Berkowitz

Berkowitz is a surname of Ashkenazi Jewish origin. It is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Berko, a diminutive form of Ber, with the Slavic suffix -witz (or -vitz) meaning "son of" or "descendant of." As a result, Berkowitz commonly means "son of Berko."

The name has many spelling variants reflecting different languages and immigration patterns, including Berkovich, Berkovitz, Berkovits, Berkowsky, Berkowski, and Berkowitz.

Within the Jewish diaspora, the surname occurs widely across the United States, Israel, Canada, and parts of Europe, particularly among communities with historical Polish, Ukrainian, or Russian roots.

Notable people with the surname include David Berkowitz (born 1953), American serial killer known as the Son of Sam.