Ashkenazi (Hebrew: אַשְׁכְּנַזִּי) is a surname of Jewish origin. The term Ashkenaz (Hebrew: אַשְׁכְּנַז) refers to the area along the Rhine in Western Europe where diaspora Jews settled and formed communities during the Middle Ages.

The usage of Ashkenazi (lit. of Ashkenaz) as a surname originates with the arrival of Ashkenazi Jews to Muslim-ruled Spain in the 13th century, settling in with the local Sephardic Jewish community. After the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492, they resettled with the rest of the Sephardic community throughout North Africa, Italy and the Ottoman Empire. Thus, today the name is mainly held by Sephardic Jews despite meaning of the name. It is common in Israel, where many Sephardic Jews live.[1]

Variant spellings include Ashkenazy, Aschkenasi, Ashkenasi,[2] and Eskenazi.[3][4]

People

References

  1. ^ "Origin of the surname Ashkenazy: Portuguese passport for Sephardi Jews".
  2. ^ "Ashkenazi". Museum of The Jewish People. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07.
  3. ^ "Eskenazi Name Meaning & Eskenazi Family History at Ancestry.com®". www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  4. ^ Hanks, Patrick (2006-01-01), Hanks, Patrick (ed.), "Eskenazi", Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780195081374.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-508137-4, retrieved 2023-11-13
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