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.
Speca ItalianFrom a variant of
spiga "spike, ear (of grain)"
Speck GermanVariant of
Specker as well as a locational surname from one of various places called Speck, Specke and Specken in northern Germany and Spöck in southern Germany, as well as an occupational surname derived from German
Speck "bacon" denoting a butcher who sepcialized in the production of bacon, as well as a derisive nickname for a corpulent person.
Speer German, Dutch, Englishfrom Middle High German Middle Dutch
sper "spear" hence a nickname for a tall thin person or else for a skilled user of the hunting spear... [
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Speicher Germanoccupational name for someone in charge of a granary. From middle high German
spicher meaning "grain store".
Spengler GermanOccupational surname literally meaning “metal worker” or “tin knocker”.
Sperber German, JewishFrom a nickname for a small but belligerent person from Middle High German
sperwære "sparrow hawk" (Old High German
sparwāri a compound of
sparw "sparrow" and āri "eagle").
Speroni ItalianEither a Plural form of
sperone "spur" an occupation for a spurrier or from the given name
Gaspare.
Spezia ItalianMeans "spice, drug" in Italian. It was used to denote someone who worked as a spicer or apothecary.
Spiegel German, JewishMetonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of mirrors, from Middle High German
spiegel, German
Spiegel "mirror" (via Old High German from Latin
speculum, a derivative of
specere "to look").
Spiegler German, JewishOccupational name for a maker or seller of mirrors, from Middle High German
spiegel, German
Spiegel "mirror" and the agent suffix
-er.
Spielberg Jewish, GermanFrom Old High German
spiegel "lookout point" or German
Spiel "game, play" and
berg "mountain". Locational surname after a town in Austria. A famous bearer is American director Steven Spielberg (1946-present).
Spieler German, JewishOccupational Name For A Tumbler Or Jester German Spieler ‘Player’ Middle High German Spilære An Agent Derivative Of Spiln ‘To Play To Jest To Sport’.
Spies GermanWhile it translates to the plural of "spy" in English, Spies is a semi-common name found throughout Germany and the surrounding nations. This surname is also popular throughout states with a high German population.
Spina ItalianMeans "thorn" in Italian, originally a topographic name for someone who lived by a thorn bush or a habitational name from any of various locations called Spina.
Spindler English, German, JewishOccupational name for a spindle maker, from an agent derivative of Middle English
spindle, Middle High German
spindel, German
Spindel, Yiddish
shpindl "spindle, distaff".
Spinelli ItalianVariant of
Spina, of uncertain etymology: could be related to several place names in Italy, to given names such as
Crispino, or to the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus.
Spinola ItalianItalian (Liguria) diminutive of
Spina. Italian topographic name for someone living by Monte Spinola in the province of Pavia.
Spinosa ItalianMost likely from Italian
spinosa meaning "prickly, thorny, spiny, ticklish, touchy".
Splendente ItalianFrom Italian
splendente "bright, shining", supposedly given to an infants abandoned at orphanages on sunny days.
Splinter Low German, GermanFrom Low German splinter ‘splinter’; probably a metonymic occupational name for a woodworker.
Spohr GermanOccupational name for a maker of spurs, from Middle High German spor ‘spur’, or a topographic name, from Middle High German spor ‘spoor’, ‘animal tracks’.... [
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Spring GermanFrom Middle High German
sprinc, Middle Low German
sprink "spring, well", hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a spring or well, or habitational name from Springe near Hannover.
Springborn GermanDerived from Middle Low German
sprinkborn meaning "spring, well", hence either a nickname for someone who lived by a spring or a water well, or from various place names in Germany.
Springer German, English, Dutch, JewishNickname for a lively person or for a traveling entertainer. It can also refer to a descendant of
Ludwig der Springer (AKA
Louis the Springer), a medieval Franconian count who, according to legend, escaped from a second or third-story prison cell by jumping into a river after being arrested for trying to seize County Saxony in Germany.
Stadtmueller GermanFrom Middle High German stet meaning "place", "town" + müller meaning "miller", hence an occupational name for a miller who ground the grain for a town.
Stahl GermanMetonymic occupational name for a smith or armorer, from Middle High German
stahel "steel, armor".
Stahler GermanOccupational name for a foundry worker, from an agent derivative of Middle High German stal 'steel'.
Stahling German (Rare)Denoted a person who worked with steel. Derived from the name "Stähling", which was derived from "Stalin."
Stallman GermanVariant of Staller. German: topographic name for someone who lived in a muddy place, from the dialect word stal. English: habitational name from Stalmine in Lancashire, named probably with Old English stæll 'creek', 'pool' + Old Norse mynni 'mouth'.
Stallone Italianfrom
stallone "stallion" applied either as a nickname for someone thought to resemble a stallion or as a metonymic occupational name for someone who bred horses. from an augmentative of
stalla "stable stall" used as a topographic name and as a habitational name from any of the minor places called with this word.... [
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Stampone ItalianMeaning uncertain. Possibly from Italian
stampare "to print, to stamp", or from Tuscan
stampo "tree stump".
Stang German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic) from Middle High German
stang, German
Stange ‘pole’, ‘shaft’, hence a nickname for a tall, thin person, a metonymic occupational name for a maker of wooden shafts for spears and the like, or a metonymic occupational name for a soldier.
Stantz GermanPossibly an altered spelling of German
Stanz, a habitation name from places called Stans or Stanz in Austria and Switzerland (see also
Stentz).
Star German, Dutch, Jewish, EnglishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname from German Star, Middle High German
star, ‘starling’, probably denoting a talkative or perhaps a voracious person.... [
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Starkey English, GermanFrom a diminutive of
Stark. This surname is borne by the English musician Sir Richard Starkey (1940-), also known as Ringo Starr.
State GermanNickname from Middle High German stæt(e) meaning "firm", "steadfast", "constant".
Staub German (Swiss), German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic) occupational nickname for a miller, from Middle High German
stoup, German
Staub ‘dust’. The Jewish surname may also be ornamental.
St Aubin FrenchEither a habitational name from any of several places in France called
Saint-Aubin (from the dedication of their churches to Saint
Albinus), or else a nickname with
Saint as an (ironic) prefix to the personal name or surname
Aubin.
Stauch GermanFrom Middle High German
stuche, a term used to denote both a type of wide sleeve and a headcovering. Also a habitational name from a place called Staucha, near Dresden.
Stauffer GermanThis surname refers either to various towns named Stauffen or else it might be derived from Middle High German
stouf "high rock/cliff/crag".
Steger GermanMeans "head miner" or "overman" from the German verb "steigen" meaning "to climb" or in this case "to lead a climb".
Steger GermanFrom a derivative of Middle High German
stec "steep path or track, narrow bridge". The name was likely given to someone living close to a path or small bridge.
Stehr GermanFrom Middle High German
ster ‘ram’, hence probably a nickname for a lusty person, or possibly a metonymic occupational name for a shepherd.
Steifvater Germanfrom Middle Low German stēfvader 'stepfather' hence a relationship name.
Steiger GermanOccupational name from Middle High German stiger 'foreman', 'mine inspector'
Steinbach German, JewishGerman habitational name from any of the many places named Steinbach, named with Middle High German
stein ‘stone’ +
bach ‘stream’, ‘creek’. ... [
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Steinbeck GermanDenotes a person hailing from one of the many places in Germany called Steinbeck or Steinbach, from Middle High German
stein "stone" and
bach "stream, creek". In some cases it is a South German occupational name for a mason... [
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Steinberg GermanFrom stony mountain. From "stein" meaning stone, and "berg" meaning mountain.
Steinbock GermanFrom German
'stein' meaning "stone" and
'der bock' meaning "goat".
Steinbrecher Germanoccupational name for someone who worked in a stone quarry from Middle High German
stein "stone" and an agent derivative of
brechen "to break".
Steinbrenner Germanoccupational name for a lime burner from Middle High German
stein "stone" (in this case limestone) and an agent derivative of
brennen "to burn".
Steingräber Germanoccupational name for a quarry worker from Middle High German
stein "stone" and agent derivative of Middle High German
graben "to dig".
Steinkamp GermanNorth German topographic name for someone living by a field with a prominent rocky outcrop or boulder in it, and derived from Middle Low German
sten meaning "rock, stone" and
kamp meaning "enclosed field".
Steinmeier GermanDistinguishing name for a tenant farmer (Meyer) whose farm was on stony ground or was distinguished by a conspicuous rock formation (Middle High German stein 'rock').
Steinmetz German, JewishOccupational name from Middle High German
steinmetze, German
steinmetz "stonemason", "worker in stone".
Steinwedel GermanFrom the German word "stein" and "wedel" which mean "stone frond", which was a name given to someone who lived near a stone wall covered in plants.
Stella ItalianItalian for "star". Either possibly derived from the given name
Stella, or from several places in Italy containing the word
stella.
Stellato ItalianStellato, which is the modern Italian word for "starry", as in "starry sky", translates to "by the stars" from the Latin word Stella. As so many Italians were navigators on ships and navigated "by the stars," and since so many surnames were derived from occupations... [
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Stellrecht GermanOccupational name for a cartwright, from Middle High German
stel "framework" and
reht (from Old High German
wurht-) "maker". Compare English
-wright.
Stelter Germannickname for a disabled person; from Middle Low German stelte, stilt "wooden leg"
Stelzner GermanVariant of Stelzer, probably an occupational name for a stilt-maker. Also, a habitational name for anyone from any of the places named Stelzen.
Steurer GermanOccupational name for someone who collects taxes from Middle High German
stiurære "court assistant, tax collector".
Sticca ItalianPossibly from a dialectical word meaning "long shovel".
Stiefel GermanEither from
stiefel "boot", which could mean a boot maker or from middle low german
stief which means "stiff", a nickname for a stubborn person
Stieglitz GermanMeaning goldfinch, Stiglitz was borrowed into German from a Slavic language, probably Old Czech stehlec. Several possible origins: of the surname can be: ... [
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Stifter GermanUnknown History of Stifter. Stifter means Founder in German
Stlouis FrenchHabitational name from any of several places named with a religious dedication to a St. Louis.
Stoehr GermanFrom Middle Low German
store ‘sturgeon’, hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who caught or sold sturgeon, or a nickname for someone with some supposed resemblance to the fish... [
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Stolte GermanDerived from Middle Low German
stolt "proud; stately; magnificent".
Stoltenberg German, NorwegianHabitational name from places so called in Pomerania and Rhineland. A famous bearer is Jens Stoltenberg (b. 1959), Prime Minister of Norway 2000-2001 and 2005-2013.
Stoltzfus GermanStoltzfus is a surname of German origin. It is common among Mennonites and Amish. All American Stoltzfuses are descended from Nicholas Stoltzfus (1719–1774), an Amish man who migrated from Germany to America in 1766.
Storch German, JewishFrom Middle High German
storch "stork", hence a nickname for someone thought to resemble the bird.
Stornelli ItalianMeaning uncertain; may be from
storno "starling", or directly from
stornelli, an Italian lyric or folk song.
Storr GermanNickname for a crude man, from Middle High German storr 'tree stump', 'clod'.
Stoss German, JewishNickname for a quarrelsome person, from Middle High German stoz 'quarrel', 'fight'.
Stradivari ItalianItalian surname of uncertain origin, either from the plural of Lombard
stradivare meaning "toll-man" or from
strada averta meaning "open road" in the Cremonese dialect. A famous bearer was Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), a violin-maker of Cremona.
Strandheim German, JewishFrom a location name meaning "beach home" in German, from Middle High German
strand meaning "beach" and
heim meaning "home". As a Jewish surname it is ornamental.
Strasburg GermanIt is derived from the Old Germanic phrase "an der Strasse," which literally means "on the street." Thus, the original bearer of this name was most likely someone whose residence was located on a street.
Strasse GermanIt derives either from the ancient Roman (Latin) word "straet" meaning a main road, and hence somebody who lived by such a place, or from a German pre-medieval word "stratz" meaning vain.
Strassmann German, JewishTopographic name for someone living on a main street, from Middle High German
strasse, German
Strasse "street, road" and
man "man".
Strauss German, JewishFrom the German word
strauß, meaning "ostrich." In its use as a Jewish surname, it comes from the symbol of the building or family that the bearer occupied or worked for in the Frankfurter Judengasse... [
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Streicher GermanOccupational name for someone who measured grain or inspected cloth
Streisand German, JewishPossibly an ornamental name, literally meaning "scattersand" in German. This surname is borne by the American singer and actress Barbra Streisand (1942-).
Streiter GermanTopographic name from Middle High German struot 'swamp', 'bush', 'thicket' + -er, suffix denoting an inhabitant.
Stricker German, Low German, DutchOccupational name for a rope maker or knitter (of hose, for example), from an agent derivative of Middle High German, Middle Low German stricken ‘to tie’.
Strigl GermanName given in 1056 a.d. Meaning- Keeper of the Royal Horses.
Stroh English, GermanMeans "straw" when translated from German, indicating a thin man, a person with straw-colored hair, or a dealer of straw.
Strubel GermanGerman (also Strübel): from a diminutive of Middle High German strūp (see Strub).... [
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Stults GermanThe Stults surname is derived from the German word "stoltz," which means "proud," and as such, it was most likely originally a nickname, which became a hereditary surname.
Sturtz GermanSturtz comes from an alpine village in Germany. It literately means "to stumble".
Sudan Arabic, Italian, SpanishEthnic name or regional name for someone from Sudan or who had traded with Sudan. The name of the country is ultimately derived from Arabic سُود (
sud) meaning "black", referring to the darker skin of the inhabitants.
Sugar German (Rare)Sugar is the surname of talented storyteller, writer, and composer Rebecca Rae Sugar (creator of animated series Steven Universe).
Suhr GermanNickname for a bitter or cantankerous person, from Middle Low German sūr meaning "sour".
Sullenberger German (Swiss)Derived from an unknown place called
Sullenberg or from
Schallenberg in Baden, Switzerland. A famous bearer is Sully Sullenberger (1951-), an American retired Air Force fighter pilot and airline captain who is best known for saving all 155 people aboard in the 2009 ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan, after both engines were disabled by a bird strike.
Sully French, Haitian Creolefrom any of the various places called Sully for example in Calvados Loiret Saone-et-Loire and Oise. The first of these is recorded in 1180 as Silleium from the Gallo-Roman personal name
Silius or
Cilius and the Latin locative element
acum... [
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Sulzer Germanoccupational name for someone who made prepared meats from Middle High German
sulzer "butcher charcutier". from a derivative of Middle High German
sulze "brine" hence a topographic name for someone who lived near a spring of salty water or a habitational name for someone from any of the places called Sulz in Germany Austria Alsace and Switzerland.
Summer English, GermanFrom Middle English
sum(m)er, Middle High German
sumer "summer", hence a nickname for someone of a warm or sunny disposition, or for someone associated with the season of summer in some other way.
Sutter German, EnglishEnglish and South German occupational name for a shoemaker or cobbler (rarely a tailor), from Middle English
suter,
souter, Middle High German
suter,
sutære (from Latin
sutor, an agent derivative of
suere ‘to sew’).
Swigert German (Americanized)Americanized form of German Schweigert or Zweigert, an occupational name for a gardener or tender of plants, from an agent derivative of Middle High German zwigen, meaning "to graft" or "to plant".
Swisher GermanAmericanized form of German Schweitzer meaning Swiss.
Tabbert German, FrisianFrom Middle Low German
tabbert, Middle Dutch
tabbaert ‘tabard’, a sleeveless overgarment worn by men in the Middle Ages, (ultimately from French
tabard, from Late Latin
tabardum)... [
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Tagliaferro ItalianFrom the Italian
tagliare "to cut" and
ferro "iron" occupational name for an ironworker or a nickname for a strong or ferocious fighter, one who was adept at cutting through the cuirass of the enemy with his sword (see
Telfer).
Taglialatela ItalianTaglialatela means "the person who cuts the cloth" and is typical in the Naples and Caserta areas of Italy.
Tagliamonte ItalianTagliamonte means "mountain cutter". From the Italian
tagliate (to cut) and
monte (mountain).
Talbert English, FrenchFrom a continental Germanic personal name composed of the elements
tal "valley" and
berth "bright".
Tallon English, Irish, Norman, FrenchEnglish and Irish (of Norman origin), and French from a Germanic personal name derived from
tal ‘destroy’, either as a short form of a compound name with this first element (compare
Talbot) or as an independent byname... [
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Tanguay French, EnglishFrom a personal name, a contraction of
Tanneguy, from Breton
tan meaning 'fire', and
ki meaning 'dog', which was the name of a 6-th century Christian saint associated with Paul Aurelian.
Tannen German, JewishGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic) habitational name from any of several places in Lower Saxony or Baden named with German
Tannen ‘pine’, or from a short form of any of the many compound names formed with this element... [
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Tannenbaum Jewish, GermanGerman and Jewish (Ashkenazic) topographic name or Jewish ornamental name from German
Tannenbaum ‘fir tree’, ‘pine tree’.
Tanno RomanshOf debated origin and meaning; theories include a derivation from the given name
Donatus.
Tapon FrenchFrom the old French word
tapon, meaning "cork". Hence this surname was first given to corks makers.
Tapp English, GermanDerived from an Old English given name
Tæppa, of uncertain origin and meaning. In German, it is a nickname for a clumsy person or a simpleton, derived from Middle Low German
tappe meaning "oaf".
Taranto ItalianHabitational name from the southern Italian city and provincial capital of this name (from Latin Tarentum from Greek Taras). Variant of
Tarantino and
Di Taranto.
Taron German (Rare)The standardized variant of
Tarruhn which has origins in the Neumark region of Brandenburg, Prussia dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The Taron family was one of many German families who left the Neumark region and moved eastward into present-day Poland and Ukraine... [
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Tarruhn GermanOrigins are found in Neumark, Brandenburg, Prussia.
Tassi ItalianCould be a patronymic form of the given name Tasso, indicate the bearer is from one of several municipalities called Tasso, or be a nickname from Italian
tasso meaning "badger (animal)" or "yew".