Surname Safir - Meaning and Origin

Safir: What does the surname Safir mean?

The last name Safir is a Jewish surname believed to have originated from either Poland or Germany. It is derived from the Hebrew word safir, meaning sapphire.

Sapphires have a long history in Jewish culture as a symbol of wisdom, prophetic insight, and royalty. As such, the name Safir is associated with these qualities and those who bear it are thought to be endowed with them.

The Safir family is said to have originally lived in the town of Różan in what is now Poland. They migrated to other European countries around the 14th century, including Germany, Belarus, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Netherlands.

The name Safir spread to other parts of the world during the 18th century when Jews from Europe began to immigrate to the United States and South America.

Today, the name Safir is commonly found among Jews, though it is also used by some non-Jewish families.For example, the author and scholar Stephen Safir is not Jewish.

Overall, the name Safir may have originated from the Hebrew word for sapphire, but its legacy and associated qualities have transcended religious and cultural backgrounds and today signify wisdom, prophetic insight, and royalty.

Safir: Where does the name Safir come from?

The surname Safir is most often found today among Jewish families living in the Middle East and North Africa. It is also common in other areas of the world, such as the United States, Canada, and countries in South America, Europe, and Australia.

The origin of the name Safir is rooted in the Hebrew language, with the word “sefer” meaning book or tome. It is believed that the original Safir family trace their lineage back to Aaron, the brother of Moses. Alternately, the name Safir may be a variation of Safran, the French word meaning saffron, a spice used in many Jewish dishes.

In modern times, the surname is most frequently found among Jews who have migrated to other countries, as well as those with roots in Middle Eastern or North African countries. For instance, Morocco is home to many Jewish families with the last name Safir, and they are believed to have descended from people who were expelled from Spain during the Spanish Inquisition in the fifteenth century.

Today, those with the last name Safir can be found in countries all around the world. In the U.S. specifically, there are well over 1,000 individuals with the surname, living mainly in states such as New York, Florida, California, and Pennsylvania.

Variations of the surname Safir

Safir is a surname of Jewish, Arabic, and South Asian origin. Common variants and spellings of the name include Safer, Safar, Saffer, Safare, Saffar, Saffere, Saffir, Safir, Suffir, and Safire.

The Jewish origin of the surname comes from the Middle Ages Hebrew term “Sopher”, which means “scribe” or “scholar”, and was given to those of high standing in their religious community. This surname was particularly common in Eastern European Jewish families, leading to many variants and spellings over time.

In Arabic, the name Safir is derived from the word “saffar”, which means “carrying a message” or “mediator”, a title given to important diplomats and dignitaries in the Middle Ages. In South Asia, it is derived from the Urdu term “safir-e-azam”, which means “the great envoy”.

Common surnames of the same origin as Safir include Saffron, Safronoff, Safferman, Safier, Saphir, Saphire, and Sabourin. Other variants of the name may exist due to immigration to different countries and the changing of spellings over time.

Famous people with the name Safir

• Elaine Safir: Elaine Safir is an American actress, theater director and voiceover artist, best known for her roles in the films Big Fish, The Watermelon Woman and Hank and Mike.
• Amnon Safir: Amnon Safir is a professor in the department of chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a world-renowned organic chemist, and is a founding member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.
• Andrew Safir: Andrew Safir is an American actor, writer, producer and filmmaker, best known for his roles in the films Friday Night Lights and In the Valley of Elah.
• Ben Safir: Ben Safir is an Israeli-born American businessman and real estate developer with accomplishments throughout the United States, including development of the Las Vegas Strip.
• Lee Safir: Lee Safir is an American film producer and director, best known for his acclaimed work in the series St. Elsewhere, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award.
• Noam Safir: Noam Safir is an Israeli-American composer and pianist, best known for his work in opera, musical and electroacoustic music, for which he has won several awards.
• Pinchas Safir: Pinchas Safir is an American sculptor, best known for his public sculptures placed throughout New York City and Pennsylvania.
• Esther Safir: Esther Safir is an Israeli-born American jewelry designer, specializing in custom-crafted jewelry pieces for celebrities, prominent families and organizations.
• Yehuda Safir: Yehuda Safir is an Israeli artist, printmaker, sculptor and ceramicist, best known for his works based on postcards, which explore Jewish, political and social issues.
• Robert Safir: Robert Safir is an American graphic designer, writer and musician, best known for his successful logo designs, multi-media advertising campaigns and musical composition.

Other surnames

Safier