Just an interesting experiment as to how standard Jewish surnames would be translated into Hebrew through their literal meanings.
Surname Elements
+Er>(agentive noun)>+án
+Son/Witz/Wicz/Vich>(son)>Ben+
+Ski>(adjectival case)>+i/Shel+
Adel>(precious)>Yaqar
Apple/Apfel>(apple)>Tapúaḥ
Auer>(meadow)>Aḥu
Bach>(brook)>Peleg
Baum>(tree)>Etz/Ilan
Berg>(mountain)>Har
Bloom>(flower)>Peraḥ
Ep>(water/river)>Mayim/Nahar
Fein>(fine)>Meshubaḥ
Feld>(field)>Sadeh
Fried>(peace)>Shalom
Green/Gron>(green)>Yarók
Gold>(gold)>Paz
Gott>(god)>Yeho+/+El+/+Iah
Heim>(home)>Bayit
Krasny>(beautiful)>Yafa (f)/Yafe (m)
Man/Mann>(man)>Ish+/+i
Morgen>(morning)>Boker/Shaḥarit
Neu>(new)>Ḥadash
Perl>(pearl)>P’nina
Rosen (rose)>Vered
Roth>(red)>Adom
Rubin>(ruby)>Odem
Ruder>(oar)>Mashot
Schild>(shield)>Magen
Schwartz>(black)>Shaḥor
Silver/Silvery>Kesef/Kaspi
Smith/Schmidt>(smith)>Nápaḥ
Stein>(stone/hill)>Even/Tel
Thal>(valley)>Emek
Wein>(wine)>Ḥemer
Weiss>(white)>Lavan
Wolf>(wolf)>Zev
Zucker>(sugar)>Sukar/Manna/Agammarah (after the brackish pool Marah that Moses came upon and sweetened with a plank of wood. Even today, Bedouin tribes would put shrubs in brackish waters in order to sweeten them)
#
Examples
Abramovich>(son of Abraham)>ben-Avram
Adelstein>(precious stone/hill)>Evenyaqar/Telyaqar
Applebaum>(apple tree)>Ilantapúaḥ
Birnbaum>(pear tree)>Etzagas/Ilanagas
Bloomberg>(flower mountain)>Harperaḥ
Epstein>(water/river stone/hill)>Evenmayim/Telmayim/Evennahar/Telnahar
Feinstein>(fine stone/hill)>Evenmeshubaḥ/Telmeshubaḥ
Feldman>(field man)>Ishsadeh/Sadehi
Goldberg>(gold mountain)>Harpaz
Goldschmidt>(gold smith)>Napaḥpaz
Goldstein>(gold stone/hill)>Evenpaz/Telpaz
Gottfried>(god’s peace)>Shalomel/Shalomiah
Levisky>(of the Levites)>Shellevi
Morgenthaler>(morning valley-dweller)>Emekanboker/Emekanshaḥarit
Ratner>(rat council)>Mo’atzahulda
Rothschild>(red shield)>Magenadom
Rubinfelder>(ruby fielder)>Sadanodem
Schwartzperl>(black pearl)>P’ninashaḥor
Weinstein>(wine stone/hill)>Evenḥemer/Telḥemer
Weizmann>(wheat man)>Ishḥita/Ḥitahi
Zuckermann>(sugar man)>Ishsukar/Ishagammarah/Agammarahi/Ishmanna
#
Works Cited
Feyerabend, Karl. “Langenscheidt’s Pocket Dictionary: Hebrew-English.” Langensheidt Publishers, Inc.
Edited by Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler. “The Jewish Study Bible: Torah, Nevi’im, Kethuvim.” 2nd Edition. Jewish Publication Society. Oxford University Press.
