Surname Weinstein - Meaning and Origin

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T. Weinstein

Weinstein: What does the surname Weinstein mean?

The last name Weinstein is an Ashkenazic Jewish surname derived from the German word Weinsteig, meaning vineyard. It is thought that the name was originally given to people who lived or worked near a vineyard, or who were in some way associated with the cultivation of grapes and the making of wine.

Historically, wine has been an important part of Jewish culture, appearing in religious ceremonies and festivals, as well as in everyday life. In the Middle Ages, Jewish people were often the monopoly producers of wine for their local communities, and Weinsteig likely came to refer to those parts of the vineyard which were owned and worked by Jewish vintners.

Today, the surname Weinstein typically denotes someone of Eastern European Jewish descent, with a long history of Jewish heritage. As such, it carries with it a symbolism of tradition and perseverance that marks generations of Jews who, despite facing persecution and prejudice, have managed to maintain their national identity and cultural heritage through the centuries.

Weinstein: Where does the name Weinstein come from?

The last name Weinstein is most commonly found in the United States today. It is a Jewish surname of German origin, suggesting the name's likely arrival to the United States in the big waves of immigrants who came to America in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

In 1990, approximately 6,304 people in the United States had listed the Weinstein surname as their last name. It was third-most common surname among those of Jewish descent. Most of the people with the Weinstein name lived in either New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, or Maryland.

Today, the juxtaposition of commonwealths, in which the Weinstein surname is most common, has shifted slightly. According to the United States Census Bureau, New York is now the state with the highest population of people with Weinstein as a last name. The states with the next highest numbers are Florida, California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. People with the Weinstein name are now much more evenly spread out across the U.S. In 2020, the census reported that there were just over 9,500 people with the Weinstein surname in the United States.

Due to the diasporic nature of migration, it is also possible to find people with the Weinstein name in Canada and, to a lesser degree, a few other countries around the world.

Variations of the surname Weinstein

The surnames Weinstein and Weinsteiger are both derived from a German origin, with both versions originating from the Ashkenazic Jewish communities.

The German word “wein” (meaning wine) is likely the root of the surname Weinstein, which is thought to come from people who worked in the wine trade, such as wine merchants and vintners.

The Jewish surname Weinsteiger is thought to come from the German word “stieg” (meaning ladder), deriving from the occupational surname for a ladder-maker. The suffix “er” is a common Jewish surname ending.

Weinsten is one variant spelling of the surname Weinstein, and is sometimes seen with an interchange of the letter ‘i’ with ‘e’, such as Weinsteen. Other anglicized variants of the surname Weinstein include Weinstock, Wineshtock and Weinstat.

The surname Weinsteiger also has other variants, such as Weinstat, Vinstetig, and Venstig.

The name Weinstein and Weinsteiger have both migrated over time throughout Europe, the Middle East, and the United States, and can be seen as an Ashkenazic ancestor in many families' heritage.

Famous people with the name Weinstein

• Bob Weinstein
• Harvey Weinstein
• Paula Weinstein
• Barry Diller Weinstein
• Ron Weinstein
• Paula Weinstein
• Rita Weinstein
• Rhonda Weinstein
• Laura Weinstein
• Mark Weinstein
• Ginger Weinstein
• Caren Weinstein
• Lisa Weinstein
• Amy Weinstein
• Stephen Weinstein
• Jodi Weinstein
• Bonnie Weinstein
• Michael Weinstein
• Matthew Weinstein
• Adam Weinstein

Other surnames

Weinsteiger