Swiss Submitted Surnames

Swiss names are used in the country of Switzerland in central Europe.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Schlep German
Probably a nickname or occupational name for a laborer or carrier, especially in a mine, from Middle Low German slepen, Middle High German slepen 'to drag or carry (a load)' (modern German schleppen, schleifen).
Schley German
Name for someone living by the Schlei river.
Schliwka German
A notable person bearing the surname was athlete Gunther Schliwka.
Schloss German
Shortened form of Schlosser.
Schlossberg German
Ornamental name composed of German Schloss ‘castle’ + Berg ‘mountain’, ‘hill’.
Schlote German
literal meaning: smokestack
Schlott German, Low German
Occupational name for a locksmith, from Middle Low German slot 'lock'.
Schmal German
Derived from the Middle High German and Middle Low German word smal meaning "small, slight, thin". It was originally used as a nickname.
Schmaltz German (Rare), German (Austrian, Rare)
Schmaltz is a German and Austrian surname. It was used as an occupational surname for chandlers.
Schmeichel German
Nickname for a flatterer, derived from Middle High German smeichen literally meaning "to flatter". Famous bearers of this surname include Peter Schmeichel (1963-) and his son Kasper Schmeichel (1986-), both of whom are Danish soccer goalkeepers.
Schmelzer German
occupational name for a smelter from an agent derivative of Middle High German smelzen German schmelzen "to smelt metal" or "make glass".
Schmidlapp German
Derived from Middle High German smit "smith, metalworker" and lap(pe) meaning "cloth, patch, rag".
Schmidlkofer German, German (Austrian)
Occupational name for a farmer who was also a blacksmith, derived from a diminutive of Middle High German smit meaning "smith" and the suffix -kofer (a variant of -hofer).
Schmidtberger German
A distinguishing name for someone named Berger who worked as a blacksmith or a habitational name for someone from any of several places called Schmidtberg in Bavaria and Switzerland.
Schmidtke German
Diminutive form of Schmidt.
Schmiedt German
Variant spelling of Schmidt.
Schmon Romansh
Contracted form of the given names Schimun and Schamun.
Schmuck German, German (Austrian)
From Middle High German smuc meaning "jewel", "finery", hence a metonymic occupational name for a jeweler, or a nickname for someone who wore a prominent jewel or ornament.North German: nickname from Middle Low German smuck meaning "neat", "dainty".
Schnapp German
Derived from Middle High German snappen meaning "to chatter", or Middle Low German snappen meaning "to grab". This was originally a nickname for a chatterer or a greedy person.
Schnee German, Popular Culture
A German surname meaning "snow". One fictional bearer of this surname is Weiss Schnee, a main character from the popular web series RWBY.
Schnee German, Jewish, Alsatian
from German schnee "snow" Middle High German sne sneo a nickname for someone with white hair or an exceptionally pale complexion... [more]
Schneid German, Jewish
Variant form of Schneider. Means "cut"
Schneller German
Means “faster” in German
Schnieder German
North German and American variant of Schneider
Schöb Romansh
Derived from the given name Eusebius.
Schock German
German origin. Means "shock" in German, as in surprise.
Schoen German, Jewish, Dutch
German (Schön) nickname for a handsome or pleasant man, from Middle High German schoene ‘fine’, ‘beautiful’; ‘refined’, ‘friendly’, ‘nice’. ... [more]
Schoenbeck German, Jewish
Means "beutiful stream" in German.
Schoenberg German, Jewish
Means "beautiful mountain" in German
Schoene German
German (Schöne): variant of Schoen 1.
Schoenwetter German
German (Schönwetter): nickname for someone with a happy disposition, from Middle High German schœn ‘beautiful’, ‘fine’, ‘nice’ + wetter ‘weather’.
Schömer German
Nickname for an offensive person, from Middle High German schemen "to insult."
Schommer German
"one who was a gossip, a vagabond or rascal"... [more]
Schön German, Swedish
Derived from Middle High German schoene "beautiful, friendly".
Schönenberger German
Habitational name for someone from any of several places in Germany and Switzerland named Schönenberg.
Schönrock German
Either a metonymic occupational name for a baker from Middle High German schœn "fine" (see Schoen ) and rogge "rye"... [more]
Schopenhauer German
Derived from German schöpfen meaning "to scoop, ladle" and hauen meaning "to chop", referring to a maker of wooden and metal scoops and buckets. This name was borne by the German pessimist philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), the author of the 1818 book The World as Will and Representation among other works.
Schops German
Means "scoop maker"
Schorr German
In the south a topographic name from Middle High German schor(re) 'steep rock', 'rocky shore'.
Schorsch German
Possibly from the given name George, pronounced SHORSH in South-Western Germany. As a Jewish name, it may come from the surname Shor.
Schortgen German
Of a German origin, the fist part meaning short or small.
Schotte German
From schotte, an ethnic name for a Scottish person or somebody of such descent.
Schottenstein German, Jewish
Ornamental name meaning "bulkhead stone" in German.
Schottlander German, Jewish, Dutch
From German Schottland, 'Scotland' and, in some cases, denoted an immigrant from Scotland or Ireland. Numerous Irish fled to continental Europe after the Anglo-Norman invasion in the 13th century.... [more]
Schottler German
Occupational name for a wood turner, Middle Low German scoteler (an agent derivative of scotel ‘wooden bowl’).
Schram German, English, Yiddish
Derived from German Schramme (Middle High German schram(me)) and Yiddish shram, all of which mean "scar".
Schramm German
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic nickname for a person with a scar, from Middle High German schram(me), German Schramme, Yiddish shram ‘scar’.
Schreiner German
Occupational surname for a joiner (maker of wooden furniture), ultimately from Middle High German schrīnære.
Schrepfer German (Swiss), German
Derived from from Middle High German schrepfer "barber-surgeon's assistant", ultimately from the verb schrepfen "to bleed someone".
Schrock German
Some think that the last name Schrock comes from the German word which meant something along the lines of "Jump" or "Leaps" and was probably a nickname to someone who was a great jumper, or someone who was easily startled.
Schrödinger German
Denoted a person from Schröding, a old placename in Bavaria.
Schucan Romansh
Derived from the given name Joachim.
Schuch German
Likely derived from SCHUMACHER (Shoe Maker)
Schue German, Jewish
Variant of Schuh.
Schueler German
The surname Schueler was first found in southern Germany, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history.
Schuft German
Means "wretch, blackguard" in German.
Schug American, German
From the German word Schuh "shoe". ... [more]
Schuh German, Jewish
Occupational name for a maker or repairer of shoes, derived from Middle High German schuoch meaning "shoe". In some cases, it may have denoted a person to a house distinguished by the sign of a shoe.
Schuknecht German
Occupational name for a shoemaker’s assistant, from Middle High German schuoch meaning "shoe" + knecht meaning "journeyman", "assistant".
Schuller German
Possibly a habitational name from Schüller in the Eifel.
Schuman German
From the old german scuoh "shoe" and man "man", an occupational name for a shoe maker
Schumer Jewish, German (Rare)
Possibly taken from Middle Low German schumer meaning "good for nothing, vagabond". Notable bearers are American comedian Amy Schumer (b. 1981) and American politician Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer (b... [more]
Schurr German
From a nickname meaning "quarrel" in German, given to a hot-tempered person.
Schürrle German
Variant of Schurr. A famous bearer is the retired German soccer player André Schürrle (1990-).
Schutz German
Occupational surname for an archer or a watchman (from Middle High German schützen "to guard or protect"). Also a habitational name from Schutz, a place near Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Schwaab German
The surname of German VfB Stuttgart footballer Daniel Schwaab, born in Waldkirch, Germany.
Schwab German, Jewish
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): regional name for someone from Swabia (German Schwaben), from Middle High German Swap, German Schwabe ‘Swabian’. The region takes its name from a Germanic tribe recorded from the 1st century BC in the Latin form Suebi or Suevi, of uncertain origin; it was an independent duchy from the 10th century until 1313, when the territory was broken up.
Schwabe German
1. The name given to those who lived in Swabia
Schwald Romansh
Derived from the given name Oswald.
Schwan German
Means "Swan" in German.
Schwanbeck German
Habitational name from any of several places so named, for example near Lübeck and near Anklam.
Schwandt German
Topographic name for someone who lived in a forest clearing, from Middle High German swant (from swenden "to thin out", "make disappear", causative from swinden "to disappear" modern German schwinden.
Schwandt German
Habitational name from any of the various places called Schwand or Schwanden, all in southern Germany, named with this element, from Middle High German swant (from swenden "to thin out", "make disappear", causative from swinden "to disappear" modern German schwinden.
Schwank German
Either a nickname for a thin person, (derived from Middle High German swanc meaning "little, slender, thin"), a pretty person (from Middle Low German swank "fine, dainty") or a fun, loving person (from Middle High German swanc and Middle Low German swank "funny idea, joke, jest, foolery").
Schwanke German
From a short form of the German given name Swaneke, a pet form of Swane, ultimately derived from a Germanic compound name formed with swan meaning "swan" as the first element (see Schwenke 2).
Schwanz German
Form of Schwan. Also means tail in German.
Schwarm Low German, German
habitational name from Schwarme a place south of Bremen... [more]
Schwarzberg German
Variant of Schwartzberg, which means "black mountain" in German.
Schwarzkopf German
Means "black head", from German Schwarz "black", and Kopf "head".
Schweder German, Upper German
German: ethnic name for a Swede.... [more]
Schwehr German
German: relationship name, a variant of Schwäher, a variant of Schwager.
Schweigert German
Derives from an agent derivative of the German "schweigen", to be silent, and the nickname would have been given to a silent, quiet, taciturn person.
Schweinhardt German
an occupational or nickname having to do with pigs
Schweinsteiger German
Means "Swine Climber". ... [more]
Schweinsteiger German
Occupational 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"... [more]
Schweitz German
Ethnic name for a Swiss, from German Schweitz meaning "Swiss".
Schwenk German
Variant 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).
Schwer Upper German, German, Jewish
South German relationship name from Middle High German sweher ‘father-in-law’. ... [more]
Schwerdtfeger German
occupational name for an armorer or specifically for a servant whose job was to polish swords Middle High German Middle Low German swertfeger (from swert "sword" and an agent derivative of fegen "to polish or clean").
Schwieder German
Derived from the given name Swider.
Schwier German
Contracted form of Schwieder.
Schwiers German
Patronymic form of Schwier.
Schwimer German, Jewish
Occupational name meaning "swimmer" in German. As a Jewish name, it may be ornamental.
Schwing German
Occupational 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".
Scillato Italian, Sicilian
Comes from the commune of Scillato in Sicily, Italy, southeast of Palermo.
Scime Italian
Possibly from the given name Simone 2, from Shimei or Shemesh, or from the Arabic root word شمس (shams or sams) "sun".
Scimia Italian
From an archaic form of Italian scimmia "monkey", from Ancient Greek σιμός (simos) "snub-nosed". Has figurative meanings of "drunk" and "imitator, mimic, aper".
Sciortino Italian
Occupational name from a diminutive of sciorta, sciurta "city guard, watchman, policeman" (Arabic ̣shuṛtī).
Sciuto Italian
Meaning "thin"... [more]
Scognamiglio Italian
Literally "millet thresher", probably from the Neapolitan verb scugnà ("to thresh") and miglio ("millet"), denoting cereal threshers.
Scorfano Italian
Was in the Disney + Original Movie, Luca. "Alberto Scorfano"
Scornavacche Italian
Possibly deriving from Italian words scorno meaning shame, and vacca meaning cow. Sicilian variant of Scornavacca.
Scorrano Italian
Denotes someone from Scorrano, Italy. Coincides with scorrano "to run, to flow".
Scorsese Italian
From 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... [more]
Scotto Italian
Either an ethnic name for someone from Scotland or Ireland from medieval Italian scotto or scoto meaning "Scot", making it a cognate of Scott, or from a diminutive of given names ending in sco such as Francesco (via its diminutive Francescotto) or Maresco (via Marescotto).
Scurti Italian
Possibly from Neapolitan curto "short".
Scutti Italian
From Sicilian scutu, "shield".
Seager English, German (Modern)
English: from the Middle English personal name Segar, Old English S?gar, composed of the elements s? ‘sea’ + gar ‘spear’.... [more]
Sebas French
From the given name Sebastien.
Sebastian German, English
From the given name Sebastian.
Sebastiano Italian
From the given name Sebastiano.
Sébastien French
From the given name Sébastien.
Sebert German, French
From a German personal name composed of the elements sigi meaning "victory" + berht meaning "bright", "famous".
Secchi Italian
Probably 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".
Second French
From the given name Second.
Secondo Italian
From the given name Secondo
Secrest German
Variant of German Siegrist.
Sedaine French
Derived from the given name Sidoine.
Sedda Italian
From a place name in Sardinia, meaning "top of a mountain". May alternately derive from Sardinian sedda "saddle", indicating the bearer's occupation.
Sedita Italian
From 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, German
Topographic 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 German
habitational name from any of the numerous places so named from See "lake" and Dorf "village".
Seel German
Occupational name for a person who makes or sells ropes.
Seeli Romansh
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Basilius.
Sees German
Variant of Seese.
Seese German
Comes from a Germanic personal name, Sigizo, from a compound name formed with sigi ‘victory’ as the first element.
Segale English, Italian
Respelling of SEGAL. A famous bearer is Mario A. Segale, the inspiration for Nintendo's video game character Mario
Séguin French
From the given name Séguin the French form of Sigwin.
Seib German
Short form of SEIBOLD. Ultimately derived from names composed of the Germanic name element sigi "victory".
Seid German
From the Germanic given name Sito, a short form of a compound name formed with sigi "victory".
Seide German, Jewish
German 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, Jewish
Derived from several places with the same name. As an ornamental name, it is derived from German seide meaning "silk" and berg meaning "mountain".
Seider German
Originating in the region of Saxony. Name of a silk merchant, from the German word for silk: seide
Seidman Jewish, German
Derived from Seid.
Seif German, Jewish
Metonymic occupational name for a soap maker, from Middle High German seife, German Seife 'soap'.
Seifried German
Variant of Siegfried from its Middle High German form Sīvrid.
Seiler German
German and Jewish occupational surname for a rope maker.
Seim Upper German
German: metonymic occupational name for a beekeeper, from Middle High German seim ‘honey’.
Seinfeld German, Jewish
From 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.
Seitz Upper German
A mainly Bavarian surname, from a reduced form of the personal name Seifried, a variant of Siegfried... [more]
Seitzer German
Variant of Seitz.
Seligman German, Jewish
Derived from the given name Selig with the German suffix -man meaning "man" and it's originally a patronymic. The surname Seligman is originated in the Rhineland.
Sellmeyer German
occupational name for the steward of a hall or manor house from Middle High German sal "hall residence" and meier "steward" (see Meyer ).
Selmer German
Teutonic name meaning "hall master" for a steward or keeper of a large home or settlement.
Selva Catalan, Italian
From 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 German
The 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.... [more]
Semadeni Romansh
Derived from the place name Samedan.
Semenza Italian
From semenza ‘seeds’ possibly used for a seed merchant.
Senatore Italian
status name from senatore "senator" (from Latin senator) or a nickname for a stately or perhaps pompous man.
Sénécal French
status 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")... [more]
Seng German
1. Topographic name for someone who lived by land cleared by fire, from Middle High German sengen ‘to singe or burn’. ... [more]
Senjean French
Probably from St John (saint-jean) from Christianization of Basques and misspelled
Senn German
Derived from the Middle High German word senne meaning "dairy farmer".
Sensenbach German
A topographic name formed with an unexplained first element + Middle High German bach ‘creek’. Pretty common in Iowa and Pennsylvania.
Sensenbrenner German
Combination of German Sense, meaning "scythe", and Brenner meaning "burner".... [more]
Senti Romansh
Derived from the given name Maxentius.
Serafino Italian
From the given name Serafino
Sereno Italian
1 Italian: from the personal name Sereno (from Latin serenus, serena ‘clear’, ‘calm’).... [more]
Sergente Italian
Italian cognate of Sergeant.
Serrao Italian
Probably from a dialectical term meaning "closed, shut".
Serre French
Means 'greenhouse' in French.
Serres French
Altered form of "Serre"
Servais French
From the given name Servais.
Sette Italian
Means "seven". Probably a nickname for the seventh child of a family, though it could derive from a place name containing the element.
Setzer German, Jewish
Derived from either Middle High German "setzen", used to refer to market inspectors and tax officials, or Yiddish "setser", a typesetter.
Seul French
From Fr. "only, alone"
Seuss German, Jewish
Means "sweet", "pleasant", or "agreeable".
Severo Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Severo
Sevestre French
A French surname of unknown etymology.
Sévigny French
A kind of bush.
Sewina German, Polish
The 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... [more]
Seydoux French, French (Swiss), Occitan
Derived from the Germanic names Sedulius, Sedulfus or Segedolfus. Another theory suggests Occitan roots; it might be an occupational name for someone who worked with silk, derived from Occitan sedós meaning "silky, soft"... [more]
Seyfried German
Derived from the given name Siegfried. The American actress Amanda Seyfried (1985-) is a well-known bearer of this name.
Seyler German
Germanic surname
Sferrazza Italian
Occupational 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 Italian
Derived 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, Scottish
Topographic 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’.... [more]
Shadel German (Anglicized, ?)
Derived from the German 'Schadle', meaning cranium or skull.
Shaffner German, German (Swiss)
Americanized version of German occupational name for a steward or bailiff, variant of Schaffner and Schaffer.... [more]
Shainwald German
German for "beautiful forest", probably (?) related to Sheinfeld
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.
Shie German
Variant of Schie.
Shilling English, German (Americanized), Dutch (Americanized)
nickname from the Middle English coin name schilling "shilling" (Old English scilling) probably referring to a fee or rent owed or paid... [more]
Shipper German, Jewish, English
Cognate of Schipper. occupational name from Middle English shippere "shipman sailor seaman" (Old English scipere) perhaps also with the sense "skipper" (Middle Low German schipper).
Shoen German (Anglicized), Jewish
Americanized spelling of German or Ashkenazic Jewish Schön or Schoen.