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.
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.
Bonalumi Italian
Means "good light".
Bonamici Italian
Means "good friend", originating as a nickname or from a given name of the same meaning.
Bonamy French
Meaning "good friend".
Bonanno Italian
From the medieval personal name Bonanno, an omen name meaning "good year". Mainly found throughout southern Italy.
Bonanunzio Italian
Combination of bon which means 'good' + the given name Nunzio.
Bonaparte Italian (Rare), French (Rare), Judeo-Italian (Rare), American (Rare), Caribbean (Rare)
Variant and French form of Buonaparte. This is also a Jewish surname. A notable bearer was Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1820), who ruled as Emperor of France from 1804 through 1814 and again briefly in 1815, who was of Italian (Tuscan) ancestry... [more]
Bonatti Italian
Comes from the pesonal name 'Bona' which is derived from Latin 'bonus', which means 'great'.
Bonaventure French
French cognate of Bonaventura
Bonera Italian
Bresciano surname (i.e., concentrated in Brescia, Lombardy, Italy), derived from the medieval Italian given name Bonora or Buonora which in turn meant "(it was a) good hour (when you were born)" from Latin bonus "good" and hora "time, hour".
Bonfanti Italian
From the given name Bonfante, meaning "good child".
Bonfiglio Italian
From the given name Bonfiglio an omen or well-wishing name meaning "good son" from bono "good" and‎ figlio "child, son"... [more]
Bongard German, French
In german a rhenish place name "Obstgarten" (orchard).... [more]
Bongiorno Italian
Italian from the medieval personal name Bongiorno (composed of bono ‘good’ + giorno ‘day’), bestowed on a child as an expression of the parents’ satisfaction at the birth (‘it was a good day when you were born’).
Bongiovanni Italian
Comes from the personal name Giovanni composed of the elements bon ‘good’ + Giovanni, Italian equivalent of John
Bongiovi Italian
Comes from the given name Giovi, combination of bon 'good' + Giovi.
Bonifaz German
From the given name Bonifaz.
Bonin French
Variant spelling of Bonnin.
Bonito Italian, Spanish
From the given name Bonito.
Bonjovi Italian
Variant of Bongiovi, a famous bearer of this name is Jon Bon Jovi.
Bonnefoy French
The name is derived from the French words bonne, meaning good, and foi meaning faith.
Bonnemaison French
Literally means "good house", derived from French bonne "good" and French maison "house". As such, this surname is most likely a locational surname, in that it originally either referred to someone who lived in a good house (probably more like a mansion) or to someone who was born in (or lived in) the place Bonnemaison, which is nowadays located in the Calvados department of France... [more]
Bonnin French
Derived from a diminutive of Bon, it is also found in the island of Mallorca and Turin, Italy.
Bono Italian
Variant of De Bono.
Bonomini Italian
Patronymic or plural form of Bonomo.
Bonsor French
Bonsor is from French origin mean good day Bon soir
Bontempo Italian
Italian cognate of "Bontemps"
Bontemps French
Derived from Old French bon temps meaning "good time". One popular bearer of the name is the American poet and novelist Arna Wendell Bontemps (1902-1973).
Bontrager German
Coming from the Old German, Bonträger or Bornträger, meaning 'water carrier'.
Bonus French, German, Dutch
Latinization of vernacular names meaning "good", for example French Lebon or Dutch De Goede.
Bonville French
Variant of Bonneville
Boot German, Dutch
Metonymic occupational name for a boat builder, sailor, or a ship’s carpenter, from Dutch boot "boat, ship".
Boot Dutch, German
Patronymic form of Bode, derived from either Old High German boto "messenger, envoy" or the related bot "command, order".
Boots Dutch, German
Patronymic form of Boot.
Bootz German, Dutch
Could be a patronymic form of Booz or Bodo, or a variant of Boots.
Borchert German, English
Variant of Borchardt (see Burkhard).
Bordaberry French, Spanish (Latin American), Basque
From Basque Bordaberri or Bordaberria, both widespread place names meaning "new hut/sheepfold/farm".
Bordeaux French
City in France.
Bordner German
A variant spelling of Bartner, a job name for a battle axe maker.
Boren German
Of unclear origin, most likely a variant of the German surname Born.
Borgnine Italian (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Borgnino. A notable bearer was the American actor Ernest Borgnine (1917-2012).
Borgo Italian
Borgo is an Italian surname, which means 'village' or 'borough'.
Boringhieri Romansh
Italianized form of Büergna.
Bormann German
This surname is presumed to be a variant of Bornemann, which is made up of Middle Low German born meaning "spring" and man meaning "man," denoting someone who lived by a spring or a well.
Born German, English
A topographical name indicating someone who lived near a stream, from the Old English "burna, burne". Alternatively, it could be contemporarily derived from the modern English word "born". Possible variants include Bourne, Burns 1 and Boren.
Borne French
From Old French borgne "one-eyed, blind", a nickname for someone with only one eye, or who had other problems with their vision, such as a squint or cross-eyes.
Borrelli Italian
There are three possible origins of this surname. It could derive from some place names located in Catania and Campania -two Italian southern regions. Another hypothesis is that it derives from the Celtic word borro, meaning "proud" or maybe "ditch"... [more]
Borromée Italian (Gallicized)
Gallicized form of Borromeo, used in reference to Saint Charles Borromeo, a 16th-century Italian cardinal.
Borstein German, Norwegian
Means "boron stone" in German and Norwegian.
Borzani Italian
Family of ancient and noble tradition, originally from Romagna. The commendator GB of Crollalanza reports the blazon of this family in the volumes of his historical blazon dictionary of the noble and notable Italian families... [more]
Boscolo Italian
Habitational name for someone who lived by a forest, derived from Italian bosco meaning "woods, forest".
Bosisio Italian
Probably from the municipality Bosisio in Lombardy.
Boso Italian
From the medieval personal name Boso, from a Germanic personal name derived from a pejorative nickname meaning ‘leader’, ‘nobleman’, or ‘arrogant person’. Compare Dutch Boos.
Bosshart German (Swiss)
Derived from Middle High German bōzen "to thrash" and hart "hard".
Bossi Italian
Variant of Bosso.
Bossi Romansh
Derived from the given name Burkhard.
Bossier French
Occupational name for a cooper, from an agent derivative of Old French bosse 'barrel'.
Bossmann German
Patronymic form of the Germanic name Boso.
Bosso Italian
Derived from Italian bosso "box tree", probably applied as a topographic name but possibly also as a metonymic occupational name for a wood carver or turner.
Boswell French (Anglicized)
The name Boswell is an Anglicization of the name of a French village: Boseville (Beuzeville). This was a village of 1400 inhabitants near Yvetot, in Normandy. (from 'A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames', by Charles W. Bardsley, New York, 1901)... [more]
Bottai Italian
From bottaio "cooper, barrel-maker".
Bottaio Romansh (Archaic)
Derived from Italian bottaio "cooper".
Bottaro Italian
Possibly from Italian bottaio "cooper, barrel-maker".
Botticelli Italian
Etymology uncertain. It can derive from the Italian word botte meaning "barrel" and from the occupation bottaio meaning "cooper". In the case of Sandro Botticelli it has probably another origin... [more]
Boudreaux French
Variant of Beaudreau. Originated in ancient area known as Languedoc, where the family was established. Comes from having lived in Languedoc, where the name was found since the early Middle Ages.
Boulanger French
Means "baker" in French.
Boulier French
Occupational name for a maker of balls or the organizer of a game of boules, from French boule meaning "ball".
Bourbon French
The Bourbons were one of the most important ruling houses of Europe . Its members were descended from Louis I, duc de Bourbon from 1327 to 1342, the grandson of the French king Louis IX (ruled 1226-70)... [more]
Bourbon French
habitational name from a village in Allier the site of the (now ruined) castle of Bourbon or from another place called (Le) Bourbon mainly in the southern part of France. The placename is derived from a Celtic and pre-Celtic element borb- denoting a hot spring.
Bourcard French, German (Gallicized)
From the given name Bourcard, variant of Bouchard, and frenchified form of Burckhardt.
Bourget French
Possibly meaning "from the city, town" or given to wealthy families, (from bourgeois)
Bourguignon French
Originally denoted a person from Burgundy (called Bourgogne in French), a historical region of east-central France.
Bourguin French
From the medieval name Bourguin the French form of Burgwin.
Boutet French
from a pet form of the ancient Germanic personal name Boto a short form of any of various names composed with the element bod "messenger"... [more]
Bouthillette French
Diminutive form of Boutilier.
Boutilier French
Name for a butler or sommelier of a medieval household.
Boutin French
Diminutive from the Germnic given name Bodo.
Bovary French
It is the surname of the famous fictional character Emma Bovary protagonist of Gustave Flaubert's novel.
Bovo Italian
Variant of Bove.
Boye German, Dutch, Frisian, Danish
From the Frisian given name Boye. Also possibly a variant of Bothe.
Bracco Italian
Either a nickname derived from Calabrian braccu meaning "small, chubby", or probably for someone thought to resemble a hunting dog, from Italian bracco literally meaning "hunting dog, bloodhound"... [more]
Bräger German
Habitational name for someone from Bräg in Bavaria.
Braille French
Braille is a writing system used by people with vision impairment. It was named after its inventor Louis Braille (1809-1852).
Brakhage German
Possibly from the Old German word 'brak' meaning 'uncultivated field,' or from the Middle German word 'brachen' meaning 'to till the soil.' ... [more]
Brancaccia Italian (Rare)
Derived from the medieval Italian given name Brancazia, which is the feminine form of the masculine given name Brancazio. For more information, please see the entry for the patronymic surname Brancazio... [more]
Brancaccio Italian
Variant form of Brancazio. There are a few sources that claim that the surname is derived from a place name (which would make it a locational surname), but that claim is incorrect, as all Italian geographical places carrying the name Brancaccio were either established long after the Middle Ages (by which time virtually all Italians already had a hereditary surname) or were named after a person who had Brancaccio for a surname... [more]
Brancaleone Italian
Derived from the medieval Italian masculine given name Brancaleone, which means either "a lion's paw" or "he who captures the lion". In the case of the former meaning, the name is derived from Italian branca meaning "paw, claw" combined with Italian leone meaning "lion"... [more]
Brancatella Italian (Rare)
Derived from the feminine given name Brancatella, which is a diminutive of the medieval Italian given name Brancazia, the feminine form of the masculine given name Brancazio. For more information about this, please see the entry for the patronymic surname of Brancazio... [more]
Brancatello Italian (Rare)
Derived from the masculine given name Brancatello, which is a diminutive of the medieval Italian given name Brancazio, itself ultimately derived from the late Latin given name Brancatius... [more]
Brancato Italian
This surname can be derived from a given name (thus making it a patronymic surname) as well as from a place name (thus making it a locational surname). In the case of a patronymic surname, the surname is derived from the medieval Italian given name Brancato, which is a variant form of the given name Brancazio, itself ultimately derived from the late Latin given name Brancatius... [more]
Brancazio Italian (Rare)
Derived from the medieval Italian masculine given name Brancazio, which itself is derived from Brancatius (also found spelled as Brancaccius and Brancatus), a late Latin corruption of the given name Pancratius... [more]
Branche French
From Old French branche meaning ‘branch’ (which is from Late Latin branca meaning ‘foot’, ‘paw’), the application of which as a surname is not clear. Compare Branch.
Branciforte Italian, Sicilian
nickname from branchi "claws hands" (plural of branca) and forte "strong" meaning "strong claw".
Brandenburg German
habitational name from Brandenburg the name of a province its principal city and numerous other places.
Brandhorst German, Dutch
Possibly derived from brant "fire, torch, sword" and horst "thicket, grove, heap, elevated land" or "nest of a bird of prey, eyrie".
Brandis German, Jewish, Swiss
German & Swiss: Habitational name from a former Brandis castle in Emmental near Bern, Switzerland, or from any of the places so named in Saxony, Germany. A famous bearer of the name is Jonathan Brandis (1976-2003).... [more]
Brando Italian, Portuguese
from the ancient Germanic (Langobardic) personal name Brando a short form of various compound personal names formed with brand "sword" particularly Aldobrando and Ildebrando... [more]
Brands Dutch, German
Patronymic from the given name Brand, derived from Old Dutch brand "fire, sword, torch" or a name containing the element.
Branner Danish, German, English
Danish variant of BRANDER and German variant of BRANTNER.
Braque French
Surname of cubist artist Georges Braque.
Bras French, Dutch
From Old French and Middle Dutch bras "arm". This was probably a descriptive nickname for someone with some peculiarity of the arm, but the word was also used as a measure of length, and may also have denoted a surveyor.
Brase German
North German variation of Brass.
Brashear French (Anglicized)
Americanized spelling of French Brasseur or Brassier "brewer."
Brass English, German
English (Northumberland): variant of Brace.... [more]
Brassard French
Derivative of bras "arm" most likely applied as a nickname denoting a person with strong arms or perhaps a pugilist.
Brasseur French
French and English (of both Norman and Huguenot origin): occupational name for a brewer, from Old French brasser ‘to brew’. See also Brasher.
Brau Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from the dialectical term brau, meaning "wild, untamed" in Sardinian and "brave, fierce" or "bull" in Catalan, or from blau "blue, turquoise".
Brauch German
From Middle High German bruchen "to enjoy".
Brault French
Variant of Béraud.
Braundt German
Variant of Brandt.
Braunersreuther German
From a toponym meaning "Bruno’s clearing".
Bräunlich German
Originally a nickname for a person who had brown hair or skin, meaning "brownish" in German.
Braunschweig German, Jewish
Denoted a person from the city of Braunschweig in Lower Saxony, Germany, which is of Old Saxon origin meaning "Bruno's settlement".
Braunstein German, Jewish
Ornamental name composed of German braun "brown" and stein "stone".
Bréant French
Likely a variant of Bréhant.
Brecht German
From a short form of any of various personal names formed with Germanic element berth " bright" "famous".
Breeding German
Likely from an ancient Germanic given name, now lost.
Breeding German
From the Low German brēde "open field". Denotes a person from such a place.
Breeding German
Americanized form of Breiding.
Brehme German
Variant form of Bremer. German former soccer player Andreas Brehme (1960-) bears this name.
Breidegam German
"bridegroom"
Breiding German
From the name of a place in the Lippe area in northwestern Germany.
Breiding German
South German; shortened form of the given name Breide.
Breit German
From Middle High German breit meaning "broad". a nickname for a stout or fat person.
Breithaupt German
Nickname for someone with a broad head, from Middle High German breit "broad" and houbet or houpt "head".
Breitkreutz German
probably a nickname for a person with a broad butt. Breitkreutz replaced an earlier more transparent form of the surname Breitarsch the use of kreuz (literally "cross") as a euphemism for "buttocks" first occurring in the 17th century... [more]
Breitwieser German
Derived from German breit "broad" and wisa "meadow".
Breitzmann German
Eastern German topographic name for someone who lived by a birch wood, ultimately derived from the Slavic stem bres "birch".
Bremer German
Indicated a person from Bremen in the State of Bremen, Germany.
Bremont French
A variant of Bremond.
Brenari Jewish, Italian
Jewish family and possible place-name in N.E.Italy in 1500's.
Brenn German
Variant of Brenner.
Brenner German, German (Austrian), Jewish
Derived from Middle High German brennen "to burn". Both as a German and a Jewish name, this was an occupational name for a distiller of spirits. As a German surname, however, it also occasionally referred to a charcoal or lime burner or to someone who cleared forests by burning.
Breon French
Variant of Bréant.
Bresson French
From a pet form of the personal name Brès (see Brice).
Breton French, English
French and English: ethnic name for a Breton, from Old French bret (oblique case breton) (see Brett).
Breuer German, Jewish
occupational name for a brewer of beer or ale from Middle High German briuwer "brewer". Cognitive of Brewer.
Breunig German, German (Austrian), American
Origin probably in Frankfurt am Main... [more]
Brevard French
French: nickname from Old French bref ‘small’ + the derogatory suffix -ard.... [more]
Breyer German (Americanized)
Americanized variant of Brauer.
Brian Irish, English, French
1) Variant spelling of Bryan. ... [more]
Briand French
Variant of Brian.
Briar German
From the given name Briar.
Briatore Italian
This surname originates from the province of Cuneo in the Piedmont region of Italy. It is probably derived from Piedmontese brijador meaning "postilion, coachman", which itself is ultimately derived from Piedmontese bria meaning "bridles, reins".... [more]
Brick Irish (Anglicized), English, German, Jewish
Irish Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Bruic "descendant of Broc", i.e. "badger" (sometimes so translated) or Ó Bric "descendant of Breac", a personal name meaning "freckled"... [more]
Brickner German
Derived from "brückenbauer," which means "bridge builder" in English. It was originally an occupational name for someone who built bridges. Over time, the name Brickner was likely shortened from Brückenbauer to its current form.
Bridon French (Rare)
Patronymic surname derived from French bride "bridle, harness", this name used to denote a maker or merchant of bridle, harness or horse-gear and more generally a saddler.
Brie French
Variant of Labrie.
Briet French, Picard
Of uncertain origin and meaning.
Briette French
Variant of Briet.
Brinck German
Means "home on or near a hill".... [more]
Brindisi Italian
habitational name from Brindisi a port of southern Italy named in Latin as Brundisium.
Briner German (Swiss)
Habitational name for someone from Brin in Grison canton (Graubünden) or from the Brin valley.
Brinker German, Dutch
Derived from brink "edge, slope" or "village green", indicating that the bearer of the surname lived near a prominent slope of land or next to the centre of a village.
Brion French
Refers to any of several places of the same name. Derived from Gaulish briga "height, hill" and the suffix -one.
Brion French
Short form of the given name Abrion, a pet form of Aubrey.... [more]
Brion French
Variant of Breon.
Brisse French
Derived from the given name Brictius.
Brisset French
Variant of Brisse by way of adding the diminutive suffix -et.
Brizendine French, English, Jewish
Derived from a personal name, probably of Celtic origin (Latinized as Britus), which was borne by a 5th century saint, who succeeded St. Martin as bishop of Tours.
Broccoli Italian, Sicilian
From the Italian plural for “The flowering crest of a cabbage”. Best known as the surname of the (Calabrian-originated) Sicilian American family who made James Bond internationally famous, by making movies (loosely) based on the books where the titular antihero himself appeared.
Brochtrup German
Possibly indicated someone who was from a farm called Brochtrup in the town of Lüdinghausen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. A famous bearer is American actor Bill Brochtrup (1963-).
Brocker German
North German topographic name for someone who lived by a swamp, from Middle Low German brook bog + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.
Brockhaus German
Occupational hereditary surname for a person who was physically powerful, derived from Old German brock which may refer to persons with a stocky or strong build. Or derived from Old German "Brook" or "Brauk," for people near a marshy landscape, common in northern regions.
Brockman German
German in origin, in heraldry a "brock" is represented by a badger. It could mean wet/water and man. It also has been said to mean broker.
Brogna Italian
From Sicilian brogna "conch, shell".
Brogni Italian
Possibly from the dialectical term brogneau meaning "wild plum", or figuratively "foreigner".
Brogno Italian
Possibly from the given name Bronius.
Broin Italian
Italian and French form of or comes from Brown.
Brook German
From Low German brook meaning "marsh, swamp".
Brook German, Jewish
Americanized spelling of German Bruch and Jewish Bruck.
Brosi Romansh
Derived from the given name Ambrosius.
Brosig German
Brosig is a German patronymic from a vernacular pet form of the personal name Ambrosius (see Ambrose).
Brosseau French
Derived from a diminutive of Brusse.
Brottman German
Dr Mikita Brottman
Brousseau French
Southern French variant of Brosseau.
Bruch German
Topographic name for someone who lived by a marsh or a stream that frequently flooded, from Middle High German bruoch "water meadow" or "marsh" (cognate to old English broc "brook", "stream" cf... [more]
Brück German
Topographic name for someone who lived near a bridge, or an occupational name for a bridge keeper or toll collector on a bridge, from Middle High German bruck(e) "bridge".
Bruck German
Variant of Brück.
Brucker German
Variant of Brück.
Bruckheimer German (Rare)
Bruckheimer is a German surname and is for someone who lived near a bridge.... [more]
Bruckman German, English
German (Bruckmann): variant of Bruck, with the addition of the suffix -mann ‘man’. ... [more]
Bruckner German
Topographic name for someone living by a bridge or an occupational name for a bridge toll collector; a variant of Bruck with the addition of the suffix -ner.
Brucks German
A variant of the German based surname 'Bruck', which roughly means 'bridge'.