Yaffe

Yaffe is a surname of Hebrew origin derived from the Hebrew adjective יפה (yafe), meaning beautiful. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or a byname for someone considered attractive, and over time became established as a family name. In transliteration from Hebrew and Yiddish into Latin alphabets, Yaffe appears in several variants, including Jaffe, Joffe, Yoffe, and Yaffe, reflecting different linguistic practices and immigration histories in Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities.

As a given name, Yaffe is less common, with Hebrew spellings such as Yaffa or Yafit used for females. Yaffa is a widely used given name in Israel and among Jewish communities, while Yafit is another feminine form found in Hebrew contexts.

In modern usage, Yaffe and its variants are found among Jewish families worldwide, particularly in North America and Israel. The name’s dispersion mirrors historical migration and diaspora patterns of Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews, rather than being tied to a single nationality or culture.

Genealogical and historical records sometimes require looking for multiple spellings to trace family lineages, due to transliteration differences and alternate spellings in civil registries and immigration documents. The root etymology connects all variants back to the same Hebrew word meaning “beautiful,” though contemporary bearers may have diverse personal and familial identities.

See also entries for Jaffe, Joffe, and Yoffe, which share the same Hebrew root and etymology as Yaffe.