Swiss Submitted Surnames

Swiss names are used in the country of Switzerland in central Europe.
usage
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Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Saltzman Jewish, German
Altered spelling of Salzmann.
Salussolia Italian, Piedmontese
Originally denoted a person from Salussola, a comune (municipality) in the province of Biella in Piedmont, Italy.
Salvatore Italian
Derived from the Italian masculine given name Salvatore, which in turn was derived from the Italian noun salvatore meaning "saviour, rescuer"... [more]
Salzer German
For someone who worked with salt from Middle High German salz "salt" (from Latin sal).
Salzmann German, Jewish
Occupational name for a producer or seller of salt, from German salz "salt" + mann "man".
Samet German, Jewish, Yiddish
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of velvet, from Yiddish samet ‘velvet’ (German Samt, ultimately from Greek hexamiton, a compound of hex ‘six’ + mitos ‘thread’).
Samis German
From a pet form of the personal name Samuel.
Sammartino Italian
From Italian san (apocopic form of santo ("saint") + Martino ("Martin").
Sand French
Derived from the given name Sando.
Sand English, Scottish, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, German, Jewish
From the vocabulary word sand. As a Swedish and Jewish name, often ornamental. Otherwise topographic.
Sandano Italian
Derived from an older form of Italian sandalo "sandal (plant), sandalwood", ultimately from Sanskrit चन्दन (candana). Possibly an occupational name for someone who crafted with the wood, or perhaps a nickname for someone who often wore a sandalwood scent.
Sande German
Variant of Sand.
Sandmeier German, German (Swiss), German (Austrian)
From Middle High German sand combined with Meier 1, referring to a tenant farmer whose farm was on sandy soil.
Sandri Romansh
Italianized form of Tschander.
Sanfelippo Italian
Italian (mainly Sicily and southern Calabria): habitational name from any of several places so named for a local church or shrine dedicated to St. Philip, in particular San Filippo del Mela in Messina province.
Sanfilippo Italian, Sicilian
habitational name from any of several places called with reference to a local church or shrine dedicated to Saint Philip specifically San Filippo del Mela in Messina province, San Filippo near Reggio Calabria.
San Giorgio Italian
“Saint George.”
San Giovanni Italian
Means Saint John in Italian
Sanguinetti Italian, Judeo-Italian
From Sanguinetto, the name of two places in Genova and Verona provinces.
Sankt Johann German
Means Saint John in German.
San Pietro Italian
Means Saint Peter in Italian.
San Severino Italian, Neapolitan
From the name of places inside Italy, all named after Saint Severinus of Noricum. This name is mainly found in Naples.
Santamaria Italian, French, Spanish
Italian and French cognate of Santamaría as well as a Spanish variant.
Santangelo Italian, Sicilian
Either habitational name from any of numerous places especially in the south named with reference to a local shrine or church dedicated to Saint Angel (Italian Sant'Angelo) as for example Sant'Angelo a Cupolo (Benevento) Sant'Angelo a Fasanella (Salerno) Sant'Angelo all’Esca and Sant'Angelo a Scala (Avellino) Sant'Angelo d'Alife (Caserta) and Sant'Angelo del Pesco (Molise)... [more]
Santas Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Possibly a nickame for someone born on All Saint's Day.
Santerre French
Habitational name from a place to the southeast of the Somme river, named with Latin sana terra "healthy, wholesome land".
Santi Italian
Derived from the given name Santi, or as a patronymic form of Santo. It can also be derived as a nickname from santo "holy" or "saint", ultimately from Latin sanctus.
Santino Italian
Derived from the given name Santino.
Santora Italian
Feminine form of Santoro.
Santorum Italian
Variant of Santoro, from Latin sanctorum "of the saints". A notable bearer is former American Senator Rick Santorum (1958-present).
Sanzio Italian
Meaning: Holy or Blessed.
Saperstein Jewish, German
“Sapphire” and “stone”
Sapienza Italian
Means "knowledge, wisdom" in Italian.
Saraceno Italian
A nickname from saraceno "Saracen" (from Late Latin Saracenus) denoting someone of swarthy appearance an unruly person or someone who had taken part in a Crusade... [more]
Saragat Italian
Meaning unknown, perhaps a variant of Sarago. The surname of a former Italian president.
Sarago Italian
From Italian sarago "fish".
Sarazen French
From a medieval French nickname for a swarthy person, or for someone who had gone on a Crusade (from Old French sarrazin "Saracen"). It was borne by American golfer Gene Sarazen (1902-99), original name Eugene Saraceni.
Sard English, French, Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Denoted a person from Sardinia, Italy.
Sarda Italian
From the feminine form of Sardo or from sarda "large sardine" either a nickname or occupational name for selling sardines.
Sardella Italian
From sardella "sardine" used as either an occupational name for a fisher or seller of sardines or a nickname for a thin person.
Sardina Italian, Spanish, Galician, Mexican
From sardina Galician sardiña "sardine" used for someone as a catcher or seller of the fish or a nickname for a thin person.
Sardo Italian
Means "Sardinian" in Italian.
Sardone Italian
Augmentative of Sarda or Sardo "the big Sardinian". in the central and southern Adriatic region from sardone "anchovy".
Sarnow Polabian (Germanized), German
From the village of Sarnow in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Surname of the mayor of Stralsund Karsten Sarnow.
Sarracino Italian
From Neapolitan sarracino, meaning "Saracen", a term used to refer to a variety of ethnic and religious groups, including a nomadic people from Sinai, Muslims, and pirates from the Mediterranean.
Sarrazin French
Means "Saracen" in Old French, a name used to refer to Arab Muslims in the Middle Ages. It was probably used as a nickname for an unruly person, a person with a dark complexion, or for someone who had taken part in a Crusade.
Sartain French
Means, "Tailor".
Sartori Italian
Variant of Sarto, through Latin Sartorius.
Sartorius German (Latinized)
Translation into Latin of the German surname Schneider, from Latin sartor, "tailor".
Sass German
Variant of Sasse.
Saß German
Variant of Sass.
Sasse German
Variant of Sachs via the form Sachse.
Sasselli Italian, Italian (Swiss)
Meaning "small stones" in Italian.
Sassu Italian
From Sardinian sassu "stone".
Sattler German
An occupational name meaning "saddle maker".
Sauerbier German
From German sauer meaning "sour" and bier meaning "beer". It originally referred to a brewer of sour beer.
Sauerwein German
Occupational nickname for someone who sold sour wine, or perhaps a nickname for someone with a sour disposition, from Middle High German sur "sour" + win "wine", i.e. vinegar.
Saulnier French
In Middle French (the form of French spoken from 1340 to 1610), it literally means "salt merchant".
Saur German
Variant of Sauer.
Sauve' French
Sauve' from France to Canada. Changed probably due to an "a" and an "o" confusion in cursive. My granfather's was typo-ed on WW II old men's sign up in MA. or RI, USA.
Savant French
Nickname from savant ‘learned’, a nickname for a university graduate or a particularly knowledgeable person.
Savard French
Either from Old French savart meaning "wasteland" or the Germanic elements sab of uncertain meaning and hard meaning "brave, hardy".
Savelli Italian
It could derive from the Sabelli (ancient Italic tribe), pre-Roman population, or from toponyms such as Savelli di Norcia (PG) and indicate the origin of the founder.
Savignac French
Habitational name for someone from various communes by this name in France.
Savino Italian
From the given name Savino.
Savio Italian
Italian nickname given to a wise, sage man. Saint Dominic Savio is a well-known bearer of this surname.
Savoia Italian (Archaic)
A Italian royal court name.
Savorgnan Italian (Rare)
From a small town near Udine named Savorgnano del Torre, of Friulian origin. This was the name of a Friulian aristocratic family, ascribed to the Venetian participate. The famous bearer of this surname was an Italian-French explorer Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de Brazza (1852-1905)
Sawade German
German form of Zawada.
Sawatsky German, Polish (Germanized)
Some characteristic forenames: German Gerhart, Erna, Hans.... [more]
Sax Upper German, Dutch, Flemish
South German variant of Sachs and Dutch variant of Sas.
Saxer German (Swiss), Romansh
Habitational name for someone from a place called Sax or Saxe.
Sbaraglia Italian
From sbaragliare "to defeat, to overcome".
Scafata Italian
Possibly denoting someone from the Italian town Scafati, from Latin scapha "skiff, light boat". Alternately, may be from Italian scafare "to husk peas", either literally referring to someone's occupation, or from the figurative meaning of "to make more confident; alert, shrewd".
Scaglietti Italian
The name of an Italian coachbuilder, with one of its famous customers being Ferrari when it doesn't want a design from Pininfarina.
Scaglione Italian
Derived from scaglione meaning "stallion’s canine tooth" (an augmentative form of scaglie meaning "canine tooth", from Old French escaillon meaning "horse’s tooth"), presumably a nickname for someone with exceptionally large teeth.
Scala Italian
Means "ladder, stair, scale" in Italian, a habitational name from any of various places named Scala, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent staircase or terraced land... [more]
Scali Italian
Habitational name from Scali in Piedimonte Etneo, Sicily, derived from Greek σκαλί (skali) "step, rung (of a ladder)".
Scali Italian
Variant of Scala.
Scalia Italian
Habitational name derived from Scalea in the province of Cosenza, deriving ultimately from medieval Greek skaleia meaning "hoeing".
Scaloni Italian
Likely derived from Italian scala meaning "ladder, stairs". It may have originated as a occupational name for someone who built or worked with ladders.
Scanagatta Italian
Probably means "cat killer", from Italian scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and gatto "cat", with the figurative meaning of "cheat, scoundrel". (Compare Pelagatti)... [more]
Scanarotti Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly a nickname given to a boastful person.
Scanavacca Italian
Possibly an occupational name for a butcher, from scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and vacca "cow".
Scanavino Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly related to scanalare "to cut a groove, to plough" and vino "wine".
Scannabissi Italian
Possibly from scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and biscio "snake". Alternately, the first element may be from an archaic form of zanna, "tooth (of an animal)".
Scannadinari Italian (Rare)
Taken from the Italian scanna meaning "slaying" and dinari meaning "money" in the plural form. Therefore, killer of money.
Scannapieco Italian
Occupational name for a butcher, from scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and piecuro "sheep, lamb".
Scannella Italian
Possibly from Italian scannellare "to channel, to cut a groove", itself from Latin scamnum "ridge (of earth formed by plowing)".
Scarano Italian
Means "marauder, bandit".
Scarcella Italian
From Italian "scarcella", a dessert enjoyed during Easter from the Italian region of Apulia, possibly referring to a baker who would make them.
Scarduzio Italian
From the Italian verb scardare, meaning to husk a hazelnut or chestnut. Possibly a metaphor for a sculptor who 'husked' a sculpture from stone.
Scarla English (American), Italian (Americanized, ?)
Possibly a shortened form of an Italian surname such as Scarlato.
Scarlata Italian
Feminine variant of Scarlato.
Scarlato Italian
From Sicilian scarlatu meaning "scarlet" or "purple". Given as an occupational name for a dyer, or as a nickname for someone who habitually wore scarlet or who had bright red hair.
Scarlatti Italian
Meaning ‘Scarlet’.
Scarselli Italian
From scarsella "purse", a type of bag hung around the neck to keep money in. Possibly indicated a wealthy person.
Scatena Italian
From scatenare "to provoke, stir up, unleash", probably a nickname for a troublemaker.
Schaaf German
Metonymic occupational name for a shepherd, from Middle High German schāf ‘sheep’. In some cases it may have been a nickname for someone thought to resemble a sheep, or a habitational name for someone living at a house distinguished by the sign of a sheep... [more]
Schaal German, Dutch, French, Jewish
Either a nickname for a braggart or a market crier, (derived from Middle High German schal meaning "noise, bragging"), an occupational name for someone who made dishes for scales and vessels for drinking, (from Middle Low German and Dutch schale "dish"), a habitational name from Schaala in Thuringia or the Schaalsee lake near Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living on marshy land, (from Dutch schald "shallow")... [more]
Schaben German
Describes an inhabitant of the region Swabia
Schachner German
German origins (as told to me by my family); popular in Austria and also has Jewish and Slavic origins, according to the internet/ancestry.com.
Schacht German, Flemish
From Middle Low German and Middle Dutch schacht "shaft; pole, tunnel", a metonymic occupational name for someone who made shafts for tools or weapons, or who worked in a mineshaft.
Schade German, Dutch
From schade "damage, injury", a derivative of schaden "to do damage, harm, hurt", generally a nickname for a thug or clumsy person, or, more particularly, a robber knight, who raided others’ lands.
Schaefer German (?)
Originating in Germany SCHAEFER is a given surname meaning Shepard in German.
Schaff German
Name given to sheepherders, accounding to personal family history.
Schäffler German
Occupational name for a cooper, from an agent derivative of Middle High German scheffel "bushel".
Schaffner German, Jewish, German (Swiss)
German: occupational name for a steward or bailiff, variant of Schaffer.
Schaffter German
An occupational name for a shaft maker or maker of tools and weapons, from Middle Low German schaft "shaft, spear, lance."
Schalk German, Dutch
From Old High German scalc "servant, retainer, jester", which eventually evolved to mean "joker, rogue, knave". Could be an occupational name for an attendant or jester, a nickname for someone mischievous, or derived from a given name containing scalc as an element, such as Godschalk.
Schall German
Nickname for a braggart or for a market crier from Middle High German schal "noise" "bragging".
Schaller Upper German
From Middle High German word "schal," which means "noise," or "bragging," and as such is was thought to have originally been a nickname for a braggart, or for a market crier.
Schankweiler German
From the name of a German municipality, derived from Schank "bar, pub, tavern" and Weiler "hamlet".
Scharfe German
Means "sharp" in German.
S-charplaz Romansh
Derived from the given name S-cher and Romansh plaz "place".
Schattner German, Jewish
Habitational name for someone from any of several places named Schaten or Schatten, or a topographic name for someone living in a shady location, from Middle High German schate "shade", "protection".
Schatz German, Jewish
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a treasurer, from German Schatz ‘treasure’, Middle High German scha(t)z. It may also have been a nickname for a rich man (or ironically for a miser), or else for a well-liked person or a ladies’ favorite, from the use of the vocabulary word as a term of endearment... [more]
Schätzel German
German diminutive of Schatz, or a nickname for a lover meaning "little sweetheart" (from the same word used as a term of endearment).
Schauble German
Diminutive of Scaub
Schauer German
The Schauer surname comes from the Middle High German word "schouwen" meaning "to inspect;" as such, the name is thought to have originally been occupational, for some kind of inspector, perhaps an official of a market.
Schaufelberger German (Swiss)
likely refers to someone from a place named Schaufenberg.
Schaul German, Dutch, Jewish
Either from from Middle Low German schulle, Middle Dutch scholle, schulle, Middle High German schülle "plaice"; either a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or seller of these fish or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a plaice... [more]
Schaumburg German, Belgian
Habitational name from any of the places called Schaumburg or Schauenburg in Germany, or Schauwberg in Brabant, Belgium. Derived from schūm "slag, cinder" and burg "mountain, hill".
Schaus German, Luxembourgish
A nickname for a simpleton, from schaus, a word in Rhenish Franconian and Lower Rhine dialects of German.
Schauwecker German
habitational name for someone from Schaubeck near Marbach (Württemberg).
Scheele German, Dutch, Swedish (Rare)
From Middle Low German schele and Dutch scheel meaning "squinting, cross-eyed". A notable bearer was German-Swedish pharmaceutical chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742-1786) who discovered oxygen and identified several other elements.
Scheetz German
Anglicized version of the German surname, Schütz, "archer," "yeoman," "protect."
Scheid German, Jewish
Either a topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary (between two valleys etc.) or crossroads Middle High German scheide, a habitational name from any of various places called Scheidt Scheiden... [more]
Scheidegger German, German (Swiss)
Topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary or watershed. The name was derived from the Old German word SCHEIDE, meaning 'to part, to divide'. It may also have been a habitation name from any of the numerous places named with this word.
Scheidemann German
Denoted a person who is divorced or who lives in a valley, from Middle High German scheiden "to separate, to divorce (a couple)" and mann "man".
Schein German, Jewish
from Middle High German schīn German schein "shining brightness" hence a nickname for someone with either a radiant personality or possibly for someone living in a sunny location or a Jewish artificial name.
Schell German
Means "noisy" or "loud" from the German word "schel"
Schemmel German
Nickname for a disabled person, from Middle High German schemel "stool", which was used as a crutch by invalids.
Schena Italian
Derived from a regional variant of Italian schiena "back (of the body)", perhaps a nickname for someone with a straight, rigid posture, or a topographic name denoting a rise or bump in the ground.
Schenkel German, Dutch, Jewish
Means "leg, shank", an occupational name for a butcher or a nickname for someone with long or otherwise notable legs.
Scheremet German
German cognate of Şeremet.
Scherf German
from Middle High German and Middle Low German scherf a coin worth half a penny possibly applied as a nickname for a poor person.
Scherl German
Derived from the Middle Low German word “scherl” or “scherle,” which means “small shield.” It may have been from a person known for carrying a small shield, a person who lived near a small shield-shaped sign or symbol, or a person who lived in a place named after the small shield.
Scherman German
German version of Sherman 1
Schermann German, Jewish
German cognate of Sherman 1 derived from the elements skeran "to cut, to shear" and Middle High German man "man".
Schett Romansh
Truncated form of Tomaschett.
Scheuer German, Jewish
Derived from Middle High German schiure meaning "barn, granary", denoting somebody who lived in a barn of some sort.
Scheunemann German
It literally means someone who either lives near (or in, if poor &/or homeless) a barn or works within its general vicinity.
Scheunert German
Scheunert - deutsch - Besitzen einer Scheune... [more]
Schiavo Italian
Means both "Slav" and "slave" in Italian, the latter meaning deriving from the former. Was most likely given as an ethnonym to people from Eastern Europe, though in some cases it may have been a nickname, or an occupational name for a servant.
Schiazza Italian
From chiazza "stain, blot", perhaps given to someone with a prominent birthmark. Might also from a regional dialect, meaning "piazza, town square".
Schick German
A nickname given to a person who's smart, stylish, and well-dressed.
Schie German
From a nickname that meant "shy".
Schiechel German
From German "schuh", meaning "shoe".
Schiefelbein German
Habitational name from Schievelbein in Pomerania.
Schiff German, Jewish
From Middle High German Schif "ship", indicating the bearer was either a sailor, or lived in a house distinguished by a ship sign.
Schiffmann German
Occupational derived from the elements schiff "ship" and mann "man" meaning "shipman, German cognate of Shipman.
Schild German, Dutch
Occupational name for a maker or painter of shields, from Middle High German, Middle Dutch schilt "shield".
Schildhauer German
First appeared during the Middle Ages in Central Europe/Germany. The name means "Shield-Maker" and suggests correlation to Blacksmiths or or other forms of metalwork in the time period.
Schildknecht German
From the occupation of a page or squire for a knight derived from schilht "shield" and kneht "servant".
Schiller German
Nickname for someone with a squint, from an agent derivative of Middle High German schilhen, schiln 'to squint'.
Schilling German, Dutch, Jewish
Means "shilling (coin)", possibly a nickname for a serf who had paid his rent or fee to his lord for his freedom. It could also be a habitational name derived from Schillingen, a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany... [more]
Schiltz German
German: variant of Schilz and, in North America.... [more]
Schimmelpfennig German
From Middle High German schimel "mildew, mould" and pfennic "penny", a nickname for someone who was miserly or stingy with their money, hence it growing mouldy in its purse.
Schimmoller German
Possibly a combination of the German word schimmel and the last name Müller or Moller.
Schincariol Italian, Portuguese
Unknown meaning.
Schink Upper German
Nickname for someone with long or otherwise remarkable legs, from Middle High German schinke "thigh, leg". Compare Schenkel.
Schinker German
Unknown, though I would very much like to know. Possible Hungarian influence as well as German.
Schirmacher German
occupational name for someone who makes harnesses and bridles for horses from Middle High German geschirre "harness" and macher "maker".
Schirokauer German, Yiddish
Derived from the town of Sieraków in the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland.
Schlanser Romansh
Derived from the place name Schlans, a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
Schlatter Upper German
Topographic name from Middle High German slâte "reedy place", or a habitational name from any of several places named Schlatt, from the same word.
Schleicher German
Could derive from the word schleifen meaning "to grind" but most likely is derived from the word schleicher "to sneak, creeper".
Schleider German
Derived from places named Schleid or Schleiden.
Schleifer German
Derived from the word schleifen "to grind, polish".
Schleiger German
Occupational name for a maker or seller of scarves and veils from Middle Low German sleiger sleier "(head)scarf".
Schlemmer German
Derived from a Middle High German word meaning "feast" and thus used as a nickname for a "gourmet".
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.
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