Show ContentsIsrael History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Israel family

The surname Israel was first found in Venice (Italian: Venezia), and seaport occupying one of the most remarkable sites of the world. Centralizing on the Grand Canal the history of the city can be traced through the different styles of architecture Byzantine, Gothic, early Renaissance and late Renaissance. It is rich in ancient palaces, churches, libraries, galleries, monuments, statues, treasures and artifacts. Its history is abundant in politics, art, religion, scholarship and conflict. The ducal palace was commenced in 1309. In those ancient times only persons of rank, the podesta, clergy, city officials, army officers, artists, landowners were entered into the records. To be recorded at this time, at the beginning of recorded history, was of itself a great distinction and indicative of noble ancestry.

Early History of the Israel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Israel research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Israel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Israel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Israel, Ismaelli, Izrael, Yisrael, Israelski, Israels, Israeler, Izraeler, Israeli, Israely, Izraely, Izreeli, Yisraeli and many more.

Early Notables of the Israel family

Prominent among members of the family was

  • the Israel family of Venice

Israel Ranking

In the United States, the name Israel is the 2,962nd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Israel is ranked the 2,456th most popular surname with an estimated 2,500 - 3,000 people with that name. 2


Israel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Israel Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jacob Israel, who arrived in New York in 1664 3
Israel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Michael Israel, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1752 3
  • Midrach Israel, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 3
  • Elias Israel, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 3
  • Gottfried Israel, who arrived in Long Island in 1781 3
  • David Israel, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1790 3
Israel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Heinr Israel, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1802 3
  • Abr E Israel, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1806 3
  • Isaac E Israel, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1806 3
  • Abraham Israel, aged 24, who landed in Missouri in 1840 3
  • Ludwig Anton Israel, who arrived in America in 1848 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Israel Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Adolph C. Israel, aged 27, who settled in America, in 1907
  • Abram Israel, aged 17, who landed in America, in 1909
  • Adolph Israel, aged 44, who immigrated to the United States, in 1911
  • Abraham Israel, aged 1, who immigrated to the United States, in 1920
  • Achilee F Israel, aged 34, who settled in America, in 1921

Israel migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 4
Israel Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century
  • Henriq Israel, who landed in Jamaica in 1740 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Israel (post 1700) +

  • Brigadier-General Robert Scott Jr. Israel (1907-1998), American Vice Commanding General Western Air Defence Force (1949) 5
  • Werner Israel OC FRSC FRS (1931-2022), German-born, South African physicist, author, researcher, and professor at the University of Victoria; together with Stephen Hawking, he co-edited two volumes on gravitational physics.
  • Prof. Jonathan Israel Gershuny C.B.E., British Professor of Economic Sociology and Senior Research Fellow for Nuffield College for the University of Oxford was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 17th June 2017, for services to the Social Sciences and Sociology
  • Rudolf Israel Kastner (1906-1957), Jewish-Hungarian journalist and lawyer
  • Samuel Israel Mulder (1792-1862), Dutch-Jewish educationalist
  • James Israel Standifer, American politician that represented Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives
  • Daniel Israel Arnon (1910-1994), American plant physiologist
  • Alfred Israel Wetzler (1918-1988), Slovak Jewish author who escaped Auschwitz, best known for his Blood for Goods and co-authoring the Vrba-Wetzler Report
  • Victor Israel Eber (b. 1924), American accounting firm executive
  • Meyer Israel Bresselau (d. 1839), Hebrew writer, state notary for the Jews of Hamburg


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  5. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Robert Israel. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Israel/Robert_Scott_Jr./USA.html


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