How do you know when a last name is Jewish?
Is there a way that you can tell?
Does it have anything to do with the tribes of Israel?
What about German Jewish names?
Is there a difference between them?
Are any of these names listed "considered" to be Jewish?
Why or why not?
Thanks for your help!
1. Walter
2. Goldsmith
3. Russman
4. Rosenberry
5.Augunstein
6. Augsburger
7.Cline
8.Burns
9.Straub
10. Ruhl
11. Gerhiser
12. Berringer
13.Karshiner
14. Fill
15.Smythe
16. Mathie
Thanks!
2007-03-18 17:31:14 · 6 answers · asked by DRNoraSarasin 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When Jewish families immigrated to the USA did a lot of them drop off parts of their names to sound less Jewish?
Maybe as a tactic to keep their families safe from the Nazi Party?
Have you ever heard of this?
Thanks!
:)
2007-03-18 17:51:35 · update #1
Or even changed the spelling?
2007-03-18 17:52:41 · update #2
those aren't really jewish last names. they are only last names that are very common to jews. for example, people who have last names ending in berg, stein, klein, blum, etc are often jews, but not always.
2007-03-18 17:40:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
there are not really any "jewish" last names... Rather you have jewish first names. The ones you listed could be either. Now if you wanted to tell if someone is jewish you go by their mother. A person is jewish if and ONLY IF their mother is jewish. Whether or not the father is jewish does not matter.
2007-03-18 17:37:30 · answer #2 · answered by kingthedevil666 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I'm not sure, but I think for western european Jewish people it has to do with the secular or religious occupations. These sometimes became last names. Cohen- for instance is a name that used to be related to those who performed the sacrificial rites.
2007-03-18 17:37:38 · answer #3 · answered by george 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of those in the list are not necessarily Jewish.
Russman and Straub are probably the most Jewish sounding. Goldsmith is not Jewish, whereas Goldberg or Goldstein would be.
2007-03-18 17:34:25 · answer #4 · answered by Joseph C 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know, but there are some common endings - such as -man, and -stein, and many roots, such as Gold, Rose, and other real words... oh and by the way, 6. Means a person of Augsburg, a city in Germany....
2007-03-18 17:35:56 · answer #5 · answered by shanabanana922 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Names that end in -stein are often Jewish, but that's all I know, sorry.
2007-03-18 17:37:16 · answer #6 · answered by Jay 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋