This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

Re: I'm looking for the surname with suffix '-witz' and their meanings
in reply to a message by hj
Horowitz is not a son name. It is a German or Yiddish version of Horovice, a place name now of the Czech Republic. The basis of the name is hora, 'mountain'.
Berkowitz means 'son of Berek', The Yiddish for 'bear' with a Slavic diminutive ending. Bear was a substitute name for Issachar, I don't know why', and Wolf was a substitute name for Benjamin, as the biblical Benjamin was described by his father Jacob as "a ravening wolf".
Mankowitz is another -witz name, son of Manka, a Polish diminutive of Maria, also used for the Hebrew Miriam. The original Polish spelling is Mankiewicz.
vote up1vote down

Replies

Here's the explanation I found for why 'bear' is the kinnui for Issachar.tinyurl.com/zsu8hnn
vote up1vote down