Swiss
names are used in the country of Switzerland in central Europe.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Capra ItalianFrom the Latin word
capra meaning "nanny goat." This was a name originally borne by shepherds / goat herders.
Capraro ItalianOccupational name for a goatherd, derived from Italian
capra meaning "goat".
Capriati ItalianFrom the name of the province in Campania Italy named "Capriati a Volturno".
Capricorne FrenchDerived from the Latin word
(Capricornus) meaning "horned like a goat". Probably a nickname for an ambitious person.
Capua ItalianCapua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km (16 mi) north of Naples on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now.... [
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Caputo ItalianDerived from Latin
caput meaning "head", used as a nickname for a big-headed or stubborn person.
Caradine English, German (Anglicized)Americanized form of German
Gardein, itself a Germanized spelling of French
Jardin. It could also denote someone from the village and civil parish of
Carden in Cheshire, England.
Carafa ItalianIt could derive from toponyms such as Caraffa del Bianco in the province of Reggio Calabria or Caraffa in the province of Catanzaro.... [
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Cardellini ItalianFrom a diminutive of
Cardelli. A famous bearer of this surname is the American actress Linda Cardellini (1975-).
Cardillo ItalianCardillo is a surname of Sicilian origin, derived from the word
cardilla, meaning ''goldfinch''.
Cardon Frenchfrom the name of several places in southern France called (Le) Cardon. Or from Old Norman French
cardon "thistle" (a diminutive of
carde from Latin
carduus) hence a topographic name for someone who lived on land overgrown with thistles an occupational name for someone who carded wool (originally a process carried out with thistles and teasels) or perhaps a nickname for a prickly and unapproachable person... [
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Cardone Italian, SicilianFrom Sicilian
carduni "thistle, teasel, cardoon" possibly a topographic name but also could mean "rough, uncouth, stingy, or miserly".
Carducci ItalianFrom
Riccarduccio, an affectionate form of the given name
Riccardo. A famous bearer of this surname is Italian poet Giosuè Carducci (1835-1907), winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1906.
Carganico ItalianPossibly from
cargar, an Italic descendent of Latin
carrico "to load", indicating someone who carried or loaded items for transport for a living.
Carisch RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Risch.
Carlin GermanHabitational name from a place named Carlin in Germany.
Carlsberg GermanVariant spelling of
Karlsberg or derived from the name of a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Carniglia ItalianDerived from the Latin word “carnem”, meaning “flesh”, and likely referred to a person who worked with meat or was a butcher. The surname may have also been adopted as a nickname for someone who was particularly robust or fleshy.
Carosella ItalianFrom
carosello "carousel, merry-go-round", possibly a nickname for a farmer, as a carousel was an allotment of grain collected by farmers. Also a type of jousting tournament.
Caroti ItalianFrom Italian
carota "carrot", probably referring to the bearer's hair colour.
Carpenito ItalianThis surname derives from a person who had worked as a "carpenter".
Carre FrenchFrench (Carré): from Old French carré "square", applied as a nickname for a squat, thickset man.
Carrel FrenchFrench: from Old French quar(r)el ‘bolt (for a crossbow)’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of crossbow bolts or a nickname for a short, stout man. The word also meant ‘paving slab’, and so it could also have been a metonymic occupational name for a street layer... [
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Carrera Spanish, ItalianSpanish: topographic name for someone living by a main road,
carrera ‘thoroughfare’, originally a road passable by vehicles as well as pedestrians (Late Latin
carraria (via), a derivative of
carrum ‘cart’), or a habitational name from any of various places named with this word.... [
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Cartier French, NormanOriginal Norman French form of
Carter. A notable bearer was Breton-French explorer Jacques Cartier (1491-1557), who is known for discovering the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Carucci ItalianDerived from Medieval Latin names
Carutius or
Caruccius or from the Italian term
caruccio composed by
caro meaning "dear" with the endearment suffix
-uccio.
Carulli ItalianIt should derive from the late Latin cognomen Carullus, a hypochoristic form of the more widespread cognomen Carus.... [
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Carville French, IrishAs a French location name it comes from a settlement in Normandy. As an Irish name it derives from a word for "warrior".
Casagrande ItalianHabitational name for someone from any of the various locations called Casagrande or Casa Grande, derived from Italian
casa meaning "house" and
grande meaning "big, large".
Casanova Catalan, ItalianCatalan and Italian: topographic name from Latin
casa ‘house’ +
nova ‘new’, or a habitational name from any of the many places named with these words.
Casapiccola ItalianHabitational name for someone from any of the various locations called Casapiccola or Casa Piccola, derived from Italian
casa meaning "house" and
piccola meaning "small".
Casaulta RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and
aulta, the feminine form of the adjective
ault, "high".
Casavantes French, Spanish, BasqueTopographic name composed of
casa "house" +
avant "ahead of forward" + the suffix
-es, denoting one who lived in the house located at the beginning of a village. This surname has died out in France.
Caseli RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Seli, a short form of
Salomon.
Casella ItalianFrom casa "house" (Latin casa "hut, cottage, cabin"), perhaps originally denoting the occupier of the most distinguished house in a village. Italian chef Cesare Casella (1960 - ) is one such bearer of this name.
Cassata ItalianDerived from the Italian word
cassata, denoting a sweet cake made with cheese and candied fruit.
Cassatt FrenchOrigin uncertain. This is not known as a surname in Britain. It may be an Americanized form of a French name such as
Casault.
Cassel English, French, GermanA surname derived from the Latin military term
castellum "watchtower, fort". A variant spelling of the word castle. Denoted someone hailing from the commune of Cassel in the Nord départment in northern France or the city of Kassel (spelled Cassel until 1928) in Germany... [
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Casselberry German (Anglicized)Americanized form of German
Kesselberg, which may derive from various places called
Kesselberg or
Kesselburg in the states of Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bavaria in Germany.
Castagna ItalianFrom Italian
castagna "chestnut" (from Latin
castanea) for someone who worked with chestnuts. Variant of
Castagno and Italian cognitive of
Chastain.
Castagno ItalianFor someone who lived near a chestnut tree from
castagno "chestnut" (from latin
castanea). Variant of
Castagna and Italian cognitive of
Chastain.
Castel FrenchTopographic name from a derivative of Late Latin
castellum "castle" (a diminutive of Latin
castrum "fort Roman walled city") or a habitational name from any of several places called (Le) Castel... [
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Castellan ItalianThis name is of Latin origin. It comes from "castellanus" meaning 'castellan, steward of a castle'.
Castiglia ItalianA Regional name for someone from Castile in Spain. Castile was an independent kingdom between the 10th and 15th centuries, it formed the largest power in the Iberian peninsula. The name derives from the many castles in the region.
Castiglione ItalianHabitational name for someone from any of various places called Castiglione, derived from Italian
castiglione meaning "castle, fortress".
Castrogiovanni ItalianHabitational name from
Castrogiovanni, the name until 1927 of Enna in central Sicily.
Casura RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and
sura "above; upper".
Cathomas RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Thomas.
Cathomen RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Thoman.
Catone ItalianDerived from the name of the Roman republican statesman Cato, used as a nickname.
Catschegn RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and a short form of the given name
Vincentius.
Cattell Anglo-Saxon, French, Old NorseOriginated in Scandinavia as a patronym of the first name
Thurkettle, a derivative of the Olde Norse name
Arnkell, which is composed of
arn meaning "eagle" and
ketil meaning "a helmet" or "a helmeted warrior" as well as "cauldron", but helmet is the more likely translation... [
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Cauchon French, Norman, PicardMetonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of slippers, derived from French
chausson literally meaning "slipper".
Cava Italian, Catalan, Spanish, PortugueseFrom
cava ‘cave’, ‘cellar’ (from Latin
cavea), hence a metonymic occupational name for someone employed in the wine cellars of a great house, a topographic name for someone who lived in or near a cave, or a habitational name from any of numerous places named with this word.
Cavalcanti ItalianMeans "riding" in Italian. An occupational surname for people who worked with horses.
Cavalera ItalianA bearer of this name is Brazilian metal musician Max Cavalera, whose father was Italian.
Cavallini ItalianThe surname comes from the words "cavallaro," which means a horse dealer; or from "cavalieri," meaning a horseman, rider or knight.
Cave Norman, French, EnglishA name of various possible origins. As a Norman French name Cave can mean "bald" from
cauf or it can mean "worker in a wine cellar" or "one who dwelt in or near a cave". As an English name Cave refers to a Yorkshire river whose fast current inspired the name meaning "swift".
Cavegn RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Vivengius, itself a variant of
Viventius.
Cavelti RomanshThe first element is derived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family". The second element is of debated origin and meaning; theories include an adoption of Swiss German
Welti.
Caviezel RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Viezel, a Romansh form of
Wetzel.
Cavigelli RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Vigelli (see
Vigeli).
Caylus FrenchOf debated origin and meaning; theories include a Southern French corruption of Latin
castellum "castle, fort, citadel, fortress, stronghold".
Centofanti ItalianMeans "a hundred soldiers on foot" in Italian, derived from Italian
cento meaning "(a) hundred" and Italian
fanti, which is the plural form of
fante meaning "soldier, infantryman"... [
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Cera Spanish, Italian, Catalan, SicilianMetonymic occupational name for a wax seller, derived from Latin
cera meaning "wax". A famous bearer of this surname is Canadian actor and musician Michael Cera (1988-).
Cerasuolo ItalianMeans "cherry-colored." Appears as a word in many Italian dictionaries, but may have origins in the Greek period of Naples, where it seems to have originated. There are at least two villages found with the name, the most notable being near Monte Cassino, where many Japanese-American soldiers won Medals of Honor or other awards for heroism during WW II... [
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Cerise French, ItalianItalian habitational name from La Cerise or Torrent-La Cerise placenames in Valle d'Aosta from French
cerise "cherry"; and French occupational name from
cerise "cherry" (from Latin
cerasus) applied as a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or sold cherries.
Cetrulo ItalianPossibly from Italian
citrullo "fool, simpleton", or alternately from Latin
citrullus "watermelon".
Chabot FrenchFrom chabot ‘bull-head’, a species of fish with a large head, hence a nickname for someone with a big head and a small body.
Chalamet FrenchNickname for someone who played the reed or an occupational name for seller of torches, from a regional form of Old French
chalemel meaning "reed" or "blowtorch". A notable bearer is American actor Timothée Chalamet (1995-).
Challoner French, WelshDerived from a town in France of the same name. This family derive their origin from Macloy Crum, of the line of chiefs in Wales, who resided several years in Challoner.
Champagne Frenchregional name for someone from Champagne, named in Latin as Campania (from campus 'plain', 'flat land'). This is also the name of various villages in France, and in some cases the family name may derive from one of these.
Champion English, Frenchfrom Middle English Old French
campion champiun champion "athlete" such as a wrestler or boxer; also "warrior hired to do battle in single combat on behalf of others" (from Late Latin
campio genitive
campionis a derivative of campus "plain field of battle")... [
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Champlain FrenchName given to those who live in or around fields. Known barrer of the name is Samuel de Champlain who founded Quebec, Canada and after whom the lake is named.
Chapdelaine FrenchCompound name derived from Old French
chape meaning "hooded cloak, cape, hat" and
de laine meaning "of wool", probably applied as a metonymic occupational name for a maker of such apparel, or as a nickname for someone who wore a distinctive cloak or hat.
Chapel FrenchOccupational name for a maker of cloaks or a nickname for a person who wore a distinctive cloak, from a diminutive of Old French
chape meaning "cape, cloak".
Chapelle FrenchTopographic name for someone who lived near a chapel from French
chapelle "chapel" or from several places in France and Belgium called (La) Chapelle and variant of
Lachapelle,
Capelle, and
Chappelle.
Chapin French, SpanishFrom a reduced form of French
eschapin or Spanish
chapín, a term for a light (woman's) shoe; perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore this type of footwear or possibly a metonymic occupational name for a shoemaker.
Chapuis FrenchOccupational name from Old French
chapuis "carpenter joiner" a derivative of
chapuiser "to cut" (from Late Latin
cappulare). Variant of
Chappuis.
Chariot FrenchMeans "cart" in French. Perhaps an occupational name for a cartwright or a carter.
Charisse FrenchOf unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in honour of American actress and dancer Cyd Charisse (1921-2008).
Charlier French, WalloonOccupational name for a cartwright wheelwright from Old French
charrelier a derivative of
charrel "cart" a diminutive of
char "cart carriage".