Syrian and Sephardic

Surnames derived from several Syrian Jewish databases are an important information source. They tell us the adopted surname and the meanings of those names. The list below may not list every name and we will consider adding names not listed. If your family name is listed without a meaning of derivation, and you would like to submit the meaning to us, please email sarina@roffe.com.

Before using this list we recommend looking at Jeff Malka’s page on sephardicgen.org entitled Sephardic Jewish Names and Genealogy. There are also many useful links to surname lists on the page Sephardic Surnames.

 

Name	Origin	Meaning
Abadi	Arabic	To the Service of the Eternal
Aboud	Arabic	G-ds Servant
Abramovitz	Biblical	Abraham
Aboulafia; Abulafia	Arabic	Doctor, Pharmacist; Possessor of strength/health or well being (afia)
Abu		Father
Ades	Biblical	Adam
Adjmi		Free Man
Aini		Spring; Source
Akalia		Mythical Name
Akil
Akiva		Jewish Rabbi during the Roman occupation
Alabo		Praise
Alfassi	Arabic	Falconer, also locality in spain
Alfia	Arabic	Big Wine Bottle
Altaras		Embroiderer
Amiga	Spain	Friend
Amon	Arabic	A Good Person
Anawi	Arabic	A Humble Person
Ancona	Italy	Alcona, Italy
Ankia
Antachi
Antar
Antebi	Turkey	Ain Teb, Turkey
Antoki
Anzaroot
Arav	Hebrew	Arab
Arditi		Burnt
Arkanji
Ashear		To Cleanse
Ashkenazi	Hebrew	German
Assoulin	Arabic	Rocks
Atar, Attar	Arabic	Spice Merchant
Attia	Arabic	Gift, Donation
Azar	Hebrew	G-d Helps
Azizo		Blue
Azoulay	Berber/ Spanish	Blue eyes
Azrak	Arabic	Remembering G-d
Baghdadi	Arabic	From Baghdad
Bahur	Hebrew	A Guy, Boy
Barkat	Hebrew	Blessing
Barmuk
Barnatan	Hebrew	Son of Nathan
Bassano	Italy	Bassano, Italy
Bawabeh
Beda		White
Beeri; Bari
Bendayan	Hebrew	Son of a Rabbinical Judge
Benhaim	Hebrew	Son of Life
Bensoussan	Persian	name of ancient Persian capital
Besalel	Hebrew	In God’s Shadow
Betesh	Persian	Unique
Bijou		Jewel; Gray
Bivas	Spain	From “Viva” meaning life
Bracha; Baraka	Hebrew	Blessing
Bukai
Cabasso	Spanish	Big Head
Cattan	Hebrew	Small, Short
Chita	Hebrew	Wheat
Chehebar
Chemtob
Chira
Choueka; Shweky
Cohen	Hebrew	Priest
Dabah		The Lock of a Door
Dahab		Gold
David	Biblical	King David
Dayan; Dahan	Hebrew	Judge; of King David descent
De Picciotto	Italy	Henchman of the Mafia
Deknish
Dewan		Royal Court
Diarbakli
Dushey	Turkey	Man of Virtue
Dweck	Syria	Vessel Maker (“Douek”= Egyptian)
Eid	Lebanon	From the origin of the “Habib” family
Elazar	Biblical	Son of Aharon
Elbaz	Arabic	Falconer; locality in Spain
Eliyahi	Biblical	Elijah the Prophet
Elli Hacohen	Biblical	Elli the Great Priest
Elmaleh	Arabic	The good or salty
Esses
Ezon
Faina	Portugal	Toil, Labor
Falack
Farage	Arabic	Healer
Faur
Farashi
Farhi	Arabic	From “Farha,” meaning Joy
Faruk
Fenan
Franco	Portuguese; Spanish; Italian	Honest; Freed (from taxes or bondage)
Gabay; Gabbai	Hebrew	Warden of a Synagogue;  In Talmudic era were alms collectors, in Spain:tax collectors
Gaddah
Gadi	Biblical	From the tribe of Gad
Ganani
Gaon	Hebrew	A Jewish Scholar
Garmakli
Gateno	France	Gatines, France
Ghazalie		Gazelle
Gindi
Grazi	Spain	Thanks (to God)
Habib, Habibo. Habuba	Arabic	Beloved
Hacohen		the priest
Haddad	Arabic	Blacksmith
Hafif
Hakim	Arabic	Physician or sage
Halabi	Arabic	from Halab
Halally
Halevi	Hebrew	From the tribe of Levi
Halif	Arabic, Hebrew	Caliph; Slave Exchange
Hallaly		Tribe Beni-Hallal
Hamui	Arabic	From Ait Hamou, Morracco ; Father- in- Law
Hanono, Hanan	Hebrew	Merciful; characteristic of G-d
Harari	Hebrew	Mountaneer; used to describe residents of Montpelier, France
Haver	Hebrew	Friend
Hawaja
Hazan	Hebrew	Cantor
Hedaya
Hefetz
Hehaver
Hemsani
Hidary
Hillel	Hebrew	Jewish Religious Leader
Horen
Hulif
Husney
Jabili
Jamus
Jemal
Kabbani
Kabudi
Kahavoff
Kalabi
Kalif	Arabic	Successor
Kantarowitz
Kanza
Kanza
Kashani
Kassin
Katan; Cattan	Hebrew	Small, short
Kawas
Kazez
Khalousi, Khalousa
Khasky
Khawaja	Turkey	Lord
Khibzu
Kibrit		Match
Kikia
Korda
Koss
Kuchri
Kurdi		From Kurdish Lineage (Iran)
Kurz
Labaton	Spanish	Small wolf
Laboz
Laham	Scandinavia	Place of or by the barn
Lahmi	Biblical	Bethlehem; “Full of food” (bread)
Laniado	Spanish	Hairy
Levi, Levy	Biblical	From the tribe of Levi; Priest
Lheb	Hebrew	Heart
Lisbona	Portugal	The city of Lisbon, Portugal
Lopes; Lopes	Spanish	Wolf’s son
Lugassi	Arabic	From town of Lugas in Oviedo, Spain
Maaravi	Hebrew	Occidental, Western
Madeb
Mahalelel
Maleh	Hebrew	Angel; Salt dealer
Malkishuva
Mamiye
Manidiba
Manobla
Mansour	Arabic	From Mansura, Egypt; Winner
Marcus	Spain	Plural of “Marco” (measuring weight)
Mari	Spain	“Marinero,” sailor
Marsia
Mashta
Maslaton
Matalon		Toulon, France
Matzliah	Hebrew	Fortunate
MeElli
MeElli Hacohen	Biblical	From Eli the Priest
Mehana
Meliho
Menaged	Aleppo	Opposed to Chassidim
Menashe	Biblical	Joseph’s son, tribe of Israel
Midamesek	Hebrew	From Damascus
Mishan; Mishania
Missry, Misrie, Masri, Massry; Mosseri, Masria	Hebrew	Egyptian
Mizrahi	Hebrew	Eastern (Jews of Eastern Mediterranean)
Mizreb	Berber	White
Mograbi
Mohadeb
Molho	Hebrew	From the Hebrew word “Melekh,” king
Moreno	Spain	Brown
Morsia
Moussafi
Mussan	Arabic	From “Musa,” or Moses, meaning “Drawn from the water”
Naftali	Biblical	From the tribe of Naftali
Nagame
Nagar, Najar	Spain
Nahum	Hebrew	Comforted, Benevolent
Nakash
Naono	Spanish	Naon, Spain
Nasi	Hebrew	From “Nassich” – Prince
Nassir	Arabic	Savior, Victory
Nehmad, Neuhmade	Hebrew	Benevolent
Nissim	Hebrew	Miracles
Orfali	Turkey	Ourfa, Turkey
Ovadia	Hebrew	Servant of God
Pardos	Portugal, Spain	Brown; From Pardo in Spain
Paredes, Paradece	Hebrew	Orchard
Perez	Biblical	Grandson of Jacob
Picciotto	Italy	Young Man
Pinhas	Biblical	Priest from Sefer Bamidbar
Pinto	Spain	A spot; name of a town near Madrid
Raful	Hebrew	G-d cures
Rahamin	Hebrew	From “Rahamim”- mercy, compassion
Rawak
Reuben	Biblical	Son of Jacob
Ribi, Rabih	Hebrew	Rabbi
Roffe	Hebrew	Physicial, Healer
Roza	Spain	Rose
Saada	Arabic	Good Fortune
Saal		One who works in a manor house
Sabagi
Sabat	Hebrew	From Shabbetai (Turkish Rabbi who claimed to be Messiah)
Sabbagh	Arabic	Painter
Sademo
Safdeye; Safdieh
Safra	Arabic	Yellow, Safron
Saka
Salomon	Biblical	King Solomon
Salem	Berber (Biblical)	King Solomon
Sardar
Sardell
Sasson, Sassoon	Hebrew	Joy, Merriment
Sayegh	Arabic	Jew
Schemalo
Seadia	Hebrew	God has helped
Segri
Seruya, Serouya	Biblical; Spanish	David’s Sister; From Serrulla’ Huesca, Spain
Shabbot	Hebrew	Sabbath
Shabetai		Turkish rabbi who claimed to be Messiah
Shacalo
Shakra
Shalom	Hebrew	Peace
Shamah	Arabic	Shame, Damascus
Shamash	Hebrew	Caretaker of synagogue
Shamie	Arabic	Shame, Damascus
Shamosh	Hebrew	Attendant of synagogue
Sharabati
Shaul	Biblical; Arabic	Biblical King; The desired
Shayo	Biblical	The prophet Isaiah
Shehada
Shimshon	Biblical	One of the judges of the Jews
Shomer	Hebrew	Vigilante
Shrem
Shriti
Silvera	Italy	Arbusto bush
Sisro	Biblical	Guard in the Book of Judges
Sitt
Smeke
Stambouli
Sultan	Arabic	Ruler
Sushi
Sutton
Swed; Soued
Tabah	Arabic; Hebrew	Taba, Egypt; A cook
Tabash, Tabache, Tabush
Tawil	Arabic	Tall
Tayah	Biblical	Tobias
Tebele
Terzi	Arabic	Egyptian tailor
Teubal
Totah	Arabic; German	From Tuta, mullberry tree; free man
Yakar	Arabic /Hebrew	Precious
Yassefe	Biblical	Son of Jacob
Yarhi	France	From Lunel, France
Yedid	Hebrew	Friend
Yenni	Hebrew; Turkish	My Wine; New, Young
Yihye	Hebrew	He will live
Zafrani	Persian	Saffron seller
Zaki	Arabic	Pure, Chaste
Zalta
Zayat; Zalayat	Arabic	Olive
Zeytounie; Zeytunie	Spain	Olive Tree
Zonana