One cannot simply look at the etymology of a Jewish name to truly understand the origins. Rather understanding the vast historical context along with the name will guide you. However, it does make Jewish surnames extremely difficult to trace back to their origins.
Jewish surnames encompass diverse languages, and situational experiences. And attempting to translate words proves to be a challenge as well without context. 1
The Jewish name Epsteen was derived from various sources. It is one of the oldest Jewish family names and appears in records as early as 1392. In most cases, Epsteen is a habitation name adopted from one of the town names Eppstein in Bavaria, Eppstein in Hesse, or Ebstein in Styria, Austria. The Ebstein's of Styria descend from the Benveniste family, who were expelled from Spain in 1492. Some of this family kept its name and moved to Turkey, the other branch were Levites came to Ebstein, Styria. In Old High German, "ebur" meant 'boar' and "Stein" meant 'stone' and this may have been the origin for those place names. Over the centuries, this name was also assumed by many Jews ornamentally, simply because it was so well known.
Epsteen Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Epstein, Epstin, Epsteina, Eppstein, Epsteen, Eppenstein, Ebstein, Epsztejn and many more.
