Surname Feit - Meaning and Origin
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Feit: What does the surname Feit mean?
The last name Feit is a Jewish surname originating in Eastern Europe and Germany. It has two possible origins. The first, most likely possibility is that the name was derived from the German word "feit," which means "fate." Alternatively, it may have derived from the German "'vité," which was originally an occupation name for a "tailor."
The earliest recorded instance of the Feit surname is found in 1700, in the Rhineland, which is now part of Germany. The Feit last name was most frequently found in Prussian towns such as Glogau, Stuttgart, Greiffenberg, and Sagan.
The surname Feit is associated with faith and can mean “the faithful one,” suggesting a spiritual side. During the Jewish diaspora, a name like Feit would be given to someone in order to honour an esteemed ancestor — perhaps someone who made a significant contribution to the faith or faced difficult times with courage and resilience.
People with the Feit last name are found throughout the world, from America and Canada to Australia, Israel, and beyond. They come from a variety of backgrounds and professions, and the Feit surname is associated with numerous notable people such as the mathematician Paul Feit, theater director Kathryn Feit, and even the well-known political figure Manny Feit.
No matter what the origin of the Feit last name is, those with the name can be proud of its long-standing presence and the strength and legacy that comes with the Feit name.
Order DNA origin analysisFeit: Where does the name Feit come from?
The last name Feit is not a particularly common name in North America, though it is of a Germanic origin. The surname Feit can be found throughout the English-speaking world and in some parts of continental Europe. The Feit surname is particularly widespread in Germany, Austria, and Finland, with Germany having the highest concentration of Feit surnames. In the United States, the Feit surname is most commonly found in the states of New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Minnesota. It is estimated that the number of Feit families living in the United States today is approximately 20,000. Feit remains a relatively rare surname in many countries and is not as common as names like Smith, Brown, or Miller. Nevertheless, the Feit name can be found in many other countries, particularly those with large German speaking populations. The Feit appears in records throughout Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Finland, Slovenia, India, and South Africa. Additionally, the Feit surname can still be found in parts of the Middle East and Asia, as well as the United States and other English-speaking countries.
Variations of the surname Feit
The surname Feit is a German variant of the name Fate, and is most likely derived from the German word ‘fechten’, meaning ‘to fight’. It is also a topgraphical name, denoting someone who lived near a field or farmland.
Variants of the surname Feit include the spellings Fein, Feine, Feint, Fain, Veyt, Fait, and Veit. However, many of these variants are now very rare.
There are also several surnames of the same origin, that are anglicised versions of the name Feit. These include Feitz, Fite, Feyer, Foat, Frederick, Fredrich, Fritz and Fritzsche.
The Jewish variant of the surname Feit is Feytdel. This originated in the European countries of Austria and Germany, and over time the surname has spread to many countries around the world. Jewish families with this surname can be found in the United States, Australia, Canada, and the UK.
The Feit family has also adopted additional surnames over the years. These surnames include Feut, Feuerer, Foeteke, Feitson, Fuehrmann, and Feutland.
Overall, the surname Feit is found in many countries around the world, and its many variants and surnames of the same origin have allowed the Feit family to continue to grow.
Famous people with the name Feit
- Mieke Feit: Mieke Feit is an American film director known for her work in narrative film, music videos and commercials. She has directed music videos for musicians like Lorde, The Vaccines, The Black Keys, MGMT and Amy Winehouse.
- Jacob M. Feit: Jacob M. Feit is an American rabbi and professor of Jewish studies at the St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. He is the author of Jewish Mysticism and Rabbinic Traditions: An Analytic Guide and The Symbolism of the Sabbath and Other Festivals.
- Lawrence Feit: Lawrence Feit is an American professor emeritus of philosophy and religion at California State University, Fullerton. He is the founder of the Center for Buddhist Studies at that university. He wrote several books, such as Consequences of Compassion: An Interpretation and Defense of Buddhist Ethics and Buddhism at Ground Zero.
- Egon Feit: Egon Feit is a German athlete who competed mainly in the 400 meters barefoot running. He won the bronze medal at the 1967 World Championships of Athletics in Rome. He was also the organizer of the first Barefoot Run held in Berlin in 1967.
- Robert Feit: Robert Feit is an American historian and author. He is professor of history at Colby College in Maine, and has written numerous books about Jewish history, including The Quest for Modern Israel and The Creation of Modern Zionism.
- Henry Feit: Henry Feit is an American film director and producer. He is best known for producing the films, The Birdcage and The War of the Roses. He also wrote, directed and produced the 1995 crime-drama, Vegas Vacation.
- Richard Feit: Richard Feit is an American psychologist and retired professor of Psychology at Brown University. He is known for his research related to human development and human behavior. His work has focused on the development of the ego and the self-system.