ReilleFrench, Occitan Topographic name derived from Old Occitan relha meaning "plowshare", or a habitational name from any of several places named Reille or La Reille in southern France. A notable bearer was Honoré Charles Reille (1775-1860), a Marshal of France during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.
ReimerGerman From a Germanic personal name, a reduced form of Reinmar, composed of the elements ragin "counsel" + mari, meri "fame".
ReiserGerman, Upper German Habitational name for someone from Reis or Reissen in Bavaria (see Reis). An occupational name from Middle High German reisære ‘warrior’, ‘traveler’... [more]
RellerGerman (Swiss) Occupational name for a miller, derived from the Swiss German dialect term relle meaning "grist mill".
RelyeaGerman, French (Anglicized) Altered spelling of southern German and French Rellier, or probably a regional variant of Swiss German Reller, especially in the western provinces of Austria... [more]
ReminiItalian Famous bearer: Actress and Scientology critic Leah Remini.
RevereEnglish, French, Judeo-Italian French: variant of Rivière, Rivoire, or Rivier, topographic name for someone living on the banks of a river, French rivier ‘bank’, or habitational name from any of the many places in France named with this word.... [more]
ReznorGerman May be a variant of the German surname Reisner, a habitational name for someone from a place called Reisen (for example in Bavaria), Reissen in Thuringia, or Reussen on the Saale river.
RheimsFrench From the city of Reims in France, also known as Rheims in English.
RhotonGerman, French Rhoton is a German and French surname from the 1800s. Some people believe that it is derived from the French word for red, but the origin is overall unknown. The name represents strength and power.
RibéryFrench Indicated a person from La Ribeyre, a town in the Auvergne region of France, which translates to "the riverbank". The former French soccer player Franck Ribéry (1983-) is a famous bearer of this name.
RiedelGerman Derived from a given name containing the Middle Low German name element riden "to ride".
RiedelGerman Derived from Middle High German riet "damp, mossy area".
RiegelGerman From Middle High German rigel "bar, crossbeam, mountain incline", hence a topographic name or a habitational name from any of numerous places named with this word in Baden, Brandenburg, and Silesia; in some instances it may have been a metonymic occupational name for a maker of crossbars, locks, etc.
RivardFrench Geographical name for someone who lived on a river bank.
RivettEnglish, French English (East Anglia): metonymic occupational name for a metalworker, from Middle English, Old French rivet ‘small nail or bolt’ (from Old French river ‘to fix or secure’, of unknown origin).... [more]
RoasioItalian This surname originates from the Piedmont region of Italy. It is most likely derived from Roasio, which is the name of a municipality in that same region. The meaning of the municipality's name is uncertain, but since it is located in Piedmont and known as Roaso in the Piedmontese language, the etymological origin of the name is most likely Piedmontese... [more]
RolandFrench, German, Scottish French, German, English, and Scottish: from a Germanic personal name composed hrod ‘renown’ + -nand ‘bold’, assimilated to -lant ‘land’. (Compare Rowland).... [more]
RommelUpper German, Dutch Nickname for a noisy and disruptive person, from Middle Dutch rommel "noise, disorder, disturbance". Alternatively, a variant of Rummel.
RosierFrench French for "rose tree" or "rose bush". A common surname in Francophone areas. It is also the name of a fallen angel who was considered the patron demon of tainted love and seduction.
RosingGerman 1 German and Dutch: patronymic from a derivative of the medieval personal name Rozinus.... [more]
RotterGerman Variant spelling of Rother, an occupational name for the foreman or leader of a group or association of men, or a work gang, from an agent derivative of Middle High German rotte ‘team’, ‘gang’... [more]
RougetFrench Derived from the French adjective rouge meaning "red" combined with the French masculine diminutive suffix -et.
RubinoItalian The surname Rubino derives from the name Rubino, in turn originated from the Latin term "Rubeus" (red) with evident reference to the well-known precious stone. It is thought that originally the surname was attributed to the physical characteristics of having red hair, however, the origin of the surname Rubino from the Hebrew term "Ruben" which meant "son of providence", or even from the apheresis of the name "Cherubino".
RuckerGerman Middle High German: nickname rucken "to move or draw". North German: nickname from Middle Low German rucker "thief", "greedy or acquisitive person". German: from a reduced form of the Germanic personal name Rudiger... [more]
RudolfGerman From a personal name composed of Old High German hrōd "renown" and wolf "wolf", equivalent to English Ralph. This name is also found in Slovenia.
RuegerGerman The name was likely first bestowed on someone thought to have the characteristics of a heron as a nickname, eventually becoming a hereditary surname.
RuelasFrench A last name common in Mexico which is believed to have derived from the French word ruelle (or Portuguese word ruela) meaning lane or alley.
RummelGerman Derived from a short form of names containing the element hruom "fame, glory". Alternatively, could be a nickname for a noisemaker, from Middle High German rummeln "to make noise, to move impetuously"... [more]
RumpleGerman It is derived from Rumbald, an Old German personal name.
RusherGerman (Americanized) Americanized version of the German surname Rüscher or Roshcer. Either a topographic name for someone who lived among rushes or an occupational name for someone who created things out of rushes.
RüsterGerman Means "elm (tree)" in German. Could alternatively derive from rüsten to "to equip, to arm", an occupational name for someone who provided weapons to an army.
SaettaItalian Possibly an Italianized form of Sicilian Saitta, or else taken directly from the Italian word saetta meaning "arrow, bolt" or "thunderbolt, lightning"... [more]
SaittaSicilian, Italian Means "arrow" or "lightning bolt" in Sicilian, from Latin sagitta via sajitta. Probably a nickname for a quick or fast-footed person, though it may have also been a metonymic occupational name for a fletcher.
SchaafGerman Metonymic occupational name for a shepherd, from Middle High German schāf ‘sheep’. In some cases it may have been a nickname for someone thought to resemble a sheep, or a habitational name for someone living at a house distinguished by the sign of a sheep... [more]
SchaalGerman, Dutch, French, Jewish Either a nickname for a braggart or a market crier, (derived from Middle High German schal meaning "noise, bragging"), an occupational name for someone who made dishes for scales and vessels for drinking, (from Middle Low German and Dutch schale "dish"), a habitational name from Schaala in Thuringia or the Schaalsee lake near Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living on marshy land, (from Dutch schald "shallow")... [more]
SchadeGerman, Dutch From schade "damage, injury", a derivative of schaden "to do damage, harm, hurt", generally a nickname for a thug or clumsy person, or, more particularly, a robber knight, who raided others’ lands.
SchaffGerman Name given to sheepherders, accounding to personal family history.
SchalkGerman, Dutch From Old High German scalc "servant, retainer, jester", which eventually evolved to mean "joker, rogue, knave". Could be an occupational name for an attendant or jester, a nickname for someone mischievous, or derived from a given name containing scalc as an element, such as Godschalk.
SchallGerman Nickname for a braggart or for a market crier from Middle High German schal "noise" "bragging".
SchatzGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) metonymic occupational name for a treasurer, from German Schatz ‘treasure’, Middle High German scha(t)z. It may also have been a nickname for a rich man (or ironically for a miser), or else for a well-liked person or a ladies’ favorite, from the use of the vocabulary word as a term of endearment... [more]
SchaulGerman, Dutch, Jewish Either from from Middle Low German schulle, Middle Dutch scholle, schulle, Middle High German schülle "plaice"; either a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or seller of these fish or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a plaice... [more]
SchausGerman, Luxembourgish A nickname for a simpleton, from schaus, a word in Rhenish Franconian and Lower Rhine dialects of German.
SchehrGerman John Schehr was German political activist and communist politician who led Communist Party after ErnstThälmann.
ScheidGerman, Jewish Either a topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary (between two valleys etc.) or crossroads Middle High German scheide, a habitational name from any of various places called ScheidtScheiden... [more]
ScheinGerman, Jewish from Middle High German schīn German schein "shining brightness" hence a nickname for someone with either a radiant personality or possibly for someone living in a sunny location or a Jewish artificial name.
SchellGerman Means "noisy" or "loud" from the German word "schel"
SchenaItalian Derived from a regional variant of Italian schiena "back (of the body)", perhaps a nickname for someone with a straight, rigid posture, or a topographic name denoting a rise or bump in the ground.
ScherfGerman from Middle High German and Middle Low German scherf a coin worth half a penny possibly applied as a nickname for a poor person.
ScherlGerman Derived from the Middle Low German word “scherl” or “scherle,” which means “small shield.” It may have been from a person known for carrying a small shield, a person who lived near a small shield-shaped sign or symbol, or a person who lived in a place named after the small shield.
SchickGerman A nickname given to a person who's smart, stylish, and well-dressed.
SchiffGerman, Jewish From Middle High German Schif "ship", indicating the bearer was either a sailor, or lived in a house distinguished by a ship sign.
SchildGerman, Dutch Occupational name for a maker or painter of shields, from Middle High German, Middle Dutch schilt "shield".
SchinkUpper German Nickname for someone with long or otherwise remarkable legs, from Middle High German schinke "thigh, leg". Compare Schenkel.
SchlepGerman Probably a nickname or occupational name for a laborer or carrier, especially in a mine, from Middle Low German slepen, Middle High German slepen 'to drag or carry (a load)' (modern German schleppen, schleifen).
SchleyGerman Name for someone living by the Schlei river.
SchmalGerman Derived from the Middle High German and Middle Low German word smal meaning "small, slight, thin". It was originally used as a nickname.
SchneeGerman, Popular Culture A German surname meaning "snow". One fictional bearer of this surname is Weiss Schnee, a main character from the popular web series RWBY.
SchockGerman German origin. Means "shock" in German, as in surprise.
SchoenGerman, Jewish From German schön, Middle High German schoene "fine, beautiful; refined, friendly, nice", a nickname for a handsome or pleasant man. As a Jewish name, it’s usually ornamental.
SchurrGerman From a nickname meaning "quarrel" in German, given to a hot-tempered person.
SchutzGerman Occupational surname for an archer or a watchman, from Middle High German schützen "to guard, protect". Also a habitational name from Schutz, a place near Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
SchwabGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): regional name for someone from Swabia (German Schwaben), from Middle High German Swap, German Schwabe ‘Swabian’. The region takes its name from a Germanic tribe recorded from the 1st century BC in the Latin form Suebi or Suevi, of uncertain origin; it was an independent duchy from the 10th century until 1313, when the territory was broken up.
ScimiaItalian From an archaic form of Italian scimmia "monkey", from Ancient Greek σιμός (simos) "snub-nosed". Has figurative meanings of "drunk" and "imitator, mimic, aper".
ScioliItalian Possibly derived from Scio, a shortened form of the medieval given name Desio (from Latin Desigus or Desijo, associated with literary Italian desio "desire"), or perhaps from medieval Tuscan Ciolo... [more]
ScottoItalian Either an ethnic name for someone from Scotland or Ireland from medieval Italian scotto or scoto meaning "Scot", making it a cognate of Scott, or from a diminutive of given names ending in sco such as Francesco (via its diminutive Francescotto) or Maresco (via Marescotto).
ScurtiItalian Possibly from Neapolitan curto "short".
SeagerEnglish, German (Modern) English: from the Middle English personal name Segar, Old English S?gar, composed of the elements s? ‘sea’ + gar ‘spear’.... [more]
SebertGerman, French From a German personal name composed of the elements sigi meaning "victory" + berht meaning "bright", "famous".
SecchiItalian Probably related to Italian secco "thin, dry". May alternately derive from secare "to cut", Sardinian seghi "sixteen", segete "harvest, harvest fodder", or a shortened form of seneche "old, aged".
SeditaItalian From Italian sei "six" and dita "fingers", either literally referring to someone with six fingers, or metaphorically to someone who was very dextrous, or perhaps ironically to a clumsy person.
SegaleEnglish, Italian Respelling of SEGAL. A famous bearer is Mario A. Segale, the inspiration for Nintendo's video game character Mario
SetzerGerman, Jewish Derived from either Middle High German "setzen", used to refer to market inspectors and tax officials, or Yiddish "setser", a typesetter.
SewinaGerman, Polish The first available record of the Sewina family name is around 1620 in the province of Silesia, a mixed cultural region between Germany and Poland. Once part of the Prussian Empire and Germany. After World War Two, the area is now part of Poland... [more]
SforzaItalian Derived from the Italian verb sforzare meaning "to force, strain"; also compare the related word forza "force, strength". This was the surname of a dynasty of Milanese dukes, which held power in the 15th and 16th centuries.
SieberGerman The roots of the German surname Sieber can be traced to the Old Germanic word "Siebmacher," meaning "sieve maker." The surname is occupational in origin, and was most likely originally borne by someone who held this position
SilberGerman, Jewish From Middle High German silber, German Silber "silver"; a metonymic occupational name for a silversmith, or often, in the case of the Jewish surname, an ornamental name.
SodanoItalian, Sicilian nickname or ethnic name from Arabic sawdān "black Negro". nickname from Old Sicilian sudanu "sultan".
SoderoItalian Probably related to the Greek name Soter, from Ancient Greek σωτήρ (sōtḗr) meaning "saviour".
SolariItalian Habitational name from any of various places called "Solaro" or "Solara", from solaro 'site', 'plot', 'meadow', literally "land exposed to the sun".
SpaderGerman Occupational name for a spade maker or for someone who used a spade in his work, derived from Middle High or Middle Low German spade. A notable bearer is American actor James Spader (1960-).
SpagnaItalian From Italian spagna "Spain" for a Spaniard or someone who had connections to Spain. Also from the female given name of the same meaning, Italian cognitive of Spain.
SpringGerman From Middle High German sprinc, Middle Low German sprink "spring, well", hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a spring or well, or habitational name from Springe near Hannover.
StantzGerman Possibly an altered spelling of German Stanz, a habitation name from places called Stans or Stanz in Austria and Switzerland (see also Stentz).
StauchGerman From Middle High German stuche, a term used to denote both a type of wide sleeve and a headcovering. Also a habitational name from a place called Staucha, near Dresden.
StegerGerman From a derivative of Middle High German stec "steep path or track, narrow bridge". The name was likely given to someone living close to a path or small bridge.
StegerGerman Means "head miner" or "overman" from the German verb steigen meaning "to climb" or in this case "to lead a climb".
St MaryEnglish, French This name is probably used in reference to Mary, Mother of Jesus or one of the many places called St Mary.
StoehrGerman From Middle Low German store ‘sturgeon’, hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who caught or sold sturgeon, or a nickname for someone with some supposed resemblance to the fish... [more]
StolteGerman Derived from Middle Low German stolt "proud; stately; magnificent".
StorchGerman, Jewish From Middle High German storch "stork", hence a nickname for someone thought to resemble the bird.
StorckGerman German. from the meaning the House of the Storks. ... [more]