FELIX Origin of surname
FELIX
Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name is a patronymic, derived from a male ancestor's Gentile personal name, but in this case a translation of a name of biblical origin.
As a Jewish family name, Felix is a Latin translation of the biblical male personal name Baruch. Baruch ("blessed" in Hebrew), was the son of Neriah, scribe and trusted companion of the prophet Jeremiah, who set down in writing all the latter's prophecies and may have composed the biographical narrative about Jeremiah. In the early biblical period, first names were given names in the full sense of the term, being the exclusive property of the person on whom they were conferred. This tradition was observed for many centuries, until the early Middle Ages when Jews again gave their sons biblical names, among them Baruch. One of the Hebrew votive names personal to a child in order to bring him good fortune in life, Baruch is widespread as a personal name throughout the Diaspora. In medieval Spanish documents, the name is found as Baruch, Abenbaruch, Avinbruch, Avenbruch and Baru. North African families are called Barouche, Barouck, Barouh, Barouk, Barroch, Barruk, Baruk, Bourack, with variants including the suffix "El-" (such as Beruchiel), meaning "God" in Hebrew. In Alsace Baruch became Borach and Borich. In Central and Eastern Europe, Baruch was identified with Berg ("mountain" in German), or Bruck (the German for "bridge"). Other variants were derived from the Latin equivalent Benedict, for example Bendit, Benas, Bondy and Bondo. Translations into German include Seligman(n), into Latin Felix and into Italian Benedett. Germanized forms range from Bernhard(t), Boerne and Borchard to Borg; French variants from Benoit to Bernet. Russian Jews transformed Baruch into Barbakoff (an acronym - a name created from the initial letters of a Hebrew phrase, and which refers to a relative, lineage or occupation - for Ben Baruch Kohen plus the Russian suffix "-off", a Westernized spelling variant of the standard Russian suffix "-ov" for "son of") and their English cousins became Barnet, Barry or Bennet.
Distinguished bearers of this family name include Rachel Felix (1821-1858), the Swiss-born French actress of the Comedie Francaise, known as Elisa Rachel, and the Polish-born British bacteriologist Arthur Felix (1887-1956).
Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name is a patronymic, derived from a male ancestor's Gentile personal name, but in this case a translation of a name of biblical origin.
As a Jewish family name, Felix is a Latin translation of the biblical male personal name Baruch. Baruch ("blessed" in Hebrew), was the son of Neriah, scribe and trusted companion of the prophet Jeremiah, who set down in writing all the latter's prophecies and may have composed the biographical narrative about Jeremiah. In the early biblical period, first names were given names in the full sense of the term, being the exclusive property of the person on whom they were conferred. This tradition was observed for many centuries, until the early Middle Ages when Jews again gave their sons biblical names, among them Baruch. One of the Hebrew votive names personal to a child in order to bring him good fortune in life, Baruch is widespread as a personal name throughout the Diaspora. In medieval Spanish documents, the name is found as Baruch, Abenbaruch, Avinbruch, Avenbruch and Baru. North African families are called Barouche, Barouck, Barouh, Barouk, Barroch, Barruk, Baruk, Bourack, with variants including the suffix "El-" (such as Beruchiel), meaning "God" in Hebrew. In Alsace Baruch became Borach and Borich. In Central and Eastern Europe, Baruch was identified with Berg ("mountain" in German), or Bruck (the German for "bridge"). Other variants were derived from the Latin equivalent Benedict, for example Bendit, Benas, Bondy and Bondo. Translations into German include Seligman(n), into Latin Felix and into Italian Benedett. Germanized forms range from Bernhard(t), Boerne and Borchard to Borg; French variants from Benoit to Bernet. Russian Jews transformed Baruch into Barbakoff (an acronym - a name created from the initial letters of a Hebrew phrase, and which refers to a relative, lineage or occupation - for Ben Baruch Kohen plus the Russian suffix "-off", a Westernized spelling variant of the standard Russian suffix "-ov" for "son of") and their English cousins became Barnet, Barry or Bennet.
Distinguished bearers of this family name include Rachel Felix (1821-1858), the Swiss-born French actress of the Comedie Francaise, known as Elisa Rachel, and the Polish-born British bacteriologist Arthur Felix (1887-1956).