Swiss last names: The most common, longest and funniest surnames

As of 2023, there are estimated to be over 493.000 unique surnames in use in Switzerland. To help distinguish your Schmids from your Currats, here’s all you need to know about Swiss last names, from the most common to the longest and weirdest.

Swiss surnames explained

As the largest language group, German surnames remain the most common to be registered in Switzerland. However, with a quarter of the population not being Swiss citizens, recent years have seen an explosion of different name varieties from around the world.

What are the origins of Swiss last names?

As in the rest of Europe, Swiss last names developed to ensure that people with the same first name were not confused in official documents and business.

As a result, many of the oldest surnames refer to a city, town, village or natural landmark where the person was known to live or frequent.

In addition, many of the most common Swiss names refer to a job that the family was known for. Notable examples include Schmid and Favre (blacksmith), and Weber (weaver), among many others.

What are the most common Swiss last names?

Here are the most common Swiss last names and what they mean (according to data from the Federal Statistical Office):

1. Müller (miller)
2. Meier (farmer)
3. Schmid (smith)
4. Keller (cellarman)
5. Weber (weaver)
6. Schneider (tailor / cutter)
7. Huber (free tenant / tract of land)
8. Meyer (manager / tenant)
9. Steiner (stonemason)
10. da Silva (of the forest)

Though it takes the top spot, just 53.000 people in Switzerland have Müller as their last name, accounting for only 0,6 percent of the total population. All but one of the most common surnames have their origins in German-speaking Switzerland, the exception being da Silva, which is of Portuguese origin.

Most common surnames in Switzerland by language region

Interestingly, the list of the most common surnames in Switzerland changes dramatically depending on which language region you find yourself in. Here is a rundown of each region.

Swiss German surnames

Unsurprisingly, the most common Swiss German surnames are also the most common surnames nationwide - though da Silva is replaced by Fischer (fisher) in 10th place. The vast majority of surnames are derived from occupations and locations.

In terms of individual Swiss cantons, Müller is the most common surname in Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Land, Solothurn, Schaffhausen, Glarus, Zug and Zurich. Gerber, meaning tanner, is the top surname in Canton Bern, alongside Arnold in Uri - a name derived from the Germanic surname Arnwald, meaning eagle or power.

Kälin, derived from a Swiss German word for a metal collar, is the top surname in Canton Schwyz, while Rohrer (reed bed) placed first in Obwalden, Schmid (smith) was top in Appenzell Innerrhoden, and Odermatt (by the meadow) was first in Obwalden.

Swiss French last names

Interestingly, the majority of the most popular surnames in the Romandie are not from French-speaking Switzerland but from Portugal. This is explained by the fact that Portuguese expats make up 7 percent of the population in the region, of whom 10 percent have the surname da Silva. 

The top 10 is as follows:

1. da Silva (of the forest)
2. Ferreira (iron mine)
3. Pereira (pear tree)
4. dos Santos (meaning born or baptised on All Saints’ Day)
5. Rodrigues (son of Rodrigo)
6. Favre (blacksmith)
7. Gomes (man)
8. Fernandes (son of Fernando)
9. Lopes (son of the wolf)
10. Martin (derived from Mars, the god of war)

When it comes to individual cantons, Vaud, Geneva, Fribourg and Neuchâtel have da Silva as the most common surname, Fournier (baker) takes the top spot in Valais, while Fleury (flower) is first in Switzerland’s youngest canton, Jura. 

Italian last names in Switzerland

Turning to Italian-speaking Switzerland, many of the top surnames from the region are also very popular around the Italian lakes and Lombardy. Unlike the rest of the country, Italian names are more likely to be based on physical characteristics, though the list still has a generous helping of occupation and location-based names:

1. Bernasconi (from Bernasca, near Como)
2. Ferrari (blacksmith)
3. Rossi (red or red-haired)
4. Bianchi (white)
5. Fontana (living near a spring)
6. Crivelli (plural of Crivello, meaning sieve maker or user)
7. Galli (plural of Gallo, meaning rooster)
8. Cattaneo (from Catania)
9. Colombo (dove)
10. Cereghetti (derived from clericus or cleric)

Romansh last names

Finally, while there are only 45.000 native speakers left, over 1.300 different surnames are used in Romash-speaking Switzerland. As a fusion of Latin, German and Italian, the region provides a diversity of unique and interesting names. However, this also means that their origins are harder to track:

1. Caduff (likely linked to a town)
2. Derungs (small hill or mound)
3. Casanova (new house)
4. Maissen (meadow or pasture)
5. Monn (Romansh for man)
6. Caviezel (the home of Wetzel)
7. Cavegn  
8. Venzin
9. Decurtins (Romansh name for Imhoff, meaning in the garden we live)
10. Arpagaus (from the Latin word alpicare, meaning tender to the mountain)

For a list of all the surnames in use in Switzerland, and which ones are the most common in your local area, check out the official website.

Weird, long and rare Swiss surnames

Though standard names like Schmid and Meier may be the most common, Switzerland is home to many weird and wonderful surnames. Here are some of our favourites:

Longest surname in Switzerland

As of 2023, the longest surname reported in Switzerland is Grandjean-Perrenoud-Contesse, coming in at a whopping 28 characters. Directly translated, the name means a large person called John, the pet name for someone called Pierre, and the Old French word for countess, respectively.

However, the longest non-hyphenated name has its origins further afield. With 26 characters, the Tamil name Thirugnanasambanthamoorthy is the longest in Switzerland. The name means someone who became strong after drinking the milk of the gods.

Weird and wonderful last names

Of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention some of the funny surnames found by the Federal Statistical Office. What better place to start than with Rösti, the name of the delicious Swiss dish and the soon-to-be-president of Switzerland Albert Rösti. However, according to him, the name actually derives from the adjective rösch, meaning crispy or brittle.

Many fond school memories must have been had by the children of the Wurst or sausage family, or those of the Dick family, which alongside its English meaning also means fat in German. Other highlights include the outgoing chief of the Swiss Army, Thomas Süssli, meaning troops are being led by Thomas Littlesweet. Muff, Dürr (dry), Egg, Funk and Bogg also need to be mentioned.

Discover last names in Switzerland

With four languages and 26 different cantons, last names in Switzerland are an excellent reflection of the country's diverse history and traditions. Want to share what your last name means and where it comes from? Share in the comments below!