Is Schwartz necessarily a Jewish surname?

Question

I found out that I have blood relatives with the last name Schwartz. I always thought this was a Jewish name, but perhaps it's not necessarily a Jewish name.

Answer 1

Schwartz is a variant of Schwarz, which came from the Middle High German language. It's not necessarily a Jewish surname; your relatives could be German, Jewish, or both.

Answer 2

It's also German.

Answer 3

german

Answer 4

its GERMAN

Answer 5

Schwartz can be a Jewish, German, Austrian, or Swiss name.

There are several versions of the name: Schwartz, Schwarz, Swartz, Swarz.

It means dark-haired, or dark-complexioned man.

There even  is a family coat of arms for some people named Schwartz (not all): A large gold rose on a black background.

Answer 6

are you familiar with arnold schwartzernegger? i doubt very much he is jewish.-blurey

Answer 7

I don't believe H. Norman Swartzkof is a Jewish name, loosely translated:  "Black head".

German or Austrian for "Black".

Anyone disagree?

Answer 8

it's German, and not necessarily Jewish

Answer 9

Yeah, SCHWARTZ is definitely Jewish. Schwarz may not be though (without the "t"), it's German.

Answer 10

Schwartz is German for "Black". It's a common Jewish surname but you'll meet many Schwartz's who are of other denominations, just as you'll meet many such people with the surname "Black".

Answer 11

Schwartz :origin & meaning:

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for someone with black hair or a dark complexion, from Middle High German swarz, German schwarz, Yiddish shvarts ‘dark’, ‘black’.

and

Schwartz

Recorded in many forms, this surname of early German and Dutch origins, is one of great popularity particularly in the USA. In 1965 it was calculated to be the 10th most popular surname in New York City. Like many names of pre-medieval origins, it is a form of descriptive nickname. It derives from the pre 8th century word 'swarz' meaning 'black' and as such was given to a person of dark or swarthy appearance. The Angles and Saxons were fair, and this suggests that the 'swarz' as applied to people may have been nationalistic, and given to the Gauls, however this is conjecture. What is certain is that there are many spelling forms. The usual spellings today are Schwartz and Schwarz, but Schwarte, Schwartzer, Schwarzer, and Schwar(t)zmann, are also well recorded. The name is also popular in The Netherlands with the additional spellings of (de) Swart, Swarte, or de Zwart, in Poland as Szware, and in Czechoslovakia as Svarc. It also acted as the prefix to other names to create compounds such as Schwartzkopf and Schwarzchild as examples. These surnames are 'ornamental' with no literal meaning. Examples of early German recordings include Werner Swartz, which was dated 1316 at Worms, Thiman Swarte of Greifswald in the year 1350 a.d., and Wicboldus dictus Swarte of Barth, in the year 1356. Later examples are those of Anne Ursula Schwarz of Pfalz, christened there on October 16th 1618, whilst the name is very early into America, Abagail Swartz, (of Dutch origin) being christened at Albany, New York, on September 16th 1687.

Answer 12

Any name can be Jewish.   A lot of names are seen as Jewish in the U.S. as a large portion of immigrants to the U.S. with certain names were Jewish while back in their home countries the same names were used by Jews and non Jews.

Also surnames coome from the father.  However, Orthodox and Conservative Judaism defines a Jew by the mother. They state they get the nation from the mother and the tribe from the father and if they don't have a Jewish father they belong to the tribe of the nearest male relative on the mother's side of the family.  Whereas if they don't have a Jewish mother, they aren't Jewish.

Reform Judaism defines it differently.

Answer 13

Definition: A name originally used to describe someone with a dark complexion, or dark hair, SCHWARZ comes from the Middle High German "swarz," meaning black. BLACK is the English variant of this surname.

Surname Origin: German, Jewish

Answer 14

no it doenst have to be jewish its most probably german, think it means 'black' in german actually

Answer 15

i know a guy with that last name and his family is jewish. his religion is christianity now, but his family i believe is still Jewish as a religion and as their heritage.