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.
Burel Frenchmetonymic occupational name for a worker in the wool trade or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually dressed in brown from Old French
burel borel a diminutive of
boure "frieze" a type of coarse reddish brown woolen cloth with long hairs (from Late Latin
burra "coarse untreated wool").
Burger English, German, DutchStatus name for a freeman of a borough. From Middle English
burg, Middle High German
burc and Middle Dutch
burch "fortified town". Also a German habitational name for someone from a place called Burg.
Burgio ItalianDenoting someone from a town of the same name, ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European word meaning "high, lofty", possibly by way of Arabic
بُرْج (
burj) "tower", German
burg "castle, fortification; settlement", French
bourg "burg, market town", or Latin
burgus "watchtower, fortified town".
Burgmeier GermanOccupational name for the tenant farmer of an estate belonging to a castle or fortified town, from Middle High German
burc "(fortified) town, castle" and
meier "tenant farmer" (see
Meyer 1).
Burkhalter GermanTopographic name composed of the Middle High German elements
burc "castle" "protection" and
halter from
halde "slope".
Burkhardt GermanBurk is German for "Strong", and hardt is the "heart of a castle".
Burmeister GermanNorth German: status name for the mayor or chief magistrate of a town, from Middle Low German
bur ‘inhabitant, dweller’, ‘neighbor’, ‘peasant’, ‘citizen’ +
mester ‘master’.
Burnette FrenchDescriptive nickname from Old French
burnete ‘brown’ (see
Burnett). Possibly also a reduced form of
Buronet, from a diminutive of Old French
buron ‘hut’, ‘shack’.
Burr English, Scottish, GermanNickname for a person who is difficult to shake off, derived from Middle English
burr meaning "bur" (a seedhead that sticks to clothing). It could also be a derivation from Old English
bur meaning "small dwelling, building", or a German topographic name derived from
burre meaning "mound, hill"... [
more]
Busalacchi ItalianMeans "father of Zallaq", from Arabic
أَبُو (
abu) "father of" and
الزلاق (
zallaq) of unknown meaning, possibly related to the given name
Salah 1 meaning "righteousness".
Buschiazzo ItalianIt's a surname in northern Italy (Piedmont). It emerges from the German spelling Bosch or Busch and this means "forest" or "wooded area".
Butta ItalianItalian: from a short form of a compound name formed with butta- ‘throw’, as for example Buttacavoli.Italian: from an old German feminine personal name Butta.Italian: variant of Botta.
Butter English, German1. English: nickname for someone with some fancied resemblance to a bittern, perhaps in the booming quality of the voice, from Middle English, Old French butor ‘bittern’ (a word of obscure etymology)... [
more]
Büttner GermanOccupational name for a cooper or barrel-maker, an agent derivative of Middle High German
büte(n) "cask", "wine barrel". This name occurs chiefly in eastern German-speaking regions.
Buxtehude German, Low GermanFrom the name of the town of
Buxtehude in Lower Saxony, Germany. A famous bearer of this surname was the German-Danish Baroque composer and organist Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637-1707).
Caan Scottish, German, JewishAltered spelling of Jewish
Cohen, or probably denoted a person from the city of Aberdeen in Scotland. Famous bearers of this surname include American actor James Caan (1940-2022), as well as his son Scott Caan (1976-), also a noted actor.
Cabalzar RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Balzer.
Cabaniss FrenchVariant spelling of
Cabanis, a habitational name from any of various places in Gard named Cabanis, from Late Latin capannis ‘at the huts’, ablative plural of capanna 'hut'... [
more]
Cabboi ItalianProbably from Sardinian
caboi "capon", a gelded cockerel, perhaps a nickname for a cowardly person.
Cabell Catalan, English, GermanAs a Catalan name, a nickname for "bald" from the Spanish word
cabello. The English name, found primarily in Norfolk and Devon, is occupational for a "maker or seller of nautical rope" that comes from a Norman French word... [
more]
Cabernard RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Bernard.
Cacciatore ItalianDerived from Italian
cacciatore meaning "hunter, huntsman", ultimately derived from
cacciare meaning "to hunt".
Cacioppo Italian, SicilianDerived from Sicilian
cacioppu meaning "dried tree trunk", presumably applied as a nickname for someone with wizened skin, or from
caciopu meaning "short-sighted" (derived from Greek
kakiopes, literally meaning "having bad eyes").
Cadalbert RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the German given name
Adalbert.
Cadeddu ItalianFrom Sardinian
cadeddu "puppy, whelp", ultimately from Latin
catellus.
Caderas RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and
dera "free area".
Caderousse French, LiteratureA character in the classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. In the novel, Caderousse is a tailor and inkeeper who aids in the arrest of Dantès.
Cadetg RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Benedetg.
Cadieli RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Gieli.
Cadillac FrenchFrom the name of a city in France, of origin I am not sure of (anyone who knows the name's etymology edit this). This is most notably the name of the car company of the same name, named after Detroit, Michigan founder Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac.
Cadisch RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family", in combination with
Disch.
Cadonau RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Donatus.
Caduff RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Duff, itself a diminutive of
Rudolf.
Cadusch RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Dusch.
Caflisch RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family", in combination with
Flisch.
Cagianut RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and a diminutive of the given name
Gian.
Cagienard RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Gienard.
Cahannes RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the German given name
Hannes.
Cahans RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Hans.
Cahenzli RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the German given name
Hänsli.
Caillou FrenchMeans "pebble" in French. Perhaps a nickname for a bald person.
Caine French, EnglishOriginally from a French derogatory nickname for someone with a bad temper.
Cajacob RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Jacob.
Cajochen RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the German given name
Jochen.
Cajöri RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Jöri.
Calafiore Italian, Sicilianaltered form of Calaciura from the Greek name
Kalokiourēs a variant of
Kalokyrēs Kalokyrios meaning "good man".
Calamari ItalianFrom Latin
calamarius "relating to a writing reed, ink pen", a name for a scribe, or perhaps a fisherman from the Italian descendant
calamaro "squid, calamari".
Calandra Italianfrom
calandra "skylark" (from Latin
calandra) probably a nickname for someone with a fine singing voice.
Calasso ItalianPossibly from the given name
Galasso, or from the dialectical word
cala "cove, inlet, creek".
Calcaterra ItalianNickname from calcare meaning "to tread", "to stamp" + terra meaning "land", "earth", "ground", probably denoting a short person, someone who walked close to the ground, or an energetic walker.
Calderone ItalianFrom the Latin word
Caldaria "cauldron". Given to someone who worked as a tinker or tinsmith. Italian cognitive of
Calderón.
Caliesch RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Aliesch.
Caliezi RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Gliezi.
Caligiuri ItalianComes from the Greek words "kalos" meaning "beautiful" and "gheros" meaning "elderly," and was often given to children in the hopes that they would retain their beauty in their old age.
Calliari Italian (Latinized, Archaic)This is an Italian surname, in the north of Italy. Calliari is the result of the deformation of the graphically
Calligari, where you can clearly see excision of the letter or character D, which is located in the middle of the surname... [
more]
Calonder RomanshEither derived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Leonhard or from the name of the mountain
Calanda.
Caluori RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and a contraction of the given names
Gallus and
Uori.
Caluzi RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Luzi.
Camartin RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Martin.
Camathias RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Mathias.
Cambria ItalianDenoted to someone from Cambria, Sicily, possibly of Arabic origin.
Camen RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Men.
Camenisch RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and
Menisch, itself derived from the given name
Dumeni.
Camerano ItalianFrom the name of the town of
Camerano near the city of Ancona in Marche, Italy.
Camichel RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Michael.
Caminada RomanshDerived from Late Latin
caminata, denoting a room provided with a fireplace.
Camiu RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and a short form of the given name
Barclamiu.
Cammarata ItalianHabitational name from any of various places in Sicily named Cammarata, all derived from Greek καμάρα
(kamara) meaning "vault".
Camoranesi ItalianOriginally indicated a person from
Camerano, a small town near the city of Ancona in central Italy. A famous bearer of this name is the Argentine-born Italian former soccer player Mauro Camoranesi (1976-).
Campagna ItalianName for someone originally from any of various locations named Campagna, all derived from Latin
Campania, itself from
campus meaning "field".
Campion Norman, FrenchEnglish (of Norman origin) and French: status name for a professional champion (see
Champion,
Kemp), from the Norman French form
campion.
Canada French, EnglishIt derives from the Middle English "cane", a development of the Old French "cane", meaning cane, reed.
Cancro ItalianDerived from Italian
cancro "cancer". Probably an occupational name for a person who catches, cooks, sells crabs.
Candela Spanish, Italian, Sicilian, CatalanEither an occupational name for a chandler (a candle maker or candle seller) or a nickname for a tall thin person, derived from
candela meaning "candle" (from Latin
candela).
Candreia RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Andreia.
Canella ItalianItalian regional surname denoting someone who lived by a canal. From the Italian
canale 'canal', from the Latin
canalis meaning "canal; conduit; groove; funnel; or ditch". Alternatively, it may come the genus name of wild cinnamon, a diminutive of the Latin
canna "reed, cane".
Cannarsa ItalianPossibly means "dry throat", a joking nickname for someone who drinks too much.
Cannavaro ItalianProbably from a nickname used to refer to rope makers or hemp growers. This surname is most famously borne by brothers Fabio (1973–) and Paolo Cannavaro (1981–), former football players.
Cannella ItalianDerived from the word "Cinnamon" in Italian meaning someone who was a baker and or made cinnamon.
Canova RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and
nova, the feminine form of the adjective
nov "new".
Cantagallo ItalianFrom the name of a town, or possibly a nickname meaning "singing rooster".
Cantalupi ItalianDenoting a person from Cantalupo, the name of several towns and counties near wooded areas where wolves could be heard. From Italian
canta "singing" and
lupo "wolf". ... [
more]
Canteloup FrenchName of several places in France. The surname means "Song of the Wolf" from canta and loup as in "place where the wolves howl".
Cantieni RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Antieni.
Cantone ItalianHabitational name for someone from any of various locations named Cantone, derived from Italian
cantone meaning "canton, corner".
Cantore ItalianFrom
cantore "cantor, singer", itself from Latin
canto "sing; enchant, call forth by charms".
Capadrutt RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Padrutt.
Capaldo ItalianProbably a diminutive of Italian
capo meaning "head", perhaps used as a nickname for a stubborn or hard-headed person.
Capaul RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Paul.
Cape French, English (British)French and English: metonymic occupational name for a maker of capes and cloaks, or perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually wore a cloak or cape, from Middle English and Old Norman French cape ‘cape’, ‘cloak’, ‘hooded cloak’ (in French also ‘hood’ or ‘hat’), from Late Latin cappa, capa, probably a derivative of caput ‘head’ (see Capp)... [
more]
Capecchi ItalianProbably from Old Italian
capecchio, either denoting a type of cheap batting and, by extension, upholsterers, who worked with it, or as a nickname for a person with bristly hair or beard.... [
more]
Capeder RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Peder.
Caplazi RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Plazi.
Capol RomanshDerived from Romansh
casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name
Pol.
Capone ItalianAugmentative of Italian
capo meaning "head", used as a nickname for a big-headed or arrogant person.
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".
Capri Italianhabitational name for someone from Capri the island in the Bay of Naples.
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.
Caprio Italianfrom Latin
caprae ‘goats’ or possibly from Greek
kapros "(wild) boar" and so a metonymic occupational name for a goatherd or swineherd or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a goat or boar.
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.... [
more]
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.... [
more]
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... [
more]
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.
Carioto ItalianIt means “deer” and originates from Italy the surname is considerably rare the total number is still unknown
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.