List of Sephardic Jewish surnames
Sephardic Jews have a diverse repertoire of surnames, with some originating in the Iberian Peninsula before the 1490s expulsions. Others were adopted afterward, either by Marrano families during forced conversions or by those returning to Judaism in their new centers of migration. Additionally, many Sephardic surnames were created or adapted in the countries where they resettled.
Common categories of Sephardic surnames include patronymic surnames , those derived from place names, and terms related to occupations, physical appearance, and other characteristics.
List
A–B
Name
Community
Early references
Later attested in
Meaning
Notes
Abbas , Abbasi
Sephardic
Spain (13th century)
Turkey
Abenafia
Spain (15th century)
Abendana(n), Ibn Dana
Sephardic
Morocco (13th century)
London
Abenmenasse
Spain (13th century)
Aben Schoschan
Sephardic
Abensour, Abensur
Sephardic
Spain
Morocco , Italy , Amsterdam , Hamburg
Abi-Hasira
Moroccan
Morocco
Syria , Israel
Abitbol
Moroccan
Morocco
Abu Zimra
Aboab
Spain (1263)
Holland, Italy, Turkey, Africa and United States
Abravanel (Abarbanel, Abrabanel)
Sephardic
Historically associated with Davidic lineage
Absaban
Ottoman Palestine
Abudarham (Abudaram, Abudaran, Abudarhan, Abudarhen)
Spain (13th century)
Abulker
Sephardic
Italy, Algeria
Abulafia (Abenefeia, Afia, Abolafia, Bolaffi, Bolaffey, Bolaffio)
Sephardic
Spain (12th century)
Italy, Salonica , Safed (16th century), Izmir, Jerusalem (18th century), Gelibolu , Tiberias , Hebron
Abzaradiel
Sephardic
Jerusalem (16th century)
Adjiman
Sephardic
Constantinople
Adret
Spain (13th century)
Smyrna
Aguilar
Sephardic
Valencia , Spain
Aknin
Spain (1150)
Alaish
Barcelona , Spain (1391)
Tunis, London
Alascar
Sephardic
Jerusalem (16th century)
Alashkr
Sephardic
Egypt
Albalia (Abrabalia, Albala, Albalah, Albala)
Córdoba, Spain
Yugoslavia
Said to descend from a noble Judean family of the time of Emperor Titus (70 CE)
Albelda
Castille, Spain
Turkey
Alhadef
Sephardic
Rhodes, Jerusalem (18th century)
Alfakar
Sephardic
Spain (12th century)
"Potter"
Alfandari
Smyrna, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Beirut
Derived from a Spanish locality, possibly Alfambra
Claims descent from Bezalel of Judah
Albotene
Sephardic
Safed (16th century), Jerusalem (16th century)
Alcabez
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Algazi
Izmir, Jerusalem (18th century)
Algranati
Granada, Spain
Derived from Granada
Alkalai (Alcalay)
Sephardic
Italy, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Jerusalem (18th century)
Derived from Kalai, near Madrid , Spain
Almanzi
Italy (1700)
Supposedly derived from Almansa , Murcia
Almoli (Almali, Almuli)
Arabic for "the one who raises up"
Almosnino
Aragon, Spain
Jerusalem (16th century)
Arabic for "orator"
Alnaqua (also Alnequa, Alnakar, Aluncawi, Ankoa)
North Africa (as Ankava)
Altaras
Sephardic
Jerusalem (18th century)
Amarillo
Sephardic
Salonica, Trikala , Jerusalem (18th century)
Amigo
Temesvar , Hungary
Ammar
Sephardic
(14th century)
North Africa
Ardit (Arditi, Ardot, Ardut)
Aragon, Spain (15th century)
Turkey
Arobas
Livorno , Maone, Curaçao
Arougheti/Arouguete/Arogueti
Rhodes, Izmir, Buenos Aires
Arragel
Sephardic
Spain (15th century)
Aroeste
Monastir , Bulgaria , Rochester, Veuey-Montreux, Chile, Buenos Aires
Asael
Sephardic
Jerusalem (18th century)
Aseo
Sephardic
Jerusalem (18th century)
Asherdies
Toledo , Spain (1297)
Atias (Athias, Athia)
Ottoman Palestine, Jerusalem (16th century), Italy, Hamburg , Amsterdam, London
(Ibn) Attar
Sephardic
(14th century)
North Africa
Arabic for "apotheracy", "spice dealer"
Avila
Morocco, Spain (converted to Catholicism)
Ayllon (Aelion, Aylion, Hillion)
Sephardic
Amsterdam, London, Salonica
Azevedo
Sephardic
Amsterdam, London, Portugal
Azulay , Azulai
Morocco, Italy, England, Palestine
Descended from Spanish exiles who settled in Fez
Azriel
Girona , Spain (1160)
Rumelia, Frankfurt , Vilnius
Behar (Bahar, Bakhar, Bekhar)
Sephardic
Castille, Spain (1492)
Istanbul (Turkey), Izmir, Bulgaria, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Temuco , Monastir, Mexico City, Jerusalem, Ottoman Palestine (19th century)
Hebrew acronym of "Ben Kevod Rabbi" (i.e. "son of the honorable Rabbi"); originally used in the form of "(son) Behar (father)"
Family tradition in Istanbul points to ancestral origins in Zaragoza ; see Nissim Behar
Bejerano, Bedjarano
Sephardic
Plovdiv, Sofia, Kizanlik, Ruse , Istanbul, Turkey, Haifa, Ramat Gan, Bucharest, Buenos Aires
Derived from Bejar , Spain
Belilhos
Amsterdam, Cochin
Belifante
Turkey, Amsterdam
Descendants of Joseph Cohen Belifante, who fled Portugal for Turkey in 1526
Belisha
Juriti, Manaus, Obidos, Belem, Amazonia, Rio De Janeiro, Algiers, Blida, Constantine, Tunis, Tetouan, Mogador-Essaouira, Meknes, Casablanca, Morocco (18th century)
Derived from contraction of ben (son of) Elisha
Ben Ezra
Sephardic
Izmir, Meknes, Fes, Casablanca, Oran, Mascara, Morocco, Safed (16th century)
Ben Forado
Sephardic
Jerusalem (18th century)
Ben Habib
Sephardic
Jerusalem (16th century)
Ben Sanchi
Sephardic
Jerusalem (18th century)
Benveniste
Sephardic
Narbonne (12th century)
Spain, Provence , Middle East, Safed, Bulgaria, Serbia , Vienna , Constantinople, Jerusalem (18th century)
Benzamero
(13th century)
Leghorn , Italy
Benzaqen
(17th century)
Berab
Sephardic
Jerusalem (18th century)
Besudo
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Bibago / Bibas / Bibaz
(15th century)
Morocco
Associated with Abraham Bibago
Boton
Salonica
Emigrated from Spain to Salonica in 1492
Bravo
London
Brito / de Brito
Brudo
Sephardic
Turkey
Also recorded as a marrano family
Bueno
(16th century)
France, Italy, Holland, England, United States
Burla
Turkey, Ottoman Palestine
Busal
Salonica
C–Z
Name
Community
Early references
Later attested in
Meaning
Notes
Cabessa
Toledo, Spain (13th century)
Morocco, United States
Cabret
Spain (14th century)
Caceras / Caceras and other variations
Mexico, Portugal, Holland, England, Suriname, West Indies, New York, Philadelphia
Probably from Cáceres , Spain
Calahora
Krakow , Poland
Lived in Krakow since the 16th century
Calay
Sephardic
Jerusalem (16th century)
Caledro
Sephardic
Jerusalem (18th century)
Camondo
Sephardic
Venice, Constantinople, Jerusalem (18th century), Paris
Cansino
Oran (13th century)
Cassuto
Sephardic
Amsterdam, Hamburg
Carmona
Turkey
Derived from Carmona , Spain
Caro
Sephardic
Spain (15th century)
Turkey, Safed, Russia, Germany, Switzerland, United States
Castro
Sephardic
Spain and Portugal (15th century)
Bordeaux, Bayonne, Hamburg, Amsterdam and Jerusalem (16th century)
Chelouche
Sephardic
Ottoman Palestine
Clava
Amsterdam
Cohen (also Kahin, Coffen, Coen, Katz and other variations)
Families bearing this name often claim descent from the priestly line originating with Aaron . It is one of the most common Jewish surnames, borne by approximately 2% to 3% of the global Jewish population. The surname has numerous variations, which differ by region and language.
Comtino
Turkey
see Mordecai Comtino [ 46]
Conforti, Conforte
Salonica, Turkey
see David Conforte [ 46]
Corcos
Sephardic
Spain (13th century)
Italy, Gibraltar, Morocco
Cordova, Cordoba
Sephardic
Amsterdam, Hamburg
Derived from Córdoba, Spain
Cordovero
Sephardic
Ottoman Palestine (16th-century Safed)
see Gedaliah Cordovero , Moses Cordovero
Covo
Sephardic
Jerusalem (18th century)
Crescas, Cresques
Barcelona
see Vidal Crescas
Curiel
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Danon
Sephardic
Belgrade, Jerusalem (18th century), London, Smyrna, (Turkey), Bosnia
see Joseph ibn Danon of Belgrade
Dato
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Davila
Sephardic
Derived from Ávila, Spain
Falcon
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Galante
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Gaon
Vitoria , Spain (15th century)
Gatigno (also Gatinho, Gattegno)
Sephardic
Spain (14th century)
Turkey
Derived from Gafines, France
Gavison
Sephardic
Egypt
Family fled from Seville to Granada in 1391
Guedelha
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
da Leiria
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Marhaim
Sephardic
Jerusalem (16th century)
Masud
Sephardic
Jerusalem (16th century)
de Mayo
Sephardic
Salonica, Jerusalem (18th century)
Moreno
Bayonne , London, Hamburg, Turkey
Nabon / Navon
Turkey (Constantinople), Jerusalem
Nahmias
(1112)
Jerusalem (16th century)
Ancient family of Toledo, Spain
Najara
Sephardic
Algiers , Tunis, Damascus , Gaza , Safed (16th century)
Derived from Nájera , Spain
see Israel ben Moses Najara
Oliviera
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Palache (Palaggi, Falaji, Pallache)
Morocco, Turkey
First appeared in Medieval Spain as Palyaj
Pardo
Sephardic
Amsterdam (16th century)
Venice, America, Jerusalem (18th century)
Derived from prado , Spanish for "Meadow"
Pizanti
Sephardic
Istanbul, Jerusalem (16th and 18th century)
da la Reina
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Sagues
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Sahalon
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Samanon
Sephardic
Salonica, Jerusalem (18th century)
Sarfati
Sephardic
Jerusalem (16th century)
Hebrew for "French", used for migrants from northern France
Sarug
Sephardic
Safed (16th century)
Sasson
Sephardic
India, England
Descended from the Toledan Ibn Shosan family (13th century); claims Davidic descent
Sasportas
Oran , Algeria (16th century)
Suarez
Egypt
Surujon
Sephardic
Safed
Toledano (de Toledo)
Salonica, Jerusalem, Turkey, Africa, Holland and England.
Torres
Spain (15th century)
France
de Vidas
Sephardic
Safed (16th century), Jerusalem (16th century)
Zacuto
Sephardic
Jerusalem (16th century)
Marrano surnames
Abudiente (Obediente)
Sephardic
Lisbon (16th century)
Amsterdam, Hamburg, London
Connected to the surname "Gideon"
Ames
London (1521)
Antunyes
Portugal
Brazil , Amsterdam, Suriname , British West Indies
Barassa
Amsterdam
Bargas
Spain, France, Italy
Barrios
Amsterdam (17th century)
Barrocas
Lisbon (1603)
Holland
Basurto
Spain (17th century)
Rouen , Holland
Belmont
Descendants of Don Iago y Sampayo, who received Belmonte from King Manuel of Portugal in 1516
(de la) Caballeria / Cavalleria
(15th century)
Descendants of Solomon ibn Labi de la Caballeria
Carabajal (also Carvajal, Carabal, Caraballo, Caravajal, Carballo, Carbajal, Cavajal)
Mexico
Chaves
London, Amsterdam
Chirino
(15th century)
Coronel
Spain, England, Holland, Palestine
Mixed early with Ashkenazi families
Correa
Portugal, Brussels, Antwerp, Amsterdam
see Isabella Correa
Cortissos
London,
see Jose Cortissos
Costa (also Acosta, Da Costa)
Holland, England, Italy
Cota
Possibly connected to Costa; see Rodrigo Cota
Curiel, Couriel
Netherlands, Hamburg
Related to the Najara and Vitoria families
Delgado
Related to Cardenas
Guedelha
Safed (16th century)
Hazan
Safed (16th century)
Oliviera
Safed (16th century)
See also
References
Bibliography
Beider, Alexander (2014). "Perspectives of Jewish Onomastics" . International Institute for Jewish Geneogology . 8 .
Beider, Alexander (2023). "Surnames of Jewish People in the Land of Israel from the Sixteenth Century to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century" . Genealogy . 7 (3): 49. doi :10.3390/genealogy7030049 .
Ben-Naeh, Yaron, ed. (2010). Turkey . Jewish communities in the East in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries (in Hebrew). Jerusalem: Ben Zvi Institute , Ministry of Education (Israel) .
Bonnín, Pere (1998). Sangre judía (in Spanish). Barcelona: Flor del Viento Ediciones.
Demsky, Aaron (2010). Pleasant Are Their Names: Jewish Names in the Sephardic Diaspora . Bethesda, Maryland: University Press of Maryland.
Faiguenboim, Guilherme; Valadares, Paulo; Campagnano, Anna Rosa (2003). Dicionario Sefaradi De Sobrenomes / Dictionary of Sephardic Surnames . Sao Paulo: Fraiha. ISBN 85-85989-20-3 .
Rottenberg, Dan (1986). Finding Our Fathers: A Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy (Reprint ed.). Genealogical Publishing Co. ISBN 0806311517 .