Origin
Angear : from any of several places in western Cornwall such as Angear in Gwennap which are named as an ger ‘the fort’ (Middle Cornish an ‘the’ + *ker ‘fort’).
Angier : French and English (of Norman and French Huguenot origin): from the Old French personal name Angier which is of ancient Germanic origin composed of the elements ans ‘god’ + ger ‘spear’ (Old Norse geirr).
Belanger : 1: French (Bélanger): dissimilated form of Béranger (from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements bern ‘bear’ + ger ‘spear’) a cognate of Béringer (see Beringer). Compare Bellanger 1 which is the most common form in France and also Baker Ballinger 2 Belangia Bellinger 3 and Belongia.2: English (of Norman origin): variant of Bellinger 1 itself a dissimilated form of Berringer a cognate of 1 above.
Belger : 1: German: from an ancient Germanic personal name composed of bald ‘bold’ + gār gēr ‘spear’.2: German: habitational name for someone from any of several places called Belgern near Torgau and in Saxony.3: English and Irish (of Norman origin): variant of Bolger.
Bellanger : 1: French: dissimilated form of Béranger (from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements bern ‘bear’ + ger ‘spear’) a cognate of Béringer (see Beringer). In North America the surname Bellanger is also an altered form of its French variant Bélanger (see Belanger). Compare Ballanger Ballengee and Ballenger.2: English (of Norman origin): variant of Bellinger a cognate of 1 above. See Berringer and compare Bellenger and Ballanger.
Berenguer : Spanish and French (southern; Bérenguer): from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements ber ‘bear’ + ger ‘spear’ a cognate of French Bérenger (see Berenger) and Béringer (see Beringer).
Beringer : 1: German; French (Béringer): from the ancient Germanic personal name Beringari Beringer composed of the elements bern ‘bear’ + ger ‘spear’. Compare French Belanger and Berenger.2: German: habitational name for someone from any of several paces called Behringen or Böhringen in Baden-Württemberg and Bayern. Compare Baringer Behringer Berringer and Boehringer.3: English (of Norman origin): variant of Berringer.
Elger : 1: German: variant of Ellger from an ancient Germanic personal name composed with adal ‘noble’ + ger ‘spear’.2: English (eastern): variant of Elgar.
Elgersma : West Frisian: patronymic formed with the suffix -ma ‘(one of the) men of’ from a genitivized form of the personal name Elger from ancient Germanic Agilger (composed of the elements agil ‘point edge (of a sword)’ + gēr ‘spear’) or Adalger (from adal ‘noble’+ gēr ‘spear’).
Gahr : 1: North German (Gähr): from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with the element gār gēr ‘spear’.2: South German: variant of Gaar.
Garb : 1: German: occupational name for a tanner from the dialect word garb Middle High German garwe. It is also found in Slovenia. See also Gerber.2: German: from a short form of a personal name formed with Old High German gēr ‘spear lance’. Compare Gerhardt.3: Polish and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): descriptive nickname from Polish garb ‘hump’.
Garbe : 1: German: variant of Garb which can represent a short form of a personal name formed with Old High German gēr ‘spear lance’ or alternatively from the dialect word garb Middle High German garwe ‘tanner’.2: French: from Old French gerba ‘wheatsheaf’ applied as a metonymic occupational name for a reaper or harvester or for someone who collected wheatsheaves owed in rent.
Garbutt : English (Yorkshire and Durham): from any of the three Middle English personal names of Norman origin: Gerbod (ancient Germanic Gerbodo) Gerbert (ancient Germanic Gerbert Girbert) and Gerbold (ancient Germanic Gerbald Gerbold). These three names became confused at an early date. They derive from gēr ‘spear’ + either bod ‘messenger message command’ berht ‘bright’ or bald ‘bold brave’. Gerbold (French Gerbaud) was the name of a 7th-century Christian saint bishop of Bayeux as a result of whose cult the personal name was popular among the Normans and introduced by them into England.
Gareis : German:: 1: from a shortened form of the Latin personal name Gregorius (see Gregory).2: metonymic occupational name for a blacksmith from a compound of Middle High German gar(e) ‘ready’ + īsen ‘iron’.3: from Gero a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name composed with gēr ‘spear’.
Garibaldo : Hispanic: from the medieval personal name Garibaldo composed of the ancient Germanic elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + bald ‘bold brave’.
Garland : 1: English: from Middle English gerlond ger(e)land garlond ‘metal chaplet crown coronet; wreath’ probably a nickname denoting a habitual wearer of such items or a metonymic occupational name for a maker of them.2: English: perhaps from the Old French personal name Gerland (ancient Germanic Garuland probably from garw- ‘war-gear; prepared(ness)’ + land ‘land’; the first element of the French name may instead be from a name beginning with gēr ‘spear’).3: English: topographic name from Middle English gor(e) gar(e) ‘triangular piece’ + lond ‘land’ (Old English gāra + land lond) for someone who lived ‘(at the) triangular piece of land’. Compare Garfield.4: Irish: adopted for the Norman name Gernon which was Gaelicized as Gearnún.
Garman : 1: Irish: from Mac Gormáin Ó Gormáin see Gorman. Compare Garmon 1.2: English (southeastern): from the Middle English personal name Gormund (Old English Gārmund).3: English: alternatively a topographic name from Middle English gor(e) gar(e) ‘triangular piece of land’ (from Old English gāra) + man ‘man’ denoting a dweller at such a place. Compare Gore.4: Americanized form of German Garmann or its very rare variant Gärmann: from an ancient Germanic personal name formed with Old High German gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + man ‘man’.5: Americanized form of German Germann a cognate of 4; compare German 3. Compare also Garmon 2.
Garrabrant : Probably an altered form of North German Garbrand or Gerbrant from an ancient Germanic personal name composed of the elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + brand ‘fire flame’.
Garrels : Dutch and North German: patronymic from the personal name Gerold composed of the ancient Germanic elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + wald ‘rule’.
Gearon : French (Géron) and English (of Norman and French Huguenot origin): from the Old French personal name Geron a pet form of ancient Germanic compound names formed with gēr ‘spear’ as the first element.
Geary : 1: Irish (Cork): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Gadhra ‘descendant of Gadhra’ (see O'Gara).2: Irish: alternatively possibly a shortened form of McGeary.3: English: from the Old French personal name Geri ancient Germanic Geric from gēr ‘spear’ + rīc ‘power(ful)’.4: English: nickname for a wayward or capricious person from Middle English ge(a)ry ‘fickle changeable passionate’. See Gear.5: Possibly an altered form of Swiss German Gehri or Gehry variants of Gehr.
Geer : 1: English (Kent and Sussex): variant of Gear.2: German: from a personal name derived from gēr gār ‘spear’ (see Gerhardt).3: Dutch (Van der Geer and Van de Geer): topographic name from geer ‘triangular piece of land’. Compare Degeer.
Geho : Probably German: from an ancient Germanic personal name Gerhoh composed of the elements ger ‘spear javelin’ + hōh ‘high’.
Gehr : German:: 1: from a short form of the various personal names formed with Old High German gār gēr ‘spear lance’ (see for example Gerhardt Gerhold).2: topographic name from the Middle Low German and Middle High German word gēre used to denote a wedge-shaped plot.
Gehring : German and Swiss German: from a medieval personal name a short form of Gerhard or a similar name formed with the first element gēr gār ‘spear’ + the patronymic suffix -ing.
Gehrmann : North German: from an ancient Germanic personal name formed with Old High German gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + man ‘man’.
Gellert : 1: German: variant of Geller 1 and 2.2: German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gelhard a cognate of the verb gelten ‘to sacrifice to recompense’.3: Hungarian (Gellért): from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’ (see Gerhardt).
Gerald : English (of Norman origin); French (Gérald): from the ancient Germanic personal name Gerald Girald composed of the elements gēr ‘spear lance’ and wald ‘power authority’. It was introduced to Britain by the Normans and was fairly common but less so than Gerard with which it was early confused. In France the much more common variants of this surname are Géraud and Giraud.
Gerard : French (Gérard) Walloon (mainly Gérard) and English (of Norman origin): from the personal name Gérard Gerard (from Old French Gerart Girart) composed of the ancient Germanic elements gēr ‘spear lance’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’. As a surname of French origin it is also found in Haiti. Compare Garrard and also French Guerard English Garard Gerrard and Jarrard.
Gerberding : German: Westphalian patronymic from the personal name Gerbert composed of the elements gēr gār ‘spear’ + berht ‘bright famous’.
Gerberich : German: from the personal name Gerberich composed of the ancient Germanic elements gār gēr ‘spear’ + berht ‘bright famous’.
Gerbers : Dutch: patronymic from the personal name Gerbert From the ancient Germanic name Gerbrecht composed of the elements ger ‘spear’ and brecht ‘brilliant famous’.
Gerbert : French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gariberht Gerberht composed of the elements gari ger ‘spear’ and berht ‘bright’. Compare Jalbert.
Gerbig : German: from the personal name Gerwig composed of the elements gēr gār ‘spear’ + wīg ‘battle’.
Gerbracht : German: variant of Gerbert from a personal name composed of Old High German gēr ‘spear’ + berht ‘bright famous’.
Gerfen : German: probably from a short form (Gerbo) of a personal name composed with Old High German gēr ‘spear’.
Gerhardt : German: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements gēr gār ‘spear’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’. Compare Garhart Gearhart and Gearheart.
Gerhold : German: from a personal name composed of Old High German gēr gār ‘spear’ + wald ‘rule’.
Gericke : North German: from a pet form of a personal name beginning with the element gēr gār ‘spear’ for example Gerhard (see Gerhardt).
Gerlach : German and Dutch: from the personal name Gerlach composed of the ancient Germanic elements gēr gār ‘spear’ + lach a cognate of Old High German leich ‘sport play’. Compare Garlick Garlock and Carlock.
Gerling : 1: German: patronymic from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name beginning with the element gār gēr ‘spear lance’; compare Gerl.2: English (Suffolk): from the Middle English personal name Gerling Girling. It is related to ancient Germanic Gerlo Girlo and is likewise a pet form of ancient Germanic names in gār gēr ‘spear lance’ (compare Gerard and Gerald).
Gerloff : German: from the personal name Gerulf composed of Old High German gēr ‘spear’ + -loff wolf ‘wolf’.
Gerlt : German: from a short form of the personal name Gerald (from Gerwald Old High German gēr ‘spear’ + walt- ‘rule’).
German : 1: English: ethnic name from Old French germain ‘German’ (from Latin Germanus). This sometimes denoted an actual immigrant from Germany but was also used to refer to a person who had trade or other connections with German-speaking lands. The Latin word Germanus is of obscure and disputed origin; the most plausible of the etymologies that have been proposed is that the people were originally known as the ‘spear-men’ with ancient Germanic gēr gār ‘spear’ as the first element.2: Spanish and Hungarian (Germán); English (of Norman origin) and German: from the personal name Spanish and Hungarian Germán Old French Germain German German from Latin Germanus (see Germain">Germain) a Christian saint's name.3: Americanized form of German Germann 1 a name of ancient Germanic origin.4: Ukrainian and Rusyn (also from Slovakia and Poland): from the personal name German which can be from both Latin Germanus (see Germain">Germain compare 2 above) and German Hermann (compare 5 below).5: Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Herman or Hermann originating under Russian influence since Russian has no h and alters it to g in borrowed words and names.6: In some cases possibly also an American shortened form of Greek Germanos: from the personal name Germanos (see Germain">Germain) bestowed in honor of several saints of the Eastern Church in particular Saint Germanos from the 8th century liturgical poet and patriarch of Constantinople.7: Italianized form of Slovenian and Croatian Jerman.
Germann : German:: 1: from an ancient Germanic personal name formed with Old High German gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + man ‘man’. Compare German 3 and Garman 5.2: possibly also a variant of the personal name German 2 from Latin Germanus (see Germain">Germain) a Christian saint's name.
Germer : German:: 1: from the ancient Germanic personal name Germar composed of the elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + mār mēri ‘famous’.2: from the Slavic personal name Jaromir based on the element jar ‘lush rank’ also ‘strong’.
Germond : 1: Altered form of French Germaine">Germaine.2: French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Germund composed of the elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + mund ‘protection’.
Gernand : German: from an ancient Germanic personal name formed with gār gēr ‘spear lance’.
Gerndt : German: from a shortened form of the ancient Germanic personal name Gernot composed of the elements ger gar ‘spear’ + not ‘battle skirmish’.
Gernot : German: from an ancient Germanic personal name composed of the elements gēr ‘spear’ + knōt- ‘(to) swing’.
Gero : 1: Altered form of French Giroux.2: Hungarian (also Geró or Gerő): from the personal name Geró a pet form of Gergely Hungarian form of Gregory.3: German: from a short form of an ancient Germanic personal name formed with gār gēr ‘spear lance’.4: American shortened form of any of various Greek distinguishing nicknames beginning with gero- ‘old’ e.g. Gerovasilis ‘old Basil’ Gerokostas ‘the elder Constantine’.
Gerold : 1: English (London): variant of Gerald.2: German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gerwald composed of the elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + wald ‘rule’. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine).
Geron : 1: French (Géron): from the personal name Gero Gerone a short form of ancient Germanic names formed with the element gār gēr ‘spear lance’ as for example Gérard (see Gerard).2: Altered form of French Guérin (see Guerin).3: English (Lancashire): of Norman origin from the personal name Geron of ancient Germanic origin a cognate of 1 above.
Gerring : 1: German: variant of Gehring or Gering.2: English (Berkshire of Norman origin): from the Old French personal name Gerin Jerin from a short form of a name with gēr ‘spear’ as the first element (compare Gerard) + the suffix -in or occasionally -un. The name was subsequently reinterpreted as an English name ending with -ing.3: English (of Norman origin): alternatively a habitational name from Gironde in Gascony.
Gerrits : Dutch and North German: patronymic from the personal name Gerrit from an ancient Germanic name composed of the elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’.
Gershon : Jewish: from the Hebrew personal name Gershon Gershom of uncertain origin. It may mean ‘exile’ but is usually interpreted as ‘sojourner’ from Hebrew ger sham meaning ‘stranger there’. Compare Garson Garzon Gershen and Gerson.
Gertsch : Swiss German: from a short form of any of the ancient Germanic personal names formed with gēr ‘spear lance’.
Gerwig : German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gerwig composed of the elements gēr ‘spear’ + wīg ‘battle fight’. This surname is also found in France (mainly Alsace).
Gerwin : German: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements gēr gār ‘spear’ + wine ‘friend’.
Gesch : North German: from Gesch a metronymic from a pet form of Gertrud the first syllable deriving from Old High German ger gar ‘spear’.
Gess : German: probably from a variant of the ancient Germanic personal name Gero a short form of the various personal names formed with gār gēr ‘spear lance’.
Gier : 1: German: nickname from Middle High German gir ‘greedy rapacious’.2: North German: variant of Geyer.3: German: from a short form of a personal name based on the ancient German element gēr ‘spear lance’ for example Gerhardt.
Gierach : German: probably a variant of the ancient Germanic personal name Gero which is based evidently with some Slavic influence from gār gēr ‘spear lance’.
Gierman : 1: Americanized form of North German Giermann: variant of Germann 1 from an ancient Germanic personal name formed with Old High German gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + man ‘man’.2: Dutch: cognate of 1 above.
Gilardi : Italian: patronymic or plural form of Gilardo an ancient Germanic personal name composed of the elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’. See also Gerard.
Giraud : French: from the personal name Giraud a variant of Géraud from the ancient Germanic name Gerwald Girwald composed of the elements gēr ‘spear lance’ and wald ‘power authority’ (see also Gerald). This surname is also found in southern Germany (see also Shero) and in England (mainly Kent of Huguenot origin). Compare Girod and also Gerow.
Girouard : French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Ger(o)ward composed of the elements gēr ‘spear lance’ and ward ‘guard’. Compare Gerrior and Giroir.
Giroux : French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gerwulf composed of the elements gēr ‘spear lance’ and wulf ‘wolf’. Compare Geroux and also Gereau Gero Gerou Gerow Jayroe Jerew and Jerue.
Groulx : Altered form of French Guéroult: from the ancient Germanic personal name Warwald composed of the elements war ‘protection’ and walt ‘rule power’ or Gerwulf composed of the elements gēr ‘spear lance’ and wulf ‘wolf’. Compare Grew and Groux.
Hergert : German: from an ancient Germanic personal name Herger composed of the elements heri hari ‘army’ + gēr gār ‘spear’.
Hilger : 1: German Dutch French (mainly Lorraine and Alsace) and English: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements hild ‘strife battle’ + gār gēr ‘spear’. The Middle English form of the personal name was Ilger.2: English: from the Old Danish personal name Hildiger found in East Anglia of the same ultimate origin as 1 above and not easy to distinguish from it.
Hocker : 1: South German; North German (Höcker): variant of Haack 2 with the addition of the agent suffix -er.2: German (also Höcker): from an ancient Germanic personal name composed with hugi ‘mind spirit’ + gēr ‘spear’.3: English (London): possibly a variant of Hooker.
Hoger : 1: German (also Höger): variant of Heger. Compare Hoeger.2: North German (also Höger): from the ancient Germanic personal name Hucger composed of the elements hug ‘head mind spirit’ + gēr ‘spear’. Compare Hoeger.3: South German: nickname for a hunchback from Middle High German hoger ‘hump’.4: French: variant of Ogier.
Hoyer : 1: North German and Danish: from an ancient Germanic personal name Hucger a compound of hug ‘heart mind spirit’ + gēr ‘spear’.2: Danish (Høyer): variant of Høy (see Hoy). In North America this surname may also be an altered form of the variant Højer.3: Dutch: variant mostly archaic or Americanized of Hooijer an occupational name from Middle Dutch hooijer ‘haymaker’.
Hunger : 1: German: from an ancient Germanic personal name Hun(e)ger composed of the elements hūn ‘bear cub’ + gēr gār ‘spear’.2: German: ethnic name from Ungar Unger ‘Hungarian’.3: German: from Middle High German hunger ‘hunger’ applied as a nickname for a thin or undernourished person or sometimes a topographic name from a piece of land named with this word with reference to the infertility of the soil.4: English: from the Middle English personal name Hunger. This could be the Old Norse name Hungeirr (cognate with 1 above) or a borrowing into Old French of ancient Germanic Hunger (perhaps huni- ‘Hun’ + -garwa ‘ready able’).
Hunker : German: from the ancient Germanic personal name Hungar composed of the elements hun ‘Hun giant’ or hūn ‘bear cub’ + gēr gār ‘spear’. Compare Huinker.
Jarboe : Americanized form of French Gerbaut: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gerbald composed of the elements gēr ‘spear lance’ and bald ‘bold’. Gerbaud was the name of a 7th-century Christian saint bishop of Bayeux.
Jarmer : 1: North German: variant of Garmer from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements gār gēr ‘spear lance’ + māri ‘famous’.2: East German: from a Germanized form of the Slavic personal name Jaromir based on the element jar ‘lush rank’ also ‘strong’.3: East German: habitational name from a place called Jarmer near Stettin (Polish Szczecin).
Jerome : 1: French and West Indian (mainly Haiti) (Jérôme): from the French personal name Jérôme from Latin Hieronymus. This surname is most common in Haiti.2: English (southern): from either of two distinct personal names which became confused in Middle English: ancient Germanic Ger(r)am (Gerrannus) composed of the ancient Germanic elements gār gēr ‘spear’ + hraban ‘raven’ and Latin Hieronymus which is the source of English Jerome and French Jérôme (see 1 above).
Kirtz : German: patronymic from a pet form of the personal name Gero or Gier derived from either of the Old High German roots gār gēr ‘spear’ or giri ‘desire greed’.
Leugers : German: patronymic from Leuger a short form of an ancient Germanic name composed of liod ‘people tribe’ + gār gēr ‘spear’.
Lucker : 1: South German: from the personal name Liutger derived from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements liud ‘people tribe’ + gār gēr ‘spear’.2: North German (Lücker): patronymic from a shortened form of the personal name Lüdeke (see Luedecke).3: North German (Lücker): variant of Lücke (see Lucke 3).
Mengel : German:: 1: occupational name for a market trader or stallholder from Middle High German menglære a variant of mengære (see Menger).2: from a pet form of the personal name Meinger derived from a name composed of the ancient Germanic elements magin ‘strength’ + gār gēr ‘spear’; or a pet form of the personal name Mangold.
Menger : German:: 1: occupational name for a market trader Middle High German mengære mangære (from Late Latin mango ‘salesman’ with the addition of the ancient Germanic agent suffix).2: from the ancient Germanic personal name Meginger composed of the elements magin ‘might force’ + gār gēr ‘spear’.
Minger : Swiss German:: 1: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements magin ‘strength might’ + gār gēr ‘spear’.2: variant of Manger 1.
Rediger : German: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements rād ‘counsel’ + gār gēr ‘spear lance’.
Rengert : German: from the Middle High German female personal name Raingard (from ancient Germanic ragin ‘counsel advice decision’ + gart ‘garden fence yard’) or the male personal name Reinger of which the second element is gēr ‘spear’.
Renker : German: from an ancient Germanic personal name Reinger composed of the elements ragin ‘advice counsel’ + gār gēr ‘spear lance’.
Rieck : 1: South German: from a pet form of the personal name Ru(o)diger a compound of Old High German hrōd ‘fame renown’ + gēr ‘spear lance’ (see Roger).2: North German: from a short form of a personal name containing the element rīc ‘power(ful)’.3: Germanized form of Sorbian Rjek: nickname from Upper Sorbian rjek ‘hero’. Compare Reck.
Ringer : 1: English: occupational name for a maker of rings and other items of jewelry from Middle English ringer(e) a derivative of the noun ring. An alternative possibility is that some ringers were makers of chain mail. Compare Ring.2: English: occupational name for someone whose function was to ring church bells or a bell in a procession Middle English ringer(e) agent noun derived from ringen ‘to ring’.3: English: from the Middle English personal name Rainger Reinger (Old French Reinger from ancient Germanic Reginger from ragin regin ‘counsel decision’ + gēr ‘spear’).4: English: possibly an occupational name from a derivative of Middle English wringen ‘to wring or squeeze’ perhaps used for a wringer or presser of cheese.5: English: possibly from the Middle English personal name Ringer (Old English Hringhere ‘ring’ + ‘army’).6: German: occupational name for a turner someone who made objects by rotating them on a lathe or wheel.
Roger : Scottish English North German French Walloon Catalan and West Indian (mainly Haiti): from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements hrōd ‘renown’ +gār gēr ‘spear lance’ which was introduced into England by the Normans in the form Rog(i)er and was reinforced by the Old Norse cognate Hróthgeirr.
Rudiger : German (Rüdiger): from the ancient Germanic personal name Rüdiger composed of the elements hrōd ‘fame renown’ + gār gēr ‘spear lance’ (see Roger). Compare Ruediger.
Ruggiero : Italian: from the ancient Germanic personal name Ruggiero composed of the elements hrōd ‘fame renown’ + gār gēr ‘spear lance’. See English Roger.
Schweickert : German (mainly Württemberg and Bavaria): from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements swinth ‘strong fast’ + gār gēr ‘spear’; the -t is epenthetic.
Schwieger : 1: North German: from the Middle Low German personal name Swideger from an ancient Germanic name composed of the elements swinth ‘strong fast’ + gār gēr ‘spear’. Compare Schweickert.2: German: nickname from Middle High German swiger ‘mother-in-law’.
Singer : 1: Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a cantor in a synagogue from Yiddish zinger ‘singer’.2: English and Scottish (Aberdeenshire): occupational name from Middle English singer(e) ‘singer cantor reciter of verse player of a musical instrument’. See also Sing Sanger.3: English: perhaps from an unrecorded Anglo-Norman French and Middle English personal name Sinegar an Old French borrowing of ancient Germanic Sineger (from an augmentative prefix + gēr ‘spear’).4: German: variant of Sänger (see Sanger 1) in the sense of ‘poet’.5: American shortened form of German Reisinger.6: Native American (Navajo): translation into English (and shortening) of a Navajo personal name based on the occupational name hataałii ‘singer (i.e. medicine man)’ such as Hataałii Yázhí ‘Little Singer’; see Hatathlie.
Snellings : Flemish and Dutch: patronymic from a derivative of an ancient Germanic personal name either Snello or a compound name such as Snellaert (composed of the elements snell ‘quick lively’ + hard ‘hardy brave strong’) or Snellegeer (with the second element gēr gār ‘spear’).
Sugar : 1: English: nickname from Middle English sugre suker ‘sugar’ (Old French sucre Anglo-Norman French soucre sugre) used for a sweet-natured person or perhaps for a confectioner or dealer in sugar in which case Sugar might be a shortened form of Sugarer.2: English: possibly from the ancient Germanic personal name Sudgar Suger (perhaps for swi(n)th- ‘strong’ + gēr ‘spear’ but this is uncertain) although there is no evidence of its use as a personal name in medieval Normandy or in Anglo-Norman England.3: English: variant of Shocker a nickname from Middle English shokere Old English sceācere ‘robber’.4: Hungarian (Sugár): nickname for a well-built person from sugár ‘tall slim’.5: Czech and Slovak (Šugar Šugár): probably a nickname of Hungarian origin (see above).6: Croatian (Šugar): nickname from a Croatized form of Romanian sugare ‘lamb born behind its time’ used among Wallachian shepherds.7: Americanized form (translation into English) of German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) Zucker and possibly also of other surnames meaning ‘sugar’: Hungarian Czukor Croatian Cukor (both from Hungarian cukor a loanword from German).
Trude : 1: German: from a short form of the female personal name Gertrude composed of the ancient Germanic elements gēr ‘spear’ + trud ‘strength’ the latter being subsequently reinterpreted as traut ‘dear’ yielding the form Gertraut (see Draudt).2: English (Devon): variant of Trodd a topographic name for someone who lived by a path or track (Middle English Old English trod); or perhaps from a misdivision of the Middle English phrase atte rode either ‘at the clearing’ (Old English rod rodu) or ‘at the reed bed’ (Old English hrēod).
Uecker : German (also Ücker):: 1: from the ancient Germanic personal name Audagar a compound of od ‘property possession’ + gar ‘ready’ or gēr ‘javelin spear’.2: topographic name from the river Ücker or a habitational name from a place called Ückern in Westphalia. Compare Ucker.
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Source : FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
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