Epstein

The surname Epstein (or Eppstein or Epshtein) (Yiddish: עפּשטײן, romanized: Epshteyn) is one of the oldest Ashkenazi Jewish family names.[1] It is probably derived from the German town of Eppstein, in Hesse;[2] the place-name was probably derived from Gaulish apa[3] ("water", in the sense of a river)[4] and German -stein ("stone", in the sense of a hill).

The surname now most commonly refers to Jeffrey Epstein (1953–2019), an American financier and sex offender.

Some other people with this name include:

## Arts

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* Abby Epstein, American documentary director and producer
* Alex Epstein (writer) (born 1963), American Canadian writer and film producer
* Alex Epstein (born 1971), Israeli writer
* Alvin Epstein (1925–2018), American actor and director
* Asaf Epstein (born 1978), Israeli film director, writer, and producer
* Barbara Epstein (1928–2006), American literary editor
* Benita Epstein, American cartoonist
* Brett Epstein (born 1978), American musician, songwriter, and record producer
* Daniel Epstein (pianist) (born 1946), American pianist
* Daniel Mark Epstein (born 1948), American biographer and poet
* David Epstein (conductor) (1930–2002), American composer, conductor, and music scientist
* Deborah Epstein (born 1984), French-American singer-songwriter more commonly known as SoShy
* Dorrit Epstein (1917–2014), Czech British graphic designer
* Elisabeth Epstein (1879–1956), Russian painter
* Emily Rose Epstein, American drummer
* Freyda Epstein (1956–2003), American folk musician
* Gustav von Epstein (1828–1879), commissioned the Palais Epstein.
* Győző Epstein (1879–1945), Hungarian sculptor, graphic artist, and painter
* Hadassah Spira Epstein (1909–1992), American dancer
* Howie Epstein (1955–2003), American bass guitarist
* Jacob Epstein (1880–1959), American-British sculptor
* Jacob Epstein (writer), American television writer
* Jake Epstein (born 1987), Canadian actor
* Jason Epstein (1928–2022), American publisher who popularized the trade paperback
* Jean Epstein (1897–1953), French filmmaker
* Jennifer Cody Epstein, American novelist
* Jerome Epstein (director) (1922–1991), American filmmaker
* Josh Epstein, Canadian actor, producer and writer
* Joshua Epstein (violinist) (born 1940), Israeli musician
* Julius Epstein (1832–1926), Croatian pianist
* Julius J. Epstein (1909–2000), American screenwriter, brother of Philip G. Epstein
* June Epstein (1918–2004), Australian author, radio broadcaster, musician, and disability advocate
* Kalama Epstein (born 2000), American actor
* Kathie Lee Epstein (born 1953), maiden name of Kathie Lee Gifford, American television host
* Kathleen Epstein (1901–1979), American-British sculptor
* Lawrence J. Epstein (born 1946), American author
* Leslie Epstein (1938–2025), American novelist and essayist
* Marie Epstein (1899–1995), Polish-French actress and film preservationist
* Marti Epstein (born 1959), American composer
* Mel Epstein (1910–1994), American film director and producer
* Michael J. Epstein (born 1976), American filmmaker and musician
* Mitch Epstein (born 1952), American photographer
* Nicky Epstein, American knitting designer and author
* Peter Epstein (born 1967), American jazz saxophonist
* Philip G. Epstein (1909–1952), American Oscar-winning screenwriter, brother to Julius J. Epstein
* Rob Epstein (born 1955), American director
* Robin Epstein, American artist
* Sadie Kuttner Epstein (1883–1973), American concert singer
* Selma Epstein (1927–2014), American concert pianist
* Steven Epstein (music producer), U.S. classical music producer with Sony
* Ted Epstein, American drummer
* Temi Epstein (born 1975), American child actress
* Zale "Zalezy" Epstein, Canadian songwriter and musician

## Business

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* Betty Halff-Epstein (1905–1991), Swiss entrepreneur and second-wave feminist
* Brian Epstein (1934–1967), businessman, manager of the Beatles
* Jacob Epstein (art collector) (1864–1945), Lithuanian-American merchant, philanthropist, and art collector
* Jacob Epstein (banker) (1771–1843), Polish banker and philanthropist
* Mark Epstein (property developer) (born 1954), American property developer and brother of Jeffrey Epstein

## Mathematics

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* Bernard Epstein (1920–2005), American mathematician and physicist
* Charles Epstein (mathematician), American applied mathematician
* David Eppstein (born 1963), British-American computer scientist and mathematician
* David B. A. Epstein (born 1937), British mathematician
* Lenore Epstein (born 1942), birth name of Lenore Blum, computer scientist and mathematician
* Lenore A. Epstein (1914–1994), American statistician
* Paul Epstein (1871–1939), German mathematician
* Paul Sophus Epstein (1883–1966), American mathematician/physicist of Polish/Russian origin and California Institute of Technology professor.
* Richard Arnold Epstein (1927–2016), American mathematician and game theorist

## Military

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* Giora Epstein (1938–2025), "ace of aces" Israeli fighter pilot
* Joseph Epstein (1911–1944), communist French resistance leader

## Religion

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* Abraham Epstein (born 1841), Russo-Austrian rabbinical scholar
* Aryeh Leib Epstein (1708–1775), Polish rabbi
* Baruch Epstein (1860–1941), Lithuanian rabbi and the son of Yechiel Michel Epstein
* Ephraim Epstein (1876–1960), American Orthodox rabbi
* Greg Epstein (born 1977), Humanist rabbi and chaplain
* Isidore Epstein (1894–1962), English rabbi and rabbinical scholar
* Jehiel Michel Epstein, 17th-century writer and ethicist
* Klonimus Kalman Epstein (1753–1825), Polish rabbi, Kabbalist and a leader of the Chassidic movement
* Marc Michael Epstein, American religious scholar
* Mendel Epstein, American rabbi and kidnapper, also known as "The Prodfather"
* Moshe Mordechai Epstein (1866–1933), rabbi and author of the Levush Mordechai
* Moshe Yechiel Epstein (1889–1971), Hasidic rabbi and Israel Prize recipient
* Yechiel Michel Epstein (1829–1908), Lithuanian rabbi and author of the Arukh HaShulkhan
* Yitzchak Eizik Epstein (1770–1857), Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi and scholar
* Zelik Epstein (1914–2009), Rosh Yeshiva of the Shaar HaTorah-Grodno Yeshiva, located in Kew Gardens, New York

## Science and medicine

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* Alan H. Epstein (born 1949), American aeronautical engineer
* Alois Epstein (1849–1918), Czech pediatrician
* Anthony Epstein (1921–2024), British pathologist and academic
* Arnold Epstein, American health scholar
* Berthold Epstein (1890–1962), Czech pediatrician and professor
* Charles Epstein (geneticist) (1933–2011), American geneticist and Unabomber victim
* Claire Epstein (1911–2000), Israeli archaeologist
* Edward Epstein (meteorologist) (1931–2008), American developer of statistical weather forecasting
* Fred Epstein (1937–2006), American pediatric neurosurgeon
* Gerald Epstein (1935–2019), American psychiatrist
* Isadore Epstein (1919–1995), American astronomer
* Joshua M. Epstein, American epidemiologist
* Margaret J. Eppstein, American scholar
* Mark Epstein (born 1953), American psychotherapist
* Martha C. Epstein (1927–2003), American geneticist
* Sir Michael A. Epstein (1921–2024), British pathologist, discoverer of the Epstein-Barr virus.
* Robert Epstein (born 1953), American psychologist
* Robert M. Epstein (born 1928), American anesthesiologist
* Rose Frisch (Rose Epstein Frisch, 1918–2015), American biologist
* Russell Epstein, American psychologist
* Samuel Epstein (1926–2018), American doctor and professor of environmental medicine
* Samuel Epstein (geochemist) (1919–2001), Canadian-American geochemist
* Slava Epstein, American marine biologist and microbial ecologist
* Stephen Epstein (cardiologist), American cardiologist and medical researcher

## Social sciences

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* Alek Epstein (born 1975), Russian-Israeli sociologist
* Bill Epstein (1924–1999), British social anthropologist
* Cynthia Fuchs Epstein, American sociologist
* Fritz T. Epstein (1898–1979), American historian
* Gene Epstein (born 1944), American economist
* Jonathan Epstein, Australian economist
* Larry G. Epstein, Canadian economist
* Mikhail Epstein (born 1950), Russian-American literary theorist and Emory University professor
* Paul Eppstein (1902–1944), German sociologist and Holocaust victim
* Ron Epstein (born 1942), American scholar and translator
* Simon Epstein (born 1947), Israeli economist and historian
* Stephan R. Epstein (1960–2007), British economic historian
* Steven Epstein (academic), American sociologist
* T. Scarlett Epstein (1922–2014), British-Austrian social anthropologist and economist

## Sport

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* Andrew Epstein (born 1996), American soccer player
* Charlotte Epstein (1884–1938), American swimming coach
* Denis Epstein (born 1986), German football player
* Dmitry Epstein (born 1993), Dutch pair skater
* Eddie Epstein, baseball statistician
* Esther Epstein (born 1954), American chess player
* Hayden Epstein (born 1980), American NFL football player
* Jan Epstein (1918–1988), Australian cricketer
* Kurt Epstein (1904–1975), Czechoslovakian Olympic water polo player
* Mike Epstein, (born 1943), American major league baseball player
* Nikolay Epshtein (1919–2005), Soviet ice hockey coach
* Ray Epstein (born 1959), Australian Paralympic weightlifter and powerlifting coach
* Theo Epstein (born 1973), American Major League Baseball Executive

## Politics and law

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* Anthony C. Epstein (born 1952), American jurist
* Benjamin Epstein (1912–1983), Anti-Defamation League director
* Daniel Z. Epstein (born 1983), American lawyer
* David G. Epstein, American law professor
* Eliahu Epstein (1903–1990), birth name of Eliahu Eilat, Israeli diplomat and orientalist
* Eric Epstein, American political activist
* Gloria Epstein, Canadian judge
* Harvey Epstein (born 1967), American politician
* Howard Epstein (born 1949), Canadian politician
* Jerome Epstein (politician) (born 1937), American politician and criminal
* Lee Epstein (born 1958), American political scientist
* Leon Epstein (1919–2006), American political scientist
* Leopold Vail Epstein (1910–1991), American attorney and father of Linda McCartney
* Mitzi Epstein, American politician
* Moses J. Epstein (c. 1911–1960), American politician
* Philip Michael Epstein (born 1942), Canadian family law lawyer
* Richard Epstein (born 1943), American law professor
* Samuel Epstein (politician) (1890–1951), American politician, lawyer, and physician
* William Epstein (1912–2001), Canadian international civil servant

## Writing and journalism

[edit]

* Alan Epstein (1949–2016), American travel writer
* Alex Epstein (born 1980), American author
* David Epstein (journalist), American journalist
* Dena Epstein (1916–2013), American music librarian, writer, and musicologist
* Edward Jay Epstein (1935–2024), American author and early critic of the Warren Commission
* Eleni Epstein (1925–1991), American fashion journalist
* Helen Epstein (born 1947), American author and memoirist
* Helen Epstein (journalist) (born 1961), American journalist and professor
* Israel Epstein (1915–2005), Polish-Chinese journalist
* Joseph Epstein (born 1937), American editor and essayist
* Julius Epstein (writer) (1901–1975), American journalist and scholar
* Lewis Carroll Epstein, American author
* Louise Epstein (born 1965), Swedish journalist and author
* Melech Epstein (1889–1979), American journalist and historian
* Nadine Epstein, American journalist and author
* Randi Hutter Epstein (born 1962), American medical writer, author and journalist
* Shakne Epshtein (1883–1945), Soviet journalist

## Other

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* David Epstein (Australia) (born 1963), Australian public affairs specialist
* David Epstein (gangster), former member of Epstein–Wolmark gang, son of Mendel Epstein
* Gabriel Epstein (1918–2017), British architect and urban planner
* Hedy Epstein (1924–2016), Jewish anti-Zionist
* Jacob Epstein (spy) (1903–1998), American alleged Soviet intelligence agent
* Ruth Wilson Epstein (1906–1996), American nurse and wife of Jacob Epstein (spy)
* Seraphine Eppstein (1861–1942), American clubwoman and hospital administrator
* Sorella Epstein (1931–1941), Latvian Holocaust victim
* Yishaq Epstein (1862–1943), Hebrew linguist and educator

## Fictional characters

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* Juan Epstein, fictional character on the TV series Welcome Back, Kotter
* Dov Epstein, fictional character on the TV series Rookie Blue
* Solomon Epstein, inventor of the Epstein-Fusion Drive in the novel and TV series The Expanse

## Variant surnames

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* Katja Ebstein (born 1945), German singer
* Richard Ebstein (born 1943), American behavioral geneticist
* Wilhelm Ebstein (1836–1912), German physician and nutritionist
* Nikolay Epshtein (1918–2005), Soviet ice hockey coach
* Shakne Epshtein (1883–1945), Soviet journalist
* Alex Epshteyn, computer programmer
* Boris Epshteyn (born 1982), political commentator

## See also

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* Eppstein, town in Hesse, Germany
* Lords of Eppstein, family of Germany nobility
* "Le château d'Eppstein", story by Alexandre Dumas
* Ebstein's anomaly
* Epstein–Barr virus
* Palais Epstein in Vienna
* The Epstein School, a private Jewish-day school in Atlanta
* Epstein Hebrew Academy, a private Jewish day-school in St. Louis
* Epstein Brothers Orchestra, American Klezmer quartet

## References

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1. ^ Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Epstein" . The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
2. ^ Muraskin, Bennett (November 13, 2012). "The Origins and Meanings of Ashkenazic Last Names". Jewish Currents. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
3. ^ Whitley Stokes; Adalbert Bezzenberger (1894), "aqâ", in August Fick (ed.), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der indogermanischen Sprachen: Wortschatz der Keltischen Spracheinheit, vol. 2 (4th ed.), Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, p. 5
4. ^ Ernst Förstemann (1863), Die deutschen Ortsnamen, pp. 30–31

Surname list

This page lists people with the surname Epstein.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
*[c.]: circa