Jewish last names, also known as Jewish surnames, have unique characteristics that distinguish them from other types of surnames.
Here are some common characteristics of Jewish last names:
- Geographic origin: Many Jewish last names are derived from the places where the bearers of the name lived or came from. For example, the name Berliner is derived from the city of Berlin, and the name Frankel is derived from the region of Franconia in Germany.
- Occupational or professional origin: Some Jewish last names are derived from the occupations or professions of the bearers of the name. For example, the name Schreiber means “scribe” or “writer,” and the name Goldschmidt means “goldsmith.”
- Patronymic or matronymic origin: Some Jewish last names are derived from the father’s or mother’s name. For example, the name Abramson means “son of Abraham,” and the name Rivkin means “son of Rebecca.”
- Religious or biblical origin: Many Jewish last names are derived from religious or biblical terms or figures. For example, the name Cohen means “priest,” and the name Levi means “Levite.”
- Language origin: Jewish last names often reflect the languages spoken by Jews in different regions throughout history. For example, the name Weiss is derived from the German word for “white,” and the name Schwartz is derived from the German word for “black.”
It’s worth noting that not all Jewish last names have these characteristics, and some Jewish last names may have been changed or adapted over time due to migration, assimilation, or other historical factors.
Jewish Last Names That Start With… (A-Z)
A list of Jewish last names that start with each letter of the alphabet:
A:
- Abramowitz
- Adler
- Alper
- Altman
- Apfelbaum
- Aronson
- Avraham
B:
- Balaban
- Baron
- Berkowitz
- Bernstein
- Blau
- Bloom
- Blumenthal
- Braun
- Brodsky
C:
- Cohen
- Cohn
- Cole
- Cooper
- Crystal
D:
- Davidson
- Davis
- Diamond
- Dubinsky
E:
- Edelman
- Eisenberg
- Elias
- Engel
- Epstein
F:
- Fein
- Feldman
- Finkelstein
- Fisher
- Flax
G:
- Geller
- Gershon
- Ginsberg
- Glassman
- Gold
- Goldberg
- Goldfarb
- Goldstein
- Goodman
- Gordon
- Green
- Greenberg
- Greene
H:
- Harris
- Hecht
- Hersch
- Hoffman
- Horowitz
I:
- Isaac
- Isenberg
J:
- Jacobson
- Jaffe
- Jankelowitz
K:
- Kaplan
- Katz
- Kaufman
- Kessler
- Klein
- Kohn
- Korn
L:
- Lang
- Levin
- Levine
- Levy
- Lewis
- Lieberman
- Linder
- Litvak
- Lowenstein
M:
- Magid
- Marcus
- Markowitz
- Meltzer
- Mendel
- Miller
- Mintz
- Mizrahi
- Moskowitz
- Moss
- Most
N:
- Nadler
- Nathanson
- Neumann
- Newman
O:
- Oberman
- Orenstein
- Orloff
- Orsher
P:
- Padawer
- Paskin
- Pearlman
- Perelman
- Perlman
- Persky
- Phillips
- Pomerantz
- Posner
- Prager
Q:
- Quittman
R:
- Rabin
- Rabinowitz
- Radinsky
- Rauch
- Reich
- Reiner
- Reinhardt
- Rich
- Riesenfeld
- Rosen
- Rosenberg
- Rosenthal
- Roth
- Rubinstein
S:
- Sachs
- Sandler
- Schlesinger
- Schmukler
- Schneider
- Schoenfeld
- Schulman
- Schwartz
- Segal
- Seidman
- Shapiro
- Sherman
- Shulman
- Siegel
- Silver
- Silverman
- Simon
- Singer
- Slepian
- Smith
- Sokol
- Solomon
- Spector
- Stein
- Steinberg
- Stern
- Storch
- Strauss
- Sugarman
T:
- Tannenbaum
- Tauber
- Teitelbaum
- Thaler
- Tilles
- Topper
- Trachtenberg
U:
- Unger
V:
- Viner
W:
- Waldman
- Wasserman
- Weinstein
- Weinstock
- Weiss
- Weitzman
- Wexler
- Wiesel
- Wilensky
- Wolf
- Wolfe
- Wollman
X:
- None found
Y:
- Yaffe
- Yanofsky
- Yellin
- Yellis
- Yudelson
Z:
- Zaret
- Zelikow
- Zemel
- Zimbalist
Jewish Last Names (Common, Popular)
There are many common and popular Jewish last names, and the prevalence of specific names can vary depending on the geographic location and historical context.
However, here are some examples of common and popular Jewish last names:
- Cohen – derived from the Hebrew word for “priest” and traditionally associated with the Jewish priestly class.
- Levy/Levi – derived from the Hebrew word for “Levite” and traditionally associated with the Levitical tribe.
- Rosenberg – derived from the German words for “rose” and “mountain” and often associated with Jews who lived in the Rhineland region.
- Friedman – derived from the German words for “free” and “man” and often associated with Jews who were granted freedom from serfdom in medieval Europe.
- Goldstein – derived from the German words for “gold” and “stone” and often associated with Jews who worked in the jewelry trade.
- Katz/Katzman – derived from the Hebrew word for “priest” and often associated with Jews of the priestly class.
- Greenberg – derived from the German words for “green” and “mountain” and often associated with Jews who lived in forested areas.
- Weiss/Weinstein – derived from the German word for “white” and often associated with Jews who were pale-skinned or had white hair.
- Steinberg – derived from the German words for “stone” and “mountain” and often associated with Jews who lived in rocky areas.
- Berger – derived from the German word for “mountain” and often associated with Jews who lived in mountainous areas.
It’s worth noting that these names are not exclusively Jewish, and some non-Jews may also bear these last names.
Additionally, there are many other common and popular Jewish last names that may be specific to certain geographic regions or historical periods.
Most Common Jewish Last Names
Below are some of the most common Jewish last names worldwide:
- Cohen – derived from the Hebrew word for “priest” and traditionally associated with the Jewish priestly class.
- Levy/Levi – derived from the Hebrew word for “Levite” and traditionally associated with the Levitical tribe.
- Rosenberg – derived from the German words for “rose” and “mountain” and often associated with Jews who lived in the Rhineland region.
- Goldberg – derived from the German words for “gold” and “mountain” and often associated with Jews who worked in the mining industry.
- Friedman – derived from the German words for “free” and “man” and often associated with Jews who were granted freedom from serfdom in medieval Europe.
- Schwartz – derived from the German word for “black” and often associated with Jews who had dark hair or skin.
- Stein – derived from the German word for “stone” and often associated with Jews who worked in the building industry.
Hebrew Surnames
Here are some Hebrew surnames with their meanings:
- Cohen: This surname means “priest” or “religious leader” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew word “kohen,” which refers to a member of the Jewish priestly class.
- Levi: This surname means “joined” or “attached” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew name “Levi,” which was given to the third son of Jacob and Leah in the Bible.
- Goldberg: This surname means “golden mountain” in Hebrew. It is a combination of the Hebrew words “zahav” (gold) and “berg” (mountain).
- Katz: This surname means “priest” or “scholar” in Hebrew. It is an abbreviation of the Hebrew name “Kohen Tzedek,” which means “righteous priest.”
- Abramowitz: This surname means “father of Isaac” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew name “Avraham” (Abraham) and the Hebrew word “ben” (son of).
- Friedman: This surname means “free man” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew words “freie” (free) and “man” (man).
- Weiss: This surname means “white” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew word “lavan” (white).
- Shapira: This surname means “scribe” or “scholar” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew word “sopher” (scribe).
- Glickman: This surname means “man of luck” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Yiddish word “glik” (luck) and the Hebrew word “man” (man).
- Weisz: This surname means “son of Simon” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew name “Shim’on” (Simon) and the Hebrew word “ben” (son of).
- Cohen Tzedek: This surname means “righteous priest” in Hebrew. It is a combination of the Hebrew words “kohen” (priest) and “tzedek” (righteous).
- Aaronson: This surname means “son of Aaron” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew name “Aharon” (Aaron) and the Hebrew word “ben” (son of).
- Bergman: This surname means “man from the mountain” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew word “berg” (mountain) and the Yiddish word “man” (man).
- Segal: This surname means “treasurer” or “agent” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew word “segan” (treasurer).
- Talmor: This surname means “palm tree” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew word “tamar” (palm tree).
- Tessler: This surname means “maker of bags” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew word “tessel” (bag).
- Azoulay: This surname means “elevated” or “noble” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew word “azul” (elevated).
- Dayan: This surname means “judge” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew word “dayan” (judge).
- Halevi: This surname means “descendant of Levi” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Hebrew name “Levi” and the Hebrew word “ha” (the).
- Halpern: This surname means “mountain dweller” in Hebrew. It is derived from the Yiddish word “halpern” (mountain dweller).
Yiddish Surnames
Yiddish is a Jewish language that developed in Central and Eastern Europe, and it has had a significant influence on Jewish surnames in those regions.
Yiddish surnames often reflect the culture, history, and traditions of the Jewish people in these areas.
Here are some examples of Yiddish surnames:
- Abramowitz – “son of Abraham” in Yiddish.
- Blumenthal – “flower valley” in Yiddish.
- Eisenberg – “iron mountain” in Yiddish.
- Finkelstein – “sparkling stone” in Yiddish.
- Gershonowitz – “son of Gershon” in Yiddish.
- Horowitz – “from the town of Horodetz” in Yiddish.
- Kaplan – “chaplain” or “clergyman” in Yiddish.
- Lefkowitz – “from the town of Lefkowitz” in Yiddish.
- Rabinowitz – “son of the rabbi” in Yiddish.
- Rosenberg – “from the town of Rosenberg” in Yiddish.
Yiddish surnames often have Germanic or Slavic roots, reflecting the historical and linguistic influences of these regions on Jewish culture.
They may also be based on geographic locations or reflect the professions or occupations of the bearers of the name.
Popular Jewish Last Names in America
The United States is home to a large Jewish community, and as a result, there are many common and popular Jewish last names in America.
Here are some examples:
- Cohen – derived from the Hebrew word for “priest” and traditionally associated with the Jewish priestly class.
- Levy/Levi – derived from the Hebrew word for “Levite” and traditionally associated with the Levitical tribe.
- Goldberg – derived from the German words for “gold” and “mountain” and often associated with Jews who worked in the mining industry.
- Silverman – derived from the Yiddish word for “silversmith” and often associated with Jews who worked in the metalworking industry.
- Schwartz – derived from the German word for “black” and often associated with Jews who had dark hair or skin.
- Bloom/Bloch – derived from the Yiddish word for “flower” and often associated with Jews who worked in agriculture.
- Friedman – derived from the German words for “free” and “man” and often associated with Jews who were granted freedom from serfdom in medieval Europe.
- Jacobs/Jacobson – derived from the Hebrew name “Yaakov” and often associated with Jews named after the biblical patriarch.
- Shapiro – derived from the Yiddish word for “shepherd” and often associated with Jews who worked in the wool or textile industry.
- Weiss/Weinstein – derived from the German word for “white” and often associated with Jews who were pale-skinned or had white hair.
It’s worth noting that these names are not exclusively Jewish, and some non-Jews may also bear these last names.
Additionally, there are many other common and popular Jewish last names in America that may be specific to certain geographic regions or historical periods.
German Jewish Last Names
Here are some German Jewish last names:
- Adler: This surname means “eagle” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Blum: This surname means “flower” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Eisenberg: This surname means “iron mountain” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Feinberg: This surname means “fine mountain” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Frankel: This surname means “freeman” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Goldstein: This surname means “gold stone” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Gutmann: This surname means “good man” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Heimann: This surname means “home man” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Kahn: This surname means “boat” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Katz: This surname means “cat” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Levi: This surname means “joined” or “attached” in Hebrew and German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Mayer: This surname means “mayor” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Oppenheimer: This surname means “from Oppenheim” in German. Oppenheim is a town in Germany that was once a center of Jewish life.
- Rosenbaum: This surname means “rose tree” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Rothschild: This surname means “red shield” in German. It is a famous Jewish surname that is associated with the Rothschild banking family.
- Sachs: This surname means “Saxon” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Schindler: This surname means “one who works in a shelter” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Stein: This surname means “stone” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Weil: This surname means “valley” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
- Weiss: This surname means “white” in German. It is a common Jewish surname that is believed to have originated in Germany in the Middle Ages.
Jewish Last Names List
Here is a list of Jewish last names:
A
- Abramowitz
- Adler
- Agar
- Alperin
- Altman
- Amar
- Amato
- Amor
- Amorim
- Anderson
- Angel
- Anis
- Anker
- Aran
- Arbuckle
- Arden
- Arkin
- Armbruster
- Aronowitz
- Arotsky
- Ascher
- Ashkenazi
- Avirom
B
- Baer
- Bailin
- Baker
- Balaban
- Balfour
- Ball
- Band
- Barenboim
- Barkin
- Baron
- Baruch
- Bass
- Baum
- Baumel
- Baumann
- Baumgarten
- Baylin
- Beigel
- Bekerman
- Belfer
- Bell
- Belsky
- Bender
- Benjamin
- Bennett
- Berger
- Bergman
- Berlin
- Berman
- Bernstein
- Berzon
- Biderman
- Bienenstock
- Bierman
- Billig
- Binder
- Birenbaum
- Black
- Blatt
- Blech
- Bleiweiss
- Blitzer
- Block
- Bloom
- Blumenthal
- Bluth
- Bobrov
- Bochner
- Bodner
- Bogen
- Bolotin
- Bondi
- Borenstein
- Boruch
- Bosak
- Boudin
- Bovshover
- Boxer
- Braginsky
- Brand
- Brandeis
- Braverman
- Bregman
- Brener
- Brenner
- Brichkin
- Briskin
- Brodsky
- Bronstein
- Brooks
- Brown
- Bruck
- Bruckner
- Brunner
- Buchman
- Bukhman
- Burstein
- Butnick
C
- Cahan
- Calmenson
- Caplan
- Carlebach
- Carnovsky
- Carpenter
- Chait
- Chalif
- Chaplin
- Charlap
- Charnofsky
- Chasin
- Chaskelson
- Chayes
- Chernikoff
- Cherrick
- Chertok
- Chiat
- Chiger
- Chinitz
- Chinn
- Chinsky
- Chodosh
- Chomsky
- Chornitzer
- Chotiner
- Cieplinski
- Ciklin
- Citron
- Clurman
- Cohen
- Cohn
- Colburn
- Cole
- Coleman
- Collier
- Colodny
- Comay
- Comins
- Copland
- Coriat
- Cornblatt
- Cornfeld
- Corwin
- Cramer
- Crane
- Creem
- Cristol
- Croll
- Cuperman
- Cutler
D
- Dachs
- Dagan
- Dahari
- Dahan
- Daiches
- Dallal
- Danenberg
- Danesh
- Daniel
- Danilovich
- Danziger
- Dardik
- Darmon
- Dashevsky
- Daskal
- Davidson
- Davis
- Dayan
- Deitch
- Delman
- Dembo
- Denburg
- Denhoff
- Dermer
- Deutsch
- Deutch
- Diamond
- Dickstein
E
- Efrati
- Eger
- Ehrlich
- Eisen
- Eisenberg
- Eisenman
- Eisenstein
- Eitan
- Elbaum
- Elias
- Eliezrie
- Elkaim
- Elkayam
- Ellerin
- Ellis
- Elmaleh
- Elman
- Elstein
- Engel
- Engelman
- Epstein
- Erlich
- Erulkar
- Eshel
- Eshed
- Eskenazi
- Esrig
- Esses
- Esterson
- Ettinger
- Ettlinger
- Even
F
- Fader
- Fagin
- Fain
- Falk
- Falkowicz
- Fallik
- Farber
- Farkas
- Fasman
- Feinberg
- Feingold
- Feinman
- Feinstein
- Feld
- Feldman
- Feldstein
- Felsenthal
- Fenster
- Ferber
- Fidelman
- Fierstein
- Finkel
- Finkelstein
- Finn
- Fish
- Fisher
- Fixel
- Flax
- Fleischman
- Fleishman
- Flescher
- Flicker
- Fligelman
- Flink
- Flomenhaft
- Florenthal
- Foer
- Fogel
- Fogelman
- Fohrman
- Folb
- Folk
- Fontek
- Forchheimer
- Forman
- Forst
- Forster
- Fox
- Fraenkel
- Frank
- Frankel
- Franklin
- Franks
- Fratkin
- Frayer
- Freed
- Freedman
- Freeman
- Freid
- Freidenreich
- Freifeld
- Freilich
- Freiman
- Freindel
- Freireich
- Freitag
- Freling
- Freudenthal
- Freund
- Fried
- Friedberg
- Friedland
- Friedman
- Friedmann
- Frier
- Frierdich
- Frierdichs
- Frisch
- Fuchs
- Fuhrer
- Fuld
- Furer
- Furman
- Futterman
G
- Gabbai
- Gaffen
- Gal
- Gale
- Galperin
- Gampel
- Gan
- Ganz
- Garber
- Garfinkel
- Garson
- Gassner
- Gavrieli
- Gazit
- Gebhardt
- Gedaliah
- Geduld
- Geffen
- Geft
- Geiger
- Geller
- Gelman
- Gemunder
- Gendel
- Gendler
- Genkin
- Gensler
- Gersh
- Gershen
- Gerson
- Gersten
- Gerstenfeld
- Gertz
- Geshwind
- Gewirtz
- Geyser
- Gideon
- Giller
- Gilman
- Ginsberg
- Ginzberg
- Girsh
- Gitlin
- Gittelman
- Glick
- Glickman
- Glotzer
- Gluck
- Goberman
- Godfrey
- Godin
- Goetz
- Goldberg
- Golden
- Goldfarb
- Goldfine
- Goldin
- Goldman
- Goldrich
- Goldschein
- Goldsmith
- Goldstein
- Goldstine
H
- Haas
- Haddad
- Haimov
- Halper
- Halperin
- Halpert
- Halpern
- Hamburg
- Hammer
- Hamui
- Handler
- Hanfling
- Hanin
- Hankin
- Hanover
- Harary
- Harman
- Harnick
- Harpaz
- Harris
- Harrison
- Hart
- Hartman
- Hartstein
- Hartz
- Hasen
- Hasenfeld
- Hashimoto
- Hass
- Hassenfeld
- Hausman
- Hausner
- Havas
- Haviv
- Hayon
- Hazan
- Hecht
- Heft
- Heiman
- Heimlich
- Heimowitz
- Heinemann
- Heisler
- Heller
- Hellman
- Helman
- Henkin
- Hennig
- Henschel
- Henshaw
- Herbst
- Herman
- Hermann
- Hersch
- Herschberg
- Herschfeld
- Herschman
- Herschorn
- Herscovici
- Hersh
- Hershberg
- Hershfield
- Hershkowitz
- Herskovitz
- Hertz
- Hertzberg
- Hertzfeld
- Herz
- Herzberg
- Herzfeld
- Herzl
- Herzog
- Heschel
- Heskel
- Hess
- Hesse
- Hest
- Heyman
- Heymann
- Himmel
- Hirsch
- Hirschberg
- Hirschfeld
- Hirschhorn
- Hirschkop
- Hirschman
- Hirt
- Hirtenstein
- Hodes
- Hoenig
- Hoffman
- Hoffmann
- Hofmann
- Hofstein
- Hogarth
- Hoh
- Hohmann
- Hokin
- Holcman
- Holstein
- Honig
- Honigman
- Horowitz
- Horwitz
- Hudes
- Hudesman
- Hudis
- Huhn
- Hurwitz
I
- Ickowicz
- Iczkovits
- Ifergan
- Ifrah
- Igel
- Iger
- Iglicki
- Ignatoff
- Ike
- Ilan
- Ilouz
- Imberman
- Immerman
- Ingber
- Inger
- Innis
- Iram
- Irons
- Isaacs
- Israel
- Issacson
- Itzkowitz
J
- Jablon
- Jablonowski
- Jacob
- Jacobowitz
- Jacobs
- Jacobson
- Jacoby
- Jacubovics
- Jaffe
- Jaffee
- Jaffin
- Jaffrey
- Jampol
- Jankelovitz
- Jankelowitz
- Jankelowitz
- Jankielsohn
- Jankowitz
- Jaron
- Jaroslawicz
- Jaspan
- Jassen
- Javitz
- Jay
- Jellinek
- Jenkelowitz
- Joffee
- Johannsen
- Jonas
- Jones
- Joseph
- Josselsohn
- Judah
- Judas
- Judelson
- Judkowitz
- Judson
- Juhasz
- Juliano
- Juran
- Juskowicz
K
- Kabakov
- Kahan
- Kahana
- Kahn
- Kaiserman
- Kalb
- Kalish
- Kalman
- Kalmanowitz
- Kalmar
- Kalter
- Kaluszyner
- Kamen
- Kamenetzky
- Kamin
- Kaminsky
- Kanarek
- Kandel
- Kane
- Kanter
- Kaplan
- Kaplowitz
- Kapner
- Kapustin
- Karasik
- Kardon
- Kargman
- Karlin
- Karp
- Karpel
- Karpman
- Karsen
- Karten
- Kass
- Kasten
- Katz
- Katzen
- Kaufman
- Kaufmann
- Kava
- Kavaler
- Kaveh
- Kavka
- Kay
- Kaye
- Kazan
- Kazin
- Keil
- Keiser
- Keller
- Kelman
- Keltz
- Kemper
- Kenigsberg
- Kenigsman
- Kenyon
- Kerman
- Kern
- Kerner
- Kerr
- Kessler
- Kestenbaum
- Kestin
- Kestler
- Keyes
- Keyser
- Khalsa
- Khoshnood
- Kieval
- Kigel
- Kignanski
- Kikoler
- Kilberg
- Kim
- Kind
- King
- Kinsler
- Kipnis
- Kirchheimer
- Kirsh
- Kirshenbaum
- Kirshner
- Kislin
- Kiss
- Kissen
- Kistler
- Kitay
- Kite
- Klein
- Kleiman
- Klement
- Klenetsky
- Kleyman
- Kligerman
- Kline
- Kling
- Klingenstein
- Klotz
- Klugman
- Klurfeld
- Klyman
- Knapp
- Knecht
- Knobel
- Knopf
- Knopp
- Knopwurst
- Kober
- Kobrin
- Koenig
- Koenigsberg
- Koenigsberger
- Koenigstein
- Koester
- Koffler
- Kohan
- Kohane
- Kohanim
- Kohler
- Kohn
- Kohnert
- Kolb
- Kolber
- Kolodny
- Kolpakchi
- Kolton
- Konigsberg
- Konikow
- Konowitz
- Kopel
- Kopelman
- Kopin
- Koplowitz
- Kopman
- Koppel
- Kopple
- Korman
- Korn
- Kornblatt
- Kornblit
- Kornblith
- Kornfeld
- Kornhaber
- Kornreich
- Kornstein
- Kornwasser
- Kornzweig
- Korobkin
- Korotki
- Korsunsky
- Kosinski
- Koss
- Kossman
- Kost
- Kostelnik
- Kostiner
- Kotler
- Kott
- Koven
- Kovenock
- Kowal
- Kowalsky
- Kozak
- Kozinn
- Kozlowski
- Kraft
- Kramer
- Kranz
- Krauss
- Kraut
- Krebs
- Kreindel
L
- Labinsky
- Labovitz
- Labowitz
- Lachman
- Ladin
- Lafsky
- Laks
- Laloum
- Lam
- Lamberg
- Lambert
- Lampert
- Landau
- Landman
- Landsman
- Lang
- Lange
- Langsam
- Langston
- Lanner
- Lapidus
- Lapin
- Lapine
- Lappin
- Lare
- Lasser
- Lassman
- Last
- Laster
- Lauer
- Laufman
- Laufstein
- Laupheimer
- Lautman
- Lavender
- Lavine
- Lawee
- Lawrence
- Lazar
- Lazarus
- Leavitt
- Lebowitz
- Leder
- Lederer
- Lederman
- Lee
- Leff
- Lefkowitz
- Leib
- Leiberman
- Leichter
- Leider
- Leifer
- Leifert
- Leight
- Leikin
- Leinwand
- Leis
- Leitner
- Lemberg
- Lemberger
- Lemchen
- Lemelman
- Lemle
- Lempel
- Lenhoff
- Lenz
- Leon
- Leonard
- Leopold
- Lerner
- Lesher
- Less
- Lesser
- Lester
- Letzter
- Leventhal
- Lever
- Levenson
- Levick
- Levin
- Levine
- Levinson
- Levitan
- Levitch
- Levitt
- Levy
- Lew
- Lewin
- Lewinson
- Lewis
- Leybovich
- Leyden
- Leyzerzon
- Lichtenstein
- Lichter
- Lichtman
- Lichtig
- Lieb
- Liebman
- Liebowitz
- Lief
- Lieberman
- Lifschitz
- Lifson
M
- Mendelsohn
- Margolis
- Morgenstern
- Mann
- Miller
- Moskowitz
- Minsky
- Markowitz
- Magnus
- Meltzer
- Mandelbaum
- Meier
- Maimon
- Mizrahi
- Milstein
N
- Newman
- Nathanson
- Neumann
- Nirenberg
- Nussbaum
- Nudelman
- Nulman
- Naiman
- Nussbaum
- Novak
- Notkin
- Nacht
- Nadler
- Nadav
- Nadoff
O
- Oppenheimer
- Orenstein
- Oster
- Ostrin
- Ostroff
- Ovadia
- Ozick
- Ozeri
- Oberstein
- Orbach
- Orlinsky
- Ovitz
- Orlow
- Osterman
- Olshansky
P
- Pearlman
- Polansky
- Pressman
- Portman
- Plotkin
- Pinsky
- Pomerantz
- Pfeffer
- Perlstein
- Podolsky
- Prager
- Penn
- Pikus
- Pinkus
- Polster
Q
- Quittner
- Querido
- Quist
- Quittman
- Qualls
- Quandt
- Qureshi
- Qadri
- Qian
- Qiao
- Quilici
- Quinby
- Quirke
- Quattrociocchi
- Quackenbush
R
- Rosenberg
- Rubin
- Rabinowitz
- Roth
- Rosenbaum
- Rosenblatt
- Rosenthal
- Reiss
- Rothstein
- Raskin
- Raskind
- Rabin
- Radner
- Raffel
- Rapoport
S
- Schwartz
- Stein
- Shapiro
- Schneider
- Simon
- Silver
- Stern
- Steinberg
- Steinhardt
- Sandler
- Spector
- Saks
- Sack
- Schreiber
- Seidman
T
- Tessler
- Teitelbaum
- Tannenbaum
- Tishler
- Taub
- Treister
- Tarlow
- Tabak
- Tuchman
- Turen
- Tischler
- Tauber
- Taubman
- Trachtenberg
- Tzur
U
- Unger
- Uman
- Ungar
- Umanoff
- Uri
- Ushkowitz
- Usiskin
- Ustinov
- Uspensky
- Urbach
- Urdang
- Uretsky
- Usen
- Uzi
- Uziel
V
- Vainer
- Vishnevsky
- Volfson
- Volkov
- Vaknin
- Vayner
- Vartanian
- Vaserstein
- Vasiliev
- Vlasov
- Volf
- Vaisman
- Varnai
- Vayshenker
- Vakhitov
W
- Weiss
- Wolf
- Weisman
- Weinstein
- Wagner
- Wexler
- Wachtel
- Waldman
- Wolfson
- Wilner
- Wohl
X
- Xu
- Xia
- Xiong
- Xie
- Xiao
- Xue
- Xuemei
- Xian
- Xiang
- Xerxes
- Xayarath
- Ximenes
- Xavier
- Xydis
- Xalvadora
Y
- Yoffe
- Yellin
- Yitzhaki
- Yampolsky
- Yaron
- Yagudin
- Yekutieli
- Yaniv
- Yavetz
- Yosef
- Yudkovich
- Yakhini
- Yeger
- Yechieli
- Yarmolinsky
Z
- Zimmerman
- Zaltzman
- Zeldin
- Zinman
- Zucker
- Zinn
- Zoller
- Zolotarevsky
- Zalman
- Zaretsky
- Ziegler
- Zaslavsky
- Zadeh
- Zirkin
- Zohar
Ashkenazi Jewish Last Names
Ashkenazi Jews are one of the largest Jewish ethnic groups in the world, and they have a rich history and culture. Here are some common Ashkenazi Jewish last names:
- Abramowitz (or Abramov): A patronymic name derived from the Hebrew name Avraham, meaning “father of many nations.”
- Adler: From the German word for “eagle,” this name may have originated as a nickname or occupational name for someone who hunted or trained birds of prey.
- Cohen (or Kohen): A hereditary name derived from the Hebrew word for “priest,” indicating descent from the priestly class.
- Goldberg: A German name meaning “gold mountain,” perhaps originally an occupational name for someone who worked in a gold mine.
- Greenberg: From the German words for “green” and “mountain,” this name may have originally been a location-based name for someone who lived near a green hill.
- Hirsch: Derived from the Hebrew word for “deer,” this name may have originally been a nickname for someone who was swift or graceful.
- Horowitz (or Horovitz): A patronymic name derived from the Hebrew name Horowitz, meaning “mountain of the temple.”
- Katz: From the German word for “cat,” this name may have originally been a nickname for someone who was agile or stealthy.
- Klein: A German name meaning “small,” this name may have originally been a nickname for someone who was short in stature.
- Levy (or Leibowitz): A hereditary name derived from the Hebrew name Levi, indicating descent from the Levite tribe of ancient Israel.
- Miller: An occupational name for someone who worked in a mill, grinding grain into flour.
- Rosenberg: From the German words for “rose” and “mountain,” this name may have originally been a location-based name for someone who lived near a rose-covered hill.
- Schwartz: A German name meaning “black,” this name may have originally been a nickname for someone with dark hair or skin.
- Stein: A German name meaning “stone,” this name may have originally been a location-based name for someone who lived near a prominent rock formation.
- Weiss: A German name meaning “white,” this name may have originally been a nickname for someone with fair hair or skin.
These are just a few examples of the many Ashkenazi Jewish last names that exist. Many of these names have rich histories and unique cultural associations.
Sephardic Jewish Last Names
Sephardic Jews are a diverse Jewish ethnic group whose origins trace back to the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal) and the Middle East.
Sephardic Jewish last names are often derived from a variety of sources, including Hebrew, Arabic, and Romance languages.
Here are some common Sephardic Jewish last names:
- Abadi: A name of Arabic origin meaning “my father.”
- Alhadeff: A name of Arabic origin meaning “the judge.”
- Azoulay: A name of Arabic origin meaning “blue.”
- Benaim: A name of Arabic origin meaning “builder.”
- Benveniste: A name of Spanish origin meaning “good neighbor.”
- Curiel: A name of Spanish origin meaning “little court.”
- Dayan: A Hebrew name meaning “judge.”
- Franco: A name of Spanish origin meaning “Frenchman.”
- Levy: A Hebrew name indicating descent from the Levite tribe of ancient Israel.
- Maimon: A Hebrew name meaning “righteous one.”
- Navarro: A name of Spanish origin meaning “from Navarre.”
- Peretz: A Hebrew name meaning “breach” or “gap.”
- Saban: A name of Turkish origin meaning “soap maker.”
- Toledano: A name of Spanish origin meaning “from Toledo.”
- Vidal: A name of Spanish origin meaning “lively.”
These are just a few examples of the many Sephardic Jewish last names that exist.
Many of these names have rich histories and unique cultural associations, reflecting the diverse origins and experiences of Sephardic Jewish communities throughout history.
Ukrainian Jewish Last Names
Ukrainian Jews are an ethnic group that have lived in Ukraine for centuries, and their surnames often reflect the complex cultural and historical influences of this region.
Below we have some common Ukrainian Jewish last names:
- Abramov: A patronymic name derived from the Hebrew name Avraham, meaning “father of many nations.”
- Belkin: A surname that may be derived from the Ukrainian word “belka,” meaning “squirrel.”
- Bloch: A German name meaning “block” or “log.”
- Brodsky: A name that may be derived from the Ukrainian word “brod,” meaning “ford” or “shallow crossing.”
- Frankel: A German name meaning “honest one.”
- Geller: A name of Yiddish origin meaning “yellow.”
- Goldman: A German name meaning “gold man,” perhaps originally an occupational name for someone who worked with gold.
- Greenblatt: A German name meaning “green leaf.”
- Kagan: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “priest.”
- Katz: A German name meaning “cat,” perhaps originally a nickname for someone who was agile or stealthy.
- Kohn: A variant of the name Cohen, indicating descent from the priestly class in ancient Israel.
- Levin: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “joined” or “attached.”
- Lerner: A name of Yiddish origin meaning “learner” or “scholar.”
- Rabinowitz: A patronymic name derived from the Hebrew name Rabin, meaning “rabbi.”
- Shapiro: A name of Yiddish origin meaning “shepherd.”
These are just a few examples of the many Ukrainian Jewish last names that exist.
Many of these names have rich histories and unique cultural associations, reflecting the diverse origins and experiences of Ukrainian Jewish communities throughout history.
Russian Jewish Last Names
Russian Jews are a diverse ethnic group with a rich cultural and historical background, and their surnames often reflect this complexity.
Here are some common Russian Jewish last names:
- Abramovich: A patronymic name derived from the Hebrew name Avraham, meaning “father of many nations.”
- Berkowitz: A patronymic name meaning “son of Berko.”
- Finkelstein: A patronymic name derived from the Yiddish name Finkel, meaning “sparkling.”
- Goldberg: A German name meaning “gold mountain.”
- Gurevich: A patronymic name meaning “son of Gurev.”
- Kaplan: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “priest.”
- Katz: A German name meaning “cat,” perhaps originally a nickname for someone who was agile or stealthy.
- Levitin: A patronymic name derived from the Hebrew name Levi, indicating descent from the Levite tribe of ancient Israel.
- Markowitz: A patronymic name meaning “son of Mark.”
- Rabinowitz: A patronymic name derived from the Hebrew name Rabin, meaning “rabbi.”
- Rosenbaum: A German name meaning “rose tree.”
- Schwartz: A German name meaning “black.”
- Shtern: A Yiddish name meaning “star.”
- Sokolov: A name of Russian origin meaning “falcon.”
- Weinstein: A German name meaning “wine stone.”
These are just a few examples of the many Russian Jewish last names that exist.
Many of these names have complex linguistic and cultural roots, reflecting the diverse history and experiences of Russian Jewish communities throughout time.
Greek Jewish Last Names
Greek Jews have a rich history and cultural heritage, and their surnames often reflect the complex linguistic and cultural influences of the Mediterranean region.
We have below some common Greek Jewish last names:
- Angel: A name of Greek origin meaning “messenger” or “angel.”
- Avramides: A patronymic name derived from the Hebrew name Avraham, meaning “father of many nations.”
- Cohen: A name of Hebrew origin indicating descent from the priestly class in ancient Israel.
- De Leon: A Spanish name meaning “of Leon.”
- Diamant: A name of Greek origin meaning “diamond.”
- Levy: A name of Hebrew origin indicating descent from the Levite tribe of ancient Israel.
- Matsas: A Greek name meaning “unleavened bread,” a reference to the matzah eaten during Passover.
- Modiano: A name of Italian origin meaning “from Modena.”
- Molho: A name of Turkish origin meaning “salt.”
- Papadopoulos: A Greek name meaning “son of a priest.”
- Perez: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “breach” or “gap.”
- Samuel: A Hebrew name meaning “name of God.”
- Sarfati: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “Frenchman.”
- Sinopoulos: A Greek name meaning “son of Sinopoulus.”
- Vidalis: A Greek name meaning “vital.”
These are just a few examples of the many Greek Jewish last names that exist. Many of these names have complex linguistic and cultural roots, reflecting the diverse history and experiences of Greek Jewish communities throughout time.
Polish Jewish Last Names
Here are some common Polish Jewish last names:
- Adler: A name of German origin meaning “eagle.”
- Brodsky: A name of Slavic origin meaning “from the ford.”
- Cohn: A name of Hebrew origin indicating descent from the priestly class in ancient Israel.
- Goldman: A German name meaning “gold man.”
- Horowitz: A name of German origin meaning “mountain watchman.”
- Kagan: A name of Turkic origin meaning “king” or “ruler.”
- Kowalski: A Polish name meaning “smith.”
- Landau: A name of German origin meaning “country meadow.”
- Lerner: A Yiddish name meaning “teacher.”
- Lewin: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “joined” or “attached.”
- Rosenberg: A German name meaning “rose mountain.”
- Rubin: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “ruby.”
- Schreiber: A German name meaning “writer” or “scribe.”
- Stein: A German name meaning “stone.”
- Wiener: A German name meaning “from Vienna.”
Mexican Jewish Last Names
Some common Mexican Jewish last names:
- Abadi: A Hebrew name meaning “my father is eternal.”
- Bensusan: A name of Spanish origin meaning “son of Susan.”
- Cohen: A name of Hebrew origin indicating descent from the priestly class in ancient Israel.
- Franco: A Spanish name meaning “Frenchman.”
- Garza: A Spanish name meaning “heron.”
- Kassin: A name of Arabic origin meaning “priest.”
- Mizrahi: A name of Hebrew origin indicating someone who comes from the east.
- Saban: A name of Turkish origin meaning “from Saban.”
- Sasson: A Hebrew name meaning “happiness” or “joy.”
- Sevi: A name of Turkish origin meaning “Sabbath.”
- Shabot: A Hebrew name meaning “Sabbath.”
- Tawil: A name of Arabic origin meaning “tall.”
- Toledano: A name of Spanish origin meaning “from Toledo.”
- Uziel: A Hebrew name meaning “God is my strength.”
- Zevach: A Hebrew name meaning “sacrifice.”
Italian Jewish Last Names
Italian Jews have a long and rich history, and their surnames often reflect the complex linguistic and cultural influences of the region.
Here are some common Italian Jewish last names:
- Bassani: A name of Italian origin meaning “from Bassano.”
- Benveniste: A name of French origin meaning “good neighbor.”
- Cairo: A name of Italian origin meaning “from Cairo.”
- Costa: A name of Italian origin meaning “coast” or “shore.”
- Foa: A name of Italian origin meaning “fox.”
- Luzzatto: A name of Italian origin meaning “light.”
- Modigliani: A name of Italian origin meaning “from Modigliana.”
- Montefiore: A name of Italian origin meaning “mountain of flowers.”
- Morpurgo: A name of Italian origin meaning “from Morpurgo.”
- Olivetti: A name of Italian origin meaning “from the olive grove.”
- Parenti: A name of Italian origin meaning “relatives” or “kinsmen.”
- Rizzo: A name of Italian origin meaning “curly-haired.”
- Sabato: A name of Italian origin meaning “Sabbath.”
- Segre: A name of Italian origin meaning “gray.”
- Sinigaglia: A name of Italian origin meaning “synagogue.”
Lithuanian Jewish Last Names
Some popular Lithuanian Jewish last names:
- Abramovitz: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “father of many.”
- Altman: A name of German origin meaning “old man.”
- Dovidov: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “son of David.”
- Epstein: A name of German origin meaning “stony hill.”
- Gurevich: A name of Russian origin meaning “son of Gurev.”
- Kagan: A name of Turkic origin meaning “king” or “ruler.”
- Kaplan: A name of Polish origin meaning “chaplain” or “priest.”
- Levin: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “joined” or “attached.”
- Rabinowitz: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “son of the rabbi.”
- Shapiro: A name of Russian origin meaning “beautiful river.”
- Shulman: A name of German origin meaning “synagogue man.”
- Sokolovsky: A name of Polish origin meaning “son of Sokol.”
- Tversky: A name of Russian origin meaning “from Tver.”
- Vilensky: A name of Russian origin meaning “from Vilnius.”
- Yoffe: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “beauty.”
Spanish Jewish Last Names
Here are some common Spanish Jewish last names:
- Abulafia: A name of Arabic origin meaning “father of wisdom.”
- Alhadeff: A name of Arabic origin meaning “the one who gives.”
- Cervantes: A name of Spanish origin meaning “deer.”
- Delgado: A name of Spanish origin meaning “slender” or “thin.”
- Franco: A name of Spanish origin meaning “Frenchman.”
- Hidalgo: A name of Spanish origin meaning “noble” or “son of nobility.”
- Laredo: A name of Spanish origin meaning “from Laredo.”
- Lopez: A name of Spanish origin meaning “son of Lope” (a personal name meaning “wolf”).
- Montoya: A name of Spanish origin meaning “from the mountain.”
- Nunez: A name of Spanish origin meaning “son of Nuno” (a personal name meaning “grandfather”).
- Pena: A name of Spanish origin meaning “rocky hill” or “mountain.”
- Perez: A name of Spanish origin meaning “son of Pero” (a personal name meaning “Peter”).
- Salazar: A name of Basque origin meaning “old hall.”
- Sepulveda: A name of Spanish origin meaning “from Sepúlveda.”
- Toledo: A name of Spanish origin meaning “from Toledo.”
French Jewish Last Names
Below are some popular French Jewish surnames:
- Anidjar: A name of Arabic origin meaning “the survivor.”
- Azoulay: A name of Berber origin meaning “falconer.”
- Cohen: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “priest.”
- Dreyfus: A name of German origin meaning “three-footed.”
- Finkelstein: A name of Yiddish origin meaning “sparkling stone.”
- Levy: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “joined” or “attached.”
- Mendes: A name of Portuguese origin meaning “son of Mendo” (a personal name meaning “protector”).
- Muller: A name of German origin meaning “miller.”
- Peres: A name of Portuguese origin meaning “son of Pero” (a personal name meaning “Peter”).
- Roubini: A name of Italian origin meaning “red-haired.”
- Saban: A name of Arabic origin meaning “from Sabah” (a personal name meaning “morning”).
- Sarfati: A name of Hebrew origin meaning “from Sarfat” (the Hebrew name for France).
- Sebban: A name of Arabic origin meaning “the lion.”
- Sebag: A name of Berber origin meaning “the hawk.”
- Zemmour: A name of Berber origin meaning “olive.”
FAQs – Jewish Last Names
How can you tell if a last name is Jewish?
Generally, it is difficult to tell if a last name is Jewish or not. However, there are some indicators that can help determine if a last name is Jewish.
- The last name may be suggestive of a Hebrew origin, such as “Cohen” or “Levy”.
- The name may contain the letters “tzadik” or “tsaddik”, which suggest Jewish ancestry.
- If the last name ends in “berg”, this could indicate German Judaism.
- Similarly, names ending in “-ski” suggest Polish Ashkenazi origins.
What are common Jewish names?
Common Jewish names include:
- Abraham
- Isaac
- Jacob
- Moses
- Aaron
- Samuel
- David
- Solomon
- Rebecca
- Rachel
- Leah
- Sarah
What is the most Jewish last name?
The most Jewish last name is likely Cohen, which is the traditional surname given to Jewish Kohanim (priests).
Other common Jewish surnames include:
- Levy
- Greenberg
- Ginsburg
- Goldberg
- Finkelstein
- Friedman
- Goldstein
- Rothstein
- Silverman
What do Jewish last names end in?
Jewish last names typically end in “-berg”, “-stein” or “-man”. Other common endings for Jewish surnames include:
- -baum
- -feld
- -vitz
- -witz
- -owitz
- -blatt
- -schmidt
How did my Jewish ancestors get their surnames?
Jewish surnames were typically adopted either from a place of origin or occupation.
Often, Jews who lived in communities with other Jews who had the same surname adopted it as their own.
Some Jews also took on surnames that reflected religious observance and piety, such as “Cohen” (meaning priest).
Other Jewish surnames were derived from personal characteristics or physical features.
What are some stereotypical Jewish last names?
Some of the most stereotypical Jewish last names include:
- Cohen
- Levine
- Goldberg
- Ginsberg
- Kaplan
- Kleinman
- Rosenberg
- Levy
Conclusion – Jewish Last Names
Jewish last names have a unique origin and history.
For centuries, Jews did not have family names of their own; instead, they were given the surname of their father or occupation.
This changed in 1808 when Napoleon ordered Jews to adopt a fixed surname, creating a standardized system of patronymic surnames that followed the same pattern: the father’s first name + “son” or “daughter.”
As Jews spread throughout the world, many took on different adaptations of their surnames to accommodate various languages and cultures.
For example, in Ashkenazi communities, surnames often ended in “-man,” “-berg,” or “-stein,” while in Sephardic countries surnames often incorporated the Spanish terms for “son” or “daughter.”
Today, there is a wide variety of Jewish last names from all over the world.
Although some are clearly identifiable as Jewish—such as Cohen and Levy—others may take more digging to determine their origin.
In some cases, families may need to search through records or ask older relatives about past generations in order to trace their family name back to its source.
Nevertheless, each Jewish last name has its own story and offers a window into the culture and history of Jewish life across continents and centuries.
