As families moved from one country to another, their surnames were often adapted to better fit the language of their new home. Hoffman Origin: Ashkenazi Meaning: Steward or farm laborer. It's the adopted stage name of Natalie Hershlag (a common surname in Israel) who took her grandmother's maiden name as a stage name to protect her identity when she began acting as a minor. I did a look up of the oldest ancestor that was derived from Germany and he was born in 1793 in a town near the border of France/Germany along the Rhine. Recanati - ritual slaughterer from Hebrew schochet; Shofer/Sofer/Schaeffer scribe; Shulman/Skolnick sexton; Spector inspector or supervisor of schools. A dues collector, or for Jewish communities, perhaps a rabbi or synagogue trustee. Romani - An occupational surname from the German "smit"a "blacksmith. A descendant from the biblical tribe of Levi. The name is composed of the word gold and the German word berg meaning mountain., This last name is an ornamental name made from the words gold and the German word blum meaning flower., It is a metronymic form of the Yiddish feminine personal name Golde meaning gold.. ", A variation of the German, "Rotenberg," meaning "red mountain.". 6. It is the German word for glazier. It is an occupational name for someone who worked as a glassblower or glazier a person who fits glass panes and windows. Monselice - It is composed of the Yiddish elements reyn meaning pure and man meaning man. The name thus means pure man, and it would have likely begun as a pet name. Literally, "rose bush.". Vercelli - 3. Abrams Origin: Hebrew Meaning: High father or reference to the prophet Abraham. David ben (son of) Jesse, or Miriam bat (daughter of) Aaron). So, on August 18, 1938, the Nazi party stated that all children who were of Jewish faith then considered to be a race within Nazi Germany would only be permitted to carry a set of names. It is an elaborative form of the Yiddish word shul meaning synagogue. This surname was adopted by those who came from a family line of Shamash, who is a Sexton (warden or caretaker) of a synagogue. This surname doesn't likely indicate descendancy from an actual duke. Jewish surnames are mostly related to an individuals native place and occupation. Hebrew word meaning "laughter," and the name of Abraham's son in scripture. When Jews in the Austro-Hungarian Empire were required to assume last names, some chose the nicest ones they could think of and may have been charged a registration fee by the authorities. It means rabbi in Polish and Ukrainian. This is an ornamental name from Yiddish word gorfinkl meaning carbuncle. It denotes a precious red stone, especially a ruby or garnet cut into a round shape. This list, while not comprehensive, will be a helpful resource as you come to recognize the names and their variations. Voghera - It is composed of the Yiddish elements libe meaning love or loved and man meaning man. The name thus means beloved man, and must have started as a nickname. It is taken from the Hebrew word shor which means ox. The name may also have been inspired from the name of Joseph, the Biblical character who is compared to an ox. A good explanation and a list of localities covered are found in Edlund, Thomas Kent. Scandiani - This writer is a part of the FamilyEducation editorial team. The name refers to those whose ancestral profession was that of a Shamash. This occupational name is for descendants of a cantor, one who sung liturgical music and led prayer in synagogue. From special things to everyday life, you can share the niece-est moments with the world. Lang/Lange/Long Meaning: A very tall person. Many Jewish people also choose meaningful Hebrew names in order to honor their culture and heritage. Schfer/Schaefer Meaning: Shepherd. The name is more commonly found among Ashkenazi Jews. This is an Ashkenazi Jewish ornamental last name taken from the German word Bach meaning a creek or a stream.. Servi - Frascati -, Gattinara - Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company. Derived from German, "schneiden," meaning "to cut.". This is an ornamental extension of the name Feld that means field in German and Yiddish. This is an ornamental personal name and means fig tree in German. For example: The son of Mendel took the last name Mendelsohn; the son of Abraham became Abramson or Avromovitch; the son of Menashe became Manishewitz; the son of Itzhak became Itskowitz; the son of Berl took the name Berliner; the son of Kesl took the name Kessler, etc. Famous American actors, Ben and Jerry Stiller, have this surname. Pontecorboli - And the Cabots speak Yiddish, by God! This is an ornamental name of Yiddish origin and means gold, the precious compound. Here are some of the most common Jewish family names and their meanings. Surnames can provide a unique identity to a person, so parents choose them with as much care as they choose first names. The website Behind the Name has a list of the 1,000 most common names in the U.S. It is the root of many Ashkenazic last names, including Liebowitz, Lefkowitz, Lebush, and Leon. Sforno - Ferrarese - Americanized from the Jewish surname, "Bernstein." Melli - Names based on Hebrew acronyms include: Baron bar aron (son of Aaron); Beck bene kedoshim (descendant of martyrs); Getz gabbai tsedek (righteous synagogue official); Katz kohen tsedek (righteous priest); Metz moreh tsedek (teacher of righteousness); Sachs, Saks zera kodesh shemo (his name descends from martyrs); Segal se gan levia (second-rank Levite). A Germanized variant of the shorter surname, "Rabin," indicating descendants of a rabbi, ultimately from the Hebrew "rav.". It is a cognate of the name Winrich. This name is composed of the Old High German elements wini meaning friend and reich meaning rich. It thus means rich friend and may have been used as a nickname. Forl - Ariccia - It is a Germanic form of Cohen, a priest who serves at a Jewish temple. It is derived from the Yiddish sandler or Hebrew sandelar meaning shoemaker. It refers to those with ancestors who worked as cobblers. Levi/Levy Origin: Hebrew It's a well-known Sephardic Jewish surname with a number of descendants found in the Mediterranean region, fleeing their communities after the Spanish Inquisition. In Germany, there are about 850,000 different family names. Assuming we can keep it all straight, well that would take a lot of chutzpah. Jews did not use surnames in ancient times. It is an ornamental form of the name Ginsburg, which is a toponymic name referring to those who lived along the river Gunz in Germany. Another origin of this surname could be the Polish word sagan that means pot or kettle. The name could have been used by those with the occupation of making teapots and kettles. This is taken from Hebrew personal name Itzhak or Yitzhak, which means he laughs. It is a biblical name derived from Judaism. Angel = common name among Rhodesli families. CS3010.S79 [Dutch Jewish Family Archive]. The name of the city is composed of the Germanic elements ham meaning a water meadow and burg meaning a fortified town., This name is derived from the German elements hell meaning bright or light and berg meaning hill or mountain.. Daniel. Schio - Fiorentino - It is a variant spelling of Horowitz, which is a toponymic name derived from Horovice, a town in the Central Bohemian region of Czech Republic. A surname combining the German words for "gold" and "flower.". AnAshkenazic surname indicating some affiliation with birds or animals. It is a Yiddish variant of Brodsky, which is a toponymic name for someone from Brody, a place in Ukraine. Lists surnames, given names, year recorded, and referencesto list where name was recorded. Ferrara - If you're a mensch, it says a lot about you, and it's all good. This is a listing of common surnames (alphabetical by country names): Gonzlez Rodrguez Lpez Garca Gmez Prez Galleti Villa Dominguez argentinez Ahmed Alam Begum Choudhury Das Hossain Khan Miah . Jon Ronson (whose great-grandfather dropped a letter or two himself) asks why so many Jews westernised their names. Altshul/Althshuler associated with the old synagogue in Prague; Cantor/Kazan/Singer/Spivack cantor or song leader in shul; Feder/Federman/Schreiber scribe; Haver from haver (court official); Klausner rabbi for small congregation; Klopman calls people to morning prayers by knocking on their window shutters; Lehrer/Malamud/Malmud teacher; Rabin rabbi (Rabinowitzson of rabbi); London scholar, from the Hebrew lamden (misunderstood by immigration inspectors); Reznick ritual slaughterer; Richter judge; Sandek godfather; Schechter/Schachter/Shuchter etc. Typically, European Jews use four different types of surnames: 1 Place Names: For example, the surname Greenberg refers to the towns of Grunberg in Germany and Poland that both once had thriving Jewish communities. Ackerman plowman; Baker/Boker baker; Blecher tinsmith; Fleisher/Fleishman/Katzoff/Metger butcher; Cooperman coppersmith; Drucker printer; Einstein mason; Farber painter/dyer; Feinstein jeweler; Fisher fisherman; Forman driver/teamster; Garber/Gerber tanner; Glazer/Glass/Sklar glazier; Goldstein goldsmith; Graber engraver; Kastner cabinetmaker; Kunstler artist; Kramer storekeeper; Miller miller; Nagler nailmaker; Plotnick carpenter; Sandler/Shuster shoemaker; Schmidt/Kovalsky blacksmith; Shnitzer carver; Silverstein jeweler; Spielman player (musician? . Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. In different countries some names are more common than others. Torinese - This was used as a nickname and was derived from the Yiddish word frish meaning fresh. Marx is an Anglicization of any of several variations on this surname. An occuapational Sephardic surname meaning "straw merchant.". Schiani - A topographic surname for someone who lived on a corner, either on a piece of land or a street. Ferrero = Portuguese, an ironworker. For Jewish families, a surname adopted in memory of persecuted forebears. Civita - Derived from the Yiddish word, "blum" and the German word, "blume," and means flower. Pirano - Mentana - Some traditional surnames, such as Sofer (scribe), Kantor (Cantor), and Cohen (priest), are related to religion too. Teglio - Sulmona - This name is composed of the German elements schiff meaning ship and mann meaning man. The name could have been that of a sailor or someone whose house had a sign of ship at its entrance. Trapani -, Udine - Due to the historical settlement of Slavs, Slavic names are most common in Saxony, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (especially in Lusatia, where Sorbs continue to reside today). Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below. A location-based name of German origin, combining stone and stream creek. It is an ornamental name derived from the German name Gluck meaning luck, good luck, bliss or good fortune.. We've identified 100 common Jewish last names and their Hebrew meanings. Modica - Piazza (Sicilia) - These surnames have been influenced by the cultural assimilation, geographic diversity of the community, and the Hebraization of surnames (1). Means "thorny" in Spanish. According to Jewish tradition, all priests are descended from the first high priest: Moses' brother Aaron. This is a toponymic name for someone who came from the city of Hamburg in Germany. Patronymic surnames are taken from the father's first name. FamilyEducation does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Boys commonly were baptized with the first name Johannes (or Johann, often abbreviated Joh ). Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Bring giggles and glee with these hilarious April Fools' Day jokes! When compared to a list of Jewish surnames on Family Education and other websites in the Where to Find More section, these emerged as some of the most common in the United States: Jews who settled in the nations of northern and eastern Europe became known as Ashkenazi Jews. Their surnames typically reflect the languages of these regions, such as German, Polish, and Russian. Jews have some of the largest varieties of surnames among any ethnic group, owing to the geographically diverse Jewish diaspora, as well as cultural . One doesn't have to be fluent in Yiddish to be familiar with the term, "mensch." A reference to the biblical patriarch, Abraham. Rovighi -, Saravalle (Veneto) - Mensch means one who's held in high regard. The lion was the symbol of the tribe of Judah. Montecorboli - The name comes from the word fabrikant It has its origin in Polish, Russia, German languages. Occupational surname for a tailor. The next most common source of Jewish last names is probably places. The . Massarani - Only three surnames, and their variations, are of specifically Jewish origin: Cohen, Levi, and Israel. She also specializes in baby names. Pescarolo - Pontecorvo, from Pontecorvo - Until this period, Jewish names generally changed with every generation. The following two tabs change content below. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire . In Yiddish, literally "little fish." Of Northern European origin, a word meaning "mountain.". Others include: Aaron Aronson, Aronoff; Asher; Benjamin; David Davis, Davies; Ephraim Fishl; Emanuel Mendel; Isaac Isaacs, Isaacson/Eisner; Jacob Jacobs, Jacobson, Jacoby; Judah Idelsohn, Udell,Yudelson; Mayer/Meyer; Menachem Mann, Mendel; Reuben Rubin; Samuel Samuels, Zangwill; Simon Schimmel; Solomon Zalman. According to the website, Behind the Name, "For an unknown reason, Jewish immigrants who passed through the port at Baltimore had their names changed to Caplan, while the Jewish immigrants who passed through Ellis Island retained the original K spelling.". In German, the word for rooster(Hahn). It is an ornamental surname composed of the German words winter meaning winter and stein meaning stone., This name is composed of the German words wohl meaning well-being and berg meaning hill or mountain., It is a Jewish pet version of Jacob. The name Jacob is derived from Hebrew name Yaakov meaning supplanter.. Some German speaking Jews took last names as early as the 17 th century, but the overwhelming majority of Jews lived in Eastern Europe and did not take last names until compelled to do so. This name likely comes from the Arabic word sabagh that means dyer. The name would have referred to someone whose ancestors had the occupation of dying clothes and other materials. Genova - Pisa - These were sometimes foisted on Jews who discarded them as soon as possible, but a few may remain: Billig cheap; Gans goose; Indyk turkey; Grob rough/crude; Kalb cow. It means fisherman in German and Yiddish languages. 2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. A Yiddish surname of a descendant of a ritual slaughterer or butcher. Other place-based Jewish names include: Auerbach/Orbach; Bacharach; Berger (generic for townsman); Berg (man), meaning from a hilly place; Bayer from Bavaria; Bamberger; Berliner, Berlinsky . Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. Aaronson Literally "son of Aaron." 2. The surname of famous American comedian, Jerry Seinfeld. Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning. ", A man who made outer garments, or a "tailor." This surname is an ornamental name adopted from the German phrase rosen baum meaning rose tree referring to the rose plant. 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