Be a Mensch and Take Time To Learn More About These 100 Jewish Last Names
One doesn't have to be fluent in Yiddish to be familiar with the term, "mensch." If you're a mensch, it says a lot about you, and it's all good. Mensch means one who's held in high regard. Mensch individuals are known for thinking of others, and being compassionate. Now, being labeled a schmuck, on the other hand, "oy vey"—that's another story.
Knowledge, as they say, is power. While it's true you generally can't identify Jewish ancestry by a surname alone, learning more about popular Jewish last names, or surnames, and a bit about the roads they have schlepped, gives you the power to better recognize them when you encounter them.
Jews did not use surnames in ancient times. People were given a name derived from their ancestors (ie. David ben (son of) Jesse, or Miriam bat (daughter of) Aaron). The use of a last name developed over time. As with most last names, they point to a family's place of origin. In the case of a Jewish name, it might also point to a religious heritage. Examples include Sofer (scribe), Kantor (cantor), and Cohen (priest).
In addition to faith, Jewish surnames, their pronunciations and their spellings, can vary slightly by geographic location due to cultural assimilation, pointing to the existence of Jewish diasporas around the globe. Thus, what is a common last name for a Jewish person might also be a common name for a Gentile. Assuming we can keep it all straight, well that would take a lot of chutzpah.
Let's get started.
100 Jewish Last Names
1. Aaronson
Literally "son of Aaron."
2. Abelman
From an old German word meaning "noble one."
3. Abrams
A reference to the biblical patriarch, Abraham.
4. Alterman
Literally "old man."
5. Benenson
A Russian surname combing the Yiddish "Benye" with the German, "sohn" (son).
6. Benowitz
An Ashkenazic (a Jew of eastern European or German descent) Jew. This surname comes from the pet form of Beniamin.
7. Berg
Of Northern European origin, a word meaning "mountain."
8. Bloom
Derived from the Yiddish word, "blum" and the German word, "blume," and means flower.
9. Bloomberg
An Ashkenazic Jewish surname, comprised of "flower" and "mountain."
10. Brockman
An Americanized form of a Jewish surname from Poland, "Brokman." May stem from the Yiddish name for a paver, thus making it an occupation-based name.
11. Burns
Americanized from the Jewish surname, "Bernstein." One highly recognized person with this surname is the Jewish comedian, George Burns.
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12. Cahana
A relatively common surname in Israel, it's the Aramaic word meaning "priest."
13. Cohen
A variation of the Hebrew word for priest, "kohein," refers to descendants of Aaron.
14. David
In honor of the biblical King David, a name meaning "beloved."
15. Drexel
A Jewish surname with origins from a medieval word, "dreseler," meaning "to turn."
16. Dreyfuss
Literally "three feet" in German. This surname comes from the German city, Trier. Its Latin name, "Treveris," eventually developed into Dreyfuss. Richard Dreyfuss, a famous American actor, has this surname.
17. Edelman
Ashkenazic surname meaning "noble," "splendid" or "fine" man.
18. Ehrenberg
A compound surname describing one's location of origin, and community status, namely "honor" and "hill."
19. Einstein
Of German origin, meaning "to enclose or surround with stone." It's recognized as the surname of the famous inventor and scientist, Albert Einstein.
20. Epstein
A German location-based surname, meaning "wild boar" and "stone."
21. Ezra
Of Hebrew origin, and means "help."
22. Feinberg
In German, "fine" and "hill."
23. Feldman
A surname for someone who likely lived on land cleared of trees.
24. Fisher
In Yiddish, literally "little fish." A reference to the biblical Ephraim, who, over time, became associated with fish because of Jacob's blessing over him.
25. Franco
Means "free." It's a common surname for families from the Iberian Peninsula.
26. Galante
Italian for "chivalrous." This surname is quite common in Italian Jewish communities.
27. Garfinkle
Its origins are both Yiddish and German, so named for a red stone, such as a garnet or ruby circle. Thus, it is an ornamental surname. The famous singer, Art Garfunkel, had a variation of this name.
28. Goldblum
A surname combining the German words for "gold" and "flower."
29. Goldman
Possibly indicating the family came from a line of goldsmiths, or someone in a similar business relating to precious stones.
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30. Goldstein
In German, literally "gold" and "stone."
31. Green
Americanized form of German "Grun" or Yiddish "Grin." Refers to the color, green.
32. Hahn
In German, the word for rooster (Hahn). An Ashkenazic surname indicating some affiliation with birds or animals.
33. Hearst
Americanized form of surnames with variations of the German word for deer, "hirsch."
34. Herzog
An ornamental name from the German, "herzoge," meaning duke. This surname doesn't likely indicate descendancy from an actual duke. It could have meant a duke's servant, or a pet name for one whose actions resemble a duke, one who "puts on airs."
35. Hoffman
May be German or Jewish or both. Means "a steward or farm laborer."
36. Isaak
Hebrew word meaning "laughter," and the name of Abraham's son in scripture.
37. Israel
From the Hebrew, meaning "God contends." In the Hebrew scriptures, God gives Jacob this name, because he wrestled with an angel of God.
38. Jablonski
Both Polish and Jewish. A habitational surname for someone from places like Jablonka. "Jablon" is "apple tree" in Czech.
39. Jacobs
Meaning "supplanter." This surname can be found in English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish communities. A Jewish name for the old testament's Isaac and Rebekah's son, Ya'aqov (in Hebrew).
40. Javorsky
A habitational surname from the village of Yavor in Belarus, a country in Eastern Europe. Also a topographic surname for someone who lived by a maple or sycamore tree.
41. Kaplan
This common surname, and its variants, comes from the Turkish word for "tiger." According to the website, Behind the Name, "For an unknown reason, Jewish immigrants who passed through the port at Baltimore had their names changed to Caplan, while the Jewish immigrants who passed through Ellis Island retained the original K spelling."