Re: Horowitz
in reply to a message by Sean Foglai
I suppose that it is a Jewish name from East Europe.
In some Slavic languages (Chech, Ukrainian) there is a consonant change G -> H. So, that name might come from the word "gora/hora" meaning "mountain" and might be a translation, e.g., of the German name Bergman.
In some Slavic languages (Chech, Ukrainian) there is a consonant change G -> H. So, that name might come from the word "gora/hora" meaning "mountain" and might be a translation, e.g., of the German name Bergman.
Replies
That's exactly what I found after I posted ...thanks for confirming!
Horowitz is the German version of a Czech place-name, Horovice. The letter R has a mark over it in the Czech version to indicate that it is pronounced like R in Dvorak.
Re the Slavic G/H change; sometimes this name became Gurevitch in Russia, giving it the appearance of a patronymic.
Re the Slavic G/H change; sometimes this name became Gurevitch in Russia, giving it the appearance of a patronymic.
That's the origin I've heard too