The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-12-14
NUMBER As.
ANeLo,JEwIsH NAMls.
The Meanings OF COwan, Hart, Lion,
Sachs, Brown. Wolf, Fisher, Etc.


Sachs, Brown. Wolf Fisher. Etc.
1t is not quite correct to say that Jews
ever change their original names. In
the synagogues they bear throughout
their lives the Hebrew names-in the
traditional Oriental form OF So-and-so
son of fSo-and-so-given to them shortly
after their birth.
The instability Of the names by which
they are known to the world is due to the
fact that originally, like all Oriental
peoples, they had no family names, and
that wherever they have congregated
very closely together the secular use
of the traditional genealogical forms has
been tenaciously preserved. In some
countries, such as Germany and Austria,
special legislation has been found neces-
sary to compel them to adopt Hxed sur
names.
AS, at different times, they have come
into closer contact with the Gentle
world, they have themselves seen the
necessity of surnames; and IL is not sur
prisin9, If, under these circumstances,
some of them should have chosen the
most sonorous and distinguished they
could find.
The foreign surnnmes and place names
preserved by the Jews Of England form
small epitome of the history of the Is
raelitish dispersion. Side by side with the
Hebrew Abraham are the Egyptian Moses,
and the English Mordaunt, the Greek
Alexander and Margolies, the Latin Mar
Gus, and the Arabic Mocatta.
Those derived from medieval house
signs are Rothschild, Adler, CAM, Schif,
Strauss, Slberkron, etc.
Some OF the occupation names are in
teresting. Rophe is Hebrew for phys
ician, aud Rappoport is a corruption Of
Rophe d Oporto; ilfon IS Hebrew for
money changer, and Mocatta is Arabic
for mason.
More strictly Anglo-Jewish are the
natural assimi ilations OF Hebrew and Jew
ish names TO English forms Thus,
Coleman is a corruption OF Kalman,
which is an abbreviation Of EaIonymos,
the Greek translation OF the Hebrew
Shcm Tob Good Name).
Bouny Is derived through Bondi, from
Latin translation Of Yom Iob GOOD
Day).
Philips comes from the Hebrew Uri or
Meier, both meaning light" through
the Greek equivalent PhOebus and its
German Polish diminutive Pheibul.
Saville Is a more natural corruption of
Samuel than is generally imagined, sec
ing that in Germany the Scriptural nano
has been shortened into Sanvel, and in
England we have the authority of Mr..
Weller, senior, TO spell it with a I've"
Freeman is from the German Fried
mann, a translation and apocopation of
shalom ben Menachem.
Hayman is derived through Lyman
and Hyan from the Hebrew Hahn CIfe).
Jessel is from Echeskel, the Hebrew pro-
nuuciation OF Ezekiel.
Yates IS from Goetz. an abbreviation of
Gottschalk, which in Low German
means Gods servant" and IS literal
translation Of Eljakim.
Among simpler changes arc Covqr--
Cohen, Lewin-Levi, Victor-Avigdor,
Archer - Asher, Jessop Joseph, and
Soman and s owman-Solomon.
Curious instances Of misdirected trans
lations are afforded by the names Mar
chant and Chapman, both of which are
ADglicizatious of the German Kaufman
or Handelsmaun. Originally, however,
neither OF these names meant ''Iacr-
chant" among the Teutonic Jews
Kaufman Is corruption OF Hoppel-
man, of which the first two syllables arc
German diunnutive OF jacob and tho
third an abbreviauon of Menacher, the
whole being n contraction of Jacob ben
| Menachem.
Handelsmann has similar history. be
ing derived from Elchanon ben Men
achem. through Handl. Il recognized Ger
man dimiuuJive of Lebanon.
IL the same way Seligman is 2 contrac-
| tiou OF SeiIg ben Menachem. and Felber-
| man a corrupted cont raction of Phcabus
| (UrD ben Menaehem.
katz, which one these days Will per-
haps be AngliciZed INTO Cat. is derived
| from the initials Of Kohcu I-ecdcI; (priest
| of rIghteousness). Sebatz, which in Hun
| gary has actually been translated into
| Kincz, the Magyar for treasure - Is from
| -. g.. IT, -
| gregationb, Ballad IS from Ben Alb Beth
Din(Son Of The President OF tao House
! Of J0dgmcutl. Sack is from Sera X .dCsh
1 tiIoly Pos erity), and when the name of a
| town beginning witt. . il add dc3-as for
example, Sera KadoSh Speyer (Holy Pos
! terity OF Speyerl-it becomes S4ks or
! Sachs, which has been frequently mis-
taken for m abbreviation OF Sachsen
| (Saxony). Bran is from Ben Rabbi
Moses. Bran corrupted into Braun. and
translated into Browr). from Ben Rabbi
| Nachman; Bard, from Ben Rabbi David;
| Bersal, from Ben Rabbi Solomon. the
Levite, ana Bril-, from Ben RaJb ) IL dah
the LeviUe.
The exegetical names are also peculiar
| ly Jewish. They consist OF equivalents
| Tor Hebrew names derived from colloca-
ito \ in Biblical texts.
Thus the comparisons in jacobs bless
| ing furnish equivalents for Benjamin in
! Wolf, for Judah in Lion, and for Naph-
| tall in Hart. Fisher is an equivalent
for EPhraina, because it was foreuoid
| (Gen- Xviii, ~ that he should multiply
exceedingly, and the fish is n symbo OF
| fruitfulness. II is also sometimes a sub
stitute Tor Moses, because Pharaoh's
daughter, in giving him his name, said
| exodus IL, 1e); For I drew him out OF
| thc WATER
Goldsmith has been sometimes adopted
as IN equivalent for Uri, on the strength
OF the verse in Exodus (xxxi., y which
describes Bezaleel ben Uri as cunning To
| work in gold" This IS the case with the
English family Of Goldsmid, which Is
descended from certain Rabbi Uri
Halevi.-St. James Gazette.