Ginsburg

Ginsburg is a surname of Ashkenazi Jewish origin. It is commonly found in variants such as Ginsberg and Ginzburg, and is associated with families from German-speaking regions. The name is typically considered to be toponymic, formed from place-name elements such as burg or berg, meaning fortress or hill, combined with a personal or descriptive element. Over time the surname has spread through North American and European populations and is carried by people in various fields.

The most widely known bearer of the name is Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020), an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death. Appointed by President Bill Clinton, she was a leading advocate for gender equality and civil liberties. Before joining the Supreme Court, she taught constitutional law at Columbia Law School and served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Her opinions and dissents are frequently cited in discussions of equality, rights, and judicial philosophy, and she became a prominent cultural figure in debates over the judiciary and public policy.

In addition to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a number of other individuals bear the surname, reflecting its broad distribution among Jewish and non-Jewish populations. Variants such as Ginsberg and Ginzburg are common, and the name appears across disciplines including law, academia, the arts, and public life.