Do you have, or think you have, Jewish Roots? [closed]

Question

We Welcome You to join the conversations of all of us who know we have them and those who don’t quite know if we have Jewish Roots!

Our chief goal is to support research into Jewish ancestors (known and rumored) of WikiTree members to clarify a person’s line into a solidly accurate family tree.
TO JOIN THE PROJECT:

Simply select "Answer" to this G2G Question and indicate your desire to join and introduce yourself including your focus of interest in Jewish Roots - surnames, locations.   

We have good links to resources that may help in your search on our Jewish Roots Project Page:https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Jewish_Roots

Of course, if you have ideas we haven't come up with (or ideas for a sub project you would like to undertake), we'd like to hear them.

And don't forget to follow the Jewish Roots G2G tag!

and, if you’d like, add the Jewish Roots Sticker to any records for profiles of persons of Jewish Heritage by cutting and pasting the following into the bio section:

{{Jewish Roots Sticker}}

Alternatively, you may use the Jewish Roots Category:

[[Category:Jewish Roots]]

Sometimes this is preferred if there are multiple templates or stickers on a profile. it is not necessary to add this when the sticker is used.

Update: here is the new join post, please post on it: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1582678/would-you-like-to-join-the-jewish-roots-project

Comments

Hi! In FtDNA I have 5% sephardic and 3% ashkenazi, and with my haplogroup j1b1b1, is all I know about my ancestors...I'm very happy to find somebody with my haplogroup...maybe we are relatives..I have no idea about my maternal side and I would love to see if I can find some informatio

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B"H
Shalom Ari. I think that our maternal ancestors were from the same Semitic tribe, which dates back 8,000 years to Iraq, Yemen, and Morocco well before the time of Avraham Avinu. Percentages Sephardic, Ashkenazi, and Mizrahi are interesting but according to  Halacha (Jewish Law) there are two ways to be Jewish. Either your mother was Jewish, you converted to Judaism, (or both). Percentages don't matter from a Halachic point of view. Genetic analysis may help to rule out or include hypotheses regarding lineage, but mtDNA determines whether your mother was Jewish. My mtDNA shows multiple Sephardic, Ashkenazi, and Mizrahi markers. I can go back about 10 generations to the Netherlands using genealogy. They were Huguenots, or at least they presented to the public this way to avoid persecution. To go back father than that requires an examination of history. Many B'nay Anusim (children of Jews who were forcibly converted from Judaism to the religion of their oppressors) took Huguenot names. We are very fortunate that we live in an era of technology when we can probe our past beyond where we can go with genealogy.

Whereas you don't know about your maternal side, I have lots of questions about my paternal side. Our family has an Italian last name but Y-DNA shows English ancestry and a descent from Sir John Field, the noted British astronomer.

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Marion, thanks for adding your comment. (And more important, I must say I wish I had a notable in my family history. But even that is really silly when I think again of all our millions of notations on this site who have given us all such strength, imagination, and rational perceptions.) We all need basically a rallying cry for perseverance and a feeling for what's accurate. And the will and insight to fix what mistakes we make.

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My mothers brother was raised by Jewish father, both buried in Jewish cemetery in west vancouver.

Aser and Vernon rothstein

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Hi! Just a few weeks ago I confirmed that one of my austrian great-grandmothers (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Margulis-37) was of jewish origin, though she later converted into christianity (I think it was to marry my great-grandfather, but there A LOT of conversions in Austria at the time 1900-1920, so I don't know). She later became a widow and emigrated to Argentina just before WWII.

 I was always taught to respect and cherish our jewish inheritance and all religious traditions in general (my other fore-parents were catholic, lutheran, freethinkers and even a couple of masons).

I'm now very interested in finding out what happened to the rest of her family. I haven't been tested for DNA yet, so I don't know my ethnicity for sure, but aparently her family was from Lemberg, Ukraine, before they moved to Vienna.

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You might check Jewishgen’s Ukraine database: https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Ukraine/

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I just discovered that my family has roots in Russia. We are of Jewish descent.  They migrated to the US before WWI. My great father was born in MI, USA however his father was born in Russia.  My last name has a German meaning, "fine-stone".  I am interested in learning more and or helping expand this community.  Information was found on the Manhattan census 1940.

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If you’d like, add the Jewish Roots Sticker to any records for profiles of persons of Jewish Heritage by cutting and pasting the following into the bio section:

{{Jewish Roots Sticker}}

Alternatively, you may use the Jewish Roots Category at the top of a profile before the Biography section header::

[[Category:Jewish Roots]]

Sometimes this is preferred if there are multiple templates or stickers on a profile. it is not necessary to add this when the sticker is used.

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I'm interested in joining the Jewish Roots project, as I have confirmed Jewish ancestry on my paternal side through DNA testing at Ancestry. My paternal line names are Rifkin and Gantz, hailing from Ukraine and Poland. I'm hoping to break through a brick wall in my research on the Gantz line.

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Great, Dustin. Welcome to the Jewish Roots Project. There are good sources for Ukraine and Poland research on our Project page.  I’ll get a badge to you.

Answer 1

I have been searching for a Jewish connection in the Schaeffer line...the earliest family lore says they were German and immigrated (possibly via Prussia) to PA, moved to OH and ended up in IA.  John A. Schaeffer (b.abt 1766 GER - d. 1851 IA).  His son George A. Schaeffer (b. 1791 PA - d. 1875 IA). His son Henry Israel Schaeffer (b.1828 OH - d. 1902 OR) was my G-G Grandfather...His middle name is what started me on this search.

I have not done the DNA testing, but am hoping to do it soon...that might be the next step to confirm or deny the connection.

Comments

Yes, David, I’d suggest you do the DNA testing to confirm or deny your connection.  The name Israel doesn’t mean much by itself.  I have a 100% Swedish ancestor with that name.  I believe many Christians used it.

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Learned some time ago and likely it's still accurate:  The DNA TEST is the same one used between one site and another, or put differently don't hope for much if anything NEW between sites. (Not sure how to check that out!except to watch what happens.) So carefully choose the site you want to be tested on. Ancestry.com is a business and always wants money. FTDNA is a website that exists for testing purposes; it did NOT charge (the last time I looked) for most of what they give us (details forgotten, sorry). So please keep this in mind while you continue searching, and LET US KNOW if the situation has changed. Go slowly, as part of being smart.

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Hi David, I am investigating the same issue. I have family ancestors with given names like Moses, Aaron, and Mordechai, usually in alternating pairs (e.g., several generations of father-son named Moses/Aaron/Moses/Aaron), and three generations of Mordechai's. Of course, a Christian could certainly bear these names from the Hebrew Bible, it just seems more indicative of some sort of Jewish identity. 

Their last names included Mendenhall, Schoemaker/Schumacher, Cooke, Ellis, and others. Ostensibly, they were Quakers. Some of the ancestors (e.g., surnamed Cassel) came at the behest of William Penn to escape religious persecution in continental Europe in the mid-seventeenth century. I have at least one document that claims that one of the families (surname Op den Graeff, related to the Schumacher's) who came from Holland "were Spanish or Portuguese Jews" escaping the Inquisition. My theory is that some of members of these family were crypto-Jews, and they found refuge in the Quaker community, which did not require statements of faith. They settled in the backwoods of North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and eventually, Ohio, with my most recent branch settling in Cincinnati, before coming West. In the 1930s, when my great-grandmother married my great-grandfather (heir to this Cincinnati family) if his family was Jewish (a strange question to ask at that time, no doubt), his mother replied, "We don't ever discuss that," or "Don't ever bring that up again."

But it's come down to me to indeed bring up this buried issue.

Did you ever test your DNA? DNA is not conclusive, but it can give you leads. I was not satisfied with 23&Me, FTDNA, or MyHeritage, but I would recommend DNA Consultants. They are a company out of Colorado, and they go a bit deeper, claiming to get at the autosomal DNA (whereas they claim the other companies only do mitochondrial or Y-DNA). It's also a bit steeper, but it will definitely show if you have markers for Jewish ancestry (I think they have like 7 different Jewish reference populations, as opposed to the other companies' 2 – Sephardic and Ashkenazic). 

Let us know what you find! Feel free to reach me at joshuajohnson555 at gmail dot com

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I have done the DNA testing and the folks at that other Genealogy site tell me that I have no Middle-Eastern ancestors!

Answer 2

My girlfriend had Jewish roots, but we were never able to marry before she died.  I don't know the name of her infant son that died either.

Comments

I’m truly sorry for your loss.

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Such sadness stays with us for years. My heart is with you, too, David. Through genealogy you should be able to find some facts. Have you tried that for this important woman in your life? (No need for an answer here--unless you think that someone may indirectly be helped in their own search.)

Answer 3

Yes I have Jewish roots. I'd love to participate in the project. Cari

Comments

Welcome, Cari!  We’re pleased to have you.  I’ll make sure you get a Jewish Roots Project Badge.  Visit the resources on our Jewish Roots Project page to help in your research.

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Cari, please let our group know what your research interests are within your Jewish Roots. We are all kin indirectly but more directly within our compact group. My Jewish roots came from my father, born in Germany and immigrated here when he was four. Those roots had to have come from his anonymous father. I so regret that people post "anonymous" when they don't know anything more. There's never an actually closed family line, and we need to know how to research more for our closed doors ancestors, not less.  It's just that the later post-ers didn't know how to research more information.

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Hi Roberta.  My mother's family was Jewish, primarily from Germany but also from England and Austria.  Many relatives were lost in the Holocaust.

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Cari, I've just now (!!argh!) found your note above. My father Rudolf Berg (his mom was Anna Elisabeth Berg) had to have been the source of my Jewish roots. HIs family was also from Germany, and by extension his ancestors (recent or past) had Jewish members.

I haven't tried to research them because I don't know how to connect with his family's Jewish lines. I'm guessing doing that work will/would be easier than I think it will. Can you or/and some others here give me a few sure steps to start that research?

I simply do not know how to start.

Answer 4

Hello  My name is Lynn Cremona.  My  DNA results from "My Heritage" indicates that I have Sephardic and  Ashkenazi DNA as well as North African, Iberian, Italian,Greek Middle Eastern, North and West European DNA.   My Father's side of the family is Italian and Czech, my Mother's side is Sicilian.  I am interested in researching my Jewish Roots.

Comments

Welcome, Lynn

You’ll find good research links on our Jewish Roots Project Page.  I’ll get a badge to you.

Answer 5

I do not have Jewish roots but my wife did.

I am interested in the name Weismann

I  am certain about Wilelm Weismann born in Mainz 27th July 1854

died London 27th February1905,

I am less sure about  Moses Weismann born 1783

If you do not already have the information I fll info. I can snd to you

more.

Peter

Comments

Thanks, Peter
You should add what you have, with sources, to Wikitree.  You could add your wife, and keep her anonymous, and then add her ancestry as much as you can.  The collaborative nature of Wikitree will let others work on your Weismanns.

Answer 6

My family has always believed that we had Jewish roots.  My paternal Grandfather was adopted, so until very recently we knew very little other than 'family lore' about his birth mother or father.  Through DNA I now have a path that leads back to a rich Jewish ancestry (It it is correct) so I'm doing extensive research to try and verify the connections.  On my mothers side, the Davidson line is well documented to ancient Scotland and I'm attempting to verify the "When Scotland was Jewish" book and lineage.

I have several specific links that I would love to verify.  In particular, the "Theuderic" line from 720 to 805.  If my current research proves out, a connection to the Exilarchs would be beyond thrilling to me.  I'm a near professional researcher, so just being pointed to the right sources would be deeply appreciated.

Would be very happy to be a part of this project.  Bob Sullivan

Comments

From one Bob to another, welcome!  I’m afraid we don’t have reliable records as far back as the 8th century, but you may find useful info on our Jewish Roots Project page.  I’ll get a badge to you.

Answer 7

According to 23andMe, I have Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.  Nobody in my family was aware of this, however my mother was adopted.  I'm also a carrier for one of the genes for Tay-Sachs Disease.  I'm very interested in learning anything I can.

Comments

Hi Angie, 

Without information about your mother’s biological ancestry, it will be a very difficult line to trace, but we’re happy to welcome anyone who is interested. Visit our Jewish Roots Project  page, if you haven’t already.  I’ll get a badge to you.

Answer 8

I think I may have Jewish roots because of my surnames RUIZ and ALVAREZ

Comments

Hello Jose

Last names alone don’t necessarily indicate Jewish origin. Check out the Sephardic.gen website  for the Spanish-Jewish connections.

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I also have 1% Ashkenazi Jewish in my DNA according to 23&Me.

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And I’m afraid 1% simply isn’t enough to trace.  Even if it’s not a statistical error, ot would be so far back in history to be nearl untraceable.

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B"H

Thanks for the tip about Sephardic.gen, Robert, and also for your service to the Jewish Roots project.

Answer 9

Yes I am jewish, I was born in Israel to my jewish parents.

My name is Hanna Freeman

Comments

Welcome, Hanna

We’re pleased to have you join the Jewish Roots Project.  Your ancestry will be a valuable asset to Wikitree and the Jewish Roots family.  I’ll get a badge to you.

Answer 10

Yes on my Mother's side. From the Grodno region of Poland/Belarus and Iasi and Berlad, Romania. My Father's side is from Naples and Toritto, Italy

Comments

You might find some help, if you need it, in the Research section of the Jewish Roots Project page.(https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Jewish_Roots).  If you wish to join the Project, you’ll need to log on to Wikitree..

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Yes, I'd love to join, thank you!

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But once again, you’ve signed on anonymously. I can’t add you to the group without a Wikitree ID, because I don’t know who you are.

Answer 11

Happy to join

Comments

And happy to have you.  I’ll get a badge to you.  Please add a bit about your interests/Jewish ancestry, etc. on our Project page, or here.

Answer 12

I have a suspicion that I have Jewish ancestors. My ancestor, Abraham Baum, came to America sometime before 1730. Although his descendants married British-American women, obscure Old Testament names appear everywhere in the family. So, if they were Jews, they were obviously a bit secular.

Comments

And don’t forget that Old Testament Biblical names were, and are, very common in Christian families as well. Look at all the Sarahs, Rachaels, and Hannahs around today.

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True. It's just that some names like Lemuel and Hiram don't seem to be very common in American families. Do you suppose there is a chance of Jewish origins at all?

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Of course, there’s a chance, but there are already 11,521 Wikitree profiles with Hiram as the first name—just as an example.  Try some of the other old names in tne Wikitree search box  I live in southern Appalachia, and believe me, those old Biblical names are alive and well—in 7th generation Baptist families!

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Thank you!

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These Old Testament names were very common in non-Jewish families, particularly revived after the Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s. Names like Lemuel and Hiram should not be taken as evidence of Jewish ancestry. I don't think I've ever encountered a Jewish person with either name -- much more common to meet Itzhaks, Cheskis, and Moises.

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Hi Brendan, I think you may be on to something. I have several generations of ostensibly Quakers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina with first names including Moses, Aaron, Mordechai, as well as other Hebrew names such as Eli and Rachel. These families seem to practice endogamic marriage patterns (i.e., marrying cousins, and marrying members of the same families), and the Hebrew names, while not sure proof, are to me circumstantial evidence. I also have oral testimony, and at least one documented letter that suggest members of these families were Jewish/crypto-Jews. I believe they lived as Quakers because that faith was a safe haven for them and did not require a strict statement of belief. I need to somehow add my tree here, but I don't want to duplicate the work that's been done on FamilySearch and Geni. Have you had any updates?

Answer 13

I would like to join the Jewish Roots project. Yes I have Jewish ancestry which has been confirmed on my paternal side by DNA testing at 23andMe, Family Tree DNA and Ancestry.  Paternal line names: Wolf, Adler, Halpern,Schwartz and others.  From Germany and Romaina.  Trying to break through the brick wall for the Wolf line

Comments

Welcome, Ken

You’ll find good research links on our Jewish Roots Project Page.  I’ll get a badge to you.

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Ken Wolf, Please let us know what you find. I too have Jews in my father's side, which he didn't seem to know. (I never thought of asking him, all those years, no, decades, ago.) That generation (b. about 1907) was not talkative, especially about the "personal" past. I once asked him a leading question while he was driving me somewhere (nothing like privacy!) and he very definitely avoided my question (a crying face goes here!).

Answer 14

I am a descendant of the 5th generation of Helena Harpart who was listed as Jewish, according to the grandma 6 Mennonite genealogy database. 

<pre>

Helena Harpart   

• Born 2 January 1792 - Glugowko, Schwetz, Prussia
• Died 7 November 1834 , age at death: 42 years old

Parents

• Michael Harrpath 1758-1795
• Ancke Dircksen 1758-1796

Spouses and children

•  Married 7 April 1811, Deutsch Konopat, Schwetz, Prussia, to Jacob Pankratz 1784-1813
•  Married about 1814 to Peter Unruh 1786-1848 with
  •  Maria Unrauin 1815-1815
  •  Katharina Unruh 1819-1899
  •  Peter Unruh 1822-1900
  •  David Unruh 1824-1862
  •  Helena Unruh 1828-1901
  •  Heinrich Unruh 1831-1907

Siblings

•  Ancke Harparth 1783-
•  Sarcke Harrpath 1784-
•  Maricke Harparts 1787-
•  Trincke Harpart 1789-1843

Notes

Individual Note

P1338 Her marriage to Peter Unruh is not listed in her entry in "Church Records". Helena Harpart is reported to have been Jewish.
Church Records of the Old Flemish or Groeningen Mennonisten Societaet in Przechowko, West Prussia.

</pre>

Comments

Thanks for this, John.  The genealogy you posted seems to have lnks, but I can’t get anything to connect.  Have you entered this in Wikitree?  There seem to be no Harparths or Harparts there.  And I don’t quite understand “reported to have been Jewish”.  Reported when, by whom?  Could you provide a link to that Mennonite Society in West Prussia?  I’m sure other researchers would benefit.

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I am sorry for the links that do not work. I copied from the geneweb program that is available only inside my house and did not realize that the links would copy too.

I saw this Jewish connection to my family tree as an interesting curiosity. The Mennonites were a religious minority and were often expelled from the places where they lived. They sometimes ended up in the same locations as Jews because those were the locations that had some degree of religious toleration for a time. My understanding, although I have not seen it myself, was that the Mennonite church book mentioned that my ancestor was a Jew. Sometimes non-Mennonites were removed from the church book. The church book, if it still exists, is likely to be in a Mennonite archives at Bethel College in North Newton, KS, US.

The grandma database is for sale at https://www.grandmaonline.org/gmolstore/pc/Purchase-Grandma-d4.htm and I only have an old version I purchased years ago. I converted the GEDCOM of the database  into a geneweb database.

I hope some of this is interesting even if not useful.

John Moyer

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<pre>

Ancestry of Helena Harpart

Up to the 8th generation.

• Generation 1
  • 1 - Helena Harpart 1792-1834
• Generation 2
  • 2 - Michael Harrpath 1758-1795
  • 3 - Ancke Dircksen 1758-1796
• Generation 3
  • 4 - Michael Harrpart 1720-1777
  • 5 - Ancke Schmidten 1731-
  • 6 - David Dircks ca 1738-
  • 7 - Elscke Ratzlaff
• Generation 4
  • 8 - _____ Harparth
  • 9 - ? ?
  • 10 - Michael Schmidt 1694-1751
  • 11 - Trudcke Bullers 1702-1746
  • 12 - David Dircks ca 1699-
  • 13 - Sarcke Schmidt 1701-
  • 14 - Peter Ratzlaff 1689-1775
  • 15 - Sarcke Schmidten 1701-
• Generation 5
  • 20 - Kasper Schmidt 1664-/1719
  • 21 - Ester Thoms ca 1669-
  • 22 - _____ Buller
  • 23 - Dina Thoms
  • 26 => 20
  • 27 => 21
  • 28 - Hans Ratzlaff 1661-
  • 29 - _____ _____
  • 30 - Ehrenst Schmidt
  • 31 - _____ _____
• Generation 6
  • 40 - _____ Schmidt ca 1640-
  • 41 - _____ _____
  • 42 - Jacob Thoms
  • 43 - _____ _____
  • 44 - Heinrich Buller ca 1580-1615/
  • 45 - _____ _____ ca 1580-1615/
  • 46 => 42
  • 47 => 43
  • 56 - Hans Ratzlaff ca 1630-ca 1689
  • 57 - _____ _____
  • 60 => 40
  • 61 => 41
• Generation 7
  • 84 - _____ Thoms
  • 85 - ? ?
  • 112 - Hans Ratzlaff ca 1590-ca 1704
  • 113 - _____ Voth ca 1611-
• Generation 8
  • 226 - _____ Voht ca 1586-
  • 227 - _____ _____

Total: 37 individuals

</pre>

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It is also possible that her Jewishness was through her first husband. 

The links will not work.

Jacob Pankratz   

• Born 9 August 1784 - Przechowka, Schwetz, Prussia
• Baptized 9 August 1801 - Przechowka, Schwetz, Prussia
• Died 28 February 1813 - Deutsch Konopat, Schwetz, Prussia , age at death: 28 years old

Parents

• Peter Pankratz 1753-1789
• Sarcke Unrau 1762-1815

Spouses

•  Married 7 April 1811, Deutsch Konopat, Schwetz, Prussia, to Helena Harpart 1792-1834

Siblings

•  Peter Pankratz 1786-
•  _____ Pankratz 1788-1788
•  Ancke Pankratzen 1789-1790

Half-siblings

On 's side Sarcke Unrau 1762-1815

with Hinrich Ratzlaff 1768-1851  Ancke Ratzlaff 1791-1815  Heinrich Ratzlaff 1797-1806  Andreas Ratzlaff 1799-1873  Behrend Ratzlaff 1805-

Notes

Individual Note

P736 "Church Records" p. 53 gives a death date of 26 Feb. and age of 29 years, 6 months, 17 days. "Church Records" p. 56 says he married while resident at Przechowko.

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Thanks, John, for all the work you’ve put in to researching your family.  I hope you can add this to Wikitree.

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I feel it's necessary to comment on the gigantic font size of your posts, John. You must know how overbearing that size type can be. So a suggestion: why don't you Select all the oversize type and tell it to slim down to a 12 point.  It would be a relief and I'll give you thanks in advance.

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Sorry. I did a copy and paste and did not realize that it specified a font size.

Answer 15

I have Jewish roots. My paternal 3X Great Grandfather, John Phillip Nelson, was Jewish. He was born in Emmendingen, Germany  in 1800. He is listed in the Nelson family line on the Jewish Geneology website. He owned a soap and tallow factory in Hagenow until 1850 when he sailed with his family on the Helena Sloman for the USA. He drowned at sea but the family all survived. Family lived briefly in New York, Cincinnati, Kentucky, and then Nashville, Tenn. My 2X Great Uncle Charles Nelson became a millionaire from his Nelson’s Greenbrier Distillery. My 2X Great Grandmother traveled with her family to Kansas and farmed land there throughout the dust bowl days. Descendants have included engineers, musicians, scientists, lawyers, social workers, authors, pilots, and livestock specialists....

Comments

Good work, Karen!
I hope you’ve added all this to your Wikitree profiles.  You weren’t signed on to Wikitree when you sent this, so I can’t get you a badge until you do.  If you don’t yet have an account, it’s free forever to everyone.  Please let me know

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I have an account so, hopefully, this response is adequate to have the badge added. I need to do more work on my tree to have all my information recorded on this site.

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That will do it.  You’ve got the badge.  And welcome to the group!

Answer 16

Another site helped me trace one of my family lines all the way back to 400 and something B.C. to the Jewish Tribe of Levi, so I have Jewish roots, but they are VERY deep, back before there were last names.

Comments

Be very wary of any ‘data’ that old. If there ever were records, they’re long gone, leaving unverifiable stories, mythology, and rumour.  Theoretically, all people are related, but Wikitree is interested in sourceable data.

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Yeah, there's no really verified genealogies that crack the BCs. A couple of the Irish kingly genealogies go back about that far with some degree of certainty, and maybe also some of the Chinese Imperial clans? Even Charlemagne's ancestry can only reasonably be traced back to the middle of the 6th century. Of course, that doesn't stop people from concocting fanciful genealogies with Romans and Alexander the Great and all that...

Answer 17

My grandfather Clifford H. Paulk was said to be English Jew. My sister did an Ancestry dna study and it showed 1 percent Jewish ancestry.

Comments

If your grandfather was indeed Jewish, you and your sister would have much more than 1%.  And I’m afraid 1% simply isn’t enough to trace.  Even if it’s not a statistical error, ot would be so far back in history to be nearly untraceable.

Answer 18

The DNA results from "My Heritage" indicates that I have 2.9% Ashkenazi DNA. I am curious to find out where my Jewish roots originated from.  Hendrik Graham

Comments

At 2.9%, you’re looking for a great great great grandparent or older—a formidable task even if you have some idea which branch to follow.  Start with what you know and work steadily backward.  You might get lucky.

Answer 19

Hi!

According to information passed down by one of my family members, my 3rd great grandfater, Jacobus Berning ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Berning-996 )was of Jewish descent.

According to information passed down in the family, he was "of Polish-Jewish descent and from a region bordering Russia".

Apparently they also spoke Yiddish and Afrikaans (one of the official languages in South Africa ) in their home.

I've been trying to search for information to verify all of this, but have yet to find any information on him.  He definitely isn't part of the Berning family who came to South Africa early on.  What also makes it difficult is, that if he was indeed Jewish, he might have had another name.

I've been doing my own research, trying to create a timeline to see if this would be possible and during the time I estimate he came to South Africa, there was a influx of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania (which borders Poland and the Kaliningrad area of Russia)

Kaliningrad was formerly know as Konigsberg and had a large Jewish population.

A lot of the Jews came to the diamond fields of Griekwaland-Wes (the area where my grandfather lived).   He was a diamond prospector.

As you can see, it seems like the information fits (but it's easy to make a story fit if you want it to.)  

I'm still searching for evidence of our Jewish heritage and hope to someday find it.  I don't think I'll ever be able to stop looking.  Until I find it, I'm enjoying the abundance of new things I'm learning with regards to Jewish history in South Africa.

Regards

Comments

An interesting story for sure. It seems unlikely, to me at least, that your 3G grandfather’s family spoke Afrikaans in eastern Europe. It only became a named language distinct from Dutch in the late 1700s and then only on South Africa.
You might check jewishgen.com.  They have databases for Poland and Russia, among others.  The Yiddish version of Jacobus is Yaakov.
If you’d like to join the Jewish Roots Project, let me know.

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You are truly knowledgable, Robert. Thanks!

Answer 20

Yes, my grandmother was Jewish and my DNA shows 25% European Jewish. My great grands came to the US in the 1800s. I don't know much about their parents at all. Surnames are Dinner and Greenhood. I'd like to participate in the project. I didn't know my grandmother was Jewish (she converted at marriage) until after she died.

Comments

Welcome, Carol! I’ll get a badge to you. Visit our Project page: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Jewish_Roots  If you haven’t already.