Ballester Family History
Ballester Name Meaning
Catalan: occupational name for a maker of crossbows or a soldier armed with a crossbow from Catalan ballester ‘crossbowman’ or ‘crossbow maker’ an agent derivative of ballesta ‘crossbow’ (from Latin ballista ‘(military) catapult’). English (of Norman origin): variant of Arblaster an occupational name cognate with 1 above from Anglo-Norman French alblaster arblaster Old French arbalestier arbelestier ‘soldier armed with a crossbow; arbalest’. Compare Balster .
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022