Surname Zarfati - Meaning and Origin
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Zarfati: What does the surname Zarfati mean?
The last name Zarfati is a Jewish surname of Sephardic origin and is found mainly in Israel and the Middle East. It is known to have originated in either Iran or Iraq and is believed to be derived from the Hebrew word for goldsmith or silversmith ("zar seti"). The surname is believed to have been applied to families that worked in the metal trade.
The name can also have a symbolic meaning, as it contains the Hebrew letters zayin, reish, and fei, which form an acronym for the phrase "Zakhar Ve-Reut Fei'im" -- meaning "memory and beauty last forever". This phrase is especially meaningful to the Jewish people, as it reflects our commitment to carrying on the memory of our ancestors and honoring it with beauty.
The Zarfati family have a proud history, with many prominent members who have achieved success in their fields, such as the Israeli Olympic champion men's gymnast of the same name, and the well-known Israeli actress, Yael Bonnik-Zarfati.
Today, the Zarfati family have embraced their heritage and extended their reach globally, with one branch belonging to the Chabad Movement, a branch of Orthodox Judaism. The family remains interconnected globally, with members of the Zarfati clan donating generously and defending Israel's right to exist peacefully in the face of adversity.
The Zarfati family is truly a family of global pride, reflecting the phrase "Memory and beauty last forever."
Order DNA origin analysisZarfati: Where does the name Zarfati come from?
The last name Zarfati is most common today in modern-day Israel. There is a large Jewish population in Israel with varying levels of Jewish-Mizrahi heritage, and as such, the last name of Zarfati is one of the more common names in the country. Other locations in which the last name can be found include Morocco, Iraq, Turkey, and other countries with Middle Eastern and North African roots.
Zarfati is a Jewish Mizrahi last name, which is a Jewish heritage specific to Sephardic Jews, those who settled in the Iberian peninsula during the 15th century. From there, the Moslem Moors forced them to flee to areas such as Syria, the Middle East, and North Africa. The majority of Jews who share the Zarfati name migrated from the Middle East to Israel as early as the 19th century, leading to the common usage of the name today.
The Zarfati family has become one of the main families in Israel, and the name is commonly found throughout the nation. While the last name may be commonly seen in many other areas of the world, a majority of the Zubrati family have settled and remained in their traditional homeland of Israel.
Variations of the surname Zarfati
The surname Zarfati is a Jewish surname that has been carried from Eastern Europe to North America, South Africa, and even to Israel. The family behind the name has a long and distinguished lineage in the Jewish world, tracing its roots back to the Ottoman Empire.
The name Zarfati is spelled in different ways depending on the language in which it appears. Variants of the name include Tsarfati, Tsarfatto, Zarvato, Zaruato, and Zarvattah. In some instances, the name is also spelled as Sarfati, Zarvati, or Zarvatta.
In North America, the Zarfati surname is commonly found among Sephardic Jews. In South Africa, the name is found among Ashkenazi Jews. In Israel, a genealogical study from 2007 found that almost all individuals with the Zarfati surname were descended from the same family that had immigrated from the Ottoman Empire.
The Zarfati surname can also take on different spellings depending on the language of the letter. In English, it is most often spelled Zarfati, but in Hebrew it can be spelled “צרפתי” or “צרפת”. In Yiddish, it can be spelled “צארפאטע” or “צארפטע”.
In addition to the variations in spelling, the Zarfati surname has often been reversed to create a new surname. For example, the surname “Tafrazi” has been created from Zarfati. Other surnames related to Zarfati include Tsarfati, Garfatti, and Tsarfattah.
Overall, the Zarfati name is a proud and ancient one that symbolizes the centuries-old Jewish past in the Middle East and Europe. Although the name appears in different languages and can take on different spellings, all variants of the name share the same origin and carry the same distinguished heritage.
Famous people with the name Zarfati
- Ofer Zarfati: Israeli entrepreneur and former executive at General Electric.
- Rami Zarfati: Israeli television presenter, journalist and actor.
- Ronen Zarfati: Israeli transgender rights activists.
- Matthieu Zarfati: Moroccan-born French comedian and actor.
- Ali Zarfati: Iranian entrepreneur and former oil and gas executive.
- Itzik Zarfati: Israeli actor, producer, director and screenwriter.
- Assaf Zarfati: Israeli sculptor and painter.
- Shoshana Zarfati: Israeli documentary filmmaker.
- David Zarfati: British solicitor and a partner in the law firm Ireland, Watts & Jones Solicitors.
- Na'ama Zarfati: Israeli entrepreneur and business executive.