מקור השם משיח

Many biblical names, titles and expressions were adopted as Jewish surnames by Jews from various countries throughout the Diaspora.

Literally, Mashiah means "the anointed one". In Jewish tradition it means the savior at the End of Days. Originally the word meant any consecrated person (king or priest) but as the Jewish people experienced growing oppression, the word came to mean a redeemer, to be the Lord's anointed, a descendant of the House of David, who would deliver them from their oppressors and usher in the era of God's glory.
The term Mashiah (משיח) is mentioned in the Bible in 1 Samuel 24; 1 Samuel 26; 2 Samuel 1; 2 Samuel 19; 2 Samuel 23; Lamentations 4; Daniel 9.

In the 20th century, Mashiah is documented as a Jewish family name in Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Iraq.