, ‘thin’ (from Latin subtilis ‘small’, ‘slender’).
Soulier FrenchMetonymic occupational name for a shoemaker, from Old French
soulier ‘shoe’, ‘sandal’.... [
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Sovereign FrenchTranslation of the French surname
Souverain which is derived from Old French
souverain meaning "high place".
Soyer FrenchFrench surname (Alexis Benoist Soyer is a famous bearer).
Spadafora ItalianVariant form of
Spatafora. Spadafora is the younger out of the two surnames and yet the most common of the two, which might partly be because it is a little bit more italianized... [
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Spagna ItalianFrom Italian
spagna "Spain" for a Spaniard or someone who had connections to Spain. Also from the female given name of the same meaning, Italian cognitive of
Spain.
Spah German (?), English (American)Spah (sometimes spelt Späh) is last name found most commonly in the US that is believed to be of German origin. Unsure of the meaning.
Spallone ItalianFrom
spalla "shoulder, back", indicating someone who carried things on their shoulders. The modern translation is "smuggler". Alternately, may be an elaboration of
Spalla.
Spangler GermanSpangler is an occupational surname for "metal worker" having derived from the German word
spange, meaning a clasp or buckle of the sort such a craftsman might have designed.
Spatafora ItalianThis surname originates from the Italian island of Sicily, where it was first borne by a noble family of Byzantine origin, which had settled on the island in the 11th century AD. Their surname was derived from the Greek noun σπάθη
(spathe) "blade, sword" (akin to Latin
spatha "broad sword with a double edge") combined with Greek φορεω
(phoreo) "to carry, to bear", which gives the surname the meaning of "he who carries the sword" or "sword-bearer"... [
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Späth GermanDerived from Middle High German
spæte "late".
Spaugh GermanWas originally "Spach," was changed when first introduced into America