Sephardic Jewish surnames.

Sephardic Jewish surnames reflect the deep and complex history of Jews from medieval Spain and Portugal and the global diaspora that followed their expulsions in 1492 and 1496. Many of these surnames originated on the Iberian Peninsula before the expulsions, while others were adopted afterward by families who converted under pressure or by those who re‑established Jewish life in new communities across the Ottoman Empire, North Africa, Italy, the Netherlands, and the Caribbean. Sephardic surnames fall into several major categories: patronymic names derived from ancestors (such as Abenafia or Abendana), place‑based names referencing towns in Spain or later settlement regions, and occupational or descriptive names tied to trades, physical traits, or family characteristics.

As Sephardic Jews migrated, their surnames often adapted to local languages, creating a rich blend of Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and Ladino influences. Today, names like Abulafia, Toledano, and Benaim preserve the cultural memory of centuries of movement, resilience, and identity.