Surname Lebwohl - Meaning and Origin
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Lebwohl: What does the surname Lebwohl mean?
The last name Lebwohl is a German surname derived from two Hebrew words, "leb" and "vohl." Together, these words mean "heart" and "fear" or "fearing the heart," indicating the origin of this name relates to having a strong protective instinct or a desire to watch over those you love.
The specific origin of Lebwohl is not known, but it is assumed to be of Jewish origin as many Jewish families adopted surnames during the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe. Prior to this, families had been referred to by their given name and used their father's given name as an identifier.
Adopting surnames for Jewish families was an effort to assimilate and blend into their surrounding environment. The combination of the two words written in Hebrew for Lebwohl, meaning “to fear the heart,” could have also been chosen for its poetic significance, as the heart symbolizes love and compassion.
The name Lebwohl is still common today, especially throughout Europe, North America, and Israel. It is often seen written as Lebow, Lobwohl, or Lobwol. It is most popular in the US, where it makes the list of the 10,000 most common surnames, falling somewhere around 8,000. Over the generations, the name Lebwohl has come to represent strong familial bonds, unity, and protection for those that carry it.
Order DNA origin analysisLebwohl: Where does the name Lebwohl come from?
The last name Lebwohl is commonly found today in Germany, Austria and parts of Eastern Europe. It is also found in the United States. The name Lebwohl is derived from the German language and can be loosely translated to mean something along the lines of “farewell” or “fare thee well.”
In Germany, Lebwohl is quite a common surname, contributing to the fact that it was among the top 200 surnames in Germany in 2019. This surname is most frequently found in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, where there is a greater concentration of people of German descent.
In Austria, Lebwohl is a relatively common surname, specifically in Vienna and the western part of the country. It is not unheard of in areas like Carinthia and Styria either. It is likely that Lebwohl was first brought to Austria in the period of migration that followed the Napoleonic Wars, where many people emigrated from southern Germany after 1815.
The Lebwohls are also found in Eastern Europe, especially in Hungary and Poland. There are records that speak of some Lebwohls who were part of early Jewish migration to the United States in the late 1800s. The name can also be found today in the US, especially along the eastern coast and in states that are home to many German and Jewish families, such as New York and Pennsylvania.
Variations of the surname Lebwohl
The surname Lebwohl is of German origin and translates to “farewell” or “goodbye” in English. While the surname may sometimes occur as-is, other variants of the surname can have different spelling variations, such as Lebewohl, Lebwohler, Lebewohler, and Labewohl.
In addition to the spelling variants, there are several other surnames that are derived from Lebwohl and are of the same origin. These surnames include Labwohl, Labowohl, Lebewohl, Lehblehbeh, Labbehbohl, Libwohl, Libweh, Lippwohl, Leyblehbeh, Leybewohl, Lublubohl, Libwohler, Labsohll, Libwoeller, Lewbwohl, Lewboehl, and Lewowohl.
These surnames are generally rare but can be found in German records, as well as in other countries such as the United States, where Lebwohl can often be found in newspaper archives. In some cases, these family names may have been Anglicized or “Americanized” to make them easier to pronounce in the English language, such as Lebwohl being changed to Leopard.
Overall, the surname Lebwohl is a very unique and unusual name. While it’s not particularly common, it still retains its distinct German heritage and can be found in various spelling variations and other surname forms.
Famous people with the name Lebwohl
- Benjamin Lebwohl, a rabbi and Biblical scholar at the Jewish Theological Seminary.
- Jessica Lebwohl, a composer and Sound Designer.
- Mitchell Lebwohl, an artist specializing in photography.
- Sandra Lebwohl, a pediatric neurologist, sleep medicine specialist, and medical educator.
- Ariel Lebwohl, a neurologist and Associate Professor at the Cleveland Clinic.
- Martin Lebwohl, a dermatologist and small business owner.
- Wendy Lebwohl, a Psychiatrist and Integrative Medicine Practitioner.
- Steven Lebwohl, a gastroenterologist frequently featured in publications.
- Lyle Lebwohl, a histology professor and author of several textbooks.
- Mark Lebwohl, a dermatologist and former President of the American Academy of Dermatology.