Surname Reinharz - Meaning and Origin
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Reinharz: What does the surname Reinharz mean?
The last name Reinharz is a Jewish name, whose origins lie in the Hebrew words re'eyn (friends or associates) and haraz (prince or fortress). It suggests that the original family descended from a prominent ancestor, or was associated with one.
The name Reinharz flourished in Eastern Europe for centuries. It was a prefix to a person’s name, which meant he was of royalty. By the early 20th century, the name had spread across Europe to the United States, where its spelling had been slightly altered to Reenharz or Reinharz by those arriving in the immigrant population.
In the U.S., Reinharz is most frequently seen now among Jewish families with lineage from Eastern Europe. Around the world, those bearing the name are recognized as having German, Polish, Hispanic, and even Israeli ancestry.
Though the original planting of the family tree is old, it retains a deep meaning that has ultimately survived the many migrations of its bearers. The Reinharz name is a reminder of the resilience of its people; that no matter where they are or who they become, they always carry the legacy of their ancestors and their shared history.
Order DNA origin analysisReinharz: Where does the name Reinharz come from?
Reinharz is a common surname among modern day Jewish populations, mostly of German and Eastern European descent. It is most commonly found in countries around the world where large Jewish diasporas have settled, including Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and Argentina.
The family name originated in Germany in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a reflection of the growing Jewish population at the time and German anti-Semitism. The name can be found in various historical records, most notably in a document from 1650 in which a Jew named Samuel Reinharz is identified.
Eventually, members of the Reinharz family emigrated to other areas and took the name with them. For example, many emigrated to the United States in the mid to late 19th century, largely settling in New York City and other East Coast cities.
Today, it is not uncommon to find individuals bearing the Reinharz surname in Jewish communities around the world. In the United States, for example, people with the name Reinharz can be found in various cities and states, especially in communities that have had a strong Jewish presence for generations.
In addition to its modern day presence, the last name Reinharz is also associated with Jewish history, reminding us of the struggles faced by Jewish people over the centuries and the resilience demonstrated by members of the Reinharz family in overcoming these challenges.
Variations of the surname Reinharz
The surname Reinharz is a variation of the German Jewish surname Reinhard, originally derived from the root name Reinhard meaning “hard ruler.” Reinharz is a patronymic surname, an offshoot of the Reinhard name and originates from northern and central Europe. Variations of Reinharz include the traditional German Reinhard, Reincke, Reinhein, Reinhartz, Reiner, Reinhardt, Reinerd, Reinauer, Reinerz, Reinecke, Reinardson, Reindorff, Reiners, Reihnartz, Rinehartz, Reinhart, Reinhartz, Reinhardtz, Reinhartz and Reinhards.
Due to intense religious persecution of Jewish people beginning in the 16th century, many Jews were forced from their homes and their surnames were changed or corrupted by immigration authorities or to conceal their identity. Variations of this surname may have come from a process similar to the famous Ellis Island Name-Changing phenomenon. Because of this, many of the Reinharz variants may have a non-Jewish origin, such as Reinhart, Reinsdorf, Reiners, Reinard or Reindorff.
There are also variants of the Reinharz surname found in other countries; for example, the French version is Reinaud, and the Italian version is Reinella. There are also a few Eastern European variations of Reinhard, such as Reiner and Reinker.
In the United States, all of these variants are considered to be of the same origin and share a common history. It is not uncommon to find people with the same family name alongside other Reinharz related surnames, such as Reineck, Reinaker and Reinhartz, living in the same community.
Famous people with the name Reinharz
- Jacob Reinharz: German-born Israeli historian and professor emeritus at Brandeis University.
- Maurie Reinharz: American psychiatrist and formerbanker who became a pioneer in the study of schizophrenia.
- Chaim Reinharz: American-Israeli rabbi who served as the Chief Rabbi of Israel in the late 1980s.
- Danny Reinharz: Israeli-American, former tennis player and founder of Pipedreams, a digital agency.
- Matthew Reinharz: American actor, writer, producer and entrepreneur.
- Benny Reinharz: American entrepreneur and founder of bot-building startup Convospark.
- Simon Reinharz: French-Jewish, musician, composer and music producer.
- Florian Reinharz: German-born filmmaker and photographer.
- Kimberly Reinharz: American-born chief financial officer of Israeli optical communications company Drimagen.
- Sander Reinharz: Israeli professor of computational biology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.