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.
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
Basilius.
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.
Cassese ItalianFrom Arabic
قِسِّيس (
qissis) "priest", perhaps a nickname for someone who worked for or was related to a priest, or perhaps someone who was notably pious.
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".
Catapano ItalianMeans "catapan, governor of a catepanate", ultimately from Byzantine Greek
κατεπάνω (
katepánō) "
the one placed at the top, or the topmost".
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.
Cavadenti ItalianFrom Italian
cava ("to extract, to pull out") and
denti ("teeth"), an occupational name for a dentist.
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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Centore Italianfrom
cento ore "hundred gold pieces" hence probably a nickname for a wealthy person.
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.
Cestaro ItalianFrom
cesta "basket" and the suffix
-aro, an occupational name for a basket maker.
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.
Chaisson French, EnglishVariant of the French surname
Chiasson originally denoting someone from the the municipality of Chiasso in Ticino, Switzerland, located along the Swiss/Italian border.... [
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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, FrenchDerived from the Middle English and Old French words
campion,
champiun and
champion all meaning "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".
Charrette FrenchDerived from Old French
char(r)ete "small cart", itself a diminutive of
char "cart carriage".
Chartier FrenchAn occupational name for a carter from an agent derivative of Old French charette "cart".
Chase FrenchTopographic name for someone who lived in or by a house, probably the occupier of the most distinguished house in the village, from a southern derivative of Latin
casa "hut, cottage, cabin".
Chastang FrenchDerived from Olde French
castanh meaning "chestnut". Possibly a location or occupation name.
Chaumont FrenchHabitational name from any of numerous places called Chaumont "bald mountain" from the elements
chals caux "bald" and
mont "mountain" (ultimately from Latin
calvus mons) for example in Cher Orne Jura Haute-Savoie.
Chauray FrenchHabitational name from Chauray a place in Deux-Sèvres, France.
Chell FrenchProbably a respelling of the French habitational name
Challe, from any of the various places so named from Late Latin cala ‘rock shelter’.
Chene FrenchMeans "oak" in French. Perhaps it's named for someone who lived by an oak tree.
Chénier FrenchFrench surname which indicated one who lived in an oak wood or near a conspicuous oak tree, derived from Old French
chesne "oak" (Late Latin
caxinus). In some cases it may be from a Louisiana dialectical term referring to "an area of shrub oak growing in sandy soil" (i.e., "beach ridge, usually composed of sand-sized material resting on clay or mud... [
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Chery FrenchThe name Chery is derived from the Anglo Norman French word, cherise, which means cherry, and was probably used to indicate a landmark, such as a cherry tree, which distinguished the location bearing the name.
Chessa ItalianProbably from Sardinian
chersa "lentisk", a kind of tree.
Chevrier FrenchOccupational name for a goatherd from an agent derivative of
chèvre "goat" (from Latin
capra "nanny goat").
Chiapello ItalianPossibly connected to
chiappare "to catch, to trap", a nickname for a hunter. Alternately, may be an elaborate form of
Chiappa.
Chiappa ItalianPossibly
chiappa "stone", indicating someone who lived in a stony area.
Chiappetta ItalianA nickname derived from
chiappa, meaning "buttock, butt cheek". Alternately, may be a diminutive of
Chiappa.
Chiaramonte Italiancomes from the italian word
chiara meaning "clear" and the the word
monte meaning "mountain", possibly denoting someone who lived by clear mountians, hills, etc.
Chiasson French, EnglishFrench surname originally denoting someone from the the municipality of Chiasso in Ticino, Switzerland, located along the Swiss/Italian border.... [
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Chiere French (Rare)Possibly derived from the Old French
chiere, from
chier, meaning "dear, dearest".
Chiesa ItalianMeans "church" in Italian, originally a topographic name for someone who lived near a church, a habitational name from any of various places named Chiesa or perhaps an occupational name for someone who worked in a church.
Chiodi ItalianFrom Italian
chiodo "nail", probably given to someone who made or sold nails.
Chirico ItalianSurname of Italian surrealist artist, Giorgio de Chirico
Chopin FrenchFrench and English: nickname for a heavy drinker, from Old French chopine, a large liquid measure (from Middle Low German schopen "ladle"). The derived Old French verb chopiner has the sense 'to tipple’, ‘to drink to excess’... [
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Choquette FrenchAltered spelling of French Choquet, a Picard form of Old French soquet, which was the term for a tax on wines and foodstuffs, hence a metonymic occupational name for a collector of such taxes.
Christ GermanFrom the Latin personal name
Christus "Christ" (see
Christian). The name
Christ (Latin
Christus) is from Greek
Khristos, a derivative of
khriein "to anoint", a calque of Hebrew
mashiach "Messiah", which likewise means literally "the anointed".
Chrysanthe FrenchFrom the Greek
Χρύσανθος (
Chrysanthos), meaning "golden flower". This surname was first given to children found on October 25, the feast day of Saint
Chrysanthos.
Chrysler German, JewishFrom a German name referring to spinning or related to a Yiddish word,
krayzl meaning "spinning top." The name can refer to a potter who spun a wheel to make utensils or to a person with curly hair or someone known for being continually active... [
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