AhlschlägerGerman The Ahlschlager family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Ahlschlager families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 6 Ahlschlager families living in Iowa... [more]
AlberGerman Alber family name was first found in Alsace. The nickname given to someone fair in complexion or blond haired is derived from Latin word Albanus, which means white.
AldingerGerman Habitational name for someone from Aldingen in Württemberg.
AlerEnglish (Rare), German From the alder tree, a tree found in the Americas, Europe and parts of Asia. The much less common given name Aler is possibly derived from it.
AllgeierGerman The harried officials at Ellis Island began to assign surnames based upon the pronunciation of the name by the immigrant, rather than attempting to ferret out the actual spelling. ... [more]
AlmendingerUpper German, German (Swiss) Habitational name for someone from a place called Allmendingen, of which there are two examples in Switzerland, in the canton of Bern, and one in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.
AltdorferGerman Denoted a person who lived in the capital of Uri canton in Switzerland or the municipality in Landshut, Bavaria, both derived from German alt "old" and Dorf "village" or Yiddish דאָרף (dorf) "village, countryside"... [more]
AltmeyerGerman Status name for an older steward, headman, or tenant farmer, as distinguished from a younger one, from Middle High German alt ‘old’ + meier ‘steward’, ‘headman’, ‘tenant farmer’
AltringerGerman Habitational name for someone from a place called Altringen or Aldingen, of which there are two in Württemberg.
AmmerGerman, English (Rare) This surname may be derived from Middle High German amer which means "bunting (as in the bird)." As such, it is used as a nickname for someone with a fine voice or someone who is a flamboyant dresser.... [more]
AmslerGerman (Swiss) Derived from German Amsel "(European) blackbird", this was an occupational name for a fowler (bird catcher).
AmspacherGerman Habitational name for someone from a place called Amsbach
AnackerGerman Nickname for a day laborer, as opposed to someone who owned fields, from Middle High German āne meaning "without" + acker meaning "field".
AscherGerman Derived from German asche meaning "ash" (tanners worked with ash)
AsnicarItalian From Cimbrian haazo "hare" and ékke "hill, rise".
AspergerGerman Denoting a person who lived in Asperg, a town in Southwest Germany, derived from a cadet named Asperg who lived in the ruling house... [more]
AuclairFrench Patronymic from the personal name Clair or the nickname Leclair (‘the cheerful one’): (fils) à Leclair ‘(son) of Leclair’. It has also absorbed cases of Auclerc (from LeClerc).
AugsburgerGerman habitational name for someone from the city of Augsburg in Bavaria named as the city (burg) of the Roman Emperor Augustus in whose reign it was founded.
AusländerGerman, Jewish Means "foreigner" in German, from Middle High German uzlender, denoting a person new to a district or a farmer who cultivated land outside a community's bounds.
BaldingerGerman German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name for someone from a place called Baldingen, either in Württemberg, Germany, or Aargau, Switzerland.
BaumkötterGerman (Modern) From the German words 'Baum' meaning 'tree' and 'Kötter' a type of villager who dwelt in a cottage, similar to the Scottish Cotter. "Presumably a 'Baumkötter' earned money from a small orchard on their property."
BeauséjourFrench (Rare) Literally means "beautiful sojourn", derived from French beau "beautiful, nice, fine" and French séjour "sojourn, short stay". As such, this surname is most likely a locational surname, in that it originally referred to a scenic place to sojourn in... [more]
BecherGerman Shortened form of Becherer as well as a surname given to for someone who distilled or worked with pitch, in which case it is derived from Middle High German bech / pech "pitch".
BeckemeyerGerman Beckemeyer is a surname of German origin. The name likely traces back to a place named Beckum, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The "-eyer" suffix could potentially mean "from" or "of" in this context, so " Beckemeyer " could translate to "from Beckum".
BeerGerman, Dutch From Middle Low German bare, Middle Dutch bere "bear". Given as a nickname to someone who was thought to resemble a bear, a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept a performing bear, or a habitational name for someone who lived near a sign depicting a bear... [more]
BehringerGerman Habitational name for someone from either of two places called Behringen, near Soltau and in Thuringia, or from Böhringen in Württemberg.
BellefleurFrench, Literature Means "beautiful flower" in French. This is the surname of the notable family in the 2001 to 2013 novel series The Southern Vampire Mysteries and the 2008-2014 TV series that inspired it, True Blood.
BelzerGerman Occupational name for a furrier, from an agent derivative of Middle High German bel(li)z "fur"
BenderGerman, German (East Prussian) As a German surname, Bender is a regional occupational surname from the Rhineland area denoting a "barrel-maker" (the Standard German Fassbinder became "Fassbender" in the local dialects and ultimately was shortened to Bender).... [more]
BennerGerman Occupational name for a basket and bassinet maker, from an agent derivative of Middle High German benne 'work basket', 'bassinet', 'cradle'.
BerberGerman Possibly a habitational name from a place called Berber near Kevelaer.
BergschneiderGerman topographic name for someone living by a mountain trail (as in cut into the hillside) from Berg "mountain hill" and Schneit "trail path running on a border" (Old High German sneita).
BernerGerman, Low German German habitational name, in Silesia denoting someone from a place called Berna (of which there are two examples); in southern Germany and Switzerland denoting someone from the Swiss city of Berne. ... [more]
BeverGerman Nickname from bever ‘beaver’, possibly referring to a hard worker, or from some other fancied resemblance to the animal.
BevierFrench (Germanized) From Old French bevier, meaning "a measure of land". This was probably a nickname for someone who owned or worked such a piece of land. This surname was first found in Austria, where the name Bevier came from humble beginnings but gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging medieval society.
BhaerGerman Likely a variant of German Baer, meaning "bear". A notable bearer is character Friedrich Bhaer, Jo's husband in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
BielerGerman, Jewish Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of the many places in eastern Europe whose name incorporates the Slavic element byel- ‘white’.... [more]
BierGerman, Jewish from Middle High German bier "beer" German bier Yiddish bir a metonymic occupational name for a brewer of beer or a tavern owner or in some cases perhaps a nickname for a beer drinker.
BindschädlerGerman (Swiss) Derived from German binden "to bind" and Swiss German schädlen "to make wood vessels", this is an occupational surname referring to a cooper, a barrel maker.
BircherGerman (Swiss) South German and Swiss German topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree or in a birch wood, from Middle High German birche "birch" + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.
BittenbinderGerman Occupational name for a cooper, from Middle High German büte(n) "cask", "(wine) barrel" + binder "binder" (agent derivative of binden "to bind").
BlacherFrench Mainly used in Southern France. Topographic name for someone who lived by an oak grove, originating in the southeastern French dialect word blache ‘oak plantation’ (said to be of Gaulish origin), originally a plantation of young trees of any kind.
BlankenbühlerGerman Possibly means "from the bare hill", from blanken "bare, bright" and bühl "hill".
BleulerGerman (Swiss) From an agent derivative of Middle High German bliuwen meaning "to pound". Hence an occupational name for the owner of a pounding mill.
BoettcherGerman Occupational name for a cooper, from Middle High German botecher, bötticher, bütticher, an agent derivative of botech(e), bottich, bütte "vat", "barrel".
BohnerGerman Occupational name from an agent derivative of Middle Low German bönen meaning "to board, to lay a floor", and a topographic name for someone who lived in a loft, derived from a variant of Bohne combined with the suffix -er, denoting an inhabitant.
BollingerGerman (Swiss) Habitational name for someone from any of three places called Bollingen, in Schwyz, Württemberg, and Oldenburg, or from Bohlingen near Lake Constance (which is pronounced and was formerly written as Bollingen).
BouteillerFrench occupational name for a wine steward or butler usually the chief servant of a medieval household or for a maker of bottles from bouteiller an agent derivative of bouteille "bottle"... [more]
BoutilierFrench Name for a butler or sommelier of a medieval household.
BrasseurFrench French and English (of both Norman and Huguenot origin): occupational name for a brewer, from Old French brasser ‘to brew’. See also Brasher.
BreitnerGerman Derived from Middle High German breit meaning "broad, fat, wide". This was either a nickname for a stout or fat person, a topographic name for someone who lived on fertile and flat land, or an occupational name for a farmer who owned such land... [more]
BreitsameterGerman Breitsameter was a person who originated from Breitsamet manor in southern Bavaria.
BreitwieserGerman Derived from German breit "broad" and wisa "meadow".
BremerGerman Indicated a person from Bremen in the State of Bremen, Germany.
BrennerGerman, 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.
BreuerGerman, Jewish occupational name for a brewer of beer or ale from Middle High German briuwer "brewer". Cognate of Brewer.
BricknerGerman 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.
BrinerGerman (Swiss) Habitational name for someone from Brin in Grison canton (Graubünden) or from the Brin valley.
BrinkerGerman, 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.
BrockerGerman North German topographic name for someone who lived by a swamp, from Middle Low German brook bog + the suffix -er denoting an inhabitant.
BrucknerGerman 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.
BruderGerman From a byname meaning "brother", occasionally used for a younger son, i.e. the brother of someone important, or for a guild member.
BruecknerGerman, German (Silesian) German (Brückner): from Middle Low German brugge, Middle High German brugge, brücke, brügge ‘bridge’ + the agent suffix -ner, hence a topographic name for someone living by a bridge, an occupational name for a bridge toll collector, or in the southeast (Silesia for example) a bridge keeper or repairer... [more]
BruggerGerman, American South German variant or Americanized spelling of North German Brügger (see Bruegger). habitational name for someone from any of various (southern) places called Bruck or Brugg in Bavaria and Austria.
BüchlerGerman Habitional name for someone from Büchle or Büchel, or who lived near beech trees, ultimately from Büche "beech (tree)". Alternatively, could be an occupational name for someone who pressed oil from beechnuts.
BuechlerGerman From the common field name Büchle 'beech stand', the -er suffix denoting an inhabitant. from buchel 'beech nut', hence a metonymic occupation name for someone who owned or worked in an oil mill producing oil from beech nuts.
BuelterGerman, English Middle European variant of Butler, also meaning "a vat or large trough used to contain wine." The name originated in southern Germany in the mid-seventeenth century.
BuermeisterGerman North German: status name for the mayor or chief magistrate of a town, from Middle Low German bur ‘inhabitant, dweller’, ‘neighbor’, ‘peasant’, ‘citizen’ + mester ‘master’.
BurgerEnglish, German, Dutch Status 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.
BurgmeierGerman Occupational 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).
BurkhalterGerman Topographic name composed of the Middle High German elements burc "castle" "protection" and halter from halde "slope".
BurmeisterGerman North German: status name for the mayor or chief magistrate of a town, from Middle Low German bur ‘inhabitant, dweller’, ‘neighbor’, ‘peasant’, ‘citizen’ + mester ‘master’.
BurrEnglish, Scottish, German Nickname 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]
ButterEnglish, German 1. 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]
BüttnerGerman Occupational 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.
CabalzarRomansh Derived from Romansh casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name Balzer.
CalgerRomansh Derived from Romansh chalger "cobbler; shoemaker".
CalonderRomansh Either derived from Romansh casa "house" and, by extension, "household, family" and the given name Leonhard or from the name of the mountain Calanda.
CarrierFrench From carrier, "quarrier, someone who works in a quarry". cf Carrara.
CartierFrench, Norman Original 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.
ChallonerFrench, Welsh Derived 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.
CharFrench Name for someone who works as a carter, from French char "cart, carriage".
CharlierFrench, Walloon Occupational name for a cartwright wheelwright from Old French charrelier a derivative of charrel "cart" a diminutive of char "cart carriage".
ChénierFrench French 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... [more]
ChevrierFrench Occupational name for a goatherd from an agent derivative of chèvre "goat" (from Latin capra "nanny goat").
ChryslerGerman, Jewish From 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... [more]
CockerEnglish, German (Anglicized) Originally a nickname for a bellicose person, from Middle English cock "to fight". Also an anglicized form of Köcher.
CoppenhaverGerman Americanized spelling, probably originally spelled Kopenhaver or Koppenhaver. Means "owner of a hill".
CorderFrench (Anglicized, Archaic), English (American) Linked to both English, French and Spanish origin. Cordier, Cordero, Corder- one who makes cord. Can refer to both the act of making cords (rope), cores of fire wood, or actual location names.... [more]
CordierFrench Given to someone who worked or made with cord and or strings from old French corde "string". French cognate of Corder.
CormierFrench French topographic name for someone who lived near a sorb or service tree, Old French cormier (from corme, the name of the fruit for which the tree was cultivated, apparently of Gaulish origin).
CourtierFrench, Medieval French, Medieval English French: habitational name from places called Courtier (Seine-et-Marne, Aples-de-Haute-Provence), Courtié (Tarn), or Courtière (Loir-et-Cher). ... [more]
CouturierFrench occupational name for a tailor Old French cousturier from an agent derivative of cousture "seam". status name from Old French couturier "farmer husbandman" an agent derivative of couture "small plot kitchen garden".
CrevierFrench Either a derivative of Old French creve meaning “crevice” or “fissure” hence a topographic name for someone who lived on arid land or an occupational name for a seller of crawfish from an agent derivative of Old French crevis meaning “crawfish.”
CrislerGerman (Americanized) Americanized form of German Kreisler or Griessler or, in the south, an occupational name for a grocer from Middle High German griezmel meaning “milled grain.”
CrownoverGerman (Anglicized) Americanised spelling of German Kronauer, denoting someone from Kronau, a town near Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It could also be an Americanised form of Kronhöfer (a variant of Grünhofer), a habitational name for someone from a lost place called Grünhof, derived from Middle High German gruene meaning "green" or kranech meaning "crane" and hof meaning "farmstead".
CrozierEnglish, French English and French occupational name for one who carried a cross or a bishop’s crook in ecclesiastical processions, from Middle English, Old French croisier.
CusterGerman (Anglicized) Anglicization of the German surname Köster or Küster, literally "sexton". A famous bearer was George Custer (1839-1876), the American cavalry general. General Custer and his army were defeated and killed by Sioux and Cheyenne forces under Sitting Bull in the Battle of Little Bighorn (1876; also known colloquially as Custer's Last Stand).
CyrFrench From the Latin personal name Quiricus or Cyricus, Greek Kyrikos or Kyriakos, ultimately from Greek kyrios 'lord', 'master'.
DahlerGerman From a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name, possibly a cognate with Anglo-Saxon deal, the first part of which means “proud” or “famous.”
DahmerGerman, Danish A northern German or Danish habitual name for someone from one of the many places named Dahme in Brandenburg, Holstein, Mecklenburg, or Silesia. A famous bearer of this name was Jeffrey Dahmer, serial killer (1960 - 1993).
DaiberGerman Derived from either Middle High German tiuber "pigeon breeder, pigeon fancier" or from Middle High German touber "wind musician, musician who plays a wind instrument".
D'AmourFrench Patronymic from Amour, this name was a nickname for an amorous man or a love child.
DelacourFrench Probably based off the term "de la cœur", meaning "on the court".
De La TourFrench Means "of the tower" in French, a cognate of De La Torre. It denoted one who lived near a watchtower.
DelaurierFrench Altered form of French Deslauriers or a topographic name with fused preposition de meaning “from” denoting someone who lived by a laurel, from laurier.