Jewish surnames. html>oi Israel Isserlein, who authored several essays on medieval Jewish life in Lower Styria, was the most important rabbi at the time, having lived in Maribor. Lithuanian Global Genealogical Society; Sources in Print [edit | edit source] A guide to Jewish genealogy in Lithuania Jewish surnames are family names used by Jews and those of Jewish origin. JewishGen Family Finder (JGFF) is a list of surnames and towns being researched by more than 96,000 genealogists around the world. More than 32,000 Jewish surnames with origins in that part of the Russian Empire known as the Kingdom of Poland or Congress Poland. Search the free database using information such as surname, given name, or any field. In 1397, Jewish ghettos in Radgona and Ptuj were set ablaze by anonymous anti-Jewish Responsibility by Lars Menk. (The name of the castle does not derive from Katze, "cat", but from Katzenelnbogen, going back to Latin Cattimelibocus, consisting of the ancient Germanic tribal Garnethill Synagogue in Glasgow. 1904 London, Synagogue Seatholders 1904 at Findmypast — index & images ($) GENUKI identifies several Jewish resources for London, including: The London Jews Database (pre-1850) Jewish Cemeteries in London. Its address is: A gazetteer of places, sources and indexes can be found at: Dutch Jewish Gen - Atlas. In 1797 Jewish registration in Bohemia came under Catholic clerical supervision. The surname, written in Spanish orthography as Pérez, is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Pero or Pedro (Peter)". Genealogy Institute CS 3010 . By the end of the twentieth century, approximately 270,000 Jews lived in the Jan 11, 2024 · Use the Standard Surname Database if you know your ancestor's given name, surname, or town name. View of Grodno from 1575. Ashkenazi (surname) Ashkenazi ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכְּנַזִּי) is a surname of Jewish origin. While most Jewish surnames based on toponyms were related to urban centers, Avram argues that these were places initially settled by immigrants who would adopt a surname at that time. Explore millions of records from around the world, identify relatives, discover the towns of your ancestors, experience how they lived, connect with our global JewishGen community, and more! Begin your research below, or use the links above. View this catalog record in WorldCat for other possible copy locations. Germans with the last name Katz may originate in the Rhine River region of Germany, where the Katz Castle is located. Małopolska Genealogical Society (MTG) – Variety of indexes (in Polish) Podlasie – Excellent locator map for parishes to obtain links. ) which existed between 1922 and 1991. Utah Jewish Genealogical Society. Chazanian, Chazanski, and Chasanov all derive from chazan, a cantor. ; 29 cm. Beider, Alexander. It also publishes a quarterly called Misjpoge (Family). The usage of Ashkenazi (lit. Family Tree of the Jewish People contains 800,000 names: IAJGS Cemetery Project has 400,000 names in 22,000 cemeteries worldwide: May 21, 2024 · The Knowles Collection, is a collection of records of the Jewish people from all over the world. Aug 3, 2023 · This session answers these and many more questions about Jewish first and last names. Taxation records, for the purpose of the imposition on Jews of the so-called Toleration Tax, give the name of the head of the household together with the number of members of the househol in various categories and the amont of tax assessed. Weinstein. A surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's Jan 15, 2014 · Out of the 500 surnames, 188 are Hebrew names (not foreign or non-Jewish), making up 37. Some taxation records are available on the FamilySearch Catalog . About 14,000 Jews were evacuated to Périgueux and Limoges in southwest France, and far from the German border. A short-form reference to the Soviet Union or to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U. Avotaynu also has a list of helpful internet sites, including the Consolidated Jewish Surname Index with about 700,000 Jewish surnames. The records cover about 100 years. org. More than 400,000 records for Germany, from a variety of sources, including: citizenship records, vital records, cemetery data, survivor lists, and Holocaust sources. Schwartz | 26. Schmidt: Schmidt is an occupational name referring to a blacksmith. ” American Jewish Historical Quarterly 65 (1975): 10–35. Not everyone with one of these last names is Jewish, and not all Jews in the United States — not even close to a majority of Jews — have one of them. Search results are displayed according to historical region (gubernia, wojewodztwo, etc. It is a popular belief [citation needed] that the Jews living in Portugal up to 1497, when they were forced to choose between conversion or expulsion, substituted their surnames with the names of trees that do not bear edible fruits, such as Carvalho (oak tree) and Junqueira (reed, bulrush, junk). A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Kingdom of Poland . [95] Jewish Roots in Poland: Pages from the Past and Archival Inventories is a book created by genealogist Miriam Weiner and co-published by The Miriam Weiner Routes to Roots Foundation and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. Ancestry. The primary aim of the project is to research the estimated 15,000 core families who migrated to Southern Africa between 1850-1950 from England, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia and Belarus. Podlasie & Lublin – Indexes also include Greek-Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and Jewish entries. JewishGen & JGSGB United Kingdom Database. Hayes 3 Jewish. Sephardi Jewish surnames can be a little harder to recognize because of their mostly Italian and Spanish spellings. t. Aaronovich; Jan 11, 2024 · Use the Standard Surname Database if you know your ancestor's given name, surname, or town name. The Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping members collect, preserve, and perpetuate the records and history of their ancestors. Another common origin for Jewish surnames is a "house name," referring to Sep 1, 2023 · Many Ashkenazic Jewish people in central and eastern Europe did not adopt fixed surnames until governments decreed them mandatory. In this book, Alexander Avram assembles and analyzes a corpus of more than 28,000 surnames, including phonetic and graphic variants, used by Jews in Romanian-speaking lands from the sixteenth century until 1944, the end Occupational name for one who grew or sold oats, derived from Old High German habaro "oat". This database is comprised of name lists from local historians and heads of Jewish communities, name lists from books, and name lists from various archives. Katz (surname) Katz is a common German Ashkenazi Jewish surname. surnames. The first revision list to include Belarus was the 4th revision in 1781. Members, as well as non-members, can look for their ancestors on the free searchable JGSI Jewish Chicago Database. , and the Russian Empire. It is commonly believed that "-sky" is a Jewish surname while "-ski" is not. Nowicki ( Polish pronunciation: [nɔˈvit͡ski]; feminine: Nowicka; plural: Nowiccy) is a Polish and Jewish surname. B419 Pages in category "German-language surnames" The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 4,529 total. To our English-speaking ears, it seems that Gordon would be Scottish, as it is indeed a common family name—as well as given name—among Scots and Brits. Leo Deutsch, revolutionary [44] Raya Dunayevskaya, founder of Marxist humanism in the U. Physical description xxviii, 796 p. For many diaspora Jews, immigrating to the Land of Israel and taking Jul 12, 2024 · JRI-Poland has indexed over 6. It’s probable that some . Take a look at the 10 most common German surnames and the meanings behind them: Müller: This is an occupational name meaning “miller. 5 days ago · 101 Most Common Jewish Boys Names in Israel in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017-2018, and 2019. S. He represented the Jews before the Hungarian royal administration and was responsible for the regular collection of the Jewish tax. Apr 26, 2024 · This began the gradual process of Jewish emancipation. 4 B Beider, A. More than 600,000 entries. Jews often added the names of their fathers or their mothers to their names, and still do today in religious situations, being called by their name “ben” (son of) or “bat” (daughter of) their parent’s name. The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 1,459 total. [45] Israel Fisanovich, World War II submarine commander and Hero of the Soviet Union. late 1700s, Poland in 1821 and Russia in 1844. In her 30+ years of experience in Eastern European archives, she collected vast amounts of information and material. Ornamental name adopted from a biblical place name meaning "altar, mountain of God" in Hebrew. Jan 11, 2024 · The Routes to Roots Foundation was created by Miriam Weiner, who is a genealogist specializing in the research of Jewish roots in Poland and the former Soviet Union. For more information on naming in the Jewish tradition, please see Jewish name. Mar 20, 2024 · The JewishGen Germany Database. An obvious issue is that the list consists of entirely Ashkenazi surnames, and would do poorly for Oct 17, 2023 · Jewish Genealogy. While many surnames are associated with Jewish people in the United States, there are only three surnames rooted in ancient Jewish culture: Kohen (or Cohen), Levy, and Israel. Most collections in this database cannot be found online elsewhere. Go to Jewish Genealogy Research Main Page. Jewish Last Names. ”. This list may not reflect recent changes . [1] A person who is born to a non-Jewish mother and a Jewish father is regarded as Zera Yisrael ( lit. Look up Nowicki in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Russian and Polish surnames are also often assumed to be Jewish surnames, for example names ending in -vitz, -witz, or -sky. Landsmanshaft records: Search Jewish archives for records of these societies of Jews from the same shtetl. blogspot. Feb 29, 2024 · 45 Jewish cemeteries exist in Argentina. of our families have had last names for 175 years or less. [2] Most Scottish Jews today are of Ashkenazi background who mainly 3. Jul 12, 2024 · These records are a foundational source in genealogical research as they provide names, ages, and relationships. Abraham, son of Isaac, would be known as Abraham ben Isaac, and Miriam, daughter. century. v. Cost: Free. [1] Supplemental Lists, also known as Family Lists, can be found ranging from about 1860 through the end of the nineteenth century. . Silverman | 29. Surnames of Mizrahi Jewish origin‎ (7 P) Surnames of Sephardic origin‎ (95 P) Pages in category "Hebrew-language surnames" The following 200 pages are in this Apr 18, 2024 · To get an overview send an email to: intro@jewishgen. פרסום ראשון: 01. Rubin | 25. International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Dec 6, 2023 · For example, the German last name Schnee means “snow. com has built a large Jewish collection through partnerships with JewishGen, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the American Jewish Historical Society, Miriam Weiner Routes to Roots Foundation, and the Arolsen Archives. : ill. Between June 1949 and September 1950, the overwhelming majority of the country's Jewish population Oct 17, 2023 · The South African Jewish database. Generally, Jews had lived comfortably with The question of Portuguese Jewish surnames. R. Discover your family history. The Utah genealogy society focused on Jewish research. We’ve partnered with JewishGen ®, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the American Jewish Historical Society, the Miriam Weiner Routes to Roots Foundation, Inc. [1] A searchable database of updated archival holdings listed in the book is available in the Archive Database on the Routes Mar 11, 2008 · For thousands of years, most Jews had simply been known by their given names, the word ben (meaning “son of” in Hebrew), and their fathers’ given names. Yiddish-language surnames‎ (526 P) Pages in category "Ashkenazi surnames" The following 49 pages are in this category, out of Alexander Beider, A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire (Teaneck, N. The history of the Jews in Scotland goes back to at least the 17th century. Sir Monty Finniston, industrialist, chairman of British Steel Corporation. These records are often gathered by individuals, other researchers, societies, or archives. In the mid 1800s a Jewish prefect was established. Jul 12, 2024 · JRI-Poland has indexed over 6. Shin, Eui-Hang and Eui-Young Yu. Russian-Jewish surnames‎ (22 P) Y. Teaneck, NJ: Avotaynu, Inc. The Russian Empire which was formed in the 1500s and officially proclaimed as such by Tsar Peter I in 1721. You must have some geographical and historical information. Mar 20, 2024 · Jewish Surname Customs [edit | edit source] Before the 1800s, the use of a surname by Jews was left to the discretion of the individual. Jewish surnames are thought to be of comparatively recent origin;: 190 the first known Jewish family names date to the Middle Ages, in the 10th and 11th centuries. [1] It comes from place names such as Nowice, which are derived from the Polish adjective nowy ("new"). Jan 29, 2024 · In his retirement, Jacob Rosen-Koenigsbuch is passionate about surnames. "Jews began trickling into Chicago shortly after its incorporation in 1833. Pages in category "Russian-Jewish surnames" The following 22 pages are in this category, out of 22 total. ). , 1993); Alexander Beider, Jewish Surnames in Prague: 15th–18th Centuries (Teaneck, N. Jan 11, 2024 · Use the Standard Surname Databaseif you know your ancestor's given name, surname, or town name. This list may not reflect recent changes. Yemenite Jews, also known as Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from Hebrew: יהודי תימן, romanized : Yehude Teman; Arabic: اليهود اليمنيون ), are Jews who live, or once lived, in Yemen, and their descendants maintaining their customs. Yakov Blumkin, Soviet spy [43] Naftali Botwin, revolutionary terrorist. 14, 00:16 comment send to friend share share Mar 20, 2024 · Jewish Surname Customs [edit | edit source] Jews followed the custom of using only a given name and the name of the father, such as Isaac, son of Abraham (Isaac ben Abraham). Also Sephardic Jews had surnames stretching back Dec 11, 2014 · Center for Jewish History: This is the online gateway to Jewish genealogical records and sites of other prominent organizations: the American Jewish Historical Society, YIVO Institute (East European Jewry), Leo Baeck Institute (German Jewry) , the Sephardi Federation (Iberian, Arabic, African Jewry) and the Jewish Genealogy Society of New York. Welcome to JewishGen - The Global Home for Jewish Genealogy. Search archives’ catalogs and websites such as JewishGen’s and the New York Public Library for Yizkor books. Sir Isaac Wolfson, businessman and philanthropist. Jun 3, 2022 · Crypto-Jews, also known as Marrano Jews, originated from the Sephardic Jewish community who resided mostly in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). , 1996); Alexander Beider, A Dictionary of Ashkenazic Given Names: Their Origins, Structure, Pronunciation and Mar 8, 2014 · Jewish surnames traditionally began as being patronymic; that is, the person’s surname was the father’s name. Background Information Sources. Further information on the collection including announcements of updates can be found at knowlescollection. JewishGen. Dec 8, 2022 · Jews had to take fixed surnames and a given name selected from a list of German names. ” Hazel Cosgrove, Lady Cosgrove, [6] first female Court of Session judge. Pages in category "Surnames of Jewish origin". Participants will learn about patronymic (father-based) surnames, geographic names, and profession names. Oct 17, 2023 · One of the most effective ways to locate Jewish records is by Subjects Search Many Jewish records are found under the subject headings Jewish History and Jewish Records. Cohens descend from the priestly caste — Cohen is the Hebrew word for "priest. " Levis descend from the priestly tribe of Levi. “The Utilization of Public Local and Federal Sources for Reconstructing American Jewish Local History: The Jews of Columbus,Ohio. Harry Woolf, Baron Woolf, barrister and judge. A. , 1996, 608 pp. These names originate with the Israelite tribes which bear the same name. In France and the Anglo Saxon countries surnames went back to the 16th. Jul 5, 2017 · Avotaynu is the most prolific publisher of Jewish genealogical books and articles, and it even has an e-zine about Jewish genealogy. In modern Rabbinic Judaism, the traditional method of determining Jewishness relies on tracing one's maternal line. They may include pedigree charts, correspondence, ancestor lists, research exchange May 29, 2024 · Some Jewish surnames may originate from professions that are exclusive to Jews. Feb 27, 2022 · Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST. All these Jan 14, 2014 · Ashkenazic Jews were among the last Europeans to take family names. Match ALL of the above (logical AND) Match Alexander Beider, A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire (Teaneck, N. Morris Childs (born Moishe Chilovsky), American communist and spy. Specifically, the last names of Jews who were living in the Arab world before the Mizrahi exodus in the middle of the 20th Jul 12, 2024 · JRI-Poland has indexed over 6. Surnames. , Avotaynu, 1993 Based on 6 years of systematic archival research, this work identifies 50,000 Jewish surnames from the Russian Pale of Settlement excluding Poland and provides their meanings and the specific localities where the names were found. Some German speaking Jews took last names as early as the 17th century, but the overwhelming majority of Jews lived in Eastern Oct 23, 2023 · The Knowles Collection (available online) reconstructs the families of many historic London Jews. In addition to access to deep databases and user-friendly search tools, it has tools for researchers to connect with others on a similar journey of family discovery. Jun 1, 1990 · Raphael, Marc Lee. (previous page) ( next page) Jewish surname. First/given/forename, middle, and last/family/surname with John Fitzgerald Kennedy as example. JGS of Argentina has burial records for eighteen of those cemeteries, a total of 157,850 names current through 1997. This shows a structure typical for Anglophonic cultures (and some others). They will learn about traditions of naming babies after honorees and using biblical and local sources. Jan 15, 2024 · Jewish Records. Shapiro | 27. Jun 3, 2024 · A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Russian Empire VREF 929. Several "Jewish courts" (Judenhof) existed in Styria, settling disputes between Jews and Christians. Sephardic Jewish surnames, on the other hand, were adopted when Sephardi settled in Southern Europe during the 1100s and have remained consistent Mar 13, 2019 · Surnames and ancestral towns being researched by 110,000 Jewish genealogists worldwide. Last names are a relatively new phenomenon. [2] The surname is somewhat more frequent in central Poland. Shmuel ben Moshe was, say, the son of Apr 22, 2014 · The two most common Jewish names are Cohen and Levi. Kinnui. Jews did not use fixed surnames until 1788 when another patent required them to adopt and use German surnames. Mizrahi is subsequently among the surnames most often changed by Israelis, and many scholars, including Avshalom Kor, claim that the transferring of the name Mizrahim was a form of Orientalism towards the Oriental Jews, similar to the ways in which Westjuden had labeled Ostjuden as "second class" and excluded them from possible positions of power. Immediately following the start of World War II on 3 September 1939, the French government started evacuating Jews from Alsace and Lorraine. This is the primary internet source connecting researchers of Jewish genealogy worldwide, JewishGen self-describes as the, “global home for Jewish genealogy. The Ashkenazic Jews followed a patronymic system until the 1800s, when they were forced to take surnames. J. According to halakha, the recognition of someone as fully Jewish requires them to have been born to a Jewish mother. Dec 8, 2022 · Jewish For Further Reading has a list of genealogy how-to books, both general and geographically specific, that give information about tracing Jewish ancestors. Those who had only been previously known by a patronymic such as Levi ben David or Miriam bat Solomon chose a name under which they would be known in their new country. The term Ashkenaz ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכְּנַז) refers to the area along the Rhine in Western Europe where diaspora Jews settled and formed communities during the Middle Ages . Some German speaking Jews took last names as early as the 17th century, but the overwhelming majority of Jews lived in Eastern Nowicki. Surnames Historical Development [edit | edit source] Jun 3, 2024 · This is a list of Jewish surnames. Explore the world’s largest collection of free family trees, genealogy records and resources. Other cultures use other structures for full names. Researchers should check the JGFF for Apr 27, 2023 · Many Jewish surnames became anglicized by transliteration or translation when families arrived in England or North America, for example David to Davis, Levi to Levin, Lucas or Lewis. Esta Henry, art and antiques dealer in the 20th century. In Austria The Emperor Joseph made Jews take last names in the. Harel הַרְאֵל Jewish. Many with the last name Glass, are of eastern European descent, where Glass is a shortened version of their original last name. , 1995); Alexander Beider, A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from the Kingdom of Poland (Teaneck, N. The Hebraization of surnames (also Hebraicization; [1] [2] Hebrew: עברות Ivrut) is the act of amending one's Jewish surname so that it originates from the Hebrew language, which was natively spoken by Jews and Samaritans until it died out of everyday use by around 200 CE. Requires free registration. Of these eighteen cemeteries, nine (of a total 11) are in the Buenos Aires area and nine (from 34 active ones) are in the country. 1 million Jewish birth, marriage, and death records from current and former territories of Poland. Using onomastic methodology to substantiate and complement historical research, Avram examines the historical development of these surnames, their geographic patterns, and the ways in which they reflect Romanian Jews' interactions with their surroundings. A survey in the 80s suggested 140 families in China bore six of the traditional Jewish surnames, with 79 in Kaifeng amounting to 166 individuals. It is also a Jewish surname, adopted by some Eastern European Ashkenazi in the nineteenth Discover your story in our Jewish family history records. It can be English, German, Russian/Slavic, Irish or Scottish. Siegel | 28. Also available on digital images. Lists 50,000 Jewish surnames from the Russian Pale of settlement. Surnames [edit | edit source] Most Common Surnames in Israel; FamilySearch's surname experience - enter your last name to find its meaning and origin Mar 20, 2024 · Taxation. Imprint Bergenfield, NJ : Avotaynu, 2005. As a Jewish surname it is ornamental. , the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the USC Shoah Foundation, and Arolsen Archives to create a JewishGen offers databases where you can find info on thousands of communities in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In ancient times, many people were known by their first name only. The term genealogy is used in this article and in the FamilySearch Catalog to describe a variety of records containing compiled family information. of Ashkenaz) as a surname In 1939, there were about 20,000 Jews living in Alsace and Lorraine. The surname Shamash, as well as its variations such as Klausner, Templer, and Shuldiner, means shamash, a synagogue sexton. A century later Chicago's 270,000 Jews (about 9 percent of the city's population) were outnumbered only in New York and Warsaw. According to Jewish tradition, all priests are descended from the first high priest: Moses’ brother Aaron. “Use of Surnames in Ethnic Research: The Case of Kims in the Korean-American Population. Matronymic name derived from the given name Chaya. , 1996); Alexander Beider, A Dictionary of Ashkenazic Given Names: Their Origins, Structure, Pronunciation and Mar 20, 2024 · The society Nederlandse Kring voor Joodse Genealogie (Dutch Circle for Jewish Genealogy) has published many transcriptions of records relating to Dutch Jews. This will help you focus your research in the correct place and time period. 6% of the list. During the Spanish Inquisition beginning in 1478, the Jews of those countries were forced to convert to Catholicism. 101 Most Common Jewish Girls Names in Israel in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017-2018, and 2019. The Family Tree of the Jewish People (FTJP) Data on more than eight million people, from family trees submitted by 6,000 Jewish genealogists worldwide. Add to. Glass (surname) Glass or Glaß is a surname with several sources. Aach • Aal • Aale • Aaron • Aaronheim • Aarons • Aaronsohn • Abarbanel • Abarbanel Sousa • Abarbanell • Abarlea • Abas • Abbas • Abbe • Abderode • Abecassis • Abecassis Cortereal • Abel • Abeldt • Abeles • Abelt • Abelsdorff • Abenatar • Abenatar surnames related to toponyms and certain occupations, establishing a Jewish presence in rural villages prior to the early-nineteenth century migration. The JewishGen Communities Database Surname. The last official census revealed about 400 official Jews in Kaifeng, now estimated at some 100 families totalling approximately 500 people. Pomorze (Pomerania) Genealogical Society (PTG) – Index of christening, marriage, death and cemetery records. While many of the Sephardic Jews fled the countries, others—now Mar 21, 2022 · Ashkenazi Jewish last names, therefore, refer to names bore by Jewish families that are spelled in either German, a Slavic language, or Yiddish (a Hebrew-Germanic language used solely by Ashkenazi Jews). Larger Jewish congregations began keeping records, which were not considered legal unless verified and approved by Catholic clerical authority. e. It is not known when Jews first arrived in Scotland, with the earliest concrete historical references to a Jewish presence in Scotland being from the late 17th century. Tax records, Familianten books, census records, vital records, burial records, and other civil and religious documents may tell the story of the transition from patronymics and nicknames to hereditary surnames. com. Apr 4, 2024 · Rosen | 24. Much of her data was originally published in Jewish Roots in Mar 20, 2024 · The country/kingdom of Russia existed within the Soviet Union, the U. Jan 13, 2014 · Ashkenazic Jews were among the last Europeans to take family names. Other subject headings that should be searched include: Church Records, Civil Registration, Concentration Camps, Genealogy, Holocaust, Inquisition, and Minorities. At the same time, the name Pedro derives from the latin name Petrus [1] , meaning "rock or stone". Mar 25, 2022 · The Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews are most obviously differentiated by their naming patterns. The resulting surnames dictionary brings to light a lesser-known chapter of Jewish onomastics. Schneider: This is an occupational name meaning “cutter,” referring to a Surnames in Dictionary of German-Jewish Surnames. Jan 17, 2018 · The JewishGen Family Finder (JGFF) is a compilation of surnames and towns currently being researched by over 110,000 Jewish genealogists worldwide. 15. It contains over 585,000 entries: 140,000 ancestral surnames and 18,000 town names, and is indexed and cross-referenced by both surname and town name. Includes list of surnames by the Daitch-Mokotoff soundex system. Most Jews did not adopt hereditary family names until required to do so by law. Jews in Germany followed the custom of using only a given name and the name of the father, such as Isaac, son of Abraham (Isaac ben Abraham). FamilySearch makes every effort to enable access dependent on decisions of record custodians and applicable laws. Jan 11, 2024 · Use the Standard Surname Database if you know your ancestor's given name, surname, or town name. Yet Gordon is also a bona-fide Ashkenazi family name (spelled גארדאן or גורדון), particularly widespread among Jews of Lithuanian descent (“Litvaks Linguistic and semantic features in names—and surnames in particular—reveal evidence of historical phenomena, such as migrations, occupational structure, and acculturation. This spelling difference, however, seems to have more to do with the source of the surname: Russia or Poland. lr bo hb nx oi tp ve af vb pq