Jewish ancestors

[chris23005]

Cruz is indeed a name of one of my ancestors, but goes back on the side of Joseph Ruby's wife.

"Blush" - wasn't "Cruz", it was "Vaz" or "Vas" - I knew it had a "z" in it!

[JustinL]

Hello Chris,

Sorry about the delay. Too much going on at work.

You're quite right about the possibility that two Rachel's could have been cousins.

How do you know that Rachel's parents were Abraham Chaim V. and Sarah de Mattos?

That couple had nine documented children; none of the named Rachel. Do you have an approximate birth year for Rachel?

There appears to have been another possible brother, Isaac Vanano, in London in the late 18th century. He married Leah da Costa Andrade in 1790.

Rgds, Justin

[chris23005]

Know what you mean about work - doesn't it get in the way of family history research?!

Rachel's parents turned up on IGI record but I am not sure which numbers to give you so that you can see it! She was born around 1801 and died 1845 and oddly is listed as having two husbands, Joseph Rubey and Thomas Rubey so not sure if that is just because someone couldn't read the writing so put both names down! Joseph is definitely my ancestor though.

If you go to Family search IGI and type in Rachel Vanano, birth 1801 it throws up about four records.

[JustinL]

Chris,

My IGI search did not yield a single record!! Can you tell me in which batch number  the birth was listed? Was the birth an extracted or submitted record?

Justin

[JustinL]

Thought you'd find this interesting

"The surname VANANO is more currently known under the spelling WANUNU. It was found in Morocco especially in Marrakech and Mogador (now Essaouira).

The surname was recorded in Morocco from the XVIth century. Its meaning is: Wa= "son of" in Berber and NUNU- a diminutive form of the male Hebrew given name Nissim (= miracles)."

Furthermore, it is thought that Abraham Chaim Vanano married the non-Jew Hannah Cambridge.

Justin

[chris23005]

That's very interesting - where did you find that information? Especially the bit about Abraham Chaim Vanano marrying a non-jew. My possible ancestor's name is Abraham Haim Vanano so is slightly different. I also thought that the marrying outside of the Jewish faith was later, but evidence seems to be pointing to the fact that an earlier generation may have done so, otherwise Rachel wouldn't have been christened in a church.

I used this link to find the details about Rachel Vanano:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp

Type in Rachel Vanano, birth 1801 +/- 2 years and I got four records up, although I think some of them may be information submitted by another researcher. I don't get this information up when I use the normal FamilySearch website.

This is getting more and more interesting by the day ......... 

[JustinL]

Chris,

Haim is simply an Anglicized renderering of the Hebrew name Chaim (חײם); 'ch' is pronounced as in loch. This is one and the same man, Hannah being his second wife. The couple were recorded together in the 1841 census.

I have now found Rachel on the LDS site. Those records have been submitted by Angela Chambers as part of her Pedigree Resource File; only the marriage record appears in the IGI itself. Moreover,  there is no suggestion that she was christened.

Basically, you cannot rely on a PRF.

Go to this site http://histfam.familysearch.org/searchform.php and do a search for surnames starting with 'vanan' (or containg 'mattos') in 'British: Knowles Collection: Jews of the British Isles'

You can piece together the Vanano family from the records of the Bevis Marks synagogue.

The explanation of the surname was provided by a researcher on the JewishGen site.

Justin

[chris23005]

Wow! Thanks for all this, it has certainly shed a new light on it all and hopefully will clear up the mystery which has haunted the family for years! Interesting that Rachel died in 1845 but was not with her husband in 1841. Wonder what happened there then?

Even more interesting is that it seems I am descended from a mix of Jewish, non-Conformist "Chapel", and C of E faiths, not to mention a few who were just totally anti religion!!

You have been such a help - very many thanks, it is much appreciated!

Chris

[WendyBooker]

Hi Chris, I am attaching a section of our supposed family tree which clearly links with your own, but I am not sure how to clarify the enquiries you are making with ours.    Have a look and see what you think. 

Wendy