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What are Jewish sounding names that come from various occupations and locations? Please give the "rough" translation and background too.

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@Moshe What do you mean by "occupations and locations"? Are you asking for any and all Jewish names, their meanings and origins? – WAF Dec 26 '10 at 4:14
See also judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/12527. – msh210♦ Dec 22 '11 at 22:56
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you mean surname correct? – Seth J Feb 29 '12 at 23:48

closed as not a real question by HodofHod Jun 18 '12 at 0:40

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3 Answers

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Kohen, Cohen, Coen, Katz etc.= families of kohanim

Levi, Levy, Weill, Segal = families of leviyim

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It is said that Katz is an acronym for Kohen Tzedek and Segel for Segan Leviim. – YDK Dec 26 '10 at 6:04
@YDK Is there evidence of those names being acronyms? – cube Dec 26 '10 at 14:00
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cube, yes. There are many manuscripts and early printed seforim in which both these names appear and there is a " in between the kof and tzadi of Katz, as well as between the gimel and lamed of Segal. These clearly indicates that they are acronyms. One example would be the seforim of the Shach, in which, although he was known by the last name Katz, he is called "Kohein Tzedek. e.g hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=45712&pgnum=1 – Yahu Dec 27 '10 at 1:45
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And then see here hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=41340&pgnum=1 – Yahu Dec 27 '10 at 1:46
Notice that only 9 years later Kohein Tzedek has become Katz. The Salonika print is in Tav Kuf Samech Alef and the Lvov print is in Tav Kuf Ayin. – Yahu Dec 27 '10 at 1:48
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Kramer = storekeeper

Wasserman = water carrier

Kentof = Kohain Tov

Klein = small

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