Origin of the Family Name

Horowitz - Horovitz - Hurwitz - Horowicz - Hurvitz - Hourwitz - Harrwitz - Urwitz - Gurvich - Gurewicz - Gorwitz - Gorowitz - Gurevitz - Gurovich

Article taken from: Beth Hatefutsoth Communities & Family Names

"Many Jewish family names can be traced to place of origin or residence.

The names in this group are derived from the town of HORVICE in Bohemia. Slavonic forms replace the initial H with G because the Cyrillic Alphabet has no H.

Horowitz is documented as a Jewish surname in Prague since 1500, and also with the polish Talmudist, Abraham Ben Shabbetai Sheftel Horowitz (C. 1550-1615) and the 16th/17th-century Czech-Born Polish Rabbi, Cabalist and communal leader, Isaiah Ben Abraham Ha-Levy Horowitz.

Distinguished 20th-century bearers of the Jewish family name Horowitz include the Galician-born Israeli economist, David Horowitz, who was first Governor of the Bank of Israel; and the Russian-born American Pianist, Vladimir Horowitz.

Leo Horowitz was a 20th-century American Geologist.

Horwitz is recorded with the German-born English chess-master, Bernard Horwitz (1807-1885), the American Physician, Pinheas Horwitz (1822-1904), and the 20th-century American-born Israeli physicist, Lawrence P. Horwitz.

Dov Eliahu Hurvitz was 20th-century Russian-born Israel Government Official.

Hurwitz is documented as a Jewish family name in the early 16th-century in Prague, Bohemia, and in the 20th-century with the Russian-born American attorney, Albert Hurwitz, the Lithuanian-born Northern Ireland business executive, Barnett Harris Hurvitz, and the Danish criminologist, Educator and Author, Stephan Hurwitz.

Polish-born Zalkind Hourwitz (C. 1740-1812) also known as Hurwitz, was Pioneer of Jewish Emancipation in France.

In the 20th-century, Gurvich is recorded as a Jewish Surname with the Australian soldier, A. Gurvich, who served in the Second World War.

Distinguished 20th-century bearers of the Jewish name Gurewicz include the Polish-born Australian lecturer Sholom Benzion Gurewicz.