How family names were formed

Occupational surnames

Names with a working history. Explore surnames connected to trades, crafts, and occupations, and discover the stories and sources behind them.

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34

surname profiles to explore

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Showing 25–34 of 34 profiles

  • Surname profile

    Smith

    Smith is an occupational surname derived from Old English smið, meaning ‘one who works with metal’. The name first appears in records from the late Anglo‑Saxon period and…

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  • Surname profile

    Stewart

    The surname Stewart, sometimes spelled Stuart, comes from the Old English 'stigweard' or Gaelic 'Stiùbhart', meaning 'steward' or 'household guardian'. It is an occupational name that became linked…

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  • Surname profile

    Taylor

    Taylor is an English occupational surname that comes from the Old French word *tailleur*, meaning ‘tailor’. It first appears in 12th‑century records in Somerset, England, and has since spread…

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  • Surname profile

    Thatcher

    The surname Thatcher is an English occupational name meaning "thatcher", a worker who lays thatch on roofs. It first appears in medieval records in England, with the earliest…

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  • Surname profile

    Turner

    The surname Turner is an occupational name meaning ‘one who works a lathe’. It originated in England after the Norman Conquest, deriving from Middle English and Old French…

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  • Surname profile

    Wagner

    The surname Wagner is an occupational name of German origin meaning ‘wagon‑maker’ or ‘wagon‑driver’. It first appears in Saxony and spread through German‑speaking regions and among German emigrants,…

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  • Surname profile

    Weber

    The Weber surname is an occupational name meaning "weaver," derived from German. Its earliest records date to the mid‑13th century, but the name’s exact geographic origins lie outside…

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  • Surname profile

    Wright

    The surname Wright is an English occupational name derived from Old English wyrhta, meaning carpenter or joiner. It appears in medieval English records beginning in the early 13th…

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  • Surname profile

    Zimmermann

    Zimmermann is an occupational surname of German origin, meaning carpenter or timber worker. It also appears in Ashkenazic Jewish contexts. While the name is widespread, its exact earliest…

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