These are the top 50 German surnames followed by their meanings. This list was taken from deutsche-kultur.livejournal.com
Müller (Mueller, Möller) = miller
Schmidt (Schmitz, Schmitt, Schmid) = smith
Schneider = tailor
Fischer = fisher
Meyer (Meier, Maier, Mayer) = dairyman
Weber = weaver
Schulz (Schulze, Scholz) = mayor
Wagner = wagoner, wainwright
Becker = baker
Hoffmann (Hofmann) = landed farmer
Schäfer (Schaefer) = shepherd
Koch = cook
Bauer = farmer, peasant
Schröder (Schroeder) = carter
Klein = small, little
Richter = judge
Wolf = wolf
Neumann = new man
Schwarz = black
Schmitz (Schmidt) = smith
Krüger (Krueger) = potter
Braun = brown
Zimmermann = carpenter
Schmitt (Schmidt) = smith
Lange = long
Hartmann = tough/strong man
Hofmann (Hoffmann) = landed farmer
Krause = curly-haired
Werner = meaning uncertain
Meier = dairyman
Schmid (Schmidt) = smith
Schulze (Schulz) = mayor
Lehmann = serf
Köhler (Koehler) = charcoal-maker
Maier (Meyer) = dairyman
Herrmann = warrior
König (Koenig) = king
Mayer (Meyer) = dairyman
Walter = army leader; ruler
Peters = rock (from Latin/Greek)
Möller (Moeller, Müller) = miller
Huber = land owner (hoover)
Kaiser = emperor
Fuchs = fox
Scholz (Schulz) = mayor
Weiß = white/wheat
Lang = long
Jung = young
Hahn = rooster
Keller = cellar, basement (i.e. someone who worked in a wine cellar/Ratskeller)
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Surnames For Your Characters
Non-FictionHaving trouble coming up with a last name for your character? You've come to the right place! Here is a list of the most popular surnames from around the world! The U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, and many more to come! Take a look!
