It is a variant of the name Halter, which comes from the Middle High German word halte, meaning pasture. The name is a toponymic one referring to someone who lived near or on land with large grass pastures. Altamura, (Italian origin) means high walls and thus denotes a person living near high walls. To genealogists and historians the Register of Swiss Surnames has become an essential standard reference. Borghi, This is one of the common ancient last names in Switzerland which means "a village". It can also mean to gape or to be open-mouthed. Bosco, (Italian origin) means "a forest". The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed. The surname derives from Furre, a Swiss word meaning a cleft in the ground.. This French surname of baptismal origin can be traced to the French term toussaint or All Saints Day. Get in touch! 63. Frey, This name is given to someone who is a devotee of Lord Frey. This surname denotes "a person living near the mountain or hill". This occupational surname from the word ferror that refers to an iron worker. The following traditional and classic old French surnames with their meanings can inspire you to select the perfect surname for your family or get ready for the naming ceremony for your baby. The surname is thus an occupational one. This Anglo-Norman French word has an aboriginal origin. In Old French, it means chapel. Brunner may have been a toponymic name referring to individuals residing beside a well or a spring or a fountain. Bouvier. One of the most interesting facts is that they need to be approved by the Swiss authorities, something that is documented in 'Switzerland, Swiss Watching', a book is written by Diccon Bewes which highlights some of the rules of naming children in Switzerland. Some given names are often very different when translated into different languages, as shown by the following table. It is a variant of Lefevre, Lefebure or Lefeuvre. Cloutier, (French origin) It refers to "someone who sold or made nails". Likewise, a woman would be called Dirksdochter, meaning daughter of Dirk, but could also use the abbreviated suffixes d, dr, s, se, sen, sens, and x (e.g., Dirks, Dirkse, Dirksdr, etc. Derived from Old Flemish word wacque, Wack is a measure of weight. People with dark hair or a swarthy complexion are mostly the bearers of this name. Derived from Olde French word fauche, this occupational surname means mower or scythe. Jacques is a popular name which is used both as a surname and as a first name. The German-speaking cantons ofZurich,Basel, LucerneandAargauall have high concentrations of Mllers. Joubert is formed by a combination of a tribe called Gaut and berth which means bright or famous. 51. Noyer is a French last name meaning walnut. A variant of Jordan, this surname means one who descends. 52. The Gaelic Irishsurnames, OLaighin took an Anglicized form to form the surname Lane. Muller has an occupational origin and referred to those who worked as millers. In his quest to stand out he dropped his common birth name of Jeanneret-Gris in favour of Corbusier, a derivative of his mothers fathers name. Forenames. In Old French, this surname means river or shore. An example of why soprannomi would be used would be to distinguish a branch of a family that owned and lived on land in a certain area, etc. If you liked our suggestions for Swiss Last Names then why not take a look at French Canadian Names, or for something different take a look at Surnames Used As First Names. It comes from the Middle High German word reif that means hoop or a ribbon. The name is an occupational one referring to someone who worked as a ribbon-maker or a cooper. During the early 20th Century, especially the World War I era, surname changes are recorded more frequently, as immigrants or, more often, their children, tried to adopt more neutral surnames. This is because German is an official language in Switzerland, along with French and Italian. Acqua, (Italian origin) It means "water" and denotes someone who lives by or transported water. Derived from the name of the tendril vrilles, this occupational surname refers to a person who planted or worked on vrilles. 91. Aubert means noble-bright and originates from the Old German compound word Aedelbeort. Different branches of the same family may adopt various surname spellings. Swiss French-language Names The most common name in Geneva is Favre, French for blacksmith. For French-speaking regions of Switzerland, see also France Personal Names. Learn to recognize name variations and see clues in names. Thus, Senn is an occupational surname. 60. Currently most of the names uploaded are of Irish and British Origin - but we also have other nationalities. Within the community, such as the local parish, immigrants may continue to use the original name, while at the same time. Read for more information. This occupational surname refers to someone who minds cattle at night. The second origin is as a habitational name that comes from the southern French town of Auch. Many Swiss names are steeped in tradition. Derived from the Latin word vache, Vachon means cow. Hunziker has a toponymic origin, representing an individual from places called Hunzikon and Huntziken in Switzerland. The information on this website is of a general nature and available for educational purposes only and Derived from the old French word trotter, Trottier is an occupational surname and means walk fast. Fuchs may have been used as a nickname for a person who was cunning, crafty, or sly. Derived from Old German name Waro which originates from Wara meaning protection. Althaus, (German origin) This means old house in German and denotes a person living in an old house. 3. Swiss or Switzerland, the land of chocolates, cheese, lakes, and skiing resorts, is a country with unique and diverse surnames. As Immigrants moved into English-speaking countries, their surnames were impacted in a variety of ways. The name has an occupational origin and represents a metalworker or a blacksmith. Due to colonization, French surnames can be found in English-speaking countries, and have influenced African and Arabic surnames, too. It comes from the Middle High German word wagener, meaning a wagon-maker. There are 1,278 Rochats in Switzerland and 73% of them live in Vaud, mainly high in the rocky surroundings of the Jura mountain range. It has an Americanized spelling of Norwegian Vland. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. Originating from the female name Osanna, Ozanne means save now or save pray. Canton Bernis home to nearly half of Switzerlands 6,073 listed Gerbers. Pages in category "Swiss-language surnames" The following 22 pages are in this category, out of 22 total. Stalder derives from stalde, a Middle High German word meaning a steep slope or a steep path. Weber derives from weber, a Middle High German word that means to weave. Weber, thus, has an occupational origin representing a weaver. A Swiss German toponymic surname for those who originally belonged to the town of Meilin in the Zurich region of Switzerland. 2. Becker, (German origin), means "a baker". This information is for educational purposes only and not a substitution for professional health services. 1.Adrian (Latin origin), meaning 'a man from Hadria', a Roman town. It's quite popular thanks to the pop artist Bruno Mars. Ammann This Swiss surname is of Swiss-German origin, indicating people who worked as administrators, and means "retinue" or "retainer". Jaggi derives from jagen, a German word meaning to hunt. The surname may have an occupational origin representing a huntsman or a hunter. Originating from the Latin word Mattaeus, which in turn is derived from the Greek word Matthaios, Matthieu means gift of the Lord. Hoffman/Hofmann comes from the Middle High German word hofman, meaning one who manages the farm or property of another, thus referring to a steward. Bieri, (French origin) This last name is the French form of Peter which means "stone". Beau means fair handsome and lovely in Old French. It is a toponymic name referring to someone who originally belonged to the village of Elmer, located in the Glarus region of Switzerland. The meaning of this name is the one who follows. Read on to find a curated list of 130 French last names or surnames. 20. Roth, This is one of the unique surnames which means "red". Gerber, the cantons most common name, is German for tanner or leather dresser. First, read through the Instruction; Then test your knowledge with the short Assignment - the Answer Key is provided to check your answers. Why not let us narrow your search for the perfect Swiss last name with our many suggestions below? This family name belongs to the ancient house of Normandy that came into use via the Countship of vreux, France. This surname was first used in Auvergne, which is a place in ancient France. It is a toponymic name that refers to someone who originally belonged to the place called Hedingen located in the Zurich administrative division of Switzerland. Zurcher is a toponymic surname denoting someone who originally belonged to the region of Zurich in Switzerland. Search through our online database of over 500,000 family names. The Swiss German surname has a toponymic origin, referring to someone who originally belonged to a place called Kenzingen, a town in Germany. When looking at a map, Italy, France, and Germany are the bordering countries of Switzerland. 73. Mller translates tomiller in English, someone involved in milling, the process ofturning grain into flour. Asimov, uncommon Jewish surname from western Russia, briefly discussed in the autobiography of Isaac Asimov; Barton From Old English; Beck, common with Ukrainian Jews. The surname, thus, has a toponymic origin, indicative of people who dwell by a beech tree or beech tree forest. Representing the status quo of the year 1962, it offers a comprehensive alphabetical listing of all the families holding citizenship in a Swiss community. This smooth-sounding French surname refers to small sword or dagger. Most common French last names have a Germanic origin, as there was frequent migration between France and Germany. This comprehensive list of the most common French surnames to rich French last names is quite appealing and can help you trace back the lines of your family history. It is also used for a person who lives near a bridge or a ford. According to an article in theTages Anzeigerthe most common name inSwitzerland is Mller. According to legend, in 1873, Levi Strauss promoted his revolutionary pants and its extreme resistance by attaching two horses to the pair which was pulling in opposite directions. Maybe you've been told your ancestors came from Switzerland, but youre not really sure which part or what the name signifies. Adesso, (Italian origin) This means "at this very moment". Prior to 1900, formal surname changes documented in local court records are relatively rare. This category has only the following subcategory. This surname is often given to lumbermen. The surname likely originates from rot, a Middle High German word meaning red. The name may have been a nickname for an individual with red hair. Visa issues, surname of father (2 answers) Single name repeated as first name and last name on Schengen visa (1 answer) Closed 6 years ago . This surname is derived from the German personal name Hariwulf: Hari means army and wulf means wolf. Mahmoud. Auclair is a common French surname meaning clear. It is derived from the Middle High German word klosenaere meaning a hermit. The name would have referred to a hermit or to someone who lived at an isolated place. The following two tabs change content below. It is a Hebrew name for Passover. To learn how to use the Register of Swiss Surnames, check out the "How to" Guide. It can also be an occupational surname for a person who was a cowherd. Abadie Abadie derives from the word 'abadia' which means 'abbey' or 'family chapel'. The Register of Swiss Surnames is an online tool, based on the reference book, Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz, which lists for every surname the towns where that family held citizenship. There are 3,006 Bern-based residents listed with this name. Bieber, This name is for someone who is "a hard worker". Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below. Many have German roots such as originating from Old German or Middle High German words. Battaglia, (Italian origin) It denotes a farmer. A Swiss German surname, Schaffhauser is a toponymic name representing an individual who originally belonged to the town of Schaffhausen situated along the Rhine river in Switzerland. John became John the smith, John the son of Matthew, John the short, or John from Zrich. In the parish register, their records may say either Garbani; Garbani-Gardelli; Gardelli; or Garbani dicti Gardelli, where dicti translates as otherwise known as. It is derived from the German word brunnen that means a fountain or a spring in German. Keller, It is a geographical surname that means "a furnace". The surname comes from the Middle High German word bumann meaning a farmer. It can be an occupational surname referring to the keeper of the kings forest.. It could also be a habitational name for places near southern and eastern France. Martinus refers to the Roman god of fertility and war, who was named Mars.