130 Jewish Last Names or Surnames
Jews as an ethnic group have settled in different parts of the world and adopted a large variety of surnames. Due to this cultural assimilation, Jewish surnames have a wide range of origin. The Jewish last names have been highly influenced by Hebrew last names that are patronymic by nature. This Hebrew name is mostly used for Jewish rituals and is followed by the name of parents. They are meaningful and have numerological significance. Scroll down and check out this extensive list of Jewish family names that have been developed in the last three hundred years and find one that you like.
130 Jewish Last Names and Family Names
This list of common Jewish surnames or last names with their meanings bear testimony of the rich history behind them.
1. Åarons
The patronymic name in Hebrew means ‘Shining Light’.
2. Abate
Derived from Hebrew Cohen, Abate is an occupational name that refers to ‘descent from a high priest’.
3. Abeles
Derived from Hebrew ab ‘father’ or Abraham, Abel is an Old German name meaning ‘noble one’.
4. Åbend
Abend is derived from the German word ‘Abend’, which means ‘evening’.
5. Abendroth
Derived from German ‘sunset’, Abendroth means ‘evening red’.
6. Abermann
Abermann is a Jewish Ashkenazic occupational surname meaning ‘seller of oats’.
7. Abrams
The name means ‘exalted father’. It is of Biblical Hebrew origin.
8. Abrahamsons
This Ashkenazic patronymic surname is derived from the name Abraham meaning ‘the father of multitudes’.
9. Asturias
This name means a land with many mountain springs.
10. Babel
This ornamental surname is derived from Polish or German word ‘Babylon’ which is a combination of Assyrian elements bab’gate’ and ilu ‘god’.
11. Babin
Babin is a habitational name from Babino which is a village in Belarus.
12. Bach
This Ashkenazic name originates from German Bach ‘stream’ or ‘creek’.
13. Bacharach
Bacharach is a habitational surname of Celtic origin referring to a place on the Rhine near Koblenz.
14. Baer
This Ashkenazic surname is derived from the Yiddish name Ber, meaning ‘bear’.
15. Becker
This is a professional surname, and it is meant for a baker.
16. Benitez
The surname means ‘son of Benito’.
17. Blau
The surname means ‘blue’.
18. Camhi
This Sephardic occupational nickname is derived from the Hebrew Kamkhi of ‘wheat’.
19. Canaan
This modern Hebrew name means ‘the promised land’ in the Bible.
20. Cantor
This describes a person who can sing.
21. Carmel
This name of Hebrew origin means ‘field of fruit’ or ‘garden’.
22. Chacko
A nickname from Czech, called ‘toy’, Chacko is a Hebrew personal name derived from Ya’aqobh.
23. Chait
Originating from eastern Ashkenazic, this occupational surname means ‘tailor’.
24. Chodosh
Common among eastern Ashkenazic, its Hebrew meaning is ‘new’.
25. Citron
Derived from German Zitrone or ‘lemon tree’ Citron can be a surname for a lemon-seller or a nickname for a disagreeable person.
26. Cohen
It is one of the four Samaritan last names that exist in the modern day. It means ‘priest’.
27. Cotler
This Ashkenazic occupational surname means ‘kettle maker’ or ‘boilermaker’.
28. Crespo
The surname means ‘curly’.
29. Dagon
This Jewish surname has a Hebrew origin meaning ‘corn’ or ‘grain’.
30. Dales
This Ashkenazic surname is a nickname for a needy person. Its Hebrew meaning is ‘poverty’.
31. Danieli
Danieli is derived from the word Daniel meaning ‘God is my Judge’.
32. Dembo
This Jewish surname refers to a person from Lithuania or Poland.
33. Diamond
The name is a Jewish surname for a diamond worker.
34. Diner
Diner came from Yiddish diner meaning ‘servant’.
35. Dinkin
Dinkin is a metronymic name from the Yiddish word ‘Dinke’, a pet of Dianah from the Bible.
36. Director
This occupational surname originates from Polish dyrektor meaning ‘private teacher’.
37. Dolgin
This patronymic name is derived from Russian nickname Dolgij that means ‘long’.
38. Dornbusch
This eastern Ashkenazic surname is derived from German Dornbusch meaning ‘thornbush’.
39. Duarte
The meaning of this unique surname is ‘prosperous guardian’.
40. Efron
This Hebrew surname means ‘a Biblical place, commonly a ‘mountain’ or ‘a city’.
41. Ehrlich
This Ashkenazic surname is derived from the German word ‘Ehrlich’, meaning ‘honest’.
42. Eichelberg
This Ashkenazic surname is derived from Eichel – ‘acron’ and Berg – ‘mountain’.
43. Eisen
The surname means ‘iron’.
44. Eisenstein
Eisenstein is formed by combining Eisen, ‘iron’, and Stein, ‘stone’.
45. Elgart
Elgart is derived from the German word meaning ‘olive garden’.
46. Elijah
Elijah comes from Hebrew Yiddish name Elye meaning ‘My God is Yahweh’.
47. Ethan
This surname of Hebrew origin means ‘gift of the island’ or ‘strong’.
48. Fingerhut
It is a metonymic occupational name for a tailor.
49. Gabriel
This surname of Hebrew origin is derived from ‘Gavriel’, which means ‘God is my strength’.
50. Galinski
Galinski refers to someone from Galince in northeastern Poland or Galiniai in Lithuania.
51. Garbus
Derived from a nickname from the Belorussian word ‘garbuz’, meaning ‘pumpkin’.
52. Ganz
This ornamental name comes from Middle High German word ‘Ganser’, referring to ones who raised geese.
53. Gartenberg
This Ashkenazic surname is composed of the German word garten – ‘garden’ and Berg- ‘hill’.
54. Gelb
The surname means ‘yellow’. It was distributed to Jew at random by Austrian clerks.
55. Handelman
This surname of Ashkenazic origin is an occupational name for a tradesman, dealer or merchant.
56. Harari
Originating from Southern France, Harari refers to someone from Montpellier. Its Hebrew word means ‘mountaineer’.
57. Hakimi
The name means ‘dominion’ or ‘power’.
58. Hecht
This surname of Ashkenazic origin is derived from the Yiddish word ‘Hecht’, meaning ‘pike’.It denotes ‘wildlife’.
59. Heller
Heller is a habitational name for someone from the Schwabisch town of Hall.
60. Horowitz
This habitational surname of Ashkenazi origin refers to a person from Horovice in Bohemia.
61. Imber
This Ashkenazic surname comes from the Yiddish word for ‘ginger’.
62. Ingerman
Originating from Poland and Ukraine, Ingerman means ‘younger man’ in Yiddish.
63. Isaac
Originating from the Hebrew male name ‘Yitsch’, Isaac means ‘laughter’.
64. Israel
This surname of Hebrew ‘Yísráél-El, it means ‘wrestled with God’.
65. Itkin
Itkin comes from Yiddish Itke which is a derivation from the Biblical name ‘Judith.’
66. Janeski
This Ashkenazic habitational name refers to the village of Janishki in Lithuania.
67. Joshua
Joshua is a Hebrew surname meaning ‘God of salvation’.
68. Judah
Judah in Hebrew means ‘praised’.Judah is mentioned in the Old Testament name referring to the son of Jacob, an ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel.
69. Justman
This Ashkenazic surname is derived from a Yiddish word ‘Yust’, meaning ‘well to do man’.
70. Kairis
Derived from eastern Ashkenazic, ‘Kairis’ is a nickname for a left-handed person.
71. Kalman
This Ashkenazic surname is derived from the Hebrew name ‘Kalonimos’, which in turn comes from a Greek name, meaning ‘lovely’.
72. Kaminer
This Jewish habitational surname refers to Kamin or someone from places in Poland and Ukraine. Kamin means ‘stone’.
73. Kaplan
The surname is sometimes used as a translation of Polish kapłan, ‘chaplain curate’.
74. Kravitz
This occupational surname is taken from the Polish word ‘Krawlec’, meaning a ‘tailor’.
75. Krone
Krone is a German word meaning ‘crown’. Derived from the Middle High German words ‘kran’ or ‘kron’, this name means”crane;”
76. Kugal
This Ashkenazi name is derived from the Yiddish word ‘Kugi’ meaning ‘pudding’.
77. Lachman
A variant of the Hebrew Nachman, Lachman means ‘consoler’ or ‘comforter.’
78. Leib
Derived from the Yiddish word ‘leyb’, Leib means ‘Lion’.
79. Levi
Derived from Hebrew, Levi means ‘joined’ or ‘united’.
80. Levy
The name is another form of the surname Levi. It means ‘joined’ or ‘united’.
81. Levin
This too is another form of the surname Levi. It means ‘joined’ or ‘dear friend’.
82. Lipman
This Yiddish name is composed of a German element ‘Lieb’, meaning ‘beloved man’.
83. Loewe
Loewe is derived from the German word ‘lowe’ meaning ‘lion’.
84. Maggid
This surname was given to many of the many itinerant Jewish preachers who flourished during the 17th and 18th centuries. It means ‘preacher’.
85. Malkin
Malkin is derived from the Yiddish name ‘Malke’, which in turn originated from the Hebrew word, meaning ‘queen’.
86. Margolis
Margolis is a Hebrew name meaning ‘pearls’.
87. Meyer
This Ashkenazi surname is derived from the Hebrew word ‘Meir’ which means ‘enlightened’.
88. Milgram
Derived from the Yiddish word ‘milgrym’, Milgram means ‘pomegranate’.
89. Mizrahi
This toponymic name means ‘Easterner’ in Hebrew, who were native to the Middle East.
90. Morganstein
This name comprises German elements; ‘morgen’ meaning ‘morning’ and ‘stein’ meaning ‘stone’.
91. Nacht
This Ashkenazi surname is derived from the German word ‘Nacht’ which means ‘night’.
92. Nemeroff
This Ashkenazi toponymic surname refers to the native people from Ukraine or Poland.
93. Nudel
This is a short form of the surname Nudell and means ‘tailor’.
94. Nudell
Derived from the Yiddish word ‘nudi’, Nudell is an occupational surname referring to a ‘tailor’ or ‘needle-maker’.
95. Oberman
Derived from the German word ‘Ober’ Oberman means ‘chief’.
96. Ortman
Ortman is composed of the German words ort meaning ‘place’ and Mann meaning ‘man’.
97. Osher
Derived from the Hebrew word ‘Ohshesher’, Oshler means ‘happiness’.
98. Ostrov
Ostrov refers to a native from Ostrov in Russia and the Czech Republic.
99. Papier
This Ashkenazic surname stands for the occupational name of a merchant derived from the German word Papier, meaning ‘paper’.
100. Pelka
This habitational name refers to someone from Pelki in England.
101. Perlman
Composed of the Yiddish elements ‘Perl’ meaning ‘pearl’ and man meaning ‘man’, this occupational surname refers to the husband of Perl.
102. Plotkin
This Jewish surname from Belarus is an ornamental fish name.
103. Plott
This east Ashkenazic occupational surname refers to a ‘fence maker’ or ‘carpenter’.
104. Polanski
Polanski refers to a person who came from Polonne in Ukraine or Polonka in Belarus.
105. Portnoy
This Jewish occupational surname is a Russian word for ‘tailor’.
106. Rabin
Rabbi refers to Jewish religious teachers wherein Rav means ‘master’.
107. Rabinowitz
It is a Polish-Lithuanian Ashkenazi Jewish surname which means ‘son of the rabbi’.
108. Rayman
Composed of the Yiddish elements reyn ‘pure’ and man ‘man’, Rayman means ‘pure man’.
109. Rosenbaum
This ornamental surname is adopted from the German word ‘Rosen Baum’ meaning ‘rose tree’.
110. Rubin
A variation of the Hebrew name Reuben, this surname is composed of reu- ‘behold’ and ben- ‘a son’.
111. Roth
Roth is derived from the German word Rot meaning ‘red colour’.
112. Rothschild
Rothschild is derived from the German elements; Rot meaning ‘red’ and Schilt meaning ‘sign’.
113. Ruderman
Derived from Yiddish elements Ruder- ‘oar’ and Man- ‘man, it is an occupational surname.
114. Sackman
Derived from the Hebrew phrase ‘Zera Keshodim’, meaning ‘seed of the holy’, Sackman refers to the martyrs of the Jews.
115. Salzberg
This Ashkenazi last name is composed of the word Salz meaning ‘salt’ and Berg meaning ‘hill’.
116. Sandler
Derived from Hebrew Sandelar ‘shoemaker’ it refers to ancestors who were cobblers.
117. Sas
The surname is a habitational surname with multiple origins.
118. Sasson
A variant of Sason, Sasson means ‘happiness’ in Hebrew.
119.Talman
This toponymic name is derived from Germanic elements meaning ‘valley’ and ‘man’.
120. Tilman
Derived from Yiddish personal name ‘Tile’ or ‘Tehila’ in Hebrew, Tilman means ‘splendour’.
121. Truman
Truman is adopted from natives of the Trumany village in Russia.
122. Uhr
Uhr is a Germanic word for ‘watch’, referring to clockmakers.
123. Ulman
Ulman refers to a family who came from the city of Ulm, Germany.
124. Vogel
Vogel is a Germanic occupational surname for ‘bird’ or referring to a bird-catcher or one who tends birds.
125. Wallace
Wallace is an anglicised form of the Ashkenazi name ‘Wallach’. It refers to someone from Italy.
126. Weinberg
The surname is a German and Jewish-Ashkenazi surname which means ‘vineyard’ in German.
127. Weiss
Weiss means ‘White’ in German and refers to a light-skinned person.
128. Winterstein
Winterstein is composed of the German words ‘winter’ and ‘stone’.
129. Yakel
Yakel is derived from Jacob or a Hebrew name Yaakov, which means ‘supplanter’.
130. Yampolsky
It is a habitational name for someone from the town of Yampol in Ukraine.
Whether you’re looking for a last name to reflect your religious faith or trying to find a moniker for a fictional character, try looking into some of the funny Jewish last names that cause the right amount of humour. Go ahead and inject the right amount of fun to your child’s identity by choosing one of the splendid Jewish last names mentioned here.
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