Margolis
A Jewish surname usually linked to the Yiddish/Hebrew word for “pearl.”
The #7,912 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 73,845 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Margolis is a Jewish surname derived from a word meaning “pearl,” from Hebrew margalit, ultimately a term for a precious pearl or jewel. The name is often explained as a decorative or honorific surname built from that word, rather than as an occupation in the strict sense. In some traditions it is treated as a family name formed from a personal name or nickname associated with that meaning.
History
The surname is especially associated with Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern Europe, where pearl-based surnames and naming forms were common. In English-speaking countries it became more widely visible through Jewish migration in the 19th and 20th centuries. Spellings such as Margolis and Margulies often reflect different transliterations of the same underlying name tradition.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Names built from words for gemstones were especially common in some Jewish naming traditions, giving them a poetic sound as well as a family identity.