CahanaכהנאJewish (Rare, Archaic) Jewish surname, originally of Eastern European Ashkenazi origin, found in Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Moldova. Currently a relatively common surname in Israel. Aramaic equivalent of Cohen.
AbecassisאבקסיסJudeo-Spanish From Hebrew אָב (áv) meaning "father" and Arabic قَصَّاص (qaṣṣāṣ) meaning "storyteller, narrator" (used as a title for community leaders and rabbis among North African Jews).
SohinkiJewish Unknown meaning. A notable bearer is YouTube Personality Matt Sohinki, better known simply as Sohinki, who is a member of Smosh Games.
MoskalUkrainian, Polish, Jewish Originally denoted a person who was an inhabitant of the Grand Principality of Moscow during the 12th to 15th centuries or someone who was Russian or Russian-like, derived from Russian москаль (moskalʹ) "Muscovite", from Old Ruthenian москаль (moskal')... [more]
LindeGerman, Dutch, Jewish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish Derived from Middle Hugh German, Dutch linde or Scandinavian lind "lime tree". Almost exclusively ornamental in Swedish, otherwise probably habitational. There are also a number of feminine names containing the element lind, for example Linda, Dietlinde and Gerlinde, and it's possible that the surname is derived from any of those names.
WahlGerman, Jewish From Middle High German Walhe, Walch "foreigner from a Romance country", hence a nickname for someone from Italy or France, etc. This surname is also established in Sweden.
WeintraubGerman, Jewish from Middle High German wintrub "grape" derived from wein "wine" and traub "grape" hence either a metonymic occupational name for a vintner or a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by a sign depicting a bunch of grapes.
GunzenhauserGerman, Jewish Habitational name for someone from either of two places named Gunzenhausen, one in Württemberg and the other in Bavaria.
Ben Nunבן נוןHebrew Joshua or Yehoshua Ben Nun functioned as Moses' assistant in the books of Exodus and Numbers, and later succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelite tribes in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Joshua
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]
Bar Yonahבר יונה / בריונהHebrew Means "son of Jonah" or "son of the dove" from Hebrew yonah "dove".
EshkolאֶשׁכּוֹלHebrew Means "cluster, bunch" in Hebrew.
AnnakafAfrican, Hebrew, Hausa Annaka is a feminine appellation particularly beloved in the Chadic language of Hausa, spoken mainly in Nigeria, Niger, and throughout West Africa. Meaning “sweet-faced,” Annaka is a form of Anika, adding a dash of flavor with its triple “a” and double “n.” Annaka is also a form of the Hebrew Anna, meaning “graciousness.” American author Annaka Harris bears this beautiful appellation, whose work focuses on mental health in children and adults.
ScheinGerman, Jewish from Middle High German schīn German schein "shining brightness" hence a nickname for someone with either a radiant personality or possibly for someone living in a sunny location or a Jewish artificial name.
GursulturגרסלתרJewish (Latinized), Kurdish, Hebrew This name is a composition of the following words: GUR; Hebrew for "lion cub", SUL; which is an abbreviation of Suleman (Kurdish for king Solomon), TUR; this word is derived from the Arba'ah Turim. The Arbaáh Turim are often called simply the Tur, which is an important Halakhic code.... [more]
GalanteItalian, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Jewish Means "gallant, courteous, chivalrous; romantic" in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, both derived from French galant "gentlemanly" or "flirtatious, amorous". 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, meaning "gentleman" in Italian, from which Galante was eventually derived.... [more]
LanderGerman, Jewish Topographic or status name from Middle High German lant "land, territory".
GrodskyPolish, Jewish Altered spelling of Polish Grodzki, a habitational name from Grodziec or Grodzie, places named with gród ‘castle’, ‘fortification’ (cognate with Russian grad)... [more]
LeynRussian, Jewish Russian surname of unclear origin. This may be a matronymic surname derived from the Jewish name Leah meaning "weary".
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".
FrankenbergGerman, Jewish habitational name from a place in northern Hesse named as "fort (Old High German burg) of the Franks". From German franken and berg "mountain hill mountain"... [more]
PerskyBelarusian, Lithuanian, Jewish Derived from the village of Pershai in the Valozhyn District of Belarus, or the place named Perki in Lithuania.
RodinJewish Metronymic from the Yiddish personal name Rode, and related to the Old Czech root rád "merry", "joyful".
ZeeviזאביHebrew From the Hebrew given name Zev, meaning "wolf."
BrandeisJewish Derived from Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav (known as Brandeis-Altbunzlau or Brandeis an der Elbe in German), a town located in the Prague-East District, in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic... [more]
ShultsשולץJewish (Anglicized, Rare) The name Shults comes from one of those ancient dukedoms, territories and states that would eventually form a part of present day Germany. At its birth in the Middle Ages, it was used to indicate someone who worked as a town-mayor derived from the medieval name "Schultheis" which has the same meaning.... [more]
OffenbachGerman, Jewish From the name of the city of Offenbach am Main in Hesse, Germany. A famous bearer was the German-born French composer Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880).
TothJewish This surname is a Hungarian surname that has been used by the Jewish population.
PulitzerHungarian, German, Jewish Variant form of Politzer. A famous bearer was the Hungarian-American businessman, newspaper publisher and politician Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911). His family came from Hungary, but they were of Czech origin.
TshuvaתְּשׁוּבָהHebrew Means "answer" or "returning" in Hebrew. The term חוזר בתשובה which means "returning to the faith", reffers to a person who becomes more religious person in Judaism.
VaynerYiddish Weiner is a surname or, in fact, the spelling of two different surnames originating in German and the closely related Yiddish language. In German, the name is pronounced vaɪnɐ(ʁ),of which the rare English pronunciation vaɪnər is a close approximation... [more]
TouatiטואטיArabic (Maghrebi), Judeo-Spanish Habitational name denoting someone who originally came from the region of Touat (or Tuat) in Algeria.
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]
SabatJewish Jewish (Ashkenazi) ornamental name from German Sabbat "Sabbath".
Alfesאלפס, אלפסיJewish Official website of the the City of Alfés (in the Province Lleida, Catalonia, Spain) says:... [more]
MargolisמרגוליסJewish Derived from Hebrew מרגלית (margalit) meaning "pearl".
NachtigallGerman, Jewish Nickname from Middle High German nachtegal "nightingale" from Old High German galan "to sing". Cognate to Nightingale.
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]
GaerlickJewish A name given to people whose homes were burnt down.
KochaviכוכביHebrew From Hebrew כוכב (kokhav) meaning "star", commonly used as a replacement for Ashkenazi surnames containing the old German element stern "star". For example, it was adopted as a surname by the Romanian-born Israeli archaeologist and university professor Moshe Kochavi (1928-2008), whose birth surname was Stern.
JaouiזיאוויJudeo-Spanish Derived from Arabic لبان جاوي (luban jawiyy) referring to a type of balsamic resin used in perfumes and incense (literally meaning "Javanese frankincense").
SchwabGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): regional name for someone from Swabia (German Schwaben), from Middle High German Swap, German Schwabe ‘Swabian’. The region takes its name from a Germanic tribe recorded from the 1st century BC in the Latin form Suebi or Suevi, of uncertain origin; it was an independent duchy from the 10th century until 1313, when the territory was broken up.
WinkelGerman, Jewish Derived from Middle High German winkel "corner, angle", a topographic name for someone who lived on a corner of land in the country or a street corner in a town or city. This word also came to denote a corner shop (see Winkelmann)... [more]
TischJewish, German Metonymic occupational name for a joiner, from German "Tisch", Yiddish "tish" meaning table.
GassmannGerman, Jewish From German Gasse or Yiddish גאַס (gas), both from Middle High German gazze, meaning "street", denoting someone who lived in a street of a city, town or village.... [more]
KienbaumGerman, Jewish from Low German kienbaum "Scots pine" originally denoting any species or variety of pine tree. Derived from kien "pine tree" and boum "tree".
SchoenGerman, Jewish From German schön, Middle High German schoene "fine, beautiful; refined, friendly, nice", a nickname for a handsome or pleasant man. As a Jewish name, it’s usually ornamental.
KunisJewish Metronymic form of Kune. This surname is most famous for its association with the American actress named Mila Kunis.
ManorמנורHebrew Means "loom" or "weaving" in Hebrew.
GuralnickJewish Occupational name from Ukrainian guralnyk, Yiddish guralnik "distiller".
MaddowJewish A famous bearer of this surname is Rachel Anne Maddow (Born on April 1, 1973) whose Jewish ancestors came from Russia and Poland but according to today’s borders would be Ukraine and Lithuania. ... [more]
SchaulGerman, Dutch, Jewish Either from from Middle Low German schulle, Middle Dutch scholle, schulle, Middle High German schülle "plaice"; either a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman or seller of these fish or a nickname for someone thought to resemble a plaice... [more]
DannebergJewish Jewish (Ashkenazic): possibly a habitational name from any of various places in Germany named Dannenberg.
LembergJewish Habitational name from the city of Lviv in Ukraine, from its German name Lemberg.
LiebGerman, Jewish Nickname for a pleasant or agreeable person, from Middle High German liep "dear, beloved"; Yiddish lib or German lieb. This word was also used as a personal name, both alone (German) and in compounds (German and Jewish).
DropkinJewish, Belarusian Jewish (from Belarus): nickname from Belorussian drobka ‘crumb’+ the eastern Slavic patronymic suffix -in.... [more]
Ish Shalomאיש שלוםHebrew (Modern) Means "man of peace" in Hebrew. Combination of the word ish, meaning "man" and the name Shalom, meaning "peace".
GrünbaumGerman, Jewish from Middle High German gruoni "green" and boum "tree" probably a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a tree in leaf... [more]
MilibandJewish This is the surname of British Labour Party politicians Ed and David Miliband, who are ethnically Jewish.
DesslerGerman, Yiddish Meaning Unknown. Known primarily in pop culture as the surname of a certain Michelle in the Fox tv hit 24 and of a certain villain called Albert in Space Battleship Yamato.
PrinsDutch, Jewish Means "prince" in Dutch, a doublet of Prince. Often a habitational name for someone who lived or worked near a location named Prins, such as an inn or windmill, or sign depicting the Prince of Orange... [more]
SegevשגבHebrew Means "exaltation, greatness" in Hebrew.
DornGerman, Jewish, Flemish Means "thorn" in German. Given as a habitational name to someone who lived near thorn bushes, or as an ornamental name.
AbitbolאביטבולJudeo-Spanish Means "father of drums" (figuratively referring to a drum maker) from Arabic أَبُو (abū) meaning "father" and طَبْل (ṭabl) meaning "drum".
DrescherYiddish, German German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a thresher, German Drescher, Yiddish dresher, agent derivatives of Middle High German dreschen, Yiddish dresh(e)n 'to thresh'.... [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.
VoloshinmUkrainian, Russian, Jewish From Ukrainian волох (volox) meaning "Vlach, Wallachian", derived from Proto-Slavic *vòlxъ "Roman".
RozmanJewish Variant of Rosman. Slovenian (also Rožman): occupational name for a carter or a horse breeder or dealer, from Middle High German ros 'horse' + man 'man'. Compare German Rossmann.
SaxJewish Jewish (Ashkenazic) variant spelling of Sachs.
HassenfeldPolish, Jewish Notable beaters of this surname are the Hassenfeld brothers who founded the Hasbro, INC. an abbreviation of their surname and the word brother. Hasbro, INC. is an American multinational conglomerate with you, board game, and media assets, headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.... [more]
FaranפארןHebrew The name of a desert mentioned in the Bible where Ishmael settled after his wanderings with his mother Hagar. The Israelites also came to this desert on their journey from the Sinai desert.
SteinmetzGerman, Jewish Occupational name from Middle High German steinmetze, German steinmetz "stonemason", "worker in stone".
GurewitzJewish Belarusian and Lithuanian variant of Horowitz, a habitational name from Horovice in central Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, which is named with a short form of a personal name formed with Hor, as for example Horimir, Horislav.
Trachtenbergטרכטנברג, טראַכֿטנבערגGerman, Jewish Could mean either mean "mountain of thoughts", from Yiddish trakhtn (טראַכטן) "to think" and berg "mountain" or "mountain of costumes", from German tracht "to wear, carry" and berg "mountain"... [more]
StauberGerman, Jewish An occupational name from Staub, with the addition of the German agent suffix -er.
StaubGerman (Swiss), German, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) occupational nickname for a miller, from Middle High German stoup, German Staub ‘dust’. The Jewish surname may also be ornamental.
SarfatiצרפתיJudeo-Spanish From Hebrew צרפתית (tsar'fatit) meaning "French". It was originally used to refer to the Biblical place name Tzarfat, which has come to be identified as modern-day France.
KarmanJewish From Russian карман (karman) meaning "pocket, bag pocket", probably an occupational name for someone who made such items. Alternatively, could derive from Hungarian Kármán.
Messingמתעסק, מעסינגGerman, Jewish Derived from Middle High German messinc meaning "brass", referring to a person who makes or repairs brass objects. A famous bearer is American actress Debra Messing (1968-).
LivingstoneScottish, Irish, Jewish Scottish: Habitational name from a place in Lothian, originally named in Middle English as Levingston, from an owner called Levin (Lewin), who appears in charters of David I in the early 12th century.... [more]
BlaumanGerman, Jewish From German Blau meaning "blue" and Mann meaning "man". It can be a nickname for a person who wears blue clothes.
HeifetzJewish An invented Jewish name based on Hebrew chefets "pleasure". Lithuanian-born US violinist Jascha Heifetz (1901-1987) was a known bearer.
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]
ShamounשאמוןArabic, Assyrian, Jewish Derived from the given name شامون (Shamʿūn), itself an Arabic form of Simon 1, used mainly among Christians and Jews... [more]
WysockimPolish, Jewish Habitational name for someone from any of the various locations named Wysocko, Wysoka or Wysokie, all derived from Polish wysoki meaning "tall, high".
HirschfeldGerman, Jewish, Yiddish Ornamental name composed of German hirsch or Yiddish hirsh meaning "deer" and feld meaning "field". It is also a topographic name for someone who lived in an area of land frequented by deer or where millets grew.
TzvielצביאלHebrew (Modern) Means "gazelle of god" in Hebrew, from the given name Tzvi combined with el which means "God".
CarbajalSpanish, Judeo-Spanish Probably a habitational name denoting 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]
SpielbergJewish, German From Old High German spiegel "lookout point" or German Spiel "game, play" and berg "mountain". Locational surname after a town in Austria. A famous bearer is American director Steven Spielberg (1946-present).
AbadJudeo-Spanish Nickname from abad ‘priest’ (from Late Latin abbas ‘priest’, genitive abbatis, from the Aramaic word meaning ‘father’). The application is uncertain: it could be a nickname, an occupational name for the servant of a priest, or denote an (illegitimate) son of a priest.
MoskowitzJewish Germanized form of a patronymic surname formed by adding the Slavic suffix "-ovic" meaning "son of" to a Yiddish transformation (Moshke) of the biblical Hebrew personal Moses ("Mosko" was a Polish pet form of the personal name Moses).
WinkelmannGerman, Jewish German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): topographic name for someone who lived on a corner or kept a corner shop (see Winkel), with the addition of Middle High German man, German Mann ‘man’... [more]