Is Schwartz necessarily a Jewish surname?
Schwartz :origin & meaning: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for someone with black hair or a dark complexion, from Middle High German swarz, German schwarz, Yiddish shvarts ‘dark’, ‘black’. and Schwartz Recorded in many forms, this surname of early German and Dutch origins, is one of great popularity particularly in the USA. In 1965 it was calculated to be the 10th most popular surname in New York City. Like many names of pre-medieval origins, it is a form of descriptive nickname. It derives from the pre 8th century word ‘swarz’ meaning ‘black’ and as such was given to a person of dark or swarthy appearance. The Angles and Saxons were fair, and this suggests that the ‘swarz’ as applied to people may have been nationalistic, and given to the Gauls, however this is conjecture. What is certain is that there are many spelling forms. The usual spellings today are Schwartz and Schwarz, but Schwarte, Schwartzer, Schwarzer, and Schwar(t)zmann, are also well recorded. The name is also
