Skip Ancestry navigation Skip to Footer Ancestry Home
  • Home
  • Trees
  • Search
  • Memories
  • DNA
  • Subscribe
  • Cart
  • Sign In
Home
Loading

Trees you own

    Shared with you

      Tree tools

      • My Trees
      • First Name Meanings
      • Last Name Meanings
      • Individual Records Search
      • Family Trees Support
      • Start a New Tree
      • Upload a GEDCOM
      Loading
      • Search All Records
      • Census & Electoral Rolls
      • Birth, Marriage & Death, including Parish
      • Military
      • Wills & Probate
      • Immigration & Travel
      • Schools, Directories & Church Histories
      • Public Member Trees
      • Card Catalogue
      • Member Search
      Memories
      Loading
      • Register a kit
      • AncestryDNA® Learning Hub
      • Traits Learning Hub
      • AncestryDNA®
      • AncestryDNA® Support
      Loading
      • Support Centre
      • Ancestry Academy
      • Community
      • Hire an expert
      • Site Status
      Loading
      • Support Centre
      • Ancestry Academy
      • Community
      • Hire an expert
      • Site Status
      Discover More Family Names with an Ancestry 14-day Free Trial* 
      • Support Centre
      • Ancestry Blog
      • About Us
      • Site Map
      • Gift Memberships
      • Careers
        • Ancestry Corporate
        • Fold3.com
        • ForcesWarRecords.com
        • Geneanet.org
        • Newspapers.com
        • ProGenealogists.com
        • RootsWeb.com
      • © 2002-2026 Ancestry
      • Privacy
      • Cookies
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Operated by Ancestry Ireland Unlimited Company
      Group of people

      Meaning of the first name Zebedee

      Origin

      Hebrew

      Meaning

      Endowed by God

      Variations

      Zebedeo, Zebediah
      The name Zebedee has ancient origins rooted in the Hebrew language. Derived from the Hebrew word zeved, meaning gift, and Yah, a short form of Yahweh, which is the Hebrew name for God, Zebedee is translated to Endowed by God. This powerful and meaningful name has left its mark on history and continues to be used in modern-day.

      In biblical times, Zebedee was primarily known as the father of two of the apostles of Jesus Christ - James and John. He was mentioned in the New Testament as a fisherman and must have been an influential figure in their lives for them to leave their fishing business and follow Jesus. Zebedee's name has continued to be associated with this biblical narrative and holds significance within religious contexts.

      In modern-day usage, the name Zebedee has become increasingly rare but still retains its significance. Some individuals choose the name Zebedee for their children due to its religious connotations and its notion of being blessed or gifted by God. Furthermore, because of its uniqueness, the name Zebedee can bring an air of distinction and individuality to those who bear it. Despite being less commonly used, the name Zebedee remains a testament to its Hebrew heritage and its profound meaning of being endowed by God.

      Based on our records...

      Brown

      Brown

      This is the most common surname associated with Zebedee.
      Mary

      Mary

      This is the most common name of those married to a Zebedee.
      Zebedee

      Zebedee

      This is the most common name for a child of a Zebedee.
      Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. - © Mapbox - © OpenStreetMap - Improve this map

      What are you curious about?

      Ready to learn more about your own family? Here are two ways to begin.
      Start a free trial
      Order AncestryDNA
      calendar.webp
      Based on our records...

      Did you know?

      1873 is when there were the most people born with the first name Zebedee.

      Explore the origins of another name.