TkachJewish Ashkenazi Jewish and Ukrainian surname meaning tailor.
PolanskimPolish, Rusyn, Jewish Unaccented form of Polański. A famous bearer of the name is French film director Raymond Roman Thierry Polański (1933-), who was born to a Polish-Jewish father.
EichhornGerman, Jewish, Belgian 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]
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.
Grobglasגרובגלס, גראָבגלאסJewish Perhaps an ornamental name derived from Yiddish גראָב (grob) meaning "crude, coarse, rough" and גלאז (glaz) meaning "glass". Israeli actress Yael Grobglas (1984-) bears this surname.
ScheidGerman, Jewish Either a topographic name for someone who lived near a boundary (between two valleys etc.) or crossroads Middle High German scheide, a habitational name from any of various places called ScheidtScheiden... [more]
SchaalשָׁאַלGerman, Dutch, French, Jewish Either a nickname for a braggart or a market crier, (derived from Middle High German schal meaning "noise, bragging"), an occupational name for someone who made dishes for scales and vessels for drinking, (from Middle Low German and Dutch schale "dish"), a habitational name from Schaala in Thuringia or the Schaalsee lake near Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living on marshy land, (from Dutch schald "shallow")... [more]
RavivרביבHebrew From Hebrew רָבִיב (raviv) meaning "droplet, rain, drizzle".
BlitzsteinGerman, Jewish Blitz is the German word for lightening and stein is the German word for stone.
TannenbaumJewish, German German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) topographic name or Jewish ornamental name from German Tannenbaum ‘fir tree’, ‘pine tree’.
NegroItalian, Spanish, Portuguese, Jewish Nickname or ethnic name from negro "black" (Latin niger), denoting someone with dark hair or a dark complexion.
MaiselYiddish, German, French Predominantly seems to be a matronymic surname from the Yiddish feminine name Mayzl. Although it is believed that it derived from the Hebrew name Meïser, which means “representative of God”... [more]
Gilmorגִּילְמוֹר / גִּיל-מוֹרHebrew (Modern) Combination of the surnames Gil and Mor, means "happy myrrh" in Hebrew, also a modern Hebrew version of the surname Gilmore.
KellnerGerman, Dutch, Jewish, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Hungarian, French Means "waiter, cellarman" in German, ultimately derived from Latin cellarium "pantry, cellar, storeroom". This was an occupational name for a steward, a castle overseer, or a server of wine.
FranzblauפראַנצבלאַוJewish 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.
LurieJewish It is one of the oldest family trees in the world, tracing back at least to King David born c. 1037 BCE, as documented by Neil Rosenstein in his book The Lurie Legacy... [more]
AdelsteinGerman, Jewish Variant of Edelstein. Paul Adelstein (1969-) is an American actor known for his role as Paul Kellerman in the 2005-2017 television series Prison Break.
AbulafiaאבולעפיהJudeo-Spanish From Arabic أبو العافية (abū l-ʿāfiya) meaning "father of health" from أبو (abū) meaning "father" and عافية (ʿāfiya) meaning "health, well-being".
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]
ZionHebrew Means "monument" or "raised up" in Hebrew.
LubarskyUkrainian, Lithuanian, Jewish Habitational name for someone from Liubar, an urban-type settlement in the Zhytomyr Oblast of Ukraine, or Lubarka, an unknown place in Lithuania.
ThalGerman, Jewish Topographic name for someone who lived in or near a valley, derived from Middle High German tal "valley". As a Jewish name, it is ornamental.
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]
LindenbergGerman, Jewish, Dutch As a German and Jewish name, it is derived from any of numerous places called Lindenberg in Germany, composed of Middle High German linde meaning "lime tree" and berg meaning "mountain, hill"... [more]
WaxGerman, Jewish, English German and Jewish variant and English cognitive of Wachs, from Middle English wax "wax" (from Old English weax).
EshkolאֶשׁכּוֹלHebrew Means "cluster, bunch" in Hebrew.
BlondJewish Nickname from German Yiddish blond "fair-haired".
EinhornאײנהאָרןGerman, Jewish Derived from German Einhorn (Middle High German einhorn) "unicorn", denoting someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a unicorn.
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]
NichterנײַטערGerman, Yiddish Possibly means "negator, negate" from Middle High German nicht meaning "not", or "sober", from Middle High German nüchter. Perhaps it originally denoted a person who was a philosopher, judge, or bartender.
SappersteinJewish Ornamental name, a compound of Hebrew sapir 'sapphire' + German Stein 'stone'.
SorensonJewish Means "son of the son of Sore", a Yiddish female personal name (from Hebrew Sara, literally "princess"), with the addition of the Slavic possessive suffix -in and German Sohn "son".
ZurצורJewish Ornamental name derived from Hebrew צור (tsur) meaning "rock".
LustigSwedish, German, Jewish, Dutch A nickname for a cheerful person, derived from Swedish and German lustig "humorous, funny, enjoyable" or Middle High German lustig "merry, carefree". Usually ornamental as a Jewish surname.
LöwenthalGerman, Jewish Habitational name from any of the various places called Löwenthal in Germany, derived from German Löwe "lion" and Thal "valley". As a Jewish name, it is ornamental, sometimes associated with given names that mean "lion" (i.e., Levi, Leib or Lew 2).
AusländerGerman, Jewish Means "foreigner" in German, from Middle High German uzlender, denoting a person new to a district or a farmer who cultivated land outside a community's bounds.
HolderGerman, Jewish, English 1. German: topographic name for someone who lived by an elder tree. Middle High German holder, or from a house named for its sign of an elder tree. In same areas, for example Alsace, the elder tree was believed to be the protector of a house... [more]
AppelGerman, Dutch, Jewish, Yiddish From Low German Appel, Middle Dutch appel, or Yiddish epl "apple", an occupational name for a grower or seller of the fruit. As a Jewish surname, it is generally ornamental rather than occupational.
AlbazאלבזJewish, Northern African Ashkenazic Jewish name meaning, "falconer" found mainly amongst Jewish peoples emigrating from Algeria and Morocco.
SpindlerEnglish, German, Jewish Occupational name for a spindle maker, from an agent derivative of Middle English spindle, Middle High German spindel, German Spindel, Yiddish shpindl "spindle, distaff".
GrunwaldGerman, German (Swiss), Jewish German and Swiss German (Grünwald): habitational name from any of various places named Grün(e)wald, from Middle High German gruene ‘green’ + walt ‘wood’, ‘forest’. ... [more]
GabisonגביסוןJudeo-Spanish From the name of a town located in either the province of Valladolid or near the city of Santander in Spain. It has also been connected to the Spanish word cabeza, used as a nickname for a stubborn person.
DisraeliItalian, Jewish Originally denoted a person who came from Israel. This surname was borne by the British politician, statesman and novelist Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; he is also the only British prime minister to have been of Jewish origin.
ZwillingGerman, Jewish Means "a twin", as in a twin brother or twin sister. Often given to those who were twins.
Alfesאלפס, אלפסיJewish Official website of the the City of Alfés (in the Province Lleida, Catalonia, Spain) says:... [more]
LaskiPolish, Hungarian, Jewish Polish (Laski) and Jewish (from Poland): habitational name from Lasko (now Lask) in Sieradz voivodeship, named with laz, lazy ‘clearing in a forest’. ... [more]
Feynmanפיינמן, פיינמאןRussian, Yiddish Russian and Yiddish form of Feinman. This name was borne by the American theoretical physicist Richard Feynman (1918-1988).
DemskyPolish, Jewish Derived from Polish dab and demb meaning "oak", which is either a habitational name from a place with the same name or an ornamental name with reference to the tree and its qualities of strength and durability.
ZuckerbergצוקרברגJewish Means "sugar mountain" from German zucker meaning "sugar" and Old High German berg meaning "mountain".
MuskatמוסקטGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a spice merchant from Middle High German muscāt meaning "nutmeg mace". As a Jewish name however it is mainly ornamental.
ZechmanJewish Occupational name from Yiddish tsekh meaning "guild" or "craft corporation" and man "man".
SchattnerGerman, Jewish Habitational name for someone from any of several places named Schaten or Schatten, or a topographic name for someone living in a shady location, from Middle High German schate "shade", "protection".
BelinYiddish Metronymic from the Yiddish female personal name Beyle meaning ‘beautiful’ (related to French belle).
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]
Finsterפֿינסטער, פֿינצטערGerman, Jewish Nickname from German finster "dark, gloomy" or Yiddish fintster (Middle High German vinster). The name may have referred to a person's habitual character or it may have been acquired as a result of some now irrecoverable anecdote... [more]
HandelmanJewish Occupational name for a tradesman merchant or dealer.
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).
MajPolish, Jewish Surname adopted with reference to the month of May, Polish maj. Surnames referring to months were sometimes adopted by Jewish converts to Christianity, with reference to the month in which they were baptized or in which the surname was registered.
GreenbergerGerman, Jewish Anglicized form of the German surname Grünberger, which is formed from the words grün "green", Berg "mountain", and the habitational suffix -er. This name indicated a person who lived on or near a forest-covered mountain.
BraunschweigGerman, Jewish Denoted a person from the city of Braunschweig in Lower Saxony, Germany, which is of Old Saxon origin meaning "Bruno's settlement".
TouitouJudeo-Spanish Likely a variant of Touati, though it has also been connected to the Arabic word نونو (nunu) meaning "thrush, blackbird" (a dialectal term).
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]
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).
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.
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".
HolzingerGerman, Jewish Habitational name for someone from any of various places called Holzing or Holzingen.
GrünfeldGerman, Jewish Habitational name from any of several places in northern and central Germany named Grünfeld named with elements meaning "green open country" derived from the elements gruoni "green" and feld "field"... [more]
WachsmannGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a gatherer or seller of beeswax from Middle Low German was "wax" and man "man".
GreenblattJewish Ashkenazi Jewish Surname incorporating Yiddish/German elements meaning “Greenleaf.” Writer and storyboard artist C. H. Greenblatt (born 1972) most known for SpongeBob SquarePants is a famous bearer of this name.
BettanבטןJudeo-Spanish Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Latin vita meaning "life".
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]
Zimbalistזימבליסט, זימבאַליסטJewish Occupational name for a cymbalist or a dulcimer player, particularly the cimbalom, derived from Yiddish tsimbl meaning "dulcimer, cimbalom, cymbal". The American actor Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (1918-2014) was a famous bearer of this surname.
IferganאיפרגןJudeo-Spanish From the name of the village of Ifergan in Morocco, itself derived from Tamazight afrag meaning "enclosed place, cloister".
HimmelreichהימלרייךGerman, Jewish humorous topographic name from a place so named as being at a high altitude from Middle High German himel "heaven" and riche "empire" meaning "kingdom of heaven, heavenly kingdom".
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.
Benguiguiבן גיגיJudeo-Spanish Means "son of Guigui", from a given name or tribal name possibly derived from Tamazight igig meaning "stake".
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).
BaranesבראנסJudeo-Spanish From the name of the Baranis tribe of the Amazigh (Berber) people, derived from an Arabic plural form of the name of the tribe's founder, Burnus. His name has been connected to the Arabic word برنس (burnus) meaning "burnoose, cloak".
ReznikovרזניקובRussian, Jewish Occupational name for a Jewish ritual slaughterer, from Yiddish reznik meaning "butcher".
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".
RosenthalGerman, Jewish name for any of numerous places named rosenthal or rosendahl. means " rose valley"
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]
GoldenbergJewish Ornamental name from a compound of German golden literally meaning "golden" and berg meaning "mountain, hill".
DruckerGerman, Dutch, Jewish Occupational name for an operator of a printing press, derived from German drucken "to print".
RichlingJewish (Rare) Russian Jewish surname from the Vilna Governorate of the Russian Empire.
KatsavקַצָּבHebrew Occupational name for a butcher, derived from Hebrew קַצָּב (qatzav) meaning "butcher, purveyor of meat". A famous bearer is former Israeli president Moshe Katsav (1945-), born Musa Qassab.
LustgartenJewish An invented Jewish name based on German Lustgarten "pleasure garden" (perhaps alluding to the Garden of Eden). It was borne by British barrister, writer and broadcaster Edgar Lustgarten (1907-1978), presenter of television crime reconstructions.
ZahaviזהביHebrew, Jewish From Hebrew זהב (zahav) meaning "gold", commonly used as a replacement for Ashkenazi surnames containing the element gold, such as Goldman, Goldstein or Goldberg.
NadolnyPolish, Jewish, Sorbian Topographic name from Polish nadól, Sorbian nadol "downwards", denoting someone who lived lower down in a village on a slope, or on relatively low-lying ground.