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Question: Is Wetzstein a Jewish last name!?
I'm trying to trace my lineage, and I know my family came from Germany!. This is the last name, and the "Wetz" part seems to be German, and "stein" is usually a Jewish suffix which means "stone"!. Am I thinking correctly!?

also, if possible, what does the full name mean!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
It sounds like a name with definite Jewish roots!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Any name can be Jewish!.

Reform Judaism defines a Jew by the religious faith only!.

Orthodox and Conservative Judaism defines a Jew by the mother, not the father or the religious faith!. The state they get the nation from the mother and the tribe from the father!. If they don't have a Jewish father, they belong to the tribe of the nearest male relative on the mother's side of the family!. Whereas if they don't have a Jewish mother, they aren't Jewish according to Orthodox and Conservative Judaism!.

Therefore, a man's name could be O'Brien and they would be consiered Jewish by Orthodox and Conservative Judaism!.

A lot of names are identified as Jewish in the U!.S!. as a large portion of immigrants with certain names were Jewish while back in their countries of origin, the same name was used by Jews and non Jews!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

occupational name for a knife grinder, from Middle High German wetzstein ‘whetstone’!.
habitational name from a lost Wetzstein near Emmendingen!.
from a field name, for example Wezstein near Esslingen!.


If you want to know your heritage, you will have to do the research
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GermanWww@QuestionHome@Com

any surname with the word "stein" in it is usually jewishWww@QuestionHome@Com

is sounds german to meWww@QuestionHome@Com