Reconnect with your Jewish roots by choosing a suitable surname for your baby.
Most Jewish surname or last names are based on where a person comes from and what they do for a living. Some common Jewish surnames like Sofer, Kantor, and Cohen are also connected to religious roles. Names like Israel, Cohen, and Levi are distinctly Jewish, while others have roots in German, Russian, or Polish backgrounds.
The last names of Jews can be found all over the world because they are spread out globally. These Jewish surnames or last names have been shaped by cultural blending, the community’s diverse locations, and changes to make them more Hebrew-sounding.
This post provides a list of Jewish surname or last names along with their meanings and interesting backstory for each one.
Famous Jewish Surnames or Last Names With Meanings
- Aaronson
This Jewish surname means ‘son of Aaron’ and comes from the Hebrew name ‘Aharon,’ which means ‘mountain of strength’ or ‘high mountain.’
- Abelman
It is a Jewish last name common among Ashkenazi Jews and is derived from the personal name Abel. The Jewish surname comes from the Hebrew word ‘hevel,’ which can mean ‘breath,’ ‘vanity,’ or ‘vapor.’
- Abram
This Jewish last name comes from the shortened version of the name ‘Abraham,’ which means ‘father of many.’
- Acker
This Jewish surname comes from Ashkenazi Jewish ancestors and has roots in Germany or Old England. It means ‘plowed field’.
- Adelman
This Jewish surname comes from Ashkenazi Jewish tradition and is a decorative name derived from the Yiddish word ‘eydl’ or German word ‘edel,’ which both mean ‘nobility.’
- Appelbaum
The Jewish name ‘Applebaum’ is an alternative spelling of the German word ‘Apfelbaum,’ which translates to ‘apple tree.’ It can also refer to someone whose occupation involves cultivating apples.
- Bach
This Jewish last name comes from the German word ‘Bach’ which means ‘creek’ or ‘stream’ and is commonly used by Ashkenazi Jews as an ornamental name.
- Becker
The Jewish surname ‘Becker’ has its origins in German for someone who baked bread or made bricks and tiles in a kiln.
- Benowitz
It is part of the eastern Ashkenazic family lineage and is a patronymic last name derived from the nickname of the name ‘Benjamin.’ The last name originates from the Hebrew name ‘Binyamin,’ which translates to ‘son of the south’ or ‘son of the right hand.’
- Berenson
This Jewish surname is Ashkenazic and comes from the Yiddish words ‘ber’ which means bear and the German word ‘sohn’ which means son.
- Berg
This Jewish surname is used as a decoration and comes from the German word ‘berg’ which means ‘hill’ or ‘mountain.’ It is also a common abbreviation for last names with ‘berg’ at the end, like Goldberg and Schonberg.
- Bing
It is a Jewish surname commonly used among Ashkenazi Jews. This last name comes from the Old English word Byng, which means ‘someone who lived in a hollow.’ It could also signify someone from the town of Bingen in Germany.
- Blau
In German, the Jewish surname means ‘blue’ and it is a surname that is common among Ashkenazi Jewish families.
- Blum
The Jewish surname ‘flower’ in Yiddish could have been used as a name based on a place or job.
- Border
It is a Jewish version of the surname ‘Brodsky,’ which comes from a place called Brody in Ukraine.
- Cohen
Cohen is a common Jewish surname of both Ashkenazi and Sephardi origin. This surname originates from the Hebrew word ‘kohen’ which means ‘priest.’ This last name is a result of being descended from a family of priests who worked in Jewish temples long ago.
- Cooperman
The Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish word ‘kuper,’ meaning a person who works with copper.
- David
David is a Jewish surname that is widely known and recognized. This name is commonly used among Jews and originates from the Hebrew word ‘Dawid,’ which means ‘beloved.’
- Diamond
This is a version of the Jewish last name ‘Diament’, which translates to diamond in Yiddish. The term ‘diamond’ originates from the Late Latin word ‘diamas’ that signifies ‘invincible’.
- Dillon
This Jewish last name is commonly found among Ashkenazi Jews, but its exact origin is unknown. It is thought to be a decorative surname possibly derived from the Biblical location called ‘Dilon’, which probably meant ‘faithful and honest.’
- Dreyfus
The name ‘Trevis’ is a version of the old name for the city of Trier in Germany. It was used to describe people from that city.
- Drucker
This Jewish surname refers to someone who worked in printing or at a printing press. It is often used as an occupational name for those in the printing industry.
- Ecker
This Jewish last name comes from the Yiddish word ‘eck’ which means ‘corner’. It may also come from the word ‘eker’ in a Yiddish dialect, which means ‘chopper’ or ‘cutter’.
- Edelman
A fancy surname in the Jewish tradition that comes from two Yiddish words – ‘edel’ which means noble or splendid, and ‘man’ which means a man.
- Efron
This Jewish surname from the Bible is found in the Book of Joshua, where it’s the name of a mountain.
- Ehrlich
This Jewish surname originates from the German word ‘ehrlich’ which means ‘honest,’ as well as the Yiddish word ‘erlekh’ which also means ‘honest or virtuous.’
- Einstein
This Jewish last name is a decorative name made up of two German words: ‘ein’, which means ‘one’, and ‘stein’, which means ‘stone’.
- Elkayam
This Jewish surname comes from combining two Hebrew words, ‘el’ or ‘elohim’ which mean ‘god’, and ‘kayam’ meaning ‘exists’. Therefore, the name means ‘god exists’ or ‘god is omnipresent’.
- Elkin
This Jewish surname is a variation of the Yiddish name ‘Elke’ with the addition of the suffix ‘-in.’ ‘Elke’ is a female version of the name ‘Elkanah,’ which means ‘god-created.’
- Engel
The Jewish surname comes from the German word ‘engel,’ which means ‘angel,’ and is used for decorative purposes. ‘
- Ewen
This Jewish surname originates from the Hebrew word ‘aven’ or ‘avna’ which translates to ‘stone.’
- Ezra
This Jewish surname Ezra is a name from the Bible, derived from the Hebrew word ‘ezra’ which means ‘help’.
- Fabrikant
This is a Jewish surname given to someone who makes goods or owns a factory. It comes from the word ‘fabrikant’ and has roots in Polish, Russian, and German languages.
- Fairman
The Jewish surname ‘Feuerman’ is an Anglicized version of a Jewish name, which means ‘fireman’ in German. The main part of the name, ‘feur’, translates to ‘fire’ in German.
- Falk
The Jewish last name comes from the Yiddish word ‘falk’ which means ‘falcon’ and is used for decoration.
- Fein
This is a Jewish last name of Ashkenazi Jewish origin which comes from the Yiddish term ‘fayn’ that translates to ‘excellent’ or ‘fine’.
- Feigenbaum
This is a fancy Jewish surname that means ‘fig tree’ in German.
- Feinberg
Feinberg is a Jewish surname that comes from the German words ‘fein’ which means ‘fine’ and ‘berg’ which means ‘hill’ or ‘mountain’.
- Feldman
This is a Jewish surname ‘Feld’, which means ‘field’ in German and Yiddish.
- Fingerhut
This Jewish surname is probably a last name that originally described a family of tailors.
- Finkelstein
The Jewish surname ‘Finkelstein’ is used for decoration, and comes from Yiddish words meaning ‘sparkle’ and ‘stone.’
- Fischler
This Jewish surname variation of ‘Fischer’ is used as a last name for people who work as fishermen. It is most commonly seen among Ashkenazi Jews.
- Fishman
In German and Yiddish languages, this Jewish surname means ‘fisherman’. This name represents a person’s occupation as a fisherman.
- Flint
The Jewish surname Flint is decorative and comes from the German word ‘flinte’, which means ‘shotgun’.
- Franco
The Jewish last name comes from the Spanish first name ‘Franco,’ which means ‘free.’ It was often given as a nickname to former slaves who were freed.
- Frisch
This Jewish surname originated from the Yiddish word ‘frish’ which means ‘fresh.’
- Garfinkel
This Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish term ‘gorfinkl,’ which means ‘carbuncle.’ It refers to a valuable red stone, like a ruby or garnet, that is cut into a round shape.
- Gelb
This word, ‘gel,’ comes from Yiddish and originally meant ‘yellow.’ It is believed to have originated as a way to describe individuals with light hair.
- Gelber
This Jewish last name is a longer version of the last name ‘Gelb’ and it also originates from the Yiddish word ‘gel’ which means ‘yellow’.
- Geller
The origin of the Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish term ‘gel,’ meaning yellow. Initially, the name was used as a nickname for individuals with blonde hair.
- Ginsberg
This Jewish surname Ginsburg is used mainly for decoration, it comes from the name of a river in Germany called Gunz where people used to live.
- Glaser
In German, this Jewish surname means ‘glazier’. This last name is used for someone who worked as a glassblower or someone who fits glass panes and windows.
- Glick
This Jewish surname originates from the German word ‘Gluck,’ which means ‘luck,’ ‘good luck,’ ‘bliss,’ or ‘good fortune.’
- Gold
This decorative surname comes from Yiddish and means ‘gold,’ a valuable substance.’
- Goldbaum
This Jewish last name is a decorative name made up of the word ‘gold’ and the German word ‘baum’ which means ‘tree’.
- Goldberg
The Jewish surname comes from someone who lived in a town called Goldberg in Germany. It includes the words ‘gold’ and ‘berg’ which means ‘mountain’ in German.
- Goldblum
The Jewish surname is a decorative name created from the terms ‘gold’ and the German word ‘blum’ which translates to ‘flower’.
- Goldman
It’s a version of the Yiddish woman’s name ‘Golde,’ which means ‘gold.’
- Goldschmidt
The name ‘Goldschmidt’ is a German word that refers to a person who is part of a family tradition of working as goldsmiths.
- Gordon
This is a Jewish surname based on a place, specifically the city of Grodno in Belarus.
- Green
The Jewish surname Green comes from the Yiddish name ‘Grin’ or the German name ‘Grun.’ Both of these words mean the color green in their own languages.
- Greenberg
The Jewish surname Greenberg is the English version of the German surname ‘Grunberg’ which translates to ‘green mountain.’ This name could have originally been used to describe someone from various locations named Grunberg in Poland and Germany.
- Gurewitz
It is a different way of spelling ‘Horowitz,’ which comes from the town of Horovice in the Central Bohemian region of the Czech Republic.
- Guttenberg
The Jewish surname comes from Germanic words, where ‘gut’ means ‘good’ and ‘berg’ means ‘hill’ or ‘mountain’.
- Haim
This Jewish surname is from Yiddish and originates from the Hebrew word ‘chayyim’ which means ‘life’.
- Halpert
It is a version of the surname ‘Halpern’ which comes from the people who lived in Heilbronn city in Germany. During medieval times, this city was home to many Jewish residents.
- Hamburg
The Jewish surname Hamburg is a term used to describe someone from the city of Hamburg in Germany. The city’s name comes from the German words ‘ham,’ which means ‘water meadow,’ and ‘burg,’ which means ‘fortified town’.
- Hellberg
This Jewish surname comes from German words that mean ‘bright’ or ‘light’ for ‘hell’ and ‘hill’ or ‘mountain’ for ‘berg.’
- Heller
It was probably used as a nickname for someone with fair skin.
- Himel
The Jewish surname is decorative and comes from the German word ‘himmel’ which means ‘heaven.’
- Hirsch
This is a Jewish surname from the Ashkenazi tradition that comes from the Yiddish word ‘hirsh’ which means ‘deer’.
- Horowitz
The Jewish surname belonged to a family line from Horovice, a town in the Czech Republic.
- Huberman
This Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish word ‘hober’ meaning ‘oats.’ It may have been used to describe someone who farmed oats as their job.
- Hyatt
This Jewish last name is the English version of the name ‘Chayat’, which comes from the Yiddish term ‘khayet’ that means ‘tailor’.
- Isaac
The Jewish surname Isaac comes from the Hebrew personal name Itzhak or Yitzhak, which means ‘he laughs’. It is a name from the Bible that originates from Judaism.
- Israel
This Jewish last name comes from the Hebrew name ‘Yitzchaq,’ which means ‘may he smile,’ ‘may he rejoice,’ or ‘may he always stay happy.’
- Jablonsky
The name ‘Jablonski’ comes from the Polish word ‘jablon’ meaning ‘apple tree.’
- Janowicz
This surname is for someone who originated from one of the towns named Janowice, Janow, or Janowo in Poland.
- Kane
This Jewish surname is a different way of spelling ‘Cohen,’ which comes from the Hebrew word ‘kohen’ that means ‘priest.’
- Kaplan
It is a version of the Germanic name ‘Cohen,’ which refers to a priest who works at a Jewish temple. The name ‘kaplan’ translates to ‘chaplain’ in German and ‘priest’ in Polish.’
- Katz
The surname comes from the Hebrew phrase ‘Kohen Tzedek’ which translates to ‘priest of righteousness.’
- Kaufman
The surname ‘koyfman’ comes from Yiddish and it means ‘merchant.’
- Kempler
The Jewish surname comes from the South German word ‘kampel’ which means ‘comb,’ and the suffix -er. This last name is associated with people who used to make combs for a living.
- Kilman
The Jewish surname is from the Ashkenazi Jewish culture and is made up of the Yiddish terms ‘kil’, which means ‘cool’, and ‘man’, which means ‘man.’ It translates to ‘cool man’ and might have started as a nickname.
- Kleinfeld
This last name comes from the Yiddish words ‘klein’ which means ‘small’ and ‘feld’ which means ‘field.’
- Knopp
This last name comes from the Yiddish word ‘knop’, which means ‘button’, and is commonly passed down through families as a way to identify occupation.
- Koppel
It comes from the Yiddish name ‘kopl,’ a nickname for ‘Jacob’ meaning ‘the supplanter’ in Hebrew.
- Koven
The Jewish surname ‘Kovenski’ or ‘Kovensky’ is a shortened version of a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish name. These last names are connected to people from a town called Kaunas in Lithuania.
- Kovitz
It is a different version of the name ‘Kowitz,’ which comes from a German word meaning ‘smith’ in Slavic languages.
- Krakow
It is a last name commonly found among Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews that indicates their ancestors originated from Krakow, Poland.
- Kroll
The Jewish last name ‘King’ comes from the Polish word ‘krol.’ It could have been used as a job title for someone who worked for a noble family. Another possible source of the name is the Polish word ‘krolik,’ which means ‘rabbit.’
- Krone
It is a Jewish surname derived from the German word ‘krone’ which means ‘crown’.
- Kravitz
The surname comes from the Polish word ‘krawiec,’ which means tailor.
- Kugel
The Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish word ‘kugel’ which means ‘pudding’.
- Lachman
It is a different version of the Hebrew name ‘Nachman’ which translates to ‘consoler’ or ‘comforter.’
- Landman
This job title comes from the Middle High German word ‘lant’ which described someone who owned land. Another possibility is that it is a name based on the location, referencing people from places known as Landau in Europe.
- Laubenstein
The word ‘Laubenstein’ is made up of the German words ‘laub’ which means leaves or foliage, and ‘stein’ which means stone.
- Lehrer
An occupational name for someone who used to work as a teacher. This surname comes from the German word ‘lehrer’ or Yiddish ‘lerer,’ which both mean ‘teacher.’
- Leib
The surname originates from the Yiddish term ‘leyb’ which translates to ‘lion.’
- Leichtman
This Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish words ‘laykht’ which means ‘light’ and ‘man’ for ‘man.’ It’s possible that the name started as a nickname.
- Levi
This Jewish surname comes from a Hebrew word and means being joined, attached, or united.
- Levine
Levin is another way to spell ‘Levin,’ which is derived from the Hebrew word ‘Levi’ that means ‘united’.
- Liberman
This Jewish surname is made up of the Yiddish words ‘libe’ which means ‘love’ or ‘loved’ and ‘man’ which means ‘man.’ Therefore, the name originally meant ‘beloved man’ and likely began as a nickname.
- Lindenberg
This Jewish last name comes from the German words for ‘linden tree’ and ‘hill’ or ‘mountain,’ combined to create a toponymic surname.
- Lipman
This Jewish surname is from Yiddish and comes from the Middle High German words ‘liep,’ which means ‘beloved,’ and ‘man,’ meaning ‘man.’
- Lipschitz
This Jewish surname is a different version of the last name ‘Lipschutz.’ This name comes from locations like Liebschutz in Germany, Glubczyce in Poland, or Liebeschitz in the Czech Republic. These places got their names from the Slavic word ‘Lipa,’ which means ‘linden tree.’
- Loewe
The Jewish surname comes from the German word ‘lowe,’ which means lion, and is used for decoration.
- Magid
The Jewish surname comes from Hebrew and translates to ‘teacher’ or ‘teaching.’ This last name is associated with someone who has a family history of being a preacher or scholar.
- Maltzman
This Jewish last name is an extended version of ‘Maltz’ which originates from the German word ‘malz’ that means ‘malt.’
- Margolis
The Jewish name is typically used for girls and it translates to ‘pearls’ in the Hebrew language.
- Melamed
This is a Jewish surname that comes from ancestors who were primary school teachers.
- Mehler
The surname comes from the German word ‘mehl’ which means ‘flour.’ It indicates that someone’s ancestors were involved in selling flour or operating a mill.
- Mendelson
The Jewish surname Mendelson means ‘son of Mendel,’ with Mendel being a Yiddish name that is a shortened version of ‘mendl’ which means ‘man.’
- Meyer
The Jewish last name is Ashkenazi Jewish and originates from the Hebrew word ‘meir’ which means ‘enlightened.’
- Milgram-
The Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish word ‘milgrym,’ which translates to ‘pomegranate’.
- Mindel
The Jewish surname is of Yiddish origin and is derived from the Old High German word ‘minne,’ which means ‘love.’
- Mizrahi
The name is a toponymic one which means ‘easterner’ or ‘eastern people’ in Hebrew. It was often used to describe Jews who originally came from the Middle East.
- Morganstein
The Ashkenazi Jewish name is made up of two German words, ‘morgen’ which means ‘morning’ and ‘stein’ which means ‘stone.’
- Moses
The Jewish surname comes from a Jewish leader who led the Jews out of Egypt in the Bible. It is believed to mean ‘to draw something out of the water’ in Hebrew.
- Nacht
This last name of Ashkenazi Jewish origin comes from the German word ‘nacht,’ which translates to ‘night.
- Nemeroff
It is a Jewish last name of Ashkenazi Jewish descent that relates to people who originated from Nemirov in Ukraine or Neimirow in Poland.
- Nerenberg
Another version of this last name is ‘Nierenberg.’ These names come from a family that originally lived in Nuremberg, a city in Bavaria, Germany.
- Nudell
This nickname comes from the Yiddish word ‘nudl’ which means ‘needle.’ It is used to describe someone who used to work as a tailor or made needles.
- Oberman
The name ‘Ober’ comes from the German word ‘ober,’ which means ‘chief’ or ‘senior.’
- Ortman
This Jewish last name is made up of the words ‘ort’ which means ‘place’ and ‘mann’ which means ‘man’ in German.
- Osher
The Jewish surname comes from Hebrew and means ‘contentment’ or ‘happiness.’
- Ostrov
The Jewish surname Ostrov is a name that comes from various places known as Ostrov in Russia and the Czech Republic.
- Perlman
The Jewish surname Perlman comes from the Yiddish words ‘perl’ meaning ‘pearl’ and ‘man’ meaning ‘man’. Perlman could be a name based on a person’s occupation, or it could refer to Perl’s husband, as Perl is a common Jewish feminine name.
- Polanski
The Jewish surname Polonsky is a variation of the original surname ‘Polonsky’. This name probably indicates that the person originated from one of the various places named Polonnoe in Ukraine or Polonka and Polonsk in Belarus.
- Portnoy
It is the Russian term for someone who sews clothes.
- Rabin
In Polish and Ukrainian, ‘zaddik’ means ‘rabbi.’ A rabbi is a Jewish religious teacher, and the word comes from the Jewish term ‘rav,’ which means ‘master.’
- Rabinowitz
It is a Slavic last name that comes from Rabbi and means ‘son of a Rabbi.’
- Rayman
The Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish words ‘reyn’ and ‘man’ which mean ‘pure’ and ‘man.’ This means the name originally meant ‘pure man’ and was probably used as a nickname.
- Reidel
The Jewish last name comes from the Yiddish word ‘reydl,’ which means ‘little wheel,’ and is associated with a specific occupation.
- Rivlin
This Jewish surname is a variation of the name ‘Rebecca’ and is derived from the name ‘Rivke’. ‘Rivke’ is a variation of the Hebrew name ‘Rivqah’ which means ‘to bind’ or ‘to tie’.
- Romanoff
It is a Jewish surname that comes from a town called Romanovo in Russia, used to describe someone whose ancestors were from one of the towns with that name.
- Rosenbaum
This Jewish last name is a fancy name taken from the German words ‘rosen baum’ which means ‘rose tree’ and is referring to the plant with roses.
- Rosenkranz
The last name comes from two German words, ‘rosen’ which means ‘rose’ and ‘kranz’ which means ‘wreath.’ Together, it means ‘rose wreath.’
- Rubin
It is a different version of the Hebrew name ‘Reuben.’ This name comes from the Hebrew words ‘reu,’ which means ‘look’ and ‘ben,’ which means ‘son.’
- Ross
The Jewish surname comes from the word ‘ros’ in Middle High German, which means ‘horse.’ It is used to describe someone who works as a horse breeder or caretaker.
- Roth
The Jewish surname is derived from the German word ‘rot’ which means the color ‘red.’
- Rothenberg
This is a fancy Jewish surname that comes from combining the German words ‘rot’ (red) and ‘berg’ (hill or mountain).
- Rothschild
The Jewish surname ‘Rothschild’ comes from two Middle High German words, with ‘rot’ meaning ‘red’ and ‘schilt’ meaning ‘shield’ or ‘sign.’
- Ruderman
This is a job title that combines words from the Yiddish language: ‘ruder’ for ‘rudder’ or ‘oar’ and ‘man’ for ‘man.’
- Sachs
It is a surname based on a location for people who were from the region of Saxony in Germany. The name Saxony originates from the ancient group of Saxons who were named after the Old German term ‘sahs’ which means ‘knife’ or ‘small sword.’
- Sackman
It is a more detailed version of ‘Sack’, which stands for the Hebrew phrase ‘Zera Keshodim’ meaning ‘seed of the holy.’ This phrase is used to honor the martyrs of the Jewish community.
- Sagan
The surname is derived from the town of Zgan in Poland where ancestors lived. Another possible origin is the Polish word ‘sagan’ meaning ‘pot’ or ‘kettle.’ People with this surname may have been teapot or kettle makers.
- Salzberg
The Jewish last name comes from Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and is made up of the German words for ‘salt’ and ‘hill’ or ‘mountain.’
- Sandler
This Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish word ‘sandler’ or Hebrew ‘sandelar,’ which means ‘shoemaker.’ This last name describes people whose relatives were cobblers.
- Saperstein
This name is created by combining the German words ‘saphir’ which means ‘sapphire’ and ‘stein’ which means ‘stone.’
- Sas
This surname stands for a Jewish scribe of religious texts. People who used to write religious texts have started using this surname.
- Sasson
This Jewish last name is derived from the name ‘Sason,’ which translates to ‘joy’ or ‘happiness’ in Hebrew.
- Savitz
This is the English version of the surname ‘Savich,’ which comes from a family from a place called Savichi in Belarus.
- Schatzman
The Jewish surname is made up of the German words ‘Schatz’ which means ‘treasure’ and ‘mann’ which means ‘man.’
- Scheiber
The surname comes from German and means a ‘pane’ or ‘sheet’ with the suffix ‘-er.’ It was probably used as a job title for people who worked with glass or installed window panes.
- Schapiro
This is a different version of the name ‘Shapiro’ that is used to describe Jewish people from Europe who lived in the city of Speyer in Germany.
- Schaefer
This last name comes from the German word ‘schaf’ which means ‘sheep’. This surname is for people whose family members used to be shepherds.
- Schechter
This Jewish last name comes from the Hebrew word ‘shachat,’ which means ‘butcher.’ So, the surname is related to the occupation of being a butcher.
- Schiffman
The surname ‘Schiffmann’ is a combination of the German words for ‘ship’ and ‘man.’ It likely belonged to a sailor or someone who had a ship symbol on their house.
- Scheider
This Jewish surname comes from the German word ‘schneide,’ which means ‘blade.’ The name is for people whose ancestors were blade makers.
- Schneider
The Jewish surname comes from a Germanic term that means tailor, referring to someone whose job was sewing and altering clothing.
- Schor
The Jewish surname ‘Shore’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘shor’, which means ‘ox.’ It could also be influenced by Joseph, a Biblical figure often associated with an ox.
- Schreiber
The German surname for a ‘scribe’ or ‘writer’ is used. It is possible that the last name comes from the Yiddish word ‘shreyber’ which means ‘scribe’.
- Schwartzberg
The last name originates from German words. ‘Schwarz’ means ‘black’ and ‘berg’ means ‘hill’ or ‘mountain.’ Therefore, the name means ‘black mountain.’
- Sebag
This Jewish surname probably originated from the Arabic term ‘sabagh’ which means ‘dyer.’ This name would have been used to describe someone whose family worked as dyers of clothes and other materials.
- Segal
The surname ‘segan Leviyah’ comes from Hebrew and means ‘assistant Levite.’ The term Levite is used to describe a person who belongs to the Levi tribe, which is mentioned in the Bible as one of the tribes of Israel.
- Shamash
This last name refers to someone who worked as a caretaker in a synagogue. The caretaker is responsible for keeping the synagogue in good condition and serving as a guardian. The surname is linked to those whose family’s traditional job was being a Shamash.
- Shapiro
It is a last name that refers to people who come from the city of Speyer in Germany.
- Sheffer
This surname is a different version of the last name ‘Schaefer,’ which comes from the German word ‘schaf’ that means ‘sheep.’ This last name was often given to people who worked as shepherds.
- Shulman
It is a longer version of the Yiddish word ‘shul,’ which means ‘synagogue.’ This last name was used by people who descended from a family of Shamash, who is a caretaker of a synagogue.
- Singer
This Jewish surname comes from the Yiddish word ‘zinger,’ which means ‘singer.’ People who worked as a singer in a synagogue adopted this name as an occupation.’
- Speyer
Individuals who lived in the city of Speyer in Germany began using this last name. During the Middle Ages, Speyer was home to a prosperous Jewish community.
- Spiegelberg
The surname is decorative and comes from the German words ‘spiegel,’ which means ‘mirror,’ and ‘berg,’ meaning ‘mountain.’
- Steinbach
This Jewish surname comes from the words ‘stein,’ which means ‘stone,’ and ‘bach,’ which means ‘stream’ or ‘creek,’ in German.
- Sternbach
This last name comes from the German words ‘stern’ which means ‘star’ and ‘bach’ which means ‘stream.’ The name is believed to have originated from a specific place name.
- Stillman
This means that the name ‘Stillman’ is being referred to. This nickname came from combining the German words for ‘quiet’ and ‘man.’
- Talman
The name originates from Germanic roots, with ‘tal’ meaning ‘valley’ and ‘man’ meaning ‘man.’
- Tannenbaum
Tannenbaum, also referred to as Tannenbaum, is a German word that translates to ‘fir tree’ in English. It is a decorative name that comes from the German word ‘Tannenbaum,’ which translates to ‘pine tree’ or ‘fir tree.’
- Tilman
This surname comes from the Yiddish word for ‘Tile,’ which is derived from the Hebrew word ‘tehila’ meaning ‘splendor’ and is used as a female personal name.
- Truman
The surname is used by people who are from a Latvian village called Trumany in Russia.
- Turner
The surname is used to describe those who are from Tarnow, a city in Poland. In Yiddish, the city is known as ‘Turne’.
- Uhr
The surname comes from Germanic and means ‘clock’ or ‘watch.’ It was probably used as a last name for people who made clocks or watches.
- Ulman
The surname originates from a family that lived in Ulm, Germany. It includes the city’s name and the suffix ‘-man’.
- Vogel
The German surname for ‘Vogel’ is used as a name for someone who catches or cares for birds.
- Wallace
The surname ‘Wallach’ is an anglicized version of an Ashkenazi Jewish name. It originated from a Middle High German term ‘walhe’ which was used to describe a person from Italy.
- Weiner
The surname ‘Weiner’ comes from the Yiddish term ‘vayner,’ which originally meant ‘wine merchant.’ This name was used to describe someone whose job involved selling or trading wine in a store or market.
- Weinreich
The surname ‘Winrich’ is related to the name ‘Winrich’. This last name comes from Old High German words ‘wini’ which means ‘friend’ and ‘reich’ which means ‘rich.’ So, it means ‘rich friend’ and could have been used as a nickname.
- Weiss
In German, this surname means ‘white’. This last name likely described someone with very pale skin or hair.
- Winterstein
The last name is a decorative one made up of the German words ‘winter’ and ‘stein,’ which mean ‘winter’ and ‘stone,’ respectively.
- Wohlberg
This surname comes from the German words ‘wohl’ which means ‘well-being’ and ‘berg’ which means ‘hill’ or ‘mountain.’
- Yakel
The Jewish equivalent of the name ‘Jacob’ is used for pets. The name ‘Jacob’ comes from the Hebrew name ‘Yaakov’ which means ‘supplanter’.
- Yampolsky
The name is a Jewish surname based on the town of Yampol in Ukraine where their ancestors originated from.
- Yurkovich
This Jewish last name comes from a place in Ukraine called Yurkovtsy.
- Zalman
The Yiddish version of the name ‘Solomon’ is derived from the Hebrew name ‘Shelmoh,’ which comes from the Hebrew word ‘shalom’ meaning ‘peace.’
- Zechman
The surname derives from the Yiddish word ‘tsekh’, which refers to an ‘artisan’s guild’, combined with the word ‘man’. This Jewish last name might have been related to a specific occupation.
- Zion
The last name comes from the Hebrew word ‘tsion,’ which means ‘Mount Zion,’ a hill in Jerusalem.
- Ziv
The Hebrew surname means ‘charm,’ ‘brilliance,’ or ‘radiance.’
- Zuckerberg
The surname ‘Zuckerberg’ comes from Germanic words that mean ‘sugar’ and ‘mountain.’
- Zuckerman
In German, this surname means ‘sugarman’ and was used to describe a Jewish family who were in the business of making sweets.
- Zur
This surname is a decorative Jewish last name that comes from the Hebrew word ‘tsur,’ which means ‘rock.’
Frequently Asked Questions
Last names can give a person a special identity, so parents choose them carefully, just like they choose first names. Family background, traditions, and religion can all play a role in determining a surname. Jewish surnames or last names are well-liked globally due to the widespread Jewish community. These surnames have been around for centuries and continue to be popular. If you’re interested in Jewish surnames or last names, think about using one for your child. Take a look at the list of last names and their meanings and pick one that speaks to you.
