Jewish Genealogy: Periods of Mass Emigration and Immigration

By Rachel Silverman Author’s Note: This series focuses on Jewish genealogy in Eastern Europe and North America, and is intended to offer advice for researching families of Ashkenazi heritage. The information provided will not necessarily apply to Sephardi or Mizrahi genealogy. In my most recent post, I imparted a sad account of many—but not all—hardships that were placed upon…

Why Do Spanish Ancestors Have so Many Last Names?

By Nydia Hanna The surnames in Spanish families are tied to traditions of land, wealth, social status and religion. For a Spanish person, their whole name, including two surnames, correctly identifies them and their parents. This identity is deeply rooted in the histories of their ancestors and the names they carried. Spaniards believe that the…