Surname Litauer - Meaning and Origin

Litauer: What does the surname Litauer mean?

The last name Litauer is of Jewish origin and is derived from the German word "Litauen" which means Lithuania. This was likely the place of origin of the first bearer of the name. Jewish people were expelled from Lithuania in the late 16th century to pursue their faith and many migrated to Western and Central Europe, including Germany.

The surname Litauer is not very common and has been recorded in parts of Germany since the 1700s. It likely originated from a few Jewish families who migrated from Lithuania in the late 16th century.

The Litauer surname is often associated with Jewish people or those of Jewish descent. It is also occasionally recorded in the Americas, where it is likely derived from German immigrants who had taken the name Litauer after their migration.

The name Litauer suggests the bearer has Jewish heritage, but it can also be found among many other cultures and religious backgrounds, including German, Polish, and Czech. Those who bear the name are likely descendants of people who emigrated from Lithuania or had Jewish ancestry.

Litauer: Where does the name Litauer come from?

The surname Litauer is most commonly found within Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Israel, Europe and the Americas. It originated among Jews in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which is where the name Litauer was derived from.

In Israel, the surname Litauer is found most predominantly among the Bukharian Jewish population. Jews from Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan who integrated into the Bukharian Jewish community typically adopted the surname Litauer to signify their heritage as well as to keep their distinct identity within the larger Jewish community.

In Europe, Litauer can be found among Jews from Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries. The surname became increasingly popular after the Holocaust when Jews were scattered across Europe and America, taking the name Litauer with them wherever they went.

In the Americas, the surname Litauer has spread from New York, Los Angeles, Miami and beyond. It's likely that Litauer jews were among the first of many Jewish immigrants to urban areas in the Northeast and the West Coast.

In today's world, the name Litauer is a link to the past, a symbol of resilience and survival against all odds. Despite the ravages of history, the surname Litauer still stands proudly among the many diverse Jewish communities across the world.

Variations of the surname Litauer

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Litauer are Litovitz, Lytovitz, Littovitz, Litowic, Litovic, Lytovic, Littovic, Littwic, Litowich, Litovich, Lytovich, and Littovich. The surname Litauer most commonly originates from Eastern European countries such as Lithuania, Ukraine, and certain areas of Germany, Poland, and Belorussia.

Litauer is a Jewish surname that is derived from the Yiddish term “Litfater,” which means “morally righteous” or “law abiding”. This term is derived from the Hebrew word for law, “lau” and “tov” which means “good” or “valid”. It is possible that the Litauer family had a role in the judicial or legal realm in the past and were known for their good character and moral uprightness.

The Litauer’s are commonly traced to the fourteenth century and during the Holocaust, countless members of this family perished. Since then, many people of the Litauer family have immigrated to other countries such as the United States, which has resulted in the surname becoming more widespread and the surnames related to Litauer, such as Litovitz, Lytovitz, and Littovitz, becoming more prominent.

The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the Litauer family show how people’s surnames have adapted over time by incorporating different dialects, spelling conventions, and cultures. Aside from Litfater being the source of the surname Litauer, it is difficult to determine the significance of the meaning of these variations, but they all express the piety and justice that was held to be so critically important within the Litauer family.

Famous people with the name Litauer

• Maurice Litauer (1888–1931), French lawyer and academic
• Isidor Litauer (1889–1951), Austrian painter
• Morris Litauer (1890–1965), American attorney and labor leader
• Hedda Litauer (1912–2003), Austrian-born abstract expressionist sculptor
• Edgar Litauer (1917–2004), American Air Force Officer
• Oren Litauer (1919–2009), American conductor, composer and musician
• Lee Litauer (1921–2011), American lawyer and philanthropist
• Alex Litauer (born 1934), American figurative sculptor
• Irwin Litauer (1934–2017), American academic, pediatrician and virologist
• David Litauer (born 1951), American attorney and political advisor

Other surnames

Litau