A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia is the third major work by Dr. Alexander Beider in the realm of Eastern European Jewish surnames. His previous works, (Avotaynu, 1993) and A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire, A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Kingdom of Poland (Avotaynu, 1996) established Dr. Beider as a leading authority on Eastern European Ashkenazic names. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia provides information about some 25,000 different surnames used by Jews in Galicia. For each name, the author describes the districts within Galicia where the surname appeared, the origin of the meaning of the name (etymology), and the variants found. The Introductory portion of the book follows Dr. Beider's scholarly style in analyzing the origin and evolution of Jewish surnames from that region. This includes a history of Jewish names in Galicia, basic etymological analysis, spelling and variation of surnames and analysis of surnames in various provinces of eastern Europe. An extensive bibliography is provided. 8½" x 11" 624 pp. hardcover $99.00

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PREFACE vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix
HOW TO USE THIS DICTIONARY x
INFORMATION IN THE DICTIONARY OF SURNAMES x
WHAT TO DO IF YOU CANNOT FIND YOUR SURNAME LISTED xv
ALPHABETS AND THEIR SPELLINGS xv
Hebrew and Eastern Slavic xv
Yiddish xv
MAP 1. DISTRICT CENTERS OF GALICIA (1880S) xviii
ADMINISTRATIVE SUBDIVISIONS OF GALICIA xix
GLOSSARY xxi

CHAPTER 1. HISTORY OF JEWISH NAMES IN GALICIA 1
1.1 14TH-15TH CENTURIES 1
1.2 CHRISTIAN DOCUMENTS OF THE 16TH-18TH CENTURIES 3
1.3 JEWISH DOCUMENTS OF THE 16TH-18TH CENTURIES 7
1.4 SEPHARDIC FAMILIES IN KRAKOW AND RUTHENIA 8
1.5 PARTITIONS OF POLAND AND CREATION OF GALICIA 9
1.6 SURNAME ADOPTION IN GALICIA 10
1.7 SURNAME ADOPTION IN KRAKOW 13
1.8 SURNAME CHANGES 15

CHAPTER 2. BASIC ETYMOLOGICAL ANALYSIS 17
2.1 GENERAL ASPECTS OF ETYMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 17
2.1.1 Components of Etymology 17
2.1.2 What Word or Words Were the Basis for the Surname? 17
2.1.3 How Was the Surname Created from This Word? 18
2.1.4 Why Was This Surname Chosen? 19
2.1.5 Who Chose This Surname? 20
2.2 TYPES OF SURNAMES 21
2.2.1 Distribution by Type 21
2.2.2 Most Prestigious Surnames 21
2.2.3 Surnames Derived from Toponyms 22
2.2.4 Surnames Derived from Personal Names 23
2.2.5 Other Non-artificial Types of Surnames 26
2.3 ARTIFICIAL SURNAMES 27
2.3.1 General Features 27
2.3.2 Surnames Drawn from Common Nouns 28
2.3.3 Artificial Surnames Drawn from Place Names and Personal Names 29
2.3.4 Adjectives and Adverbs 30
2.3.5 Structure and Distribution of Compound Names 31
2.3.6 Reasons for the Creation and Widespread Use of Compound Names 33
2.3.7 Artificial Compound Surnames Outside of Galicia 34
2.3.8 Addition of Suffixes 36
2.3.9 Contemptuous Surnames 38
2.3.10 Artificial or Non-Artificial? 39
2.4 LANGUAGES 42
2.4.1 Christian Languages 42
2.4.2 Jewish Languages 43
2.5 MOST COMMON ENDINGS 45
2.6 NAMES SHARED BY JEWS AND CHRISTIANS 47
2.6.1 Names Derived from the Same Words 47
2.6.2 Jewish Names Borrowed from Christians 48

CHAPTER 3. SPELLING AND VARIATION OF SURNAMES 50
3.1 GERMAN AND YIDDISH PECULIARITIES 50
3.2 POLISH AND OTHER SLAVIC PECULIARITIES 53
3.3 TRANSLITERATIONS AND BLENDED GERMAN-POLISH FORMS 54
3.4 VARIATION OF GALICIAN JEWISH SURNAMES 55
3.5 SPELLING USED IN THE DICTIONARY OF SURNAMES 57

CHAPTER 4. ANALYSIS OF SURNAMES IN VARIOUS PROVINCES OF EASTERN EUROPE 60
4.1 TYPES OF NAMES 60
4.2 STRUCTURE OF NAMES 63
4.3 LANGUAGES USED 64
4.4 VARIETY OF SURNAMES 64
4.5 INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL ADMINISTRATIVE FACTORS 64

APPENDIX A. THE MOST COMMON JEWISH SURNAMES IN GALICIA 67
APPENDIX B. SUFFIXES PRESENT IN JEWISH SURNAMES IN GALICIA 71
APPENDIX C. THE LAW ABOUT THE ADOPTION OF SURNAMES 75
APPENDIX D. "STUDIES ON NAMES" BY K.E. FRANZOS 76

BIBLIOGRAPHY 82
WORKS CITED 82
DICTIONARIES AND VOCABULARIES 84
GAZETTEERS 84
PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF SURNAMES 84
DICTIONARY OF SURNAMES 86