Palestinian Last Names

These Palestinian last names come from towns, trades, extended families and religious traditions across the region, listed A to Z with Arabic script and meanings. Many name a city of origin, so a surname can often point to a family's hometown.

173 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Abbas عباس

Stern; lion

Arabic
Abdelhadi عبد الهادي

Servant of the Guide

Arabic
Abdelrahman عبد الرحمن

Servant of the Merciful

Arabic
Abdul Shafi عبد الشافي

Servant of the Healer

Arabic
Abdullah عبد الله

Servant of God

Arabic
Aboud عبود

Devout worshipper

Arabic
Abu Ali أبو علي

Father of Ali

Arabic
Abu Awad أبو عوض

Father of Awad

Arabic
Abu Daqqa أبو دقة

Gaza clan name of uncertain meaning

Arabic
Abu Diab أبو دياب

Father of wolves

Arabic
Abu Eid أبو عيد

Father of Eid, the feast

Arabic
Abu Ghosh أبو غوش

Clan of the village of Abu Ghosh

Arabic
Abu Hamdan أبو حمدان

Father of Hamdan

Arabic
Abu Hassan أبو حسن

Father of Hassan

Arabic
Abu Hijleh أبو حجلة

Father of the partridge

Arabic
Abu Laban أبو لبن

Father of milk; dairyman

Arabic
Abu Nasser أبو ناصر

Father of Nasser

Arabic
Abu Rumman أبو رمان

Father of pomegranates

Arabic
Abu Saleh أبو صالح

Father of Saleh

Arabic
Abu Samra أبو سمرة

Father of the dark-skinned one

Arabic
Abu Shaaban أبو شعبان

Father of Shaaban

Arabic
Abu Shanab أبو شنب

Father of the mustache

Arabic
Abu Sitta أبو ستة

Father of six

Arabic
Abu Taha أبو طه

Father of Taha

Arabic
Abu Zeid أبو زيد

Father of Zeid

Arabic
Afghani الأفغاني

From Afghanistan

Arabic
Ahmad أحمد

Most praised

Arabic
Akkawi العكاوي

From Acre

Arabic
Alami العلمي

Traced to Jabal al-Alam in Morocco; Jerusalem notable family

Arabic
Amro عمرو

Life, long-lived; Hebron-area clan

Arabic
Ansari الأنصاري

Descendant of the Ansar, the Helpers of Medina

Arabic
Arafat عرفات

Mount Arafat near Mecca

Arabic
Assaf عساف

Possibly from biblical Asaph

Arabic
Atallah عطا الله

Gift of God

Arabic
Awad عوض

Compensation, reward

Arabic
Awwad عواد

Possibly oud player; one who returns

Arabic
Ayyad عياد

Possibly from eid, feast

Arabic

B

Bakri البكري

Descendant of Abu Bakr

Arabic
Barakat بركات

Blessings

Arabic
Baramki برامكي

Of the Barmakids

Arabic
Barghouti البرغوثي

Clan of the Ramallah highlands, from barghut, flea

Arabic
Bishara بشارة

Good news; the Annunciation

Arabic
Bitar بيطار

Farrier, veterinarian

Arabic
Bukhari البخاري

From Bukhara

Arabic

D

Dabbagh دباغ

Tanner

Arabic
Dajani الدجاني

Jerusalem family, custodians of David's tomb

Arabic
Darwish درويش

Dervish, ascetic

Arabic
Diab دياب

Wolves

Arabic

E

Erekat عريقات

Jericho-area family, possibly of deep roots

Arabic

F

Faris فارس

Knight, horseman

Arabic
Farraj فراج

Reliever of distress

Arabic
Freij فريج

Little relief

Arabic

G

Ghannam غنام

Shepherd, sheep keeper

Arabic
Ghazawi الغزاوي

From Gaza

Arabic

H

Habash حبش

Abyssinian

Arabic
Haddad حداد

Blacksmith

Arabic
Hadid حديد

Iron

Arabic
Haifawi الحيفاوي

From Haifa

Arabic
Halabi حلبي

From Aleppo

Arabic
Hallaq حلاق

Barber

Arabic
Hamad حماد

One who praises much

Arabic
Hamami حمامي

Bathhouse keeper

Arabic
Hamdallah حمد الله

Praise of God

Arabic
Hamdan حمدان

Praise

Arabic
Hamouda حمودة

Diminutive of Muhammad or Hamad

Arabic
Hanania حنانيا

Hananiah, God is gracious; Christian family

Arabic
Handal حنظل

Colocynth, bitter apple

Arabic
Haniyeh هنية

Pleasant, delightful

Arabic
Hasan حسن

Good, handsome

Arabic
Hassouna حسونة

Little handsome one

Arabic
Hijazi حجازي

From the Hijaz

Arabic
Hindi الهندي

From India

Arabic
Hussein حسين

Little handsome one

Arabic
Husseini الحسيني

Descendant of Hussein; Jerusalem notable family

Arabic

I

Ibrahim إبراهيم

Abraham

Arabic
Iraqi العراقي

From Iraq

Arabic
Ismail إسماعيل

Ishmael; God hears

Arabic
Issa عيسى

Jesus

Arabic

J

Jabari الجعبري

Hebron family, from Qal'at Ja'bar

Arabic
Jaber جابر

Consoler, restorer

Arabic
Jaradat جرادات

Jenin-area clan, from jarad, locusts

Arabic
Jarallah جار الله

Neighbor of God

Arabic
Jarrar جرار

Jenin-area clan, possibly leader of a large host

Arabic
Jawad جواد

Generous

Arabic
Jenini الجنيني

From Jenin

Arabic
Jubran جبران

Possibly from jabr, mending or restoring

Arabic

K

Kanafani كنفاني

Maker or seller of kanafeh pastry

Arabic
Karmi الكرمي

From Tulkarm

Arabic
Kattan قطان

Cotton merchant

Arabic
Khalidi الخالدي

Descendant of Khalid; Jerusalem scholarly family

Arabic
Khalil خليل

Close friend

Arabic
Khalili الخليلي

From Hebron (al-Khalil)

Arabic
Khatib الخطيب

Preacher

Arabic
Khayyat خياط

Tailor

Arabic
Khoury خوري

Priest; common among Christian families

Arabic
Kilani الكيلاني

From Gilan; linked to the Qadiri Sufi lineage

Arabic
Kurd كرد

Kurd; of Kurdish descent

Arabic

L

Liddawi اللداوي

From Lydda

Arabic

M

Madi ماضي

Sharp, decisive

Arabic
Maghrebi المغربي

From the Maghreb, North Africa

Arabic
Mahmoud محمود

Praised

Arabic
Majdalawi المجدلاوي

From al-Majdal near Ashkelon

Arabic
Mansour منصور

Victorious

Arabic
Masri المصري

The Egyptian; also a Nablus merchant family

Arabic
Mikhail ميخائيل

Michael

Arabic
Muhtaseb المحتسب

Market inspector

Arabic
Musa موسى

Moses

Arabic
Musallam مسلم

Safe, sound

Arabic
Mustafa مصطفى

The chosen one

Arabic

N

Nabulsi النابلسي

From Nablus

Arabic
Najjar نجار

Carpenter

Arabic
Nammari النمري

Of the Banu Namir tribe

Arabic
Nashashibi النشاشيبي

Arrow maker, from nushshab, arrows; Jerusalem family

Arabic
Nasrallah نصر الله

Victory of God

Arabic
Nassar نصار

Helper, supporter

Arabic
Nasser ناصر

Helper, supporter

Arabic
Natsheh النتشة

Hebron clan, meaning uncertain

Arabic
Nazzal نزال

Hospitable host; also warrior

Arabic
Nimr نمر

Leopard, tiger

Arabic
Nusseibeh نسيبة

Jerusalem family, hereditary door-keepers of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Arabic

O

Odeh عودة

Return

Arabic
Omari العمري

Descendant of Umar

Arabic
Othman عثمان

Name of the third caliph

Arabic

Q

Qaddoura قدورة

Possibly from qidr, cooking pot

Arabic
Qasem قاسم

Divider, distributor

Arabic
Qassab قصاب

Butcher

Arabic
Qawasmeh القواسمة

Hebron clan, descendants of Qasim

Arabic
Qudsi القدسي

From Jerusalem (al-Quds)

Arabic
Qumsiyeh قمصية

Christian family of Beit Sahour, meaning uncertain

Arabic

R

Rabah رباح

Winner, one who profits

Arabic
Ramlawi الرملاوي

From Ramla

Arabic
Rantisi الرنتيسي

From the village of Rantis

Arabic
Rizeq رزق

Sustenance, provision

Arabic

S

Saadeh سعادة

Happiness

Arabic
Sabbagh صباغ

Dyer

Arabic
Sabri صبري

Patient

Arabic
Safadi الصفدي

From Safed

Arabic
Said سعيد

Happy, fortunate

Arabic
Sakakini السكاكيني

Knife maker

Arabic
Salah صلاح

Righteousness

Arabic
Salameh سلامة

Safety, well-being

Arabic
Saleh صالح

Righteous, good

Arabic
Salman سلمان

Safe, sound

Arabic
Samman سمان

Ghee seller

Arabic
Saqr صقر

Falcon

Arabic
Sawalha صوالحة

Clan of the righteous ones

Arabic
Sayegh صايغ

Goldsmith

Arabic
Shaath شعث

Disheveled

Arabic
Shaheen شاهين

Falcon

Arabic
Shalabi شلبي

Gentleman, from Turkish çelebi

Turkish
Shami الشامي

From Damascus or the Levant

Arabic
Sharabati الشرباتي

Hebron family; sherbet maker

Arabic
Shawa الشوا

Gaza family, possibly from shawa, to grill

Arabic
Shehadeh شحادة

Christian family name of uncertain meaning

Arabic
Sheikh الشيخ

Elder, chief

Arabic
Siam صيام

Fasting

Arabic
Sourani الصوراني

From Tyre (Sur)

Arabic
Suleiman سليمان

Solomon

Arabic

T

Tabari الطبري

From Tiberias

Arabic
Taha طه

Quranic letters Ta-Ha

Arabic
Tahboub طهبوب

Hebron family, meaning uncertain

Arabic
Tahhan طحان

Miller

Arabic
Tamimi التميمي

Of the Banu Tamim tribe

Arabic
Tarazi الطرزي

Embroiderer

Arabic
Tuqan طوقان

Nablus family, possibly from Turkic doğan, falcon

Arabic

Y

Yafawi اليافاوي

From Jaffa

Arabic
Yaseen ياسين

Quranic letters Ya-Sin

Arabic
Yousef يوسف

Joseph

Arabic

Z

Zaatari زعتري

Thyme seller

Arabic
Zahhar الزهار

Flower seller

Arabic
Zayed زايد

Growing, increasing

Arabic
Zeidan زيدان

Growth, abundance

Arabic
Ziad زياد

Abundance, growth

Arabic

Generate random palestinian surnames

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Results (6)

Faris

فارس

Knight, horseman

Arabic
Sharabati

الشرباتي

Hebron family; sherbet maker

Arabic
Qudsi

القدسي

From Jerusalem (al-Quds)

Arabic
Khoury

خوري

Priest; common among Christian families

Arabic
Sabri

صبري

Patient

Arabic
Abu Hijleh

أبو حجلة

Father of the partridge

Arabic

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Palestinian last names and the hamula

Family life in many Palestinian communities has long been organised around the hamula, an extended family or clan that shares a common ancestor. A hamula may include many households, and its name often serves as the surname for all of them. In villages, a few large hamulas might make up most of the population. The family name therefore carries a sense of belonging to a wider group of relatives, not just to parents and children.

An official Palestinian name usually has four parts: a person's own name, the father's name, the grandfather's name and the family name. In everyday use people often shorten this to the given name and family name. Women generally keep their own family name after marriage. Knowing this structure helps when reading documents, since the middle names show a person's immediate line within the larger family.

Town, trade and nickname origins

Many surnames name a place. Nabulsi means from Nablus, Khalili from Hebron, known in Arabic as al-Khalil, Maqdisi from Jerusalem, Ghazawi from Gaza, Yafawi from Jaffa, Safadi from Safed, Akkawi from Acre and Tabari from Tiberias. Some of these names are also found in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, because families moved across the region over centuries. Long established Jerusalem families include Husseini, Nashashibi, Khalidi, Nusseibeh, Dajani and Alami.

Trade names are just as common. Haddad means smith, Najjar carpenter, Khayyat tailor, Hallaq barber, Sabbagh dyer, Qassab butcher, Nahhas coppersmith, Dabbagh tanner and Tahhan miller. Other names began as nicknames for a trait or appearance, or honour an ancestor's given name. Reading the Arabic word inside a name, which the list shows beside each entry, is usually the quickest way to see where the name came from.

Christian families and communities abroad

Palestinian Christian families, many belonging to Orthodox, Catholic and other churches, have names that often mirror those found in Lebanon and Syria. Khoury means priest, Saba recalls a saint and Hanania is a form of Ananias. Families from Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour carry names such as Handal, Hazboun, Bandak, Qumsieh and Kassis, and these towns have long ties to specific families.

From the late nineteenth century many families from these towns emigrated to Latin America, especially Chile, Honduras and El Salvador, where large communities of Palestinian descent live today. Names were often respelled in Spanish, producing forms such as Yarur, Abumohor and Facussé. When researching a family with Latin American roots, look for the original Arabic name behind the Spanish spelling, and consider church records in the family's town of origin.

Frequently asked questions

What is a hamula?

A hamula is an extended family or clan that traces descent from a common ancestor, usually through the male line. Its name often serves as the surname for all member households. Hamulas have traditionally played a role in marriage, mutual support and village life.

Why do some Palestinian last names name a city?

Families who moved from one town to another were often identified by their place of origin, and the description became a surname. Nabulsi means from Nablus and Khalili from Hebron. These names may record a move that happened generations ago.

How is a full Palestinian name structured?

A full name usually lists the person's own name, the father's name, the grandfather's name and the family name. Daily use often drops the middle parts. Women generally keep their family name after marriage rather than taking the husband's name.

Why are Palestinian names found in Chile and Honduras?

From the late nineteenth century, many families, largely Christians from the Bethlehem area, emigrated to Latin America. They built large communities in Chile, Honduras and El Salvador, and their surnames were often respelled to fit Spanish, so the Arabic original can look quite different.