I’m studying two Jewish families in the Russian Empire and I need some unbiased opinions on whether the evidence is strong enough to say they’re related.
In the 1795 Revision List (essentially a census) for the town of Bila Tserkva, there’s a family recorded: Leyb, son of Shmul (1745) His wife Reyzya, daughter of Zurakh (1750) Their children: Shlioma Zurakh (1773) Itsek Gersh (1777) Ios Mordko (1782) Ester (1786) Genya (1770) (married to Gerts Landa)
According to the census, Leyb’s occupation is trade in distilled/burnt wine (i.e. spirits).
The neighboring family, literally recorded right after Leyb’s household is: Khaim, son of Shmoyl (1750) Wife Makhlya, daughter of Morkhtko (1755) Their children: Berko (1786) Dobrushka (1785) Tsypra (1790) Volko (1781)
Khaim’s occupation is petty trade.
The basic question is; were Leyb and Khaim brothers?
Jews in the Russian Empire weren’t mandated to have surnames until 1804, so this census doesn’t yet give surnames for these families.
I don’t have access to the next census conducted in 1811. I’m not even sure it still exists.
I found the families again in the 1816 Census: Leyb and Reyzya are not recorded – likely already passed away. But, all their children remain together in the same household. The sons took the surname Mazur, referring to the family being originally from the Masovia region of Poland. The Landa family also still lives in this household.
Again, in the neighboring house, I found Khaim’s family. More specifically, just his son, Berko. His family took the surname Byalik, which refers to a person with fair hair or a pale complexion.
Also recorded in the 1816 Census is Berko’s older brother who was NOT recorded with the rest of the family in 1795: Shlioma Byalik (1774). Shlioma lived further away from his brother Berko and the Mazurs/Landas.
By the 1834 Census, the Mazur family started splitting up into individual households, but remained neighbors.
- Households #96 and #97 were Mazurs.
- Households #98 and #99 are the Landa family (remember that Leyb Mazur’s oldest daughter, Genya married Gerts Landa).
- #100 Berko Byalik
We see the same thing in the next census in 1850; Mazur, Landa, then Byalik all neighbors.
AND again in the 1858 census; Mazur, Landa, Byalik
With that being said, the evidence FOR the families being related are: 1. Khaim and Leyb were both sons of a man named Shmul / Shmoyl 2. Khaim and Leyb are only 5 years apart in age 3. For 63+ years, the two families were neighbors to each other. 4. Khaim and Leyb both had sons named Shlioma within a year of each other; Shlioma Zurakh Mazur born in 1773 and Shlioma Byalik born in 1774
Given how old the connection between these two families might be, it doesn’t surprise me at all that they took different surnames. In fact, I’ve seen plenty of examples where related families around this time period did this.
Counter argument: 1. Shmul / Shmoyl is a super common Jewish name, so it could be a coincidence that Khaim and Leyb both had fathers with that name 2. The families being neighbors could just be attributed to stable housing. In a time when life for Jews was difficult, it would’ve been unwise to move around or give up a house. It was common for multiple generations of families to inhabit the same house. 3. Same as argument #1, Shlioma is a super common name. So, it could just be a coincidence that they both had sons by that name. 4. There’s no explicit record that says the two families were related.
What do you think? Is the evidence for the families being related strong enough or does the counter argument win?
submitted by /u/FumingOstrich35
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Source: Reditt
