Katz is a common German and Ashkenazi surname.

Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...

with the last name Katz may originate in the

Rhine River ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , source ...

region of

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, where the

Katz Castle Katz Castle (german: Burg Katz) is a castle above the German town of St. Goarshausen in Rhineland-Palatinate. The castle stands on a ledge looking downstream from the riverside at St. Goar. It was first built around 1371 by Count William II of K ...

is located. (The name of the castle does not derive from , "cat", but from Katzenelnbogen, going back to Latin , consisting of the ancient Germanic tribal names of the

Chatti The Chatti (also Chatthi or Catti) were an ancient Germanic tribe whose homeland was near the upper Weser (''Visurgis''). They lived in central and northern Hesse and southern Lower Saxony, along the upper reaches of that river and in the va ...

and Melibokus.) Where it is a

Jewish surname Jewish surnames are family names used by Jews and those of Jewish origin. Jewish surnames are thought to be of comparatively recent origin; the first known Jewish family names date to the Middle Ages, in the 10th and 11th centuries CE. Jews have ...

, ''Katz'' is almost always an abbreviation ( he, כּ״ץ) formed from the initials of the term ("priest of justice"/"authentic priest") or (meaning the name-bearer is of

patrilineal Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritan ...

descent of the Kohanim sons of Zadok), although when spelled out may mean the family doesn't descend from Kohanim. It has been used since the seventeenth century, or perhaps somewhat earlier, as an epithet of the descendants of Aaron. The collocation is most likely derived from ''

Melchizedek In the Bible, Melchizedek (, hbo, , malkī-ṣeḏeq, "king of righteousness" or "my king is righteousness"), also transliterated Melchisedech or Malki Tzedek, was the king of Salem and priest of (often translated as "most high God"). He is f ...

'' ("king of righteousness"), who is called "the priest (''kohen'') of the most high God" (

Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...

xiv. 18), or perhaps from

Psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived f ...

cxxxii. 9: "Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness (''tzedeq'')". The use of the abbreviated and Germanicized ''Katz'' likely coincided with the imposition of German names on

Jews in Germany The history of the Jews in Germany goes back at least to the year 321, and continued through the Early Middle Ages (5th to 10th centuries CE) and High Middle Ages (''circa'' 1000–1299 CE) when Jewish immigrants founded the Ashkenazi Jewish ...

in the 18th or 19th century. If the reading is correct, this abbreviation occurs on a tombstone, dated 1536, in the

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...

. It is found also on a tombstone of the year 1618 in

Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...

, in the books of the Soncino family of

of the seventeenth century, Zunz, ''Z.G.'' p. 262. and in one of the prefaces to

Shabbethai ben Meïr ha-Kohen Shabbatai ben Meir HaKohen ( he, שבתי בן מאיר הכהן; 1621–1662) was a noted 17th century talmudist and halakhist. He became known as the ''Shakh'' ( he, ש"ך), which is an abbreviation of his most important work, ''Siftei Kohen'' ...

's notes on the ''Choshen Mishpat'' (

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

, 1663).

People

Ada Katz Ada Katz (born May 30, 1928 in the Bronx, New York) is the wife and model of Alex Katz. Perhaps best known for appearing in over 1000 of her husband's paintings including '' Black Dress'' (1960), Katz was also a Biologist at Sloan Kettering, as w ...

(born 1928), American artist's model *

Albert Katz Albert Katz (; 17 July 1858 – 16 December 1923), also known by the pen name Ish ha-Ruaḥ (), was a Polish-born rabbi, writer, and journalist. Biography Albert Katz was born in Lodz, and studied at the '' yeshivot'' of Lublin and Vilna before ...

(1858–1923), writer *

Alex Katz Alex Katz (born July 24, 1927) is an American figurative artist known for his paintings, sculptures, and prints. Early life and career Alex Katz was born July 24, 1927, to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, as the son of an émigré who ha ...

(born 1927), American artist *

Alex Katz (baseball) Alexander Benjamin Katz (born October 12, 1994) is an American-Israeli professional baseball left-handed pitcher who is a free agent. He has played internationally for Team Israel. Katz pitched for the St. John's Red Storm, and was part of th ...

(born 1994), American baseball player *

Allan Katz Allan Katz (born in Chicago, Illinois) is an American writer, producer, actor, and director. He began his writing career as an advertising copywriter. In 1970 he created the original award-winning campaign for the popcorn snack Screaming Yel ...

(born 1941), American comedy writer * Allan J. Katz (born 1947), American ambassador to Portugal *

Amir Katz Amir Katz, born 1973 in Ramat Gan, Israel, is an Israeli German pianist. He began to play the piano at the age of 11 and won his first national competitions in Israel four years later. He received scholarships to study in Europe, including at the ...

(born 1973), Israeli-born musician *

Andy Katz Andrew D. Katz (born April 7, 1968) is a college basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network and a college basketball correspondent for the NCAA. He formerly worked as a senior college basketball journalist for ESPN.com, and was a regular sport ...

(born 1968), American college basketball journalist * Sir Bernard Katz (1911–2003), German-born British biophysicist * Boris Katz (born 1947), American computer scientist * Burt Katz (1937–2016), American restaurateur *

Daniel Katz (psychologist) Daniel Katz (July 19, 1903 – February 28, 1998) was an American psychologist, Emeritus Professor in Psychology at the University of Michigan and an expert on organizational psychology.New York Times (1998)Daniel Katz, 94, Professor of Psychology ...

(1903–1998), American psychologist * Daniel Katz (politician) (born 1961), Argentine politician and former mayor of Mar del Plata, Argentina * Danny Katz (columnist), Australian columnist and author *

Daryl Katz Daryl Allan Katz (born May 31, 1961) is a Canadian billionaire businessman and philanthropist. Katz is founder and chairman of the Katz Group of Companies, one of Canada's largest privately-owned enterprises, with pharmacy, sports & entertainmen ...

, Canadian drug store owner, owner of Edmonton Oilers *

David Katz (author) David Katz (born 1965) is an American author and documentary radio and film producer. He has been described as "one of the world's foremost authorities on reggae, dub, and dancehall". Biography Katz was born in 1965 in San Francisco, and raised i ...

, British music historian and journalist *

Dovid Katz Dovid Katz (Yiddish: , also , Hirshe-Dovid Kats, , born 9 May 1956) is an American-born, Vilnius-based scholar, author and educator, specializing in Yiddish language and literature, Lithuanian Jewish culture, and the Holocaust in Eastern Europe. ...

, Lithuanian-American Yiddishist and academic *

Elias Katz Elias Katz (June 22, 1901 – December 26, 1947) was a Finnish track and field athlete, who competed mainly in the 3000 metres steeplechase. Katz was born in Turku to a Jewish family. He frequented local nightclubs, participated in dance ma ...

, Finnish 3,000-meter team steeplechase Olympic champion * Elie Katz, former mayor of Teaneck, New Jersey, United States *

Elihu Katz Elihu Katz (Hebrew: אליהוא כ"ץ, 21 May 1926 – 31 December 2021) was an American and Israeli sociologist and communication scientist, usually associated with uses and gratifications theory. He is known for his work with Paul Lazarsfel ...

, American sociologist * Emmanuel Mané-Katz, Ukraine-born Israeli artist * Erez Katz (born 1980), Israeli basketball player * Erich Katz (1900–1973), German-born musicologist and Jewish refugee *

Ethan Katz Ethan Russell Katz (born July 4, 1983) is an American professional baseball Coach (baseball), coach, and former minor league baseball player. He is the pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to that, Katz ...

(born 1983), American assistant pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants *

Gary Katz Gary Katz is an American record producer, best known for his work on albums by Steely Dan. Katz has also produced numerous other recording artists and assisted in the discovery and signing of a number of subsequently successful acts. Career ...

, American music producer *

Haim Katz Haim Katz ( he, חַיִּים כַּץ, born 21 December 1947) is an Israeli politician. He currently serves as the Minister of Tourism. Katz was the Minister of Labor, Welfare and Social Services from 2015 to 2019, and served as a member of t ...

, Israeli politician *

Harold Katz Harold Katz (born May 5, 1937) is an American entrepreneur from the Greater Philadelphia area. He bought the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association from Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr. in July 1981. During his ownership, he brought the ...

, American entrepreneur * Harold A. Katz (1921–2012), American lawyer and politician *

Ian Katz Ian Alexander Katz (born 9 February 1968) is a British journalist and broadcasting executive who is currently Chief Content Officer at Channel 4, overseeing all editorial decision making and commissioning across Channel 4's linear channels, str ...

, British journalist (born in South Africa) *

Israel Katz Israel Katz ( ''Yisrael Katz'', born 21 September 1955) is an Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Likud. He was a member of the Security Cabinet of Israel. He has previously held the posts of Minister of Agr ...

, Israeli politician *

Jackson Katz Jackson T. Katz (born May 7, 1960) is an American educator, filmmaker, and author. He has created a gender violence prevention and education program entitled 'Mentors in Violence Prevention', which is used by U.S. military and various sporting or ...

, creator of gender violence prevention and education program Mentors in Violence Prevention *

Jacob Katz Jacob Katz (Hebrew: יעקב כ"ץ) (born 15 November 1904 in Magyargencs, Hungary, died 20 May 1998 in Israel) was an internationally known Jewish historian and educator, recognized as "one of this century's greatest and most influential historia ...

, Israeli historian *

Jane Katz Jane Katz (born 1943) is an educator, author, and world-class former Olympic competitive and long-distance swimmer. She has been awarded the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur Certificate of Merit (2000) and the Lifetime Achievement A ...

, competitive swimmer and author of successful swimming books * Jane Lobman Katz (1931–1986), American activist * Jay Katz (disambiguation), name/pseudonym for several people *

Jeff Katz Jeff Katz is an American film producer and comic book author. Early life Katz is from Franklin, Michigan. He started a pen-pal relationship with New Line Cinema founder and future boss Bob Shaye after meeting Shaye's father at a dinner party ...

, American film producer and comic book author * Jeffrey Owen Katz, American scientist *

Jeffry Katz Jeffry Katz (born May 20, 1943, Brooklyn, New York) is an American music producer, one of the first exponents of bubblegum pop. Music career He is one half of a hitmaking duo with Jerry Kasenetz, the two working together as the Super K Productio ...

, American music producer *

Jerrold Katz Jerrold Jacob Katz (14 July 19327 February 2002) was an American philosopher and linguist. Biography After receiving a PhD in philosophy from Princeton University in 1960, Katz became a Research Associate in Linguistics at the Massachusetts Ins ...

, American philosopher and linguist * Joanne Katz, American professor * Joette Katz (born 1953), American attorney *

Jon Katz Jon Katz (born August 8, 1947) is an American journalist, author, and photographer. He was a contributor to the online magazine ''HotWired'', the technology website ''Slashdot'', and the online news magazine '' Slate''. In his early career as an a ...

(born 1947), American journalist and writer *

Jonathan Katz Jonathan Paul Katz (born December 1, 1946) is an American actor and comedian best known for his starring role in the animated sitcom '' Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist'' as Dr. Katz. He also is known for voicing Erik Robbins in the UPN/Adult S ...

(born 1946), American comedian, actor, and voice actor *

Jonathan David Katz Jonathan David Katz (born 1958) is an American activist, art historian, educator and writer. He is currently Associate Professor of Practice in Art History and Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Biography ...

(born 1958), American professor *

Jonathan Ned Katz Jonathan Ned Katz (born 1938) is an American historian of human sexuality who has focused on same-sex attraction and changes in the social organization of sexuality over time. His works focus on the idea, rooted in social constructionism, that t ...

(born 1938), historian of LGBT American history * Joseph Katz (disambiguation) * Judah Katz, Canadian actor * Louise Katz, Australian writer of fantasy and young adult fiction * Leo Katz, jurist * Leo Katz (1914–1976), American statistician * (1892–1954), Austrian writer * Leon Katz (born 1919), professor emeritus of drama at Yale University * Leon Katz (1909–2004), Canadian physicist * Liz Katz, American cosplayer and actress whose credits include

Guest House A guest house (also guesthouse) is a kind of lodging. In some parts of the world (such as the Caribbean), guest houses are a type of inexpensive hotel-like lodging. In others, it is a private home that has been converted for the exclusive use ...

and Borderlands 3 * Martin Katz (disambiguation) * Maxim Katz, Russian politician and activist *

Mickey Katz Meyer Myron "Mickey" Katz (June 15, 1909 – April 30, 1985) was an American musician and comedian. He was the father of actor Joel Grey and paternal grandfather of actress Jennifer Grey. Early life Meyer Myron Katz was born on Sawtell Court in ...

, American comedian and musician *

Mike Katz Michael Katz (born November 14, 1944) is a former American IFBB professional bodybuilder and former professional football player with the New York Jets, most famous for his appearance with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1977 bodybuilding docum ...

, American bodybuilder *

Mikhail Katz Mikhail "Mischa" Gershevich Katz (born 1958, in Chișinău)Curriculum vitae
...

, Israeli mathematician and professor * Miriam Katz (born 1931), birth name of Miriam Zohar, Israeli actress * Nathan Katz (professor), American professor * Nathan Katz (poet), Alsatian poet *

Nets Katz Nets Hawk Katz is the IBM Professor of Mathematics at the California Institute of Technology. He was a professor of Mathematics at Indiana University Bloomington until March 2013. Katz earned a B.A. in mathematics from Rice University in 1990 at t ...

, mathematician * Nicholas Katz, American mathematician *

Omri Katz Omri Haim Katz (born May 30, 1976) is a retired American actor. His television and film credits include '' Eerie Indiana'', '' Matinee'', '' Adventures in Dinosaur City'', '' Hocus Pocus'', and the soap opera ''Dallas''. Biography Katz was born ...

, American-Israeli actor *

Otto Katz Otto Katz (27 May 1895 in Jistebnice – 3 December 1952 in Prague, also known as André Simone amongst other aliases, was a Czech agent. He was one of the most influential agents of the Soviet Union under Stalin in Western intellectual and arti ...

, agent of the Soviet Union * Paul Katz, American cellist *

Phil Katz Phillip Walter Katz (November 3, 1962 – April 14, 2000) was a computer programmer best known as the co-creator of the Zip file format for data compression, and the author of PKZIP, a program for creating zip files that ran under DOS. A ...

, American computer programmer *

Phoebe Cates Phoebe Belle Cates Kline (born July 16, 1963) is an American former actress, known primarily for her roles in films such as ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982), ''Gremlins'' (1984) and ''Drop Dead Fred'' (1991). Early life Cates was born ...

(born Phoebe Belle Katz), American actress *

Ralph Katz Ralph Katz (born 1957) is an American bridge player. Katz is from Burr Ridge, Illinois and graduated from University of Steubenville. In 2018 he was a first-ballot selection for the ACBL Hall of Fame. Domestically, he has won 23 North American B ...

, American bridge player * Randy H. Katz, UC Berkeley professor * Raphael Katz, American politician * Richard H. Katz, American bridge player * Robert Katz (1933–2010), American novelist, screenwriter, and non-fiction author * Ronald A. Katz, inventor * Ron Katz, Israeli politician *

Ryan Katz Ryan Katz (born October 14, 1976) is an American retired professional wrestler, promoter and manager currently signed with the WWE as a producer. Katz is best known in Xtreme Pro Wrestling under the ring name G. Q. Money as the manager of Kaos ...

, American professional wrestler billed as "GQ Money" *

Sam Katz Samuel Michael Katz (born August 20, 1951) is a Canadian businessman and former politician who was the 42nd mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba from 2004 to 2014. He is the owner of the Winnipeg Goldeyes and a member of the Order of Manitoba. He wa ...

, mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba * Samuel Katz (disambiguation) *

Sandor Katz Sandor Ellix Katz (born May 20, 1962) is an American food writer and DIY food activist. Work A self-described " fermentation fetishist", Katz has taught hundreds of food workshops around the United States, and his book '' Wild Fermentation'' (2 ...

(born 1962), American DIY writer and food activist * Sheldon Katz (born 1956), American mathematician * Shemuel Katz (1926–2010), Israeli artist * Sidney A. Katz, mayor of Gaithersburg, Maryland * Simon Katz, English songwriter and multi-instrumentalist * Steve Katz (disambiguation), several people :* Steve Katz (writer) (1935–2019), American writer :* Steve Katz (musician) (born 1945), American musician :*

Steven T. Katz Steven Theodore Katz (born August 24, 1944) is an American philosopher and scholar. He is the founding director of the Elie Wiesel Center for Judaic Studies at Boston University in Massachusetts, United States, where he holds the Alvin J. and Shir ...

(born 1944), Jewish philosopher :* Steven A. Katz (born 1959), writer of the screenplay ''Shadow of the Vampire'' :*

Steve Katz (politician) Stephen M. Katz (born August 11, 1953) is an American veterinarian, business owner and politician from Mohegan Lake, New York. He formerly served as a member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 94th Assembly District, including pa ...

(born 1953), veterinarian and member of the New York State Assembly :*

Stephen Katz (writer) Stephen Katz (4 July 1946 – 18 October 2005) was an American teacher and screenwriter. Katz wrote several television episodes and three feature-length films during his career. Following a move to Plano, Texas in 1993, Katz taught a communicati ...

(1946–2005), American teacher and screenwriter :*Stephen Katz (real name Matthew Angerer), traveling companion of travel writer

Bill Bryson William McGuire Bryson (; born 8 December 1951) is an American–British journalist and author. Bryson has written a number of nonfiction books on topics including travel, the English language, and science. Born in the United States, he has b ...

:* Stephen M. Katz (cinematographer) * Sky Katz, American rapper and actress *

Tamar Katz Tamar Katz ( he, תמר כץ, born September 26, 1989 ) is an Israeli-American former competitive figure skater. She is the 2005, 2007, and 2008 Israeli national champion. Personal life Tamar Katz was born September 26, 1989 in Dallas, Texas. Th ...

, Israeli figure skater living in the United States *

Tuvia Katz Tuvia Katz (born 1936) is an Israeli artist. Tuvia Katz was born in Poland to a traditional family. To escape the Nazis, his family fled Europe and settled in Argentina. In 1960, Katz immigrated to Israel and settled on Kibbutz Hokuk. At the age o ...

(born 1936), Israeli artist *

Vera Katz Vera Katz (née Pistrak; August 3, 1933 – December 11, 2017) was an American Democratic politician in the state of Oregon. She was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives and was the 49th mayor of Portland, ...

(1933–2017), American politician * Welwyn Wilton Katz, Canadian children's author * William Loren Katz (1927–2019), American historian, specializing in African American history * Yossi Katz, Israeli politician * Yossi Katz (geographer), Israeli professor in political geography *

Zebra Katz Ojay Morgan (born 1987), better known as Zebra Katz, is a Berlin-based Jamaican-American rapper, producer and songwriter who has collaborated with artists including Busta Rhymes and Gorillaz. Fashion designer Rick Owens featured Zebra Katz's s ...

, American rapper

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Katz German-language surnames Ashkenazi surnames Kohenitic surnames Yiddish-language surnames Surnames from nicknames de:Katz it:Katz he:כץ

People

See also

References