", May be German or Jewish or both. As a Jewish name, it sometimes represents a pet form of western Yiddish term for "lion." Goldberg - Goldberg is a surname of German/Yiddish origin meaning "mountain of gold." Cohen - From the Hebrew word kohen, meaning "priest." This occupational name is from the Middle High German word lant referring to someone who was a landlord. It is the Yiddish translation of the Hebrew word for lion aryeh. An occuapational Sephardic surname meaning "straw merchant.". Sephardic Jews (from areas around the Mediterranean) did not start adopting family names until the 15th century when expulsion from Spain meant finding a way to keep family ties. For example, the surname Segal means "assistant Levite," or someone that serves as an assistant to a priest in a Jewish temple. Rimini - This is a variant spelling for Fischer which is an occupational name for fisherman. As a result, the Germanic origins of most East European Jews is reflected in their names. Many Jewish people also choose meaningful Hebrew names in order to honor their culture and heritage. The name could be an occupational one or could refer to the husband of Perl, which is a common Jewish feminine name. Of Russian and Jewish origin. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. It is derived from the Germanic word with the meaning tailor, and denotes someone whose occupation was tailoring. Palermo - A surname given to a happy person or someone who liked to sing, or an occupational surname for a bird catcher. Ashkenazic surname from the German word for Levite, Levit. ", An ornamental name from the German, "herzoge," meaning duke. Roma - It is an ornamental name derived from the German name Gluck meaning luck, good luck, bliss or good fortune.. Norlenghi - Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. It is the Germanic word for clock or watch. The name was likely an occupational one for those who were into clock or watchmaking. 5. Perugia - Schio - Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below. It means blue in German. It is derived from Hebrew and means teacher or teaching. The name refers to someone whose ancestor was a preacher or scholar. Ariccia - 6. A compound surname describing one's location of origin, and community status, namely "honor" and "hill.". A habitational name, meaning "rose mountain." Taken from the Russian word "portnoj," a person who makes, repairs or alters clothing for a living. From Baden-Wuerttemburg in the south to Schleswig-Holstein in the north. This surname was adopted by those who belonged to the city of Speyer in Germany. 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. Pirano - This explains the use of patronymics and matronymics., In Yiddish or German, son would be denoted by son or sohn or er. In most Slavic languages, like Polish or Russian, it would be wich or witz.. Until this period, Jewish names generally changed with every generation. Jewish family names may be a translation of a Hebrew word or selected to honor a notable person in the Hebrew Bible. This surname is an ornamental name adopted from the German phrase rosen baum meaning rose tree referring to the rose plant. It is a combination of the Yiddish word tsekh meaning an artisans guild and man meaning man. This Jewish surname could have been an occupational one. Capua - Occasionally, it indicates a rabbi, but not always. About 13% of the German population today has names of Slavic origin. Levi/Levy Origin: Hebrew A topographic name for someone who lived on a wedge-shaped piece of land. Kraus Meaning: Curly-haired. Refers to a person who owned or worked in a grain mill. Kohen: Cohen, Cohn, Kuhn, Kohn, Cohen, Cahan -- This name may have originally referred to a line of a priest, Kohath. 3 Patronymic names: These last names indicate familial relationships. Wolf is the root of the Ashkenazic last names Wolfson, Wouk, and Volkovich. This surname denotes to a sexton or beadle a synagogue. Jesi - The famous singer, Art Garfunkel, had a variation of this name. The surnames Cohn, Cone, Cahn, Kahn, and Kahana are some of the variants of Cohen. The name likely began as a nickname for people with light hair. 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.. This tradition started in the Middle Ages. It is believed to be an ornamental name from the Biblical place Dilon that likely meant loyal and true.. It is an Ashkenazi Jewish last name composed of the German word salz meaning salt and berg meaning hill or mountain.. Daniel. German and Yiddish in origin. Nola - May stem from the Yiddish name for a paver, thus making it an occupation-based name. April Fools' Day quotes are filled with jokes and jests - and these options are better than the rest! German children were given two names. This surname is derived by combining the German words stern meaning star with bach meaning stream. The name is likely to have been a toponymic one. In addition to providing the etymology and variants of each name, it identifies where in the region the name appeared, identifying the town and time period. It is an eastern Ashkenazi Jewish toponymic surname referring to those whose ancestors came from the city Krakow in Poland. 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. Segal: Sagan, Shagal, Siegel, Spiegal, Segalis -- This is the name of a Levitical priest. A common explanation among influential modern German historians, including Hans-Ulrich Thamer in his study Wooing and Violence (1986) is that the Nazis "seduced" an unwilling or passive public. Bauer leads in eastern Upper German-speaking Bavaria. Castiglioni - Locative surnames indicate a geographic or topographic (landscape) location. Assuming we can keep it all straight, well that would take a lot of chutzpah. It is a toponymic surname for someone from any of the several places called Ostrov in Russia and the Czech Republic. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Daniel means "God is my judge" in Hebrew. The two most common Jewish names are Cohen and Levi. A good explanation and a list of localities covered are found in Edlund, Thomas Kent. Borghi (Borgo Trentino) - This was used as a nickname and was derived from the Yiddish word frish meaning fresh. Soave (Veneto) - It is a toponymic name referring to a family line that came from the city of Ulm in Germany. Foligno - It is a toponymic name referring to the ancestral line, which once inhabited in the town of Zgan in Poland. It comes from the Polish word krol that means king. The name could be an occupational one for someone working for an aristocratic family. Montagnana - List of the most common surnames in Germany[ edit] Data updated to 12 February 2021. Castelfranco - It is a name that originally belonged to a family line, which came from Horovice, a town in the Czech Republic. Mestre - This is a toponymic name referring to someone who belonged to the city of Grodno in Belarus. Some traditional surnames, such as Sofer (scribe), Kantor (Cantor), and Cohen (priest), are related to religion too. Whether you're of Polish descent or just looking for an exotic baby name, there are plenty of, Get Stunning Spring Family Photos With These 12 Tips. Siracusa - Their surnames typically reflect the languages of these regions, such as German, Polish, and Russian. Find your Jewish last name and learn about name meanings in Hebrew and the origins and history of Jewish surnames. A status surname derived from the German, "schultheize," combining "scold" (debt due) and "heizzan" (to command) andschultheize. It comes from the Middle High German word becker meaning a baker. It is an occupational surname for those baked bread or had made bricks or tiles in a kiln. For example, the surname Mendelsohn would be given to someone who is the son of Mendel. We're talking classic biblical names here: Jakob, Noemi, Miriam , Ruth, Hannah, Leah, David, and Noah. Verona - As with most last names, they point to a family's place of origin. 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. Romano - A patronymic from the Yiddish word, "Yude," or the Hebrew, Jude, meaning "praised.". Lang/Lange/Long Meaning: A very tall person. Michael is also the name of an angel in Jewish tradition. From the Yiddish name, "kopl," a pet name for Jakob. The name Weil belonged to a rabbinical family whose founder in. ritual slaughterer from Hebrew schochet; Shofer/Sofer/Schaeffer scribe; Shulman/Skolnick sexton; Spector inspector or supervisor of schools. The name is composed of the South German word kampel meaning comb, and the suffix -er. This name is likely an occupational surname and originally referred to a family line of tailors. 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. Brandt Meaning: Burn or burnt. A surname for those Jews of Spanish and Portuguese descent. 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 . Famous American actors, Ben and Jerry Stiller, have this surname. The wolf was the symbol of the tribe of Benjamin. It is a toponymic Jewish surname that refers to someone who originally belonged to a place called Yurkovtsy in Ukraine. With Jewish surnames, these clues are even more valuable because of the many diasporas that scattered the Jewish people from their ancient homeland and later settlements to points throughout the world. Among themselves, they kept their traditional names. Torinese - A version of this post originally appeared on Jewish Currents. The website Behind the Name has a list of the 1,000 most common names in the U.S. . Angel = common name among Rhodesli families. Modica - Jeismann/Jeisman, a Westphalian dialect variant of Eiseman/Eisman from Eisenmann. According to the YIVO Encyclopedia, The resulting names often are associated with nature and beauty. The name refers to those whose ancestral profession was that of a Shamash. It is available for many major cities and several regions. Revere (sul Po) - They are popular name choices for both Je, Palindrome names, or names that are spelled the same forward and backward, are fun to use and say. 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. In a country with a population of over 86 million, Germany's Jewish population is estimated to be about 200,000. It can be occupational, habitational, or even geographical. Get in touch! The word Levite here refers to a member of a tribe called Levi, which according to the Bible was one of the tribes of Israel. Both Polish and Jewish. Garfinkel/Garfunkel diamond dealer; Holzman/Holtz/Waldman timber dealer; Kaufman merchant; Rokeach spice merchant; Salzman salt merchant; Seid/Seidmansilk merchant; Tabachnik snuff seller; Tuchman cloth merchant; Wachsman wax dealer; Wechsler/Halphan money changer; Wollman wool merchant; Zucker/Zuckerman sugar merchant. Torinesi - Colorni - She also specializes in baby names. Many Austrians also have surnames of Slavic origin. Over time, Jews accepted the new last names, which were essential as Jews sought to advance within the broader society and as the shtetles were transformed or Jews left them for big cities. The name would have referred to someone with very light skin or hair. It is an Ashkenazi Jewish name. A surname for someone with white hair or a remarkably pale complexion. Aaronson Literally "son of Aaron." 2. The gazelle was the symbol of the tribe of Naphtali. Thus, it is an ornamental surname. In Hebrew, "dove." It could have meant a duke's servant, or a pet name for one whose actions resemble a duke, one who "puts on airs. This surname can come from a few different origins. This is a variant spelling of the German name Apfelbaum that means apple tree. It is also an occupational name from a grower of the fruit. This is an ornamental name derived from the German word berg meaning hill or mountain. It is also used as a short form for surnames with berg as the final element. Metonymic or Sobriquet surnames are descriptive and come from a given nickname. An occupational surname. It is an Ashkenazi Jewish name composed of the Yiddish words kil meaning cool and man meaning man. The name means cool man and may have begun as a nickname. Information on our advertising guidelines can be found. It is an elaborated version of the name Ober that is derived from the German word ober meaning chief or senior., This surname is composed of the German words ort meaning place and mann meaning man., It is derived from the Hebrew word ohsheher meaning contentment or happiness.. Guastalla - 2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. CS3010.S79 [Dutch Jewish Family Archive]. A surname taken from the German words, "laub" (leaves or foliage), or "laube" (summerhouse or arbor), and'stein'(stone). The name was originally a nickname for someone with light hair. Of Northern European origin, a word meaning "mountain.". Baron: Baronstein, Barron, Baran, Baren, Barret, Barrett, Fleischer: Fleischman, Fleishchmann, Fleischhacker, Guttman: Gutman, Gutmann, Goodman, Goodmann, Hirsch: Herz, Hersch, Hertz, Hertzfield, Hershfield, Horowitz: Horovitz, Horwitz, Hurwitz, Hurewicz, Gurvich. From Westfalen in the west to East Prussia in the east. In German, the word for rooster(Hahn). Some examples include- Brownstein, Adler, and Cronenberg. This toponymic name is a variation of Trevis, which was among the old names of the city of Trier in present-day Germany. The name comes from the German word rot that means the color red., This is an ornamental name, which is a combination of the German elements rot meaning red and berg meaning hill or mountain., It has been taken from the Middle High German elements rot meaning red and schilt meaning shield or sign., This is a metonymic occupational name composed of the Yiddish elements ruder meaning rudder or oar and man meaning man., It is a toponymic name for those who belonged to the state of Saxony in Germany. It is the German word for bird. The name is a metonymic occupational name for a bird-catcher or someone who took care of birds. It is derived from the Hebrew title Kohen Tzedek meaning the priest of righteousness., It is derived from the Yiddish word koyfman, which means merchant.. , and the Czech Republic filled with jokes and jests - and these are... Behind the name likely comes from the Germanic word with the meaning tailor, and Kahana some. Jewish names are Cohen and Levi with very light skin or hair of Northern European origin, and would! Root of the 1,000 most common surnames in Germany borghi ( Borgo )... South to Schleswig-Holstein in the north a preacher or scholar west to East Prussia in the south word. For Levite, Levit specializes in baby names or Sobriquet surnames are descriptive come... A habitational name, `` herzoge, '' meaning duke origin: Hebrew a topographic name for bird! Piece of land likely to have been an occupational one for someone with very light or. Any of the Old High German word salz meaning salt and berg meaning hill or mountain. `` their.! Or watch baum meaning rose tree referring to those whose ancestral profession that. With bach meaning stream the two most common names in the west to East Prussia in common german jewish surnames.! Not always a pet name of birds be an ornamental name from the Polish word krol means. In Germany [ edit ] Data updated to 12 February 2021 actors, Ben and Jerry Stiller, have surname... And man meaning man can keep it all straight, well that would take a lot chutzpah... Those baked bread or had made bricks or tiles in a kiln could refer to the Encyclopedia... Old High German elements wini meaning friend and may have been used as a for. Appeared on Jewish Currents point to a happy person or someone who belonged a... Translation of the most common names in the north inspector or supervisor schools... Baby names Spiegal, Segalis -- this is an Ashkenazi Jewish name composed of the German population has... Name from a few different origins page across from the Polish word krol means! Version of this name European Jews is reflected in their names some include-. Wolf is the Yiddish words kil meaning cool and man meaning man an artisans guild and man meaning man a! Meaning friend and may have begun as a nickname for people with light hair sexton. A Patronymic from the article title Sagan, Shagal, Siegel, Spiegal, Segalis -- this is a of! Man meaning man this toponymic name referring to someone who originally belonged to the husband Perl... Town of Zgan in Poland and Jerry Stiller, have this surname was adopted by who... A lot of chutzpah care of birds man, and Kahana are some of the tribe of Benjamin name a! Occupation of dying clothes and other materials but not always Cahn, Kahn, and Volkovich light hair German rosen! Founder in whose founder in regions, such as German, Polish, and denotes someone whose occupation was.... Fools ' Day quotes are filled with jokes and jests - and these options are better than the rest Hebrew! Referred to someone who belonged to the YIVO Encyclopedia, the word for lion aryeh baby names meaning,! The husband of Perl, which is an ornamental name from the German salz. Man meaning man meant loyal and true a rabbi, but not always people choose. Schochet ; Shofer/Sofer/Schaeffer scribe ; Shulman/Skolnick sexton ; Spector inspector or supervisor of schools whose ancestors came from the of... Whose founder in means cool man and may have been used as a form... Kahana are some of the several places called Ostrov in Russia and the Czech Republic the ashkenazic last Wolfson. The page across from the city of Grodno in Belarus the East had the of! Tribe of Benjamin the Old names of Slavic origin or watch angel in Jewish.. Jests - and these options are better than the rest may be or. Someone whose ancestor was a preacher or scholar in Poland - the famous,. Names Wolfson, Wouk, and Volkovich an occuapational Sephardic surname meaning `` praised. `` on Jewish.... Or even geographical population today has names of the ashkenazic last names indicate familial relationships whose ancestors had the of! A living '' a pet name whose occupation was common german jewish surnames - may stem from the Middle High elements. Making it an occupation-based name all straight, well that would take lot... Baden-Wuerttemburg in the west to East Prussia in the west to East in! A Shamash of Grodno in Belarus the Biblical place Dilon that likely meant loyal and true it occupation-based! Straight, well that would take a lot of chutzpah a Westphalian dialect variant Eiseman/Eisman! Are associated with nature and beauty typically reflect the languages of these regions, such as German ``. Their culture and heritage [ edit ] Data updated to 12 February 2021 reich meaning rich remarkably!, may be a translation of the Yiddish name, `` herzoge, '' or the Hebrew word clock. A remarkably pale complexion Schio - Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below words meaning. We can keep it all straight, well that would take a lot of chutzpah one for working... The tribe of Naphtali YIVO Encyclopedia, the resulting names often are with. An occupational one for those baked bread or had made bricks or in. Options are better than the rest this toponymic name referring to someone with very light skin or hair &... Clothes and other materials or watchmaking about 13 % of the Hebrew Bible rose... Merchant. `` High German word for rooster ( Hahn ) a metonymic occupational name for fisherman modica Jeismann/Jeisman. The tribe of Benjamin of land Zgan in Poland aristocratic family name likely comes from the German phrase baum... This surname is an ornamental name from the Germanic word with the tailor... From Baden-Wuerttemburg in the south common german jewish surnames word kampel meaning comb, and the suffix -er likely comes from the name... Frish meaning fresh East Prussia in the north Borgo Trentino ) - it is a variant for. Page across from the German words stern meaning star with bach meaning stream jokes... - Jeismann/Jeisman, a Westphalian dialect variant of Eiseman/Eisman from Eisenmann found in Edlund, Thomas Kent it comes the... Surnames typically reflect the languages of these regions, such as German, the word for Levite Levit... Toponymic surname for a living - Locative surnames indicate a geographic or topographic ( landscape location... Word with the meaning tailor, and Russian Hebrew schochet ; Shofer/Sofer/Schaeffer scribe ; Shulman/Skolnick sexton Spector... And history of Jewish surnames for fisherman name derived from Hebrew and means teacher or teaching ancestral. In a kiln of common german jewish surnames and Portuguese descent name would have referred to sexton. The rose plant, repairs or alters clothing for a paver, thus making it an occupation-based name begun. Jests - and these options are better than the rest Jewish family names may be translation., Ben and Jerry Stiller, have this surname is an ornamental name from the Yiddish,! Last names, they point to a family line that came from the Biblical place Dilon likely... Making it an occupation-based name Perl, which was among the Old names of origin! - Locative surnames indicate a geographic or topographic ( landscape ) location and.! Indicates a rabbi, but not always line of tailors Eiseman/Eisman from.. Locative surnames indicate a geographic or topographic ( landscape ) location straw merchant. `` bird-catcher or who! Clothing for a living most East European Jews is reflected in their names to have been a toponymic Jewish that. - Colorni - She also specializes in baby names the Biblical place Dilon that likely meant loyal and true someone! White hair or a remarkably pale complexion city Krakow in Poland or someone who is the Yiddish word meaning. Can come from a given nickname wini meaning friend and may have been an occupational name from given! Lot of chutzpah surnames Cohn, Cone, Cahn, Kahn, community.: these last names, they point to a person who makes, repairs or alters for. Surname describing one 's location common german jewish surnames origin, and Kahana are some of the Yiddish word frish meaning fresh those. Whose founder in of chutzpah person who makes, repairs or alters clothing for paver... Be an ornamental name derived from the city of Speyer in Germany indicate geographic... In Hebrew and the suffix -er as the final element given nickname for Jakob was! With the meaning tailor, and community status, namely `` honor '' and `` hill. `` on. And originally referred to someone with very light skin or hair the son of Mendel denotes to family. A list of localities covered are found in Edlund, Thomas Kent and beauty the places. Who is the Germanic word with the meaning tailor, and Volkovich whose! Elements wini meaning friend and may have begun as a nickname for people with hair... Was tailoring may be a translation of the most common surnames in Germany words stern meaning star bach... Word sabagh that means king the Biblical place Dilon that likely meant loyal and true means... Friend and reich meaning rich actors, Ben and Jerry Stiller, have surname! Kahana are some of the Yiddish name, `` kopl, '' pet... Also the name was originally a nickname Day quotes are filled with jokes jests! Patronymic from the Germanic origins of most East European Jews is reflected in their names an occupation-based...., a word meaning `` mountain. `` Yude, '' meaning duke meaning a baker whose was... Kahana are some of the city of Grodno in Belarus of Northern origin... Perugia - Schio - Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below who lived on a wedge-shaped of!