“Segal” was used as a surname by some Levites in Europe
beginning at the time that surnames replaced patronyms. However,
“Segal” has been used for about a thousand years as a title for
Levites, predating the use of surnames.

The correlation between “Segal” and Levite has been blurred a bit over the centuries. In English-speaking countries, Segal has been blurred with “Siegel” in the past century. In English, Segal is pronounced as “Seegl”, sounding the same as the unrelated name Siegel, used by non-Levites. Some families now having different spellings of the surname in different branches of the family as a result of blurring of distinctions between Segal and Siegel. This blurring is a recent phenomenon: previously, the names were kept distinct by the different pronunciation of Segal and Siegel in European and Semitic languages. In Hebrew, Segal is spelled “Samech Gimmel Lummid” and pronounced “sehgull”, while Siegel is spelt “Samech Yood Gimmel Lummid” and pronounced “seegull”, a distinction also found in Eurpopean languages other than English. However, not all Segals are Levites due to the spelling changes and other reasons such as adoptions. <p>
Some similar names have the same origin as Segal. For example, the name Chagall in France has the same origin. The painter Marc Chagall was a Levite. <p>
Some similar names have entirely different origins from Levite Segals. Some people in India spell their name Segal, pronounced “sehgull”. This spelling is a variant of the common family name in India of “Sehgal”. The similarity to the Hebrew name seems to be just a coincidence. <p>
The details of the origin of the name Segal are not clear. The best evidence suggests that Segal is the acronym of the Hebrew phrase “SeGan Leviyyah”, a designation applied to Levites many centuries before it was used as a surname. Using pairs of letters from “SeGan Leviyyah” to form the acronym Segal may seem troubling to speakers of English, but this is the format typically used for acronyms in Hebrew.
<p>The earliest use of this designation that we are aware of is by Rabbi Isaac ben Eliezer (d. 1070 CE), one of the great “scholars of Worms” and a teacher of Rashi. According to the Encyclopedia Judaica, Rabbi Isaac ben Eliezer was “known as segan Leviyyah-meaning a Levite”, and in Rashi’s commentary on the Talmud, Rabbi Isaac is referred to as “Leviyyah”. The acronym of Segal is used in the introduction to “Sefer Maharil”. The editor, the Maharil’s disciple Rabbi Zalman, writes of the Maharil (Rabbi Jacob ben Moses Levi Moelin, Mainz 1360-1427): “he is noted in the gates by his designation ‘MaHa”R Jacob Moelin’; however I have included as his epithet ‘MaHaR”I Sega”l’ because he was from the tribe of the Levites”.
<P>It is not clear why “SeGan Leviyyah” would be used as a title instead of the simpler designation “HaLevi”. “SeGan” is typically used in Hebrew to mean “deputy”, rendering the designation as “Levitical deputy”. Intriguingly, the Alcalay dictionary gives an archaic definition of the word “SeGan” as “(formerly) deputy to the High Priest”. This archaic definition would then render Segal as “Levitical Deputy to the High Priest”, which makes more sense. However, there were many subtleties to the priestly and Levitical designations, including the term “HaKohanim HaLeviim” used in the bible, so the designation Segal may refer to some subtle hierarchy relationship.
<p>There are other explanations for the name Segal, but these may be variants of the “SeGan Leviyyah” explanation. One is “SeGan LaKohen” or “SeGan LeKehuna’”, meaning “Deputy to the Priest”. This makes a bit less sense in terms of the acronym, but appears to state the Levitical role a bit more clearly. However, the existence of earlier sources supporting the “SeGan Leviyyah” explanation make “SeGan Leviyyah” sound more likely to be the true origin. But the “Sgan L’Kohen” explanation also has historical support in that members of the Landau family who are descended from the “Nodah B’Yehudah” would write their names as “Segal Landau”, because as Levites they were “Sgan L’Kohen”.
<p> A third explanation relates to the Hebrew word “segol”, which means the color violet, which may have been a reference to the Levite color. This explanation may be consistent with the other explanations, having been intended as something of a pun in addition to the acronyms.
<p> If you have additional information that would allow one to distinguish between these possibilities, know of other early mentions of the name Segal, or if you have additional information about the origin of the name Segal, please contact the <a
href=”mailto:Webmaster@Segal.org”>Segal.org Webmaster</a>, who will attempt to make sense of this. <p>

(Raphael’s note of Trivia: Nanna told me that she and Abe (Poppa) changed their name to Segal early on so that their name sounded less foreign. Our name came from the South Russian / Ukraine area and was originally Sokolovsky, then Segalov then Segalove and then eventually Segal. Descendended from Psachia born in Odessa Ukraine around 1770-1780).

I am a Segal. I know because it is written on my passport and everyone confuses me with Steven Seagal. The funny thing is he’s not even a real Segal. But what is a real Segal? What does it mean to be a “Real” Segal? I ask this question because the last few years have seen a tremendous increase in the quantity of Segals on the market so to speak and this has caused me to re-evaluate what it means to be a Segal….

When I was a boy to be a Segal meant very little, sad or offensive it may seem. No offence to our parents but I really didn’t consider my association with the original Segal nucleus (Khairon, Graham, Tariq, Rohan, Raphael and myself) as anything special. In fact facing some hard truths, at times through the screaming and shouting, accusations and tears, I honestly prayed to have been born to another family - any other family but the Segals.

I grew up a funny boy. I don’t mean that in a humorous context - I mean strange, abnormal. I didn’t make a lot of friends and those I did make I had trouble keeping up the interest in maintaining the relationship. So I went on, year after year, discarding people, making friends, discarding people ( it helped that we moved around a bit). I think my first self realization of my strangeness was when I proposed changing my high school after another move, and in so doing, ending all my social relationships and in fact giving up everyone I had worked so hard to foster as a friend. I think I spent a couple of days thinking it over but it was my choice - Mum and Dad were kind enough to accept my wishes and I left University High School for Templestowe High. There the cycle started again. Later when I finished high school I also supported our parents decision to move away - and in so doing, cutting all my ties once again.

Then I moved to Brisbane and I had the privilege to spend some of my happiest times with Rohan and his new girlfriend Julie ( You know her - Sabella Jette’s mum!). I will comment about my Brisbane times on a future occasion but for now you will not be surprised to learn I did it again. I left and went to Malaysia. From there Japan and from Japan to Brazil. All along the way making friends who I lost or left (or both) bringing me to my present state of being. I am a husband and father (Albeit a step father) and I have a small circle of friends. I will not use names here as that could hurt some of them but I realize that I still have a difficulty for relationships. I have just returned from a birthday party for one of my colleagues and looking at their happy faces I felt guilty that I don’t feel closer to them or in fact that I would really miss them if I never saw them ever again. People who like me, accept me and welcome me into their lives, their hearts and their prayers. Who ask of me nothing more than my company and even that I often give begrudgingly. And so I feel ashamed of how little I feel for others.

I am a lucky person, though. Without any real hardship I have made my way from a child to an adult without ending up a bitter, lonely person. I am reasonably happy and healthy with a wonderful wife (Who I don’t deserve) and kid who isn’t a menace (though we’ve had some moments) and people who wish to enjoy my company. Why have I written this? What does it mean - in terms of being a Segal? For me it is how I am but for you reading this I hope this serves to help you understand why we here in Brazil are sort of the LOST SEGALS. I feel distanced from you all, not geographically, but by circumstances of my own design. I haven’t tried to get into your lives, find out who you are now as opposed to when I last saw you (in most cases years ago). The occasional email here or there or the odd web chat doesn’t count. I mean to be part of your lives, your families, and you a part of ours.

This was brought home to me when I saw the picture on the first page of this website - one of Tariq, Rohan, Raphael, Talia and Kaleb. I looked at it and felt jealous because I wasn’t in that photo. Then I felt guilty because I realized I wasn’t in it, because of the life I choose (being here in Brazil) but more importantly because of the time I let pass between us all. I felt like a stranger when Tariq and Marília came here with the kids this year. The kids would tell me stories of my brothers, their uncles and there I was - the “other” uncle with nothing to share with them. I felt like an adopted child - surrounded by people but feeling like an intruder.

Ane’s family is a big Italian family where everyone meets at least once a week to gossip and catch up. I go sometimes to these get togethers more to avoid being rude than anything else. Her family have tried hard to make me feel welcome but I feel like an intruder just the same. She asks me about you all, your lives, how your kids are, what you are doing and I don’t know what to tell her. When I was staying with Mari­lia’s family in Bragana Paulista I felt exactly the same. They made and effort to reach out to me, Ane and Rafa but sadly again I let things go too long without keeping in touch. I am sorry for how I am in this respect.

This Year the Segal tribe has grown again with Solomon and Sabella Jette coming along. Two more Segals I don’t know, and I don’t want to continue like this. As this year starts winding down I would like to ask you please - let’s make an effort to keep in touch. Let’s not permit a week to go by without hearing from each other. I have been in Brazil for six years now, and it’s been more than ten years since I gave up my life in Australia.. I don’t know if or when I will ever return to Australia. Brazil is not a rich place and I don’t doubt that I am probably the poorest Segal of the lot. As such I don’t really see how if ever I would return much less bring a family of three. Even so that doesn’t mean I wish to give up on my Australian family (And Marília that means you too!). I just ask that you help me to share your lives with ours. I in turn will try to let you know what we are up to even if we aren’t up to anything at all. I intend to start an online journal - a horrible blog To let you into our lives. It won’t be a daily thing - more based on when I have something to share with you and I may host it on the Segal Site if Raph and Tariq give me a bit of space.

So what is a Segal? To me a Segal is something I have lost. A Segal is family. A Segal is a connection to something greater than yourself. Being a Segal isn’t something you’re born into. It is something you must work at. Julie has Brazilian family because She is a Segal, as does Lydia and Marília and Ane. There is no more Segal nucleus for me as I consider the best characteristic of my brothers and of myself to be our superb taste in womenfolk. My wife works hard to turn me in a human being and I think Julie said it best a long time ago in Japan when we were ALL single still. She said she preferred the Segal girlfriends over the Segal boys - that the only thing we did right was picking women who help to bring out the best in us. You may take exception to that but I have to agree( at least in my case). So here we are a big Segal brood - multi lingual, multi national, living in different worlds and each marching to the beat of a different drum.

To end this message I would like to welcome Solomon and Sabella Jette to the Segal World but I feel I should get around to doing something I have put off for far too long. I would like to welcome Kiana as well. And Kaleb. And Talia. And Lydia, and Marília and Julie. I would like to introduce you to my wife Eliane - better known as Ane and my stepson Raphael known as Rafa. My wife is an English and Spanish teacher and Rafa is still at school but getting up to the right amount of mischief for a kid. We live in the city of Chapecó in the extreme west of Santa Catarina state here in the south of Brazil. I hope you will welcome them into the Segal Family and if there is still a bit of room, would you consider a lapsed member who would like to renew his membership even though he probably doesn’t deserve it.Sorry for being the Lost Segal. When I started out using the internet my ICQ name was “Damien The Lost”. Well I would like to see if I can change that to “Damien the previously missing but who turned up unexpectedly once again.” Who know’s? It’s long but kind of catchy. Well time to pick my heart off my sleeve and put it back where it normally stays hidden. I look forward to your comments on this but please don’t hassle me about using American english spellings.

Love to all the Segals old and new and I hope that 2002 is the start of great things for our clan.