Family name origins & meanings
- 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’ (Latin ballista ‘(military) catapult’).
- English and German : occupational name, cognate with 1, from an agent derivative of Middle English, Old French baleste ‘crossbow’.