ABERGELJudeo-Spanish, Northern African Sephardic Jewish surname meaning "one-legged" or "one-footed", derived from Arabic رِجْل (rijl) meaning "leg, foot".
ABULAFIAJudeo-Spanish Sephardi Jewish surname from Arabic أبو العافية (Abū l-ʿāfiya), a combination of أبو (abū) meaning "father (of)", اَل (al) "the", and عافية (ʿāfiya) "health, wellbeing" (see the given name AAFIA).
ADAMSKIPolish, Jewish Originally denoted someone who came from the Polish village Adamy, a Polish village Adamowo, the Polish village Adamki, or the Belorussian city Adamki. These locations are derived from the given name ADAM.
AMBERGGerman, Jewish German and possibly Jewish (Ashkenazic) habitational name from any of several settlements called Amberg (literally ‘by the mountain’), including a city in Bavaria. It could also be a topographic name of identical etymology... [more]
AROUSIJewish, Hebrew, Judeo-Arabic, Arabic Yemenite Jewish and Arabic name possibly deriving from Arabic words aroosi, "bridal, relating to a wedding", rousi, "groom". El Aroussi, a variant, is found densely in Morocco and Francophone populations (France, Canada).
ASHKENAZIHebrew, Jewish From the name of a kingdom referenced in the Hebrew Bible named Ashkenaz, also used to refer to Jews living in Europe or Slavic countries. The name itself is mostly likely derived from Assyrian Aškūza, in turn, the Assyrians probably based the name off of that of the Scythians.
AZOULAYJudeo-Spanish, Northern African Sephardic Jewish surname of disputed meaning; it may be derived from French azur or Spanish azul both meaning "blue" (of Persian origin), from Tamazight izîl meaning "good, pure, sublime", or from an acronym of the Hebrew Biblical passage אִשָּׁ֨ה זֹנָ֤ה וַחֲלָלָה֙ לֹ֣א יִקָּ֔חוּ (’iš-šāh zō-nāh wa-ḥă-lā-lāh lō yiq-qā-ḥū) meaning "They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane".
BARZILAIHebrew Derived from BARZILLAI, the name of a character from the Talmud. His name meant "man of iron" or "iron-hearted", derived from Hebrew בַּרְזֶל (barzél) "iron".
BARZILAIJDutch, Jewish Dutch form (or "dutchization", if you will) of BARZILAI via BARZILAY. This name is found exclusively in the Dutch-Jewish community, and is considered quite rare: there were only 112 bearers in 1947 and only 51 bearers in 2007.
BASKINJewish Means "son of Baske", a Yiddish female personal name (a pet-form of the Biblical name Bath Seba). Baskin-Robbins is a US chain of ice-cream parlours founded in Glendale, California in 1945 by Burt Baskin (1913-1969) and Irv Robbins (1917-2008).
BICKELGerman, German (Swiss), Jewish German: from bickel ‘pickaxe’ or ‘chisel’, hence a metonymic occupational name for someone who made pickaxes or worked with a pickaxe or for a stonemason. South German: from a pet form of Burkhart... [more]
BIELERGerman, Jewish Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from any of the many places in eastern Europe whose name incorporates the Slavic element byel- ‘white’.... [more]
BIELINSKIPolish, Jewish Habitual surname for someone from Bielin in Volhynia or Bielina, Bielino, or Bieliny in Poland.
BLITZSTEINGerman, Jewish Blitz is the German word for lightening and stein is the German word for stone.
BLOCHJewish Regional name for someone in Central Europe originating from Italy or France, from Polish "Włoch" meaning "Italian" (originally "stranger / of foreign stock"), ultimately derived – like many names and words in various European languages – from the Germanic Walhaz.
BOGUSŁAWSKIPolish, Jewish Habitational name for someone from a place called Boguslaw or Boguslawice, from the personal name BOGUSŁAW (composed of Slavic Bog "God" and slav "glory").
BORKOWSKIPolish, Jewish Habitational name for someone from a place called Borki, Borkowice, or Borek, all named with Polish bór 'pine forest', or from Borków, which derives from the personal name Borek + the possessive suffix -ow.
BRAININJewish Means "son of Brayne", Brayne being a short form of the Yiddish feminine name Brayndl, literally "little brown one" (cf. BREINDEL).
BRANDISGerman, Jewish, Swiss German & Swiss: Habitational name from a former Brandis castle in Emmental near Bern, Switzerland, or from any of the places so named in Saxony, Germany. A famous bearer of the name is Jonathan Brandis (1976-2003).... [more]
CARBAJALSpanish, Judeo-Spanish Probably a habitational name demoting someone originally from any of the multiple locations called Carbajal in León, Asturias, or Zamora in Spain. Alternatively, it may be of pre-Roman origin from the word carbalio meaning "oak", denoting someone who either lived near an oak tree or who was like an oak tree in some way.... [more]
CASTIGLIONEItalian, Jewish Habitational name from any of numerous places named with this word, from medieval Latin castellio (genitive castellionis) ‘fortification’ or ‘small castle’.
CHERKASSKYRussian, Jewish Derived from Russian Черкес (Cherkes) meaning "Circassian", referring to a Muslim ethnic group native to the North Caucasus. This was the name of a noble Russian family of ethnic Circassian origin.
CHERNOFFRussian, Jewish Alternative spelling of CHERNOV, a patronymic from the byname Chernyj meaning ‘black’, denoting a black-haired or dark-skinned person.
CHOURAQUIJudeo-Spanish, Northern African North African Jewish surname meaning "the one who comes from the east", ultimately from Arabic شَرْقِيّ (šarqiyy) meaning "eastern". It is etymologically related to CHERKAOUI.
CHRYSLERGerman, Jewish From a German name referring to spinning or related to a Yiddish word, krayzl meaning "spinning top." The name can refer to a potter who spun a wheel to make utensils or to a person with curly hair or someone known for being continually active... [more]
CITRINEJewish An invented Jewish name based on Yiddish tsitrin "lemon tree".
CZARNECKIPolish, Jewish habitational name for someone from a place called Czarnca in Kielce voivodeship, or any of the various places called Czarnocin or Czarnia, all named with Polish czarny 'black'.
DESSERJewish Habitational name from the city of Dessau in Germany.
DEUTCHGerman (Rare), Jewish (Rare) "German". Used as a last name for those who had none in the 17-18th century. Continues to today, albeit rarely.
DIAMANTHebrew, Jewish Jewish surname derived from French and German diamant meaning "diamond", used to denote a jeweler.
DIAMONDJewish Americanized form of a Jewish surname, spelled in various ways, derived from modern German Diamant, Demant "diamond", or Yiddish dimet or diment, from the Middle High German diemant (via Latin from Greek adamas ‘unconquerable’, genitive adamantos, a reference to the hardness of the stone)... [more]
DICKERMANEnglish, German, Jewish Possibly derived from Middle High German dic(ke) "strong, thick" and Mann "man, male, husband".
DRABKINBelarusian, Jewish Jewish (from Belarus): metronymic from Yiddish drabke “loose woman”. Can also be from drabki Belarusian 'light cart' (+ the same suffix -in), an occupational name for a coachman (Alexander Beider).... [more]
DREXELGerman, Jewish It originates from the pre 7th century word 'dreseler' meaning 'to turn', a verb which in medieval times had a wide range of meanings.
DREYFUSSGerman, Jewish Originates from the German city of Trier. The Latin name for the city was "Treveris," whose pronunciation eventually developed into Dreyfuss. The spelling variants tend to correspond to the country the family was living in at the time the spelling was standardized: the use of one "s" tends to be more common among people of French origin, while the use of two tends to be found among those of German descent
DROPKINJewish, Belarusian Jewish (from Belarus): nickname from Belorussian drobka ‘crumb’+ the eastern Slavic patronymic suffix -in.... [more]
DWORKINJewish From a pet-form of the Yiddish female personal name Dvoyre, from Hebrew DEVORAH (source of English DEBORAH), literally "bee"... [more]
EDELSTEINJewish Ornamental name derived from German Edelstein "gemstone; precious stone".
EICHHORNGerman, Jewish German topographic name for someone who lived on or near an oak-covered promontory, from Middle High German eich(e) ‘oak’ + horn ‘horn’, ‘promontory’. German from Middle High German eichhorn ‘squirrel’ (from Old High German eihhurno, a compound of eih ‘oak’ + urno, from the ancient Germanic and Indo-European name of the animal, which was later wrongly associated with hurno ‘horn’); probably a nickname for someone thought to resemble the animal, or alternatively a habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a squirrel... [more]
EINSTEINGerman, Jewish From German ein meaning “one” and stein meaning “stone”; also a habitational name from any of the various locations from Middle High German einsteinen meaning “to enclose or surround with stone”... [more]
EISENGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name for an ironworker or smith, or an ironmonger, from Middle High German isen ‘iron’, German Eisen. It may also have been used as a nickname, with reference to the strength and hardness of iron or to its color, while as a Jewish name it was also adopted as an ornamental name from modern German Eisen ‘iron’ or the Yiddish cognate ayzn.
EISENBERGGerman, Jewish Means "iron hill" from German isen meaning "iron" and berg meaning "hill".
EISENBERGERGerman, Jewish Habitational name for someone from any of the several places called Eisenberg. As a Jewish name it is also an ornamental name.
EISNERGerman, Jewish Occupational name for an ironworker, smith, or ironmonger, from an agent derivative of Middle High German īsen and German Eisen, meaning ‘iron’ (see EISEN).
ELKAYAMHebrew Means "God is exist" in Hebrew. From the words el, "God" and kayam, "exist".
ELMALEHJudeo-Spanish, Northern African Moroccan Jewish surname derived from Arabic مالح (malîh) either meaning "good, handsome, charming" or "salty, savoury".
ELZEAHebrew (French, Rare), American (South, French, Rare) The name means G-d’s help It is a French transition of the Hebrew name Eleazar applied to Jews that came to France by way of Egypt. Later it was carried over to the French Caribbean mainly St. Martinique which was the first major Jewish settlement in the Caribbean, but the name also spread to other Latin American Islands including Mexico... [more]
EMERJewish, Anglo-Saxon Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name from Yiddish emer ‘pail’, ‘bucket’. ... [more]
ENGLANDERGerman, Jewish Ethnic name derived from German Engländer, meaning 'Englishman', thus denoting an incomer from England. In some cases, the Jewish name may be an ornamental adoption.
EPLBOYMYiddish It means "apple tree", denoting either someone who planted them or lived near them.
EPSTEINGerman, Jewish A habitational name for someone from a place named Eppstein, which is from Old High German ebur meaning ‘wild boar’ and stein meaning ‘stone’.
ERBERJewish, German Meaning uncertain. Either a habitational name for someone living in a place named Erb or Erp, a name for a owner of a farm named Erbhof (derived from MIddle High German erbære "honorable, noble"), or derived from the given name ERPO.
EULERGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a potter, most common in the Rhineland and Hesse, from Middle High German ul(n)ære (an agent derivative of the dialect word ul, aul "pot", from Latin olla).
EZERHebrew Means "helping" or "to help" in Hebrew.
FAGINJewish Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant spelling of Feigin.
FALCONJewish Possibly derived from the German Falke, meaning "falcon."
FALLOWEnglish, Jewish English: topographic name for someone who lived by a patch of fallow land, Middle English falwe (Old English f(e)alg). This word was used to denote both land left uncultivated for a time to recover its fertility and land recently brought into cultivation.... [more]
FELDMANNJewish From the surname FELD combined with the German suffix mann "man"
FELLEnglish, German, Jewish Metonymic occupational name for a furrier, from Middle English fell, Middle High German vel, or German Fell or Yiddish fel, all of which mean "skin, hide, pelt". Yiddish fel refers to untanned hide, in contrast to pelts "tanned hide" (see PILCHER).
FELLEREnglish, German, Jewish Occupational name for a furrier, from an agent derivative of Middle English fell, Middle Low German, Middle High German vel, or German Fell or Yiddish fel "hide, pelt". See also FELL.
FEUERJewish Ornamental name from modern German Feuer "fire".
FIELDEnglish, Scottish, Irish, Jewish (Anglicized) English: topographic name for someone who lived on land which had been cleared of forest, but not brought into cultivation, from Old English feld ‘pasture’, ‘open country’, as opposed on the one hand to æcer ‘cultivated soil’, ‘enclosed land’ (see ACKER) and on the other to weald ‘wooded land’, ‘forest’ (see WALD)... [more]
FINGEREnglish, German, Jewish Probably applied as a nickname for a man who had some peculiarity of the fingers, such as possessing a supernumerary one or having lost one or more of them through injury, or for someone who was small in stature or considered insignificant... [more]
FINKGerman, Slovene, English, Jewish Nickname for a lively or cheerful person, Jewish ornamental name derived from the Germanic word for "finch", and German translation of Slovene Šinkovec which is from šcinkovec or šcinkavec meaning "finch".
FINKELSTEINYiddish, Jewish Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) ornamental compound name, literally 'sparkle stone', from Yiddish finkl 'sparkle' + stein 'stone'. See also GARFINKEL.
FISHMedieval English, Jewish From Middle English fische, fish ‘fish’, a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or fish seller, or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a fish.... [more]
FLAMJewish Ornamental name from Yiddish flam "flame".
FRANZBLAUJewish Means "french blue" in German. One of the many names assigned to Jews during the rule of Emperor Joseph II, who required all Jews in the Hapsburg Empire to adopt surnames.
FREDMANSwedish, Jewish Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements fred ‘peace’ + man ‘man’.... [more]
FURMANPolish, Czech, Slovak, Jewish, Slovene, English, German (Anglicized) Polish, Czech, Slovak, Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic), and Slovenian: occupational name for a carter or drayman, the driver of a horse-drawn delivery vehicle, from Polish, Yiddish, and Slovenian furman, a loanword from German (see FUHRMANN)... [more]
FUTTERMANJewish Occupational name for a furrier, from Yiddish futer "fur, fur coat" and Yiddish man "man".
GALANTEItalian, French, Jewish Comes from the ancient French word "galant" meaning someone in love or who has fun. In the case of Mordecai Galante, a Spanish exile in 16th century Rome, his courteous manners won for him from the Roman nobles the surname "Galantuomo" (gentleman), from which Galante was eventually derived.... [more]
GARFINKELYiddish Jewish (Ashkenazic) ornamental name or nickname from Yiddish gorfinkl ‘carbuncle’, German Karfunkel. This term denoted both a red precious or semi-precious stone, especially a garnet or ruby cut into a rounded shape (in which case it is an ornamental name), and a large inflamed growth on the skin like a large boil (in which case it is a descriptive nickname).
GARFUNKELJewish, Yiddish From גאָרפֿינקל (gorfinkl), "carbuncle" in Yiddish, which in turns derives from German Karfunkel. A notable bearer of this surname is Art Garfunkel.... [more]
GAVAZANSKYBelarusian, Jewish Means "from the town of Gavezhno". Gavezhno is a town in Belarus. For more information go here http://www.jewishgen.org/Belarus/newsletter/54surnames.htm
GELLERYiddish, German, Russian The name may derive from the German word "gellen" (to yell) and mean "one who yells." It may derive from the Yiddish word "gel" (yellow) and mean the "yellow man" or from the Yiddish word "geler," an expression for a redheaded man... [more]
GERMANEnglish, Norman, German, Jewish, Greek From Old French germain meaning "German". This sometimes denoted an actual immigrant from Germany, but was also used to refer to a person who had trade or other connections with German-speaking lands... [more]
GINSBURGGerman, Jewish Habitational name for someone who came from Gunzberg in Bavaria, Günsburg in Swabia, or Gintsshprik (Königsburg) in East Prussia. Its origin is from the name of the river Günz, written in early Latin documents as Guntia, which was probably of Celtic origin, and Old High German burg meaning "Fortress, walled town".