Latvia Jewish records: 1876 - 1896

[garagecollective]

Hi everyone,

I'd love some general advice on where and how to look for records in Latvia between 1876 - 1896? Latvia was then part of Russia...

I'm researching Philip Josephs, who was born Feivel Ben Yacov, on 25 November 1876, in Liepaja (Libau). He was a tailor, and left for Glasgow sometime before 1896.

I'd love to find shipping records for his journey, or better yet, find out where he went to school or learnt his trade.

I realise this is a big ask, and resigned to the fact that I may not find much—but it's the best place to ask!

Thanks

[JustinL]

I would suggest that you contact JewishGen's Courland Research Group

http://www.jewishgen.org/Courland/

Unfortunately, it appears that very few records of the Jewish community of Libava/Libau/Liepaja survived WWII.

Search here http://www.rtrfoundation.org/archdta.shtml for Liepaja.

I trust you realise that ben means 'son of' in Hebrew. Feivel was the common Yiddish everyday name for the Hebrew name Meshulam.

Justin

[Peonie]

Found a site for Libau. It has house- and land book and an address book. Unfortunately it's in German.
http://www.libau-kurland-baltikum.de/index.html

Justin,  I had a quick look through the names and found quite a few Forename + sohn. As the books are all in German I wondered if Jewish names would have been written as such.

Regards Peonie

[JustinL]

Peonie,

You're right, there a lot patronymic surnames. Other Jewish records from the period 1845-1874 include many such names: Abrahamsohn, Ephraimsohn, Falcksohn, etc. Unfortunately, Josephsohn is not amongst them  . However, there are many other surnames too.

GC - I noticed that you have named Philip's parents in your other post (http://www.rootschat.com/links/0e51/) as Simon and Rachel. I would then have expected Philip's full Hebrew name to have been Feivel ben Shimon.

Where did you get your information from?

[garagecollective]

Thanks again everyone. I did not know the name's translation.

The name comes from his grandaughter, which in turn was written as a caption on a photo of Philip. It could be wrong though?

Jared

[JustinL]

Hello Jared,

Well, anything can be misread. Would you be able to lay your hands on a scan of the caption?

Although, in Hebrew/Yiddish, Shimon and Ya'acov are as different as they are in English.

How do you know his mother's name?

Justin

[JustinL]

Jared,

I have just stumbled across the online transcribed Jewish vital records for Libava!!!

Google 'Births Libava XXXX' (XXXX is a year, e.g. 1876) and you will find the records on the website www.premiumorange.com

I could not find a Feivel son of Yakov in that year of the years either side. You might want to try looking.

Justin