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.
Nungesser GermanApparently a variant spelling of German
Nonnengasse, derived from a street name meaning "nuns, lane". It could also be a variant of
Gnugesser, a nickname for a big eater, derived from
g(e)nug meaning "enough" and
esser meaning "eater" (which derived from
essen meaning "to eat")... [
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Nurchis ItalianDenoting someone from Nure or Nurra in Sardinia, which were possibly derived from the pre-Roman root words
nur meaning "fire" or "stones, heap" and the suffix
-ke meaning "earth" or "dwelling".
Nuss Germanfrom Middle High German nuz ‘nut’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a gatherer and seller of nuts, or a nickname for a man thought to resemble a nut in some way
Obenauf GermanSurname used to refer to someone who lived 'up there' (on a mountain, hill, etc.).
Obst German, JewishMeans "fruit" in German, denoting someone who grows or sells fruit. As a Jewish name, it is ornamental.
Occhi ItalianFrom Italian
occhio "eye", a nickname for someone with good eyesight, or with distinctive eyes.
Occhibelli ItalianProbably from Italian
occhio "eye" and
bello "beautiful, good", as a nickname for someone with keen eyesight or attractive eyes. May also originate from a place of the same name.
Occhibove ItalianProbably means "ox eyes, cow eyes", from Italian
occhio "eye" and
bove "ox", perhaps a nickname for someone with large, dark eyes.
Occhiochiuso ItalianProbably from Italian
occhio "eye" and
chiuso "closed, shut", perhaps a nickname for someone who was blind, or known for being lazy.
Occhiovivo ItalianProbably from Italian
occhio "eye" and
vivo "vivid, intense; alive", likely given to foundlings.
Ochs German, JewishMeans "ox" in German, derived from Middle High German
ohse, possibly denoting a strong person or someone who worked with oxen. As a Jewish name it is ornamental.
Ochsenkopf GermanHabitational name for a person living in any of the mountains across Germany, Austria, or Liechtenstein, literally meaning "ox's head" in German.
Odelin FrenchNot to be confused with the similarly spelled
Odelín, which is Spanish rather than French, though they could have similar origins in name.
Odenthal GermanFrom the name of a town in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Oechslin German (Swiss)South German (also Öchslein): from Middle High German ohse ‘ox’ + the diminutive suffix -lin. An occupational name for someone who tended cattle, or for a cattle dealer; or a nickname for a farmer who used oxen for plowing, or for someone perceived to resemble an ox.
Oesten GermanPossibly derived from a watercourse, e.g. the Oste, tributary of the Elbe.
Offenbach German, JewishFrom the name of the city of
Offenbach am Main in Hesse, Germany. A famous bearer was the German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880).
Offutt GermanPossibly a respelling of German
Auffahrt ‘ascension’.
Ogliari ItalianPossibly derived from a place name, or from
oglio "oil", indicating the bearer's occupation, or perhaps appearance.
Ognissanti ItalianMeans "all saints" in Italian, either from the devotional name given to children born on All Saints’ Day, or from any of several locations named as such.
Ohnmacht GermanMeans "powerlessness; helplessness; without power" in German. This was often used to describe someone very weak.
Oliva Italian, SpanishOf uncertain origin: derived either from a nickname to those who picked, worked with or sold olives, or from the given name
Oliva.
Olive FrenchGiven to someone who worked with olives from old french
olive "olive" ultimately latin
oliva "olive".
Olivo Italian, SpanishTopographic name from
olivo "olive tree" or occupational name for someone who sold olives. Or from the given name
Olivo given to someone born on Palm Sunday.
Oms GermanSome characteristic forenames: German Matthias, Otto.... [
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Onstad Norwegian, GermanHabitational name from the name of any of seven farmsteads mainly in the southeast most of them with names formed from any of various Old Norse personal names plus
stathir "farmstead" as for example Augunarstathir from the personal name
Auðun (from
Auth "wealth" plus
un "friend")... [
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Opp GermanGenerally considered a (very) contracted form of given names that contained the Old High German element
od "fortune; wealth" (or a variant thereof) and a second element that began with or contained the letter B, for example Audobald.
Oppedisano ItalianItalian: habitational name for someone from Oppido Mamertino in Reggio Calabria, so named from Latin oppidum ‘fortified place’, ‘stronghold’. The original settlement was destroyed by an earthquake in 1783 ; it was rebuilt on a site further south.
Orfanelli ItalianMeans "little orphans" in Italian, ultimately from Ancient Greek
ὀρφᾰνός "without parents; bereft". Given to children raised in an orphanage.
Orleans FrenchFrom Orléans, a city in France sieged by the English in 1429. Orléans is derived from
Aurelianum, meaning "of
Aurelius" in Latin.
Orru ItalianFrom Sardinian
orrù "bramble", itself from Latin
rubus "bramble, blackberry bush".
Orsi ItalianPatronymic or plural form of
Orso. It may also be an Italianized form of Slovenian Uršic, metronymic from the female personal name Urša, short form of Uršula (Latin Ursula), or a patronymic from the male personal name Urh, Slovenian vernacular form of Ulrik, German Udalrich
Ort GermanEither from the ancient Germanic personal name
Orto, a short form of various compound names with the first element
ort "point (of a sword spear)"... [
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Ortman GermanThe surname Ortman was first found in Silesia, where the name emerged after the 14th century, where it was related to the name "Ertmar"; this name is also reflected in the place name Erdmannsdorf, found in both Saxony and Silesia... [
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Ortolano Italian, Spanishoccupational name for a cultivator or seller of fruit and vegetables
ortolano "gardener" from a derivative of
orto "vegetable garden" (from Latin
hortus "garden"). The term was also used in the medieval period to denote both a cleric with a fervant devotion to pastoral work and a rough or uncouth person and in some instances may have been applied as a nickname in either sense... [
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Osterreicher GermanI was told that this surname in native Austria originates as follows. Oster means East, reich means kingdom, with er meaning native of. In old Austria there were six kingdoms, with the East one being the largest with the seat of government there... [
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Ostiguy Basque, FrenchWorn Quebec (Ostéguy variant), the name is visibly Basque and assumes initially a Ostegi form, which could designate a place where the foliage is abundant (osteo = + -egi sheet suffix). Alternatively, place the cold, cold house (Ortz, otz, followed -egi or -tegi).
Ostwald Germanfrom the ancient Germanic personal name Ostold composed of the elements
ōst "east" (see Oest ) and Old High German
walt(an) "to rule". Variant of
Oswald.
Otte GermanOtte was given to someone who lived in Bavaria, where the name came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging medieval society. The name Otte evolved from the Old German personal name Ott, a name of Emperors, made famous by Otto the Great (912-973), Holy Roman emperor.
Ouy FrenchSome derive this name from the French word "gui," meaning mistletoe. Others think it comes through the Celtic name "Kei," from Caius. Others belive the name comes from the French words "guide," a leader, or "guidon," a banner... [
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Overath GermanFrom the name of the town of
Overath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. A famous bearer is the German former soccer player Wolfgang Overath (1943-).
Overholser German (Swiss)The Oberholtzer family originated in the Swiss village of Oberholtz, south of Zurich, before the 15th century. However, in 1661, one family left Switzerland for the Palatinate in Germany.
Pach GermanPach is an occupational hereditary surname for a baker in Old German. Pach is also a German local name for someone who lived by a stream, which was originally derived from the German word "bach" which means stream... [
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Paciello ItalianItalian surname for "Little peacemaker"; a diminutive for the Italian word "paciere", meaning Peacemaker.
Pacino ItalianDiminutive form of
Pace. The American actor Al Pacino (1940-) is a well-known bearer of this surname.
Page GermanMetonymic occupational name for a horse dealer, from Middle Low German
page "horse".
Pagliaro ItalianDerived from Italian
paglia "straw" or
pagliaro "haystack, straw-rick", an occupational name for someone who gathered or used straw, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a barn or straw-loft.
Palladio ItalianAndrea Palladio (1508-1580) was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Venetian Republic. He designed churches and palaces, but he was best known for his country houses and villas. The architectural treatise, The Four Books of Architecture, summarizes his teachings... [
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Pallmann GermanThe name Pallmann originates from the Landsuhl area of Bavaria, Germany (nor in Rhineland-Palatinate). The meaning of the name is unknown. Some Pallmanns came to America and Americanized the spelling, by dropping the second "n", while others retained the "n".
Palmero ItalianThe Palmero family lived in the territory of Palma, which is in Campania, in the province of Naples. The surname Palma was also a patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Palma, which was common in medieval times... [
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Pampinella ItalianUncertain etymology. Possibly derived from Italian
pampino "vine leaf" and the diminutive suffix
-ella, or perhaps related to
pimpinella "pimpernel (plant)" (genus Lysimachia), which derives from Latin
bipennella via Catalan
pampinella Pampo Italian1 Italian: from a short form of Alampo, from the Greek personal name Eulampios, adjectival derivative of eulampēs ‘most splendid’.... [
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Panarese Italianhabitational name for someone from a place called Panaro (from Latin
panarium "bread basket") for example in Siracusa province Sicily or from Panareo in Salento from an adjectival form of the place names.
Panaro ItalianFrom old Italian
panaro meaning "bread basket" or "wooden basket, hamper", an occupational name for a baker, or perhaps a basket maker. Alternatively, could be a habitational name from the
Panaro river.
Pancakes Dutch (Americanized), German (Americanized)The last name "Pancake" is an Americanized form of German and Dutch names like "Pfannkuch," "Pannekoek," and similar terms. It likely originated as a metonymic nickname for someone who had a fondness for pancakes, made or sold them, or lived at an inn or on a farm with a name related to pancakes (like "In de Pannekoek" meaning "In the Pancake")... [
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Panciera Italianfrom panciera denoting the piece of the armor covering the stomach (from
pancia "belly paunch") perhaps used for an armorer or for someone with a large paunch.
Pandimiglio ItalianProbably means "millet bread" in Italian, from
pane "bread" and
miglio "millet".
Pane Italian, CorsicanMeans "bread" in Italian, a metonymic occupational name for a baker, or a a nickname or given name (medieval
Panis,
Panellus) figuratively meaning "good as bread, good thing".
Panebianco ItalianMeans "white bread", from Italian
pane "bread" and
bianco "white", an occupational name for a baker who worked with high quality breads, or in some cases perhaps a nickname for someone of good character.
Panella ItalianFrom the name of a kind of fritter or pancake made with chickpea powder. Could be an occupational name for a baker, or perhaps a nickname for someone with a yellowish complexion. Alternatively, can be a diminutive form of
Pane.
Panepinto ItalianDerived from the word "pane" meaning "bread" in Italian and "pinto" meaning "painted", "flecked", or possibly "bad". The name is generally given to a baker.
Panetta ItalianDiminutive form of Italian
pane "bread", probably an occupational name for a baker.
Panichi ItalianProbably from
panico, a type of millet grown in Italy. Alternately, it could be from the Latin name Panicus "of Pan, panic".
Panier RomanshDerived from the place name
Panix (present-day
Pigniu) in the district of Surselva in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.
Panozzo ItalianVenice, one of the oldest and most beautiful regions of Italy, is the esteemed birthplace of numerous prominent families, and of a family that bears the surname Panozzo. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for them to adopt a second name to identify themselves, as populations grew and travel became more frequent... [
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Panzer GermanMetonymic occupational name for an armorer from Middle High German
panzier "mailcoat" (Old French
pancier "armor for the stomach, body armor" from Late Latin).
Panzeri ItalianEither a nickname from Italian
pancia "belly, paunch", referring to someone with a prominent belly (see
Panza), or an occupational name for someone who manufactured girdles and armour, from
panciere "corset, girdle; paunce (armour covering the belly)", ultimately from the same root.
Papa FrenchFrom French meaning "dad, father". Likely given to someone seen as a father figure.
Papier French, German, JewishMeans "paper" in French and German, denoting a paper maker or merchant, both derived from Old French
papier.
Papin FrenchEither from Old French
papin "pap (for kids)" a noun derivative of
paper "to munch or eat" (from Late Latin
pappare in origin a nursery word) as a nickname probably referring to a glutton... [
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Pappalardo ItalianMeans "glutton, hypocrite" in Italian, originally a nickname for a gluttonous person or someone who pretended to observe religious fasts while eating meat in secret.
Paquin FrenchOriginated in east France. This last name signified a freehold that permitted use of a cluster of land or pastures. The name became “he who possesses lands” and "he who is wise."
Paradis FrenchFrom a learned variant of Old French
pareis "Paradise" (from Greek
paradeisos). As a toponym this was applied to verdant places and it is quite common as a place name in Nord and Normandy; the surname therefore can be a topographic or habitational name.
Paradiso Italianfrom
paradiso "Paradise" applied as a topographic name for someone living in a verdant place where flowers grew in abundance or near a pleasure garden or from the same word used as a personal name recorded in the form Paradisus in Lazio in 108
Paratore ItalianDerived from Italian
paratore meaning "decorator, fuller", which refers to a craftsman who fulls coarse cloth. In other words: this surname is the Italian cognate of the English surname
Fuller... [
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Pardon FrenchA nickname for someone who had received the royal clemency.
Parduhn GermanVariant Of Pardon From Middle English Pardun, Pardon "Pardon" A Metonymic occupational name for a pardoner, a person licensed to sell papal pardons or indulgences. German: either a cognate of 1 (also for a sexton), from Old French pardon ‘pardon’, or perhaps a nickname from Middle Low German bardun, Middle High German purdune ‘pipe’ (instrument), ‘tenor’ (voice).
Parigi ItalianHabitational name for someone who lives in places called "Parigi" (Paris).
Parletti Italian (Rare)It is a surname of Italian origin, believed to mean "talkative", although few have this surname. Approximately 11 people bear this surname.
Parolo ItalianDerived from a variant of Italian
paiolo "cauldron, copper pot", an occupational name for someone who made or sold such vessels.
Parquier FrenchFrom an Old French word meaning "Keeper of the Park". Made from the element "Parc", meaning park, and the suffix "-ier", which indicates a profession. The surname
Parker is a descendant.
Pasch GermanTopographic name for a field or meadow which was used at Easter as a playground; etymologically two sources seem to be combined: Latin pascuum ‘pasture’ and Middle Low German pāsche(n) ‘Easter’.
Pasqua FrenchDerived from
Pasqua, a nickname for a person born during Easter (which itself is derived from Latin
pascua). Famous beaters include Charles Victor Pasqua (1927-2015), a French businessman and a Gaullist politician.
Passafiume ItalianFrom Italian
passa fiume meaning "(one who) crosses the river", an occupational name for a ferryman.
Passi Italian, Medieval ItalianThe surname Passi was first found in the town of Mugello, with the Passerini family who moved south to Florence in the 10th century. Terranova dei Passerini is a comune in the Province of Lodi in the Italian region Lombardy about 50 kilometres (31 miles) southeast of Milan.... [
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Pasta ItalianFrom Italian
pasta meaning "dough, paste". Occupational name for a baker or cook.
Pasteur FrenchFrench for "shepherd" or "preacher, pastor". Famous bearer Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), French chemist who created the first rabies vaccine, gave his name to the process of 'pasteurization'.
Pastorius German (Latinized)Derived from Latin
pastor "shepherd", a Latinized form of German surname
Schäfer. This surname is no longer found in Germany. Jaco Pastorius (1951-1987), full name John Francis Anthony Pastorius III, was the most influential American jazz bassist, composer, and producer... [
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Pater Dutch, German, English, PolishFrom Latin
pater "father", used as a religious title for a priest in Roman Catholicism. Possibly used semi-literally for a man who worked in the church, or figuratively for a solemn or pompous man.
Paterno ItalianFrom any of several locations called
Paterno or
Paterna in Italy, which can derive from Latin
patere "open", or from the Roman cognomen
Paternus "paternal, fatherly".
Paternò ItalianFrom the name of a municipality in Catania, Sicily, of uncertain etymology. It could derive from latinized Ancient Greek
Paetram Aitnaion meaning "fortress of the Etnaeans", from Latin-Byzantine
paternum praedium (or
Paternòn) meaning "landed property inherited from the father", or perhaps from Latin
Praeter Aetna "in front of Mount
Etna".
Pathé FrenchMeaning, "Dweller near an important path or footway."