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.
Beauregarde FrenchVariant of
Beauregard used by one of the main characters in Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" as well as its film and broadway adaptations.
Beauséjour French (Rare)Literally means "beautiful sojourn", derived from French
beau "beautiful, nice, fine" and French
séjour "sojourn, short stay". As such, this surname is most likely a locational surname, in that it originally referred to a scenic place to sojourn in... [
more]
Beauvais FrenchFrom French place names derived from "beautiful sight".
Becci ItalianPossibly derived from a dialectic form of
vecchio "old", or from Celtic
becci "beaks", perhaps indicating someone with a large nose.
Becher GermanShortened form of
Becherer as well as a surname given to for someone who distilled or worked with pitch, in which case it is derived from Middle High German
bech / pech "pitch".
Bechmann German (Rare)Surname denoting someone who worked with pitch, from Middle High German
bech / pech "pitch" and
man, a suffix which can mean "man" or simply be used as a name suffix.
Bechtle GermanThe surname Bechtle was first found in Hessen, where the family contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation. The earliest bearers of this name to be mentioned in ancient chronicles were
Bechtold of Fulda in 1387,
Bechtold Suleffel of Frankfurt in 1442, and
Tibertius Bechtolf of Frankfurt in 1568... [
more]
Becquerel FrenchA notable bearer was French scientist Henri Becquerel (1852-1908) who discovered radioactivity. A becquerel (Bq), the SI unit for radioactivity, is named after him.
Bedogni ItalianProbably from the archaic term
bedogna, a kind of polenta (a dish of boiled cornmeal), or a rosary.
Bedoni ItalianProbably of French origin, from
betun "mud" or
bedon "paunch, pot belly".
Beekman German, Anglo-SaxonThis name derives from the pre 5th century Olde German and later Anglo-Saxon word "bah" or "baecc". This word describes a stream, or as a name specifically someone who lived or worked by a stream.
Beer English, German, Dutch, German (Swiss)Habitational name from any of the forty or so places in southwestern England called Beer(e) or Bear(e). Most of these derive their names from the West Saxon dative case, beara, of Old English bearu ‘grove’, ‘wood’ (the standard Old English dative bearwe being preserved in Barrow)... [
more]
Beffa ItalianNickname for a practical joker, from Italian
beffa "trick, prank".
Bégon FrenchProbably from French
béguin "(male) Beguin", referring to a member of a particular religious order active in the 13th century, and derived from the surname of Lambert le Bègue, the mid-12th-century priest responsible for starting it... [
more]
Bègue FrenchMeans "stutterer, stammerer" in French, used as a nickname for someone with a stutter.
Behn GermanFrom the German male personal name
Behn, a shortened form of
Bernhard. A famous bearer was the English novelist and dramatist Aphra Behn (1640-1689).
Behringer GermanHabitational name for someone from either of two places called Behringen, near Soltau and in Thuringia, or from Böhringen in Württemberg.
Beining GermanThis famous surname, one of the earliest recorded in history, and recorded in over two hundred spellings from Benedicte, Benech and Bennet, to Banish, Beinosovitch and Vedyasov, derives from the Roman personal name "Benedictus", meaning blessed.
Belfiore ItalianMeans "beautiful (as a) flower", derived from Italian
bel "beautiful" combined with Italian
fiore "flower". Two Italian sources claim that this surname was derived from the medieval masculine given name
Belfiore (which has of course the same meaning), but I can find no evidence that this was an actual given name in medieval Italy... [
more]
Béliveau French (Rare), French (Quebec)Derived from Old French
besliver meaning "to stagger along", hence a nickname referring to a drunkard. It could also refer to a person who lived in a beautiful or lovely valley, derived from French
beau "beautiful" or Old French
beu,
bel "fair, lovely" combined with
val meaning "valley"... [
more]
Bellaria ItalianFrom the place name Bellaria, in Milan, Veneto, Piedmont and Sicily, these homonyms widespread throughout Italy.
Bellegarde FrenchDerived from a toponym meaning "beautiful watch-tower, look-out".
Bellmann GermanHabitational name derived from places in Germany named either Bell, Belle, or Bellen.
Bellocchio ItalianMeans "beautiful eyes", from
bello "beautiful" and
occhio "eyes", or perhaps from
belloccio "good-looking, attractive".
Belmondo ItalianName of Italian origin meaning "beautiful world". Famous bearers of the name are the French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo (1933-) and the Italian cross-country skier, twice Olympic champion and four times World champion Stefania Belmondo (1969-).
Belzer GermanOccupational name for a furrier, from an agent derivative of Middle High German
bel(li)z "fur"
Benanti ItalianFrom a derivative of Bene, a short form of the various omen names formed with this element (from Latin bene ‘well’), such as Benedetto, Benvenuto, etc.
Bender German, German (East Prussian)As a German surname, Bender is a regional occupational surname from the Rhineland area denoting a "barrel-maker" (the Standard German
Fassbinder became "Fassbender" in the local dialects and ultimately was shortened to Bender).... [
more]
Benelli ItalianThe distinguished surname Benelli originated in an area of Italy, known as the Papal States. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adapt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent... [
more]
Benigni ItalianPatronymic form of
Benigno. A notable bearer is the Italian actor and comedian Roberto Benigni (1952-).
Benner GermanOccupational name for a basket and bassinet maker, from an agent derivative of Middle High German benne 'work basket', 'bassinet', 'cradle'.
Benz GermanSouth German: (in Alemannic areas) from a short form of the Germanic personal name Berthold, or to a lesser extent of Bernhard
Berber GermanPossibly a habitational name from a place called Berber near Kevelaer.
Bergamin ItalianTraced to 1437, Bergamo. A 'bergamini' was known as a person famrmed and sold milk cows
Bergdorf GermanOrigin unidentified. Possibly a German habitational name from places in Hamburg and Lower Saxony called Bergedorf, Bargdorf in Lower Saxony, or Bergsdorf in Brandenburg.
Bergen German, Dutch, Flemish, JewishOriginally denoted a person from any of the various places named
Bergen in Germany and the Netherlands. It is also a variant of
Berg. Famous bearers include the Americans Candice Bergen (1946-), an actress, and Polly Bergen (1930-2014), an actress, singer and television host.
Berghorst GermanTopographical name for someone who lived by a wilderness area on a mountain, from Berg 'mountain', 'hill' + Horst 'wilderness' (see
Horst).
Bergkamp Dutch, GermanFrom the name of various places in the Netherlands and Germany, derived from Dutch
berg meaning "mountain" and
kamp meaning "field". This name is borne by Dutch former soccer player Dennis Bergkamp (1969-).
Bergoglio ItalianFrom the name of a village in Piedmont, Italy. A notable bearer is
Jorge Mario Bergoglio (1936-), better known as Pope Francis, the current head of the Catholic Church.
Bergschneider Germantopographic name for someone living by a mountain trail (as in cut into the hillside) from
Berg "mountain hill" and
Schneit "trail path running on a border" (Old High German
sneita).
Berlin German, EnglishHabitational name from the city in Germany, the name of which is of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from an Old Slavic stem
berl- meaning
swamp or from a West Slavic word meaning "river lake".
Berlinerblau German, JewishMeans “Prussian blue” in German. A notable bearer of this surname is Jacques Berlinerblau, a professor of Jewish civilization, and Stefania Berlinerblau, an American anatomist and physician.
Bern German, Scandinavian, German (Swiss)German and Scandinavian: from the personal name Berno, a pet form of
Bernhard. In South German it comes from the habitational name from Bern, Switzerland, notably in the south; in other parts from the personal name
Berno.
Bernadotte French, SwedishPossibly from the name of a historical province in Southern France named
Béarn. This was originally a French non-noble surname. French general Jean Baptise Bernadotte (1763-1844) became the king of Sweden as Charles XIV John (Swedish: Karl XIV Johan) in 1818 and founded the current royal house in Sweden, House of Bernadotte.
Bernasconi ItalianThe surname of BERNASCONI is of Italian origin, a locational name meaning the dweller on or near a small hill. The names of habitation are derived from pre-existing names denoting towns, villages, farmsteads or other named habitations... [
more]
Berner German, Low GermanGerman habitational name, in Silesia denoting someone from a place called Berna (of which there are two examples); in southern Germany and Switzerland denoting someone from the Swiss city of Berne. ... [
more]
Bernfield GermanAn Americanized variant of the German surname, "Bergfeld", meaning "mountain field".
Bernini ItalianBernini was the surname of famous sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680).
Bernitt German (Rare)Derived from the name of
Bernitt, a municipality in the Rostock district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
Berretta ItalianFrom
berretta, originally meaning ‘hooded cloak’ (Latin
birrus), later ‘headdress’, ‘bonnet’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of such headgear or a nickname for an habitual wearer.
Berruti ItalianFrom Late Latin
berrutum "cart", indicating someone who drove or made carts.
Bertagni ItalianBertagni has a lineage in Genoa and one in Lucca. Possibly derives from Gothic, Lombard and Germanic names containing the root germanica bertha (bright) or the celtic bert (bearer).
Bertarelli ItalianProbably from a given name containing the Germanic root
behrat "bright" or Celtic
berta "to carry, to bear".
Berthiaume FrenchFrench: from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements berht ‘bright’, ‘famous’ + helm ‘helmet’.
Bertin FrenchFrom the given name
Bertin a diminutive of the ancient Germanic personal name
Berhto a short form of various compound names formed with
berht "bright famous".
Bérubé FrenchHabitational name from some minor place named with Old French
bel ru "beautiful stream", with the subsequent pleonastic addition of
bé, variant of
bel "beautiful".
Besnier FrenchBesnier is a last name, that I found from a random French Last Name sight. Below is the link:... [
more]
Bessel GermanOf uncertain origin; possibly from the name of a place or river.
Besson French, Provençal, OccitanSouthern French nickname from Occitan
besson "twin" (from Latin
bis) or from the various places (Le) Besson in southern France.
Beste French, EnglishNickname from Middle English
beste Old French
beste "beast animal" (especially those used for food or work) applied either as a metonymic occupational name for someone who looked after beasts such as a herdsman or as a nickname for someone thought to resemble an animal... [
more]
Bethencourt French, English, Portuguese (Rare)Bettencourt and Bethencourt are originally place-names in Northern France. The place-name element -court (courtyard, courtyard of a farm, farm) is typical of the French provinces, where the Frankish settlements formed an important part of the local population... [
more]
Bettencourt French, English, Portuguese (Rare)Bettencourt and
Bethencourt are originally place-names in Northern France. The place-name element -court (courtyard, courtyard of a farm, farm) is typical of the French provinces, where the Frankish settlements formed an important part of the local population... [
more]
Bever GermanNickname from bever ‘beaver’, possibly referring to a hard worker, or from some other fancied resemblance to the animal.
Bevier French (Germanized)From Old French
bevier, meaning "a measure of land". This was probably a nickname for someone who owned or worked such a piece of land. This surname was first found in Austria, where the name Bevier came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging medieval society.
Bevilacqua ItalianFrom Italian
bevi l'acqua "drinks water", a nickname likely applied ironically to an alcoholic.
Bhaer GermanLikely a variant of German
Baer, meaning "bear". A notable bearer is character Friedrich Bhaer, Jo's husband in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
Bhole German1 North German: nickname for a male relative, colleague in a guild or fraternity, or lover, Middle Low German bōle.... [
more]
Bickel German, German (Swiss), JewishGerman: from bickel ‘pickaxe’ or ‘chisel’, hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who made pickaxes or worked with a pickaxe or for a stonemason. South German: from a pet form of Burkhart... [
more]
Biedermann German, Jewishnickname for an honest man from a compound of Middle High German
biderbe "honorable" and
man "man". Jewish surname adopted because of its honorific meaning from German
bieder "honest, upright" and
mann "man".
Biehl GermanFrom Middle Low German
bil "hatchet", Middle High German
biel; given to someone who made or used hatchets.
Bieler German, JewishJewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of the many places in eastern Europe whose name incorporates the Slavic element
byel- ‘white’.... [
more]
Bier German, Jewishfrom Middle High German
bier "beer" German
bier Yiddish
bir a metonymic occupational name for a brewer of beer or a tavern owner or in some cases perhaps a nickname for a beer drinker.
Bierbaum GermanGerman: topographic name for someone who lived by a pear tree, Middle Low German berbom. Compare
Birnbaum.
Bieri German (Swiss)Derived from a diminutive of the given name
Pierre which was also commonly used in German-speaking Switzerland.
Billeaud FrenchFrom a personal name composed of the Germanic elements
bil "sword" (or possibly
bili "gentle") +
wald "ruler".
Billig GermanHabitational name from a place named Billig, near Cologne. Nickname from Middle High German billich ‘proper’, ‘appropriate’.
Binetti ItalianComes from a diminutive of Bino. Italianized form of French
'Binet'. Habitational name from a place called Binetto (named with Latin vinetum ‘vineyard’) in Bari province.
Bingel GermanA topographic name derived from a diminutive of Middle High German
binge, which means "depression", "ditch", or "pit". May also be derived from
pingel, which is a Westphalian nickname for a pedantic person.
Bingemann German (Rare)Possibly a habitational name for someone from a place named Bingen or Bingum. May also be from a topographic name derived from the German word
Binge, which means "trench", and may also refer to a kettle-shaped depression or a collapsed shaft in a mine (see
Bingel).
Bini ItalianComes from the given name
Albino and other names ending with
-bino ending.
Biondolillo ItalianProbably from Sicilian
biunnuliddu "little fair one", a nickname for someone with blonde hair. Compare
Biondi.
Birch English, German, Danish, Swedish (Rare)From Middle High German
birche, Old English
birce, Old Danish
birk, all meaning "birch". This was likely a topographic name for someone living by a birch tree or a birch forest... [
more]
Birindelli ItalianIt is a regional surname of Tuscany common in provinces like Pisa, Lucca or Livorno.... [
more]
Birk GermanEither a variant of
Buerk or a habitational name derived from places named Birk, Birke, or Birken.
Birnbaum GermanTopographic name for someone who lived by a pear tree, from Middle High German
bir "pear" and
boum "tree".
Birne English, German, JewishMeans "pear" in German, making it the German equivalent of
Perry 1, perhaps originally referring to a person who harvested or sold pears... [
more]
Biscotti ItalianAn occupational surname for someone who sells or bakes biscotti.
Bistolfo ItalianBistolfi has a lineage between Alessandria Casale Monferrato, Acqui Terme and Prasco, Genoa and Savona. Bistolfo may derive from a modified form of the medieval name Guisulfus. In an act of 1327 Gui-sulfus Cottalorda (Mayor of Breil) signed an important peace agreement with Tenda, probably passing by the name Wisulfus, and therefore by common substitution of W with B.
Bitencourt Brazilian, Portuguese (Brazilian), French (Rare), EnglishBITENCOURT, derives from Bittencourt, Bettencourt and Bethencourt; They are originally place-names in Northern France. The place-name element -court (courtyard, courtyard of a farm, farm) is typical of the French provinces, where the Frankish settlements formed an important part of the local population... [
more]
Bittenbinder GermanOccupational name for a cooper, from Middle High German
büte(n) "cask", "(wine) barrel" +
binder "binder" (agent derivative of
binden "to bind").
Blacher FrenchMainly used in Southern France. Topographic name for someone who lived by an oak grove, originating in the southeastern French dialect word blache ‘oak plantation’ (said to be of Gaulish origin), originally a plantation of young trees of any kind.
Blasey FrenchThe name may have been associated with a 4th century (316) French saint Blasius of Armenie (Armienes,) and later introduced into and adopted by Yorkshire people as their saint of wool-combers from a Norman noble.
Blasioli ItalianAncient and illustrious Benevento family, called Blasi or Di Blasi, of clear and avita nobility.
Blasius German, Dutch, ScandinavianFrom the Latin personal name
Blasius. This was a Roman family name, originating as a byname for someone with some defect, either of speech or gait, from Latin
blaesus "stammering" (compare Greek
blaisos "bow-legged")... [
more]
Blatt German, JewishOrnamental name derived from German
blatt and Yiddish
blat meaning "leaf", or a topographic name for someone who lived at a farm on a ledge on a mountainside, derived from Middle High German
blate meaning "flat surface, ledge, plateau".
Blaum GermanGerman last name, likely a variant of the last name Blom or Blum, referring to the word flower/blooming.
Bleibaum German"Lead tree" possibly changed at Ellis Island from Blumenbaum meaning "flowering tree"