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.
Berretta Italian
From 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.
Berri German (Swiss), Romansh
Derived from Old High German bero "bear".
Berruti Italian
From Late Latin berrutum "cart", indicating someone who drove or made carts.
Berry Romansh
Variant of Berri.
Berschel German
German form of Burchell.
Bertagni Italian
Bertagni 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 Italian
Probably from a given name containing the Germanic root behrat "bright" or Celtic berta "to carry, to bear".
Bertarini Italian
Alternate form of Bertarelli.
Berther Romansh
Derived from the given name Berchthari (see Berthar).
Berthiaume French
French: from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements berht ‘bright’, ‘famous’ + helm ‘helmet’.
Berthold German
From the given name Berthold.
Bertin French
From 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".
Berto Italian, Spanish
From the given name Berto.
Bertocchi Italian
Comes from a pet form of the personal name Berto.
Bertogg Romansh
Variant of Bertsch in combination with the diminutive suffix -ogg.
Bertoldo Italian
From the given name Bertoldo.
Bertoli Italian
Derived from the given name Bertolo, a variant of Bartolo, which is an Italian short form of Bartholomew.
Bertolucci Italian
From a diminutive of Bertoli.
Bertram German
Derived from the German given name Bertram.
Bertucci Italian
Diminutive of Berto.
Bertuzzi Italian
variant of Bertucci.
Bérubé French
Habitational name from some minor place named with Old French bel ru "beautiful stream", with the subsequent pleonastic addition of bé, variant of bel "beautiful".
Berwald German, Swedish (Rare), Danish (Rare)
Originally derived from the given name Bernwald, composed of Old High German bern, bero "bear" and wald "ruler"... [more]
Besançon French
Habitational name for a person from the capital city of Doubs in France, ultimately from Latin Vesontiō, derived from Proto-Celtic *ves "mountain". Folk etymology states that it is associated with the place name with Old French bison "wisent".
Besemer German
Occupational name meaning "broom maker".
Beske German
Likely derived from Peschke and Peske, vernacular forms of the given name Petrus.
Bessel German
Of uncertain origin; possibly from the name of a place or river.
Besselman German
Derived from the German surname Bessel + suffix man "man".
Besson French, Provençal, Occitan
Southern French nickname from Occitan besson "twin" (from Latin bis) or from the various places (Le) Besson in southern France.
Beste French, English
Nickname 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]
Betschla Romansh (Archaic)
Derived from the Germanic name element beraht "bright". The name was replaced by the Italianized form Bezzola in the 18th century.
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]
Bettini Italian
Patronymic form of Bettino.
Bettino Italian
From the given name Bettino.
Betz German
Derived from a Thuringian short form of the personal name Bernhard.
Bever German
Nickname 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 Italian
From Italian bevi l'acqua "drinks water", a nickname likely applied ironically to an alcoholic.
Bey French, German, Frisian
North German and Frisian: from the Old Frisian personal name Beyo or Boy/Boye (see Boye).... [more]
Beyincé French, Louisiana Creole
Louisiana Creole form of Boyancé.... [more]
Bezzola Romansh
Italianization of Betschla.
Bhaer German
Likely 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 German
1 North German: nickname for a male relative, colleague in a guild or fraternity, or lover, Middle Low German bōle.... [more]
Biancaniello Italian
It means "white ring".... [more]
Bianchini Italian
Means "little white one"
Biber German
Varient of Bieber.
Bickel German, German (Swiss), Jewish
German: 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]
Biebrich German
Town of Biebrich Germany
Biedermann German, Jewish
nickname 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 German
From Middle Low German bil "hatchet", Middle High German biel; given to someone who made or used hatchets.
Bieler German, Jewish
Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of the many places in eastern Europe whose name incorporates the Slavic element byel- ‘white’.... [more]
Bier German, Jewish
from 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 German
German: topographic name for someone who lived by a pear tree, Middle Low German berbom. Compare Birnbaum.
Bierbrauer German
occupational name for a brewer German bierbrauer. Derived from the elements bier "beer" and brauen "to brew".
Bieri German (Swiss)
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Pierre which was also commonly used in German-speaking Switzerland.
Bierkle German (Anglicized), Polish (Anglicized)
The surname Bierkle is most likely an anglicized form of the Polish Bierkowski, or the German Bierkandt.... [more]
Bierschbach German
German habitational name from a lost or unidentified place.
Biert Romansh
Derived from the given name Albert.
Biet Romansh
Derived from the given name Beatus.
Bigot French
Either from Old French bigot possibly meaning "beggar" or from the Norman interjection bî got ("by God"), used as a pejorative nickname for the Normans... [more]
Bilderback German (Modern, Archaic)
German: habitational name from any of the three places in northern Germany named Billderbeck, formerly Bilderbeck.... [more]
Billard English, German, French
From a short form of the personal name Robillard, a derivative of Robert.... [more]
Billeaud French
From a personal name composed of the Germanic elements bil "sword" (or possibly bili "gentle") + wald "ruler".
Billig German
Habitational name from a place named Billig, near Cologne. Nickname from Middle High German billich ‘proper’, ‘appropriate’.
Bilotti Italian
Variant of Bilotta and Bellotti, from a diminutive of Belli or Bello.
Bimbo Italian
From Italian meaning "baby, child".
Binderman German
From an occupation, a variant of Binder.
Bindschädler German (Swiss)
Derived from German binden "to bind" and Swiss German schädlen "to make wood vessels", this is an occupational surname referring to a cooper, a barrel maker.
Binetti Italian
Comes 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 German
A 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 Italian
Comes from the given name Albino and other names ending with -bino ending.
Binotti Italian
From Latin albus, "white", derivative of Albino.
Binotto Italian
Possible diminutive of Bini or Bino. Possible variant of German Binoth
Biondolillo Italian
Probably 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]
Bircher German (Swiss)
South German and Swiss German topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood, from Middle High German birche "birch" + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.
Birchler German (Swiss)
A Swiss German variant of Bircher.
Birindelli Italian
It is a regional surname of Tuscany common in provinces like Pisa, Lucca or Livorno.... [more]
Birk German
Either a variant of Buerk or a habitational name derived from places named Birk, Birke, or Birken.
Birnbaum German
Topographic name for someone who lived by a pear tree, from Middle High German bir "pear" and boum "tree".
Birne English, German, Jewish
Means "pear" in German, making it the German equivalent of Perry 1, perhaps originally referring to a person who harvested or sold pears... [more]
Birnfeld German (Portuguese-style, Rare, Expatriate)
Meaning “pear field” from the German words “birne”, meaning pear, and the word “feld”, meaning field.
Bischoff German
Means “bishop” in German.
Bischoffshausen German
Derived from the place name Bischoffshausen.
Biscotti Italian
An occupational surname for someone who sells or bakes biscotti.
Bismarck German
Noble family from the Altmark Region.
Bistolfo Italian
Bistolfi 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), English
BITENCOURT, 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 German
Occupational name for a cooper, from Middle High German büte(n) "cask", "(wine) barrel" + binder "binder" (agent derivative of binden "to bind").
Bitterman English, German
Name given to a person who was bitter.
Bixio Italian
From an older form of Ligurian bixo "grey", a nickname for someone with grey hair.
Bizet French
Derived from the name “Byset or Bisset”
Bizzarri Italian
From Italian bizzarro, "odd, eccentric, strange".
Blacher French
Mainly 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.
Blakesmith German (Anglicized)
Derived from the German, Blechschmidt, it means "tin smith", and/or, blacksmith.
Blank German, Dutch, Jewish
Means "white, pale, bright", a nickname for a person with white or fair hair or a pale complexion. As a Jewish name, it’s ornamental.
Blanke German, English, Dutch
Nickname for someone with a fair complexion. From Old High German blanc meaning "white".
Blankenbiller Dutch (Americanized), German (Americanized)
Possibly an Americanized form of Dutch Blankenbijl or German Blankenbühler.
Blankenbühler German
Possibly means "from the bare hill", from blanken "bare, bright" and bühl "hill".
Blankenstein German, Jewish
From German blanken meaning "bare" and stein meaning "stone".
Blase German
Derivative of Blasius.
Blasey French
The 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.
Bläsi Romansh
Derived from the given name Blasius.
Blasio Italian
Italian form of Blaise.
Blasioli Italian
Ancient and illustrious Benevento family, called Blasi or Di Blasi, of clear and avita nobility.
Blasius German, French
From 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, lisping", itself from Ancient Greek βλαισός (blaisos) "bent, crooked; bow-legged".
Blatt German, Jewish
Ornamental 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 German
German last name, likely a variant of the last name Blom or Blum, referring to the word flower/blooming.
Blaustein German, Jewish
Ornamental name from German blau "blue" and Stein "stone", i.e. lapis lazuli.
Blay French
From Old French bloi 'blond', or a habitational name from a placename, perhaps by metanalysis from Blois in Loir-et-Cher, France. Usually someone with the lastname 'Blay' is a gentle or merry person.
Bleau French
Roughly translated into " blue water".
Bleibaum German
"Lead tree" possibly changed at Ellis Island from Blumenbaum meaning "flowering tree"
Bleiberg Jewish, German
Means "lead hill" in German. Can be a toponymic name, likely from a place involved in lead mining, or an ornamental name.
Blesse English (British), Filipino, Indian, French
The last name Blesse was first discovered in Oxfordshire and held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. In the Philippines, Blesse means "a blessing in the family." In India, Blesse means "bless you."
Blessing German, English
Either a German patronymic from a variant of the personal name Blasius or a nickname for a bald person from Middle High German blas "bald bare"... [more]
Bleu French
"Blue."
Blind English, German, Dutch, Yiddish
A descriptive byname for a blind person.
Blitstein German, Jewish
Stein is the German word for stone.
Blitz German
This surname is presumed to be coming from a nickname for a fast runner or a quick tempered person, from German blitz(er) meaning "lightning" (ultimately from Middle High German blicze.)
Blitzer German, Jewish
Variant of Blitz. from German blitzer "lightning" (Middle High German blicze) presumably a nickname for a fast mover.
Blitzstein German, Jewish
Blitz is the German word for lightening and stein is the German word for stone.
Bloch Jewish, German, French
Regional name for someone in Central Europe originating from Italy or France, from Polish "Włoch" meaning "Italian" (originally "stranger / of foreign stock"), ultimately derived – like many names and words in various European languages – from the Germanic Walhaz.
Blöcker German
Occupational name for a jailer.
Blond French
Nickname from Old French blund, blond meaning "blond, fair-haired", a word of ancient Germanic origin.
Blondeau French
Diminutive of Blond.
Blondel French
From old French blondel a diminutive of blond "blond, fair" variant of Blond.
Blondin French
Diminutive of Blond, nickname for someone with fair hair.
Bluemel German
Diminutive of the Middle High German bluome meaning "flower." The name is believed to be an occupational name.
Bluestein German
The surname Bluestein is an Anglicized surname and translates as blue stone.
Bluhm German
German alternate spelling of the Italian surname, Blum meaning flower.
Blume German, English
Could be from the Jewish surname Blum of from Swedish Blom. It could also be from the English word bloom.
Blumenkrantz German, Jewish
Means "flower-wreath" in German.
Blumenschein German
from Middle High German bluomenschin "flower splendor" from the elements bluomo "bloom" and sconi "beautiful" probably a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by a sign depicting a bunch of flowers or decorated with flower designs or noted for its flower garden.
Blumreisinger German (Anglicized)
Meaning "flower raiser". See also Blum.
Bluth German, Jewish
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): ornamental name from Middle High German bluot, German Blüte ‘bloom’, ‘flower head’. ... [more]
Bo Italian
Variant of Bove.
Bob French
From the given name Bob.
Bobeck Swedish, German, Jewish, Slavic
A respelling of the Swedish Bobäck, an ornamental name composed of the elements bo meaning "farm" and bäck meaning "stream".... [more]
Boccabella Italian
Means "beautiful mouth".
Boccadamo Italian
Meaning uncertain, first element probably comes from bocca "mouth".
Boccadifuoco Italian
Means "mouth of fire", a nickname for someone known for picking fights, or perhaps given to foundlings.
Boccafusca Italian
Possibly means "dark mouth", from bocco "mouth" and fosco "dark, gloomy", a nickname for someone who often spoke ill of others, or perhaps given to foundlings.
Boccaletti Italian
Possibly related to boccale, a kind of jug often used for wine. An occupational name for an innkeeper.
Boccalupo Italian
Possibly from an Italian saying, in bocca al lupo, literally "in the mouth of the wolf", a way of wishing good luck.
Boccanera Italian
Means "black mouth".
Boccarossa Italian
Means "red mouth".
Boccasavia Italian
Means "sensible mouth", given to someone known for being wise, or giving good advice.
Bocchino Italian
The Italian family name is classified as being of nickname origin. The most obvious are those names which are based on a physical characteristic or personal attribute of the initial bearer. In this particular instance, according to the author Emedio De Felice, the family name Bocchino derives from "bocca", meaning "mouth", in turn derived from the Latin word "bucca".De Felice states that this family name may not only have arisen from a nickname which described the mouth in a literal sense, since "bocca" in a figurative sense designated such things such things as intelligence and veracity.... [more]
Bock German, Upper German, Jewish, English
Altered spelling of German Böck (see Boeck) or Bach 1.... [more]
Bockelmann German
Possibly derived from the name Bockel, a place in Germany. A famous bearer is Udo Jürgens (1934-2014), an Austrian musician, born Jürgen Udo Bockelmann.
Bode German, Dutch, English, Danish
Means "messenger, deliverer, herald; prophet, omen", ultimately from Old Germanic budą. This can be an occupational name, or a patronymic derived from a given name containing the element (see Bothe).
Bodeman German
Bodeman is an occupational name meaning "adherent of the royal messenger".
Boden German, Low German
Patronymic from the personal name Bode or a topographic name for someone living in a valley bottom or the low-lying area of a field. From Middle High German boden "ground, bottom".
Bodi French
The United State Version of Bodi is an alteration of the French name Baudin. The name also has roots from Hungary.
Bodin French, English
Derived from Old French personal name Bodin or a variant spelling of Baudouin.
Bodin German (Rare)
Likely derived from various Germanic personal names containing the name element Bod meaning "messenger". Another theory is that the name could be derived from any of the several places named Boddin in Germany.
Bodine French
Possibly derived from the Germanic root bald meaning "bold".
Boehme German
Variant of Böhm
Boehmer German
Variant of Böhm
Boehner German
Variant form of Bohner.
Boesel German
Habitational name, from Bösel
Boest German
Possibly derived from a shortened form of Sebastian.
Boettcher German
Occupational name for a cooper, from Middle High German botecher, bötticher, bütticher, an agent derivative of botech(e), bottich, bütte "vat", "barrel".
Boffi Italian
Possibly from buffare "to blow, to be short of breath", or a related term meaning "bloated".
Böhmisch German
Ethnic name for someone from Bohemia.
Bohne German
Variant of Bohn.
Bohne German
Habitational name for someone form the town of Bone in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Bohner German
Occupational name from an agent derivative of Middle Low German bönen meaning "to board, to lay a floor", and a topographic name for someone who lived in a loft, derived from a variant of Bohne combined with the suffix -er, denoting an inhabitant.
Böing German
From the Germanic name Boio (compare Boye).
Bois French, French (Quebec)
Derived from French bois "wood, forest", this name used to denote someone who lived near a forest.
Boise French
Variant of Bois.
Boisvert French
Means "green wood" in French, from bois "wood" and vert "green".
Boiteux French, Breton
From a Breton nickname meaning "lame".
Bold German, English
English: nickname from Middle English bold ‘courageous’, ‘daring’ (Old English b(e)ald, cognate with Old High German bald). In some cases it may derive from an Old English personal name (see Bald)... [more]
Bolding English, German
Patronymic from Bold as a personal name.
Boldt German
From the Germanic personal name Baldo, a short form of the various compound names with the first element bald ‘bold’.
Bolland French, German, English
From the Ancient Germanic name Bolland. Alternatively it derive from the place name Bowland from the Old English boga meaning "bow" and land meaning "land".
Bollard French
From a personal name composed of the Germanic elements boll "friend", "brother" + hard "hardy", "strong".
Bolle Italian
Means "bubbles" in Italian, derived from the singular bolla.... [more]
Bolling English, German
nickname for someone with close-cropped hair or a large head, Middle English bolling 'pollard', or for a heavy drinker, from Middle English bolling 'excessive drinking'. German (Bölling): from a personal name Baldwin
Bollinger German (Swiss)
Habitational name for someone from any of three places called Bollingen, in Schwyz, Württemberg, and Oldenburg, or from Bohlingen near Lake Constance (which is pronounced and was formerly written as Bollingen).
Bolognese Italian
One who came from Bologna.
Bolt Danish, German
Variant of Boldt.
Boltz German
May designate a creator of bolts for crossbows or bowmen. May also be a short form of Baldwin.
Bolzonaro Italian
Occupational name for a person who operated a battering ram, derived from Italian bolzone literally meaning "battering ram".
Bompadre Italian
From a medieval given name Bonuspater, meaning "good father", given in hopes that the "eternal father (god)" would look kindly on the child. Was often given to abandoned infants as a surname.
Bon French, Hungarian
As a French surname, it is derived from Old French bon meaning "good", or occasionally from the Latin given name Bonus (borne by a minor 3rd-century Christian saint martyred at Rome with eleven companions under the Emperor Vespasian... [more]
Bonacci Italian
"Bona" comes from the Italian for good, "Buona" and "cci" is ancient Latin form for "man." Thus, "the good man." A derivation of FiBonacci, or "son of Bonacci." Was the name of the famous mathematician, Leondardo de Pisa: Leonardo of Pisa is now known as Fibonacci short for filius Bonacci... [more]
Bonadonna Italian
From buona "good" and donna "woman, lady".
Bonaduce Italian
From the Latin phrase bona duce fortuna, "with good luck as your guide".
Bonaiuto Italian
Derived from the Medieval names Bonaita or Bonaiutus or also from the Medieval Italian bon meaning "good" and aita meaning "help"... [more]
Bonal French
This is a surname formed from the Latin root "bonus" (= good) and the Germanic "wald" (waldan = govern). Bonwald meaning good governor.
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