IS THE LAST NAME CHRISTIAN JEWISH?

my fathers last name is Christian and his father was french jewish,does anybody know if the origins of the last name Christian?

IS THE LAST NAME CHRISTIAN JEWISH?
Christian Name Meaning and History





English, German, and French: from the personal name Christian, a vernacular form of Latin Christianus 鈥榝ollower of Christ鈥?(see Christ). This personal name was introduced into England following the Norman conquest, especially by Breton settlers. It was also used in the same form as a female name.





Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4


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Since surnames come from the father and religion tends to come from the mother, I'd bet there was an inter-faith marriage in your family tree somewhere, with a Jewish wife and a Christian husband.
Reply:Any name came be Jewish.





Also, understand how a Jew is defined.





Reform Jews define a Jew by their religion only.





Orthodox and Conservative Judaism defines a Jew by the mother only, not the religion or the father. They state they get the nation from the mother and the tribe from the father and if they don't have a Jewish father, they belong to the tribe of the nearest male relative on the mother's side of the family. Whereas they state if a person doesn't have a Jewish mother they aren't Jewish unless they convert to Judaism.





So a person's name could be McCarthy as long as they have a Jewish mother, they are considered Jewish by Orthodox and Conservative Judaism. They would also be considered Jewish by Reform Judaism if they are of the Jewish faith.





Many names in the U.S. are identified as Jewish as a large portion of immigrants to this country with cetain names were Jewish. Back in their country of origin, the same name was used by Jews and non Jews alike.