Surname Elman - Meaning and Origin
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Elman: What does the surname Elman mean?
Elman is a surname of Jewish (Ashkenazic) origin. It was traditionally used as an acronymic surname, derived from the Yiddish phrase "Elter Man", which, when translated, means "old man". This was likely a nickname given to a wise or elderly patriarchal figure within a family or community. It's also possible that it could have been given to a person who behaved like an old man or seemed wise beyond their years. Sometimes, Jewish surnames were also associated with the person's occupation or the place they lived. Therefore, it's also possible that the bearer of the Elman surname or their ancestors lived in a place called Elman or had an occupation related to the term. As a surname, Elman is fairly common and can be found being used in many countries around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisElman: Where does the name Elman come from?
The surname Elman has multiple possible origins. It could be derived from the Hebrew name 'Elimelech', meaning 'God is king'. Alternatively, it could also originate from the Yiddish male personal name 'Elman', meaning 'God is with us'. Besides, it can be a variant of the Germanic name 'Alman', given to someone from Germany, or of the British Isles name 'Almond'. Historically, the name has been associated with Jewish communities, suggesting Ashkenazic Jewish roots.
Today, the surname Elman is spread worldwide due to global migration but may be more commonly found in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Israel, as well as European countries with significant Ashkenazic Jewish populations like Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Please note that the actual distribution of the surname may vary and the given description only suggests probable common areas.
Variations of the surname Elman
The surname Elman is primarily of Jewish origin. It is often Yiddish, a common Jewish language spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. Like many Jewish surnames, it was likely adapted during the period in which Jewry was required to adopt German or Slavic surnames in the 18th and 19th centuries. Variants of the Elman surname include Eilman, Ellman, Ellemann, Eelman, and Ielman.
Some surnames might have a similar spelling such as Eelman or Ellmann but aren't necessarily connected to the Elman surname in terms of origin. It's also possible that Elman could be of English origin and derived from a personal name like AElmær or AElmær, but this connection is less typical and less likely.
In terms of surnames from the same origin, this would primarily include other Ashkenazi Jewish surnames adopted during the same period. These could range greatly, but examples could include surnames such as Shapira, Feldman, Goldman, and Rothman, which like Elman, have the German 'man' ending, and were commonly adopted by Eastern European Jews during the period of surname adoption.
Famous people with the name Elman
- Mischa Elman: A Ukrainian-born violinist famous in the early 20th century.
- Daniel Elman: A Canadian entrepreneur, co-founder of Niantic, the company behind Pokémon Go.
- Matthieu Elman: A French film producer.
- Ziggy Elman: An American jazz trumpeter most associated with Benny Goodman.
- Richard M. Elman: The founder and CEO of Noble Group.
- Jeff Elman: An American psycholinguist and cognitive scientist.
- Andy Elman: A Canadian musician and record producer.
- David Elman: Well-known New Zealand comedian and radio broadcaster.
- Alan Elman: An American writer and educator.
- Larry Elman: Son of Dave Elman, a famous hypnotist and known for conducting workshops on his father's methods.
- Dave Elman: An American hypnotist, provided training to physicians and dentists.
- Robert Elman: An American author and editor, specialized in outdoor literature.
- Shulim (Shuli) Elman: American scholar in Jewish law and history.
- Cory Elman: A female bodybuilder from United States of America.
- Yuli Daniel (pseudonym Nikolay Arzhak, real name Yuli Markovich Daniel): A Soviet dissident writer, poet, translator, and activist, his mother was Yuli Daniel's first wife, a daughter of Sofia Elman.