Show ContentsMargulis Surname History

Etymology of Margulis

What does the name Margulis mean?

Two of the most common types of Jewish family names are patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. In situations of oppression, such as those encountered under the corrupt regimes in Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia in 1726, which restricted the number of Jewish marriages, by registering some marriages under the maiden name of one's mother or under the last name of bride, prosecution could be evaded. The mother's name has also been used to avoid conscription into armies: especially in Soviet Russia. The mother's name has also been used to avoid conscription into armies, especially in Russia. The surname Margulis is a matronymic name, as it is derived from the Hebrew word margola, which means "pearl." The surname Margolin holds a name of descendent of Pearl.

Margulis Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Margolin, Margola, Margonlinsky, Margolis, Margolies, Margolius and many more.


Contemporary Notables of the name Margulis (post 1700) +

  • Lynn Margulis (1938-2011), American biologist and University Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Gregori Aleksandrovich Margulis (b. 1946), Russian mathematician awarded a Fields Medal in 1978 and a Wolf Prize in Mathematics in 2005


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