German Jewish immigration to England 1700s - COLMAN family

[jonwicken]

I wonder if anyone may be able to assist me with an enquiry I have on my apparent Jewish ancestry.

My mother's maiden name is Colman and there were stories passed down various family lines that the first Colman came over to England in the 1700s from Germany and were of Jewish descent.

Until now I had no evidence to prove or disprove what could have been a distorted family tale, however the family can now be traced back to an Alexander Colman in the Surrey 1841 census.

Here his birthplace is given as F for 'Foreign parts' and thus it seems there is indeed a foreign link.

From this census and his later 1847 death certificate, Alexander Colman is known to have been born abroad between c1750-1753. His age at death is given as 96 but he is 88 in the 1841 census.

I would love to know more about all this and someone has recently informed me of the Jewish Naturalization Act of 1753 and suggested he could have come over then. I have no idea how to proceed with this search however.

I do not know if Alexander Colman came over on his own or with his parents. All I know is that he married a woman called Hannah from Surrey and in 1802 they had a son called Alexander baptised in an Anglican Church. This is their only known child and I have yet to find their marriage.

I presume at some point prior to 1802 Alexander senior must have left the Jewish faith, or maybe just his son was baptised in his wife's religion.

I would very much love to find out more but have no idea how I may do so. I wonder therefore if anyone may be able to point me in the direction of possible sources to see if I can trace them further? Are there naturalisation records? Or strangers records as with the Huguenots?

It has been suggested the name was modified from something along the lines of Kohlman, but there could be other spelling variants.

Any assistance would be gratefully received.

Kind regards,
Jon

[JustinL]

Hello Jon,

The family story is entirely feasible. Indeed, the database of Jewish Community Records of the UK (JCR-UK) includes Alexander Colman, merchant of Mincing Lane.

He has been included in the database on the strength of his name.

Colman was also more commonly written as Coleman and it is an anglicisation of the Yiddish given name Kalman; the original Hebrew name being Kalonimos.

Both Alexander and Kalonimos were names that were absorbed into the Jewish name lexicon during the Hellenistic and Hasmonean Periods (332 - 63 BC). Kalonimos is itself a simple Greek calque of the Hebrew name Shemtov which means 'good name'.

Very few Jews from continental Europe would have had surnames in the 18th century. German Jews were commonly identified by the use of a patronymic name whereby an individual's father's name was simple appended to the individual's forename as a sort of surname. So, Alexander the son of Kalman, become known to the secular authorities as Alexander (or Sender) Kalman.

Can you perhaps tell us where the family were living in 1841 - Mincing Lane? And where the son was baptised?

Justin

[jonwicken]

Thank you so much for your email and the information it contained which was of great interest to me.

I am somewhat intrigued about the database of Jewish Community Records of the UK you mention. The Alexander Colman, merchant, is indeed my ancestor as he is the son of Alexander Colman born c1751.

It was said that the family were from near the Danish border, but this could not have necessarily been completely true and perhaps they were to trying to separate themselves from Germany due to the wars.

This is what I know about the two Alexander Colmans:

ALEXANDER COLMAN (c1751-1847)

Birth
abt 1750-1753
'Foreign Parts', presumably Germany
(1841 census indicates abt 1752-1753, burial indicates abt 1750-1751)

Marriage
bef 1802
to Hannah [maiden name unknown]

Residence
6 June 1841, aged ‘88’ years
19 Devonshire Street, Lambeth, Surrey
[Transcribed on ancestry.com as Aley Calman]

Widowed
bef 18 May 1844
Death of Hannah Colman, aged 79 years.
She is buried at St Mary-at-Lambeth.
Her address at her burial is given as Princes Square
  
Death
bef 13 December 1847, aged ‘96’ years
272 Albany Road, Camberwell, Surrey, England, aged 96 years

Burial
13 December 1847
St Mary at Lambeth, Surrey

[Continued in next message as too many characters for rootschat...]

[jonwicken]

[...continuation of previous post]

ALEXANDER COLMAN (1802-1890)

Birth
13 August 1802
Westminster\Piccadilly\London, Middlesex, England
(Date from baptism entry. 1851/61 census state Westminster, 1871 London & 1881 Piccadilly)
       
Baptism
26 August 1802
St James Westminster, Middlesex
(As son of Alexander & Hannah. No occupation or address is given on the baptism)

Marriage to Ann Habben
5 January 1820
St Mary at Lambeth, Lambeth, Surrey
Witnesses: D. Habben & Harry Franklin
[Her father and brother-in-law]

Residence
25 October 1825
[?Fard] Terrace, St Mary's, Lambeth, Surrey.
(Daughter Eliza's baptism entry)

Occupation
28 October 1825
Merchants Clerk
(Daughter Eliza's baptism entry)

Residence
9 December 1827
William Street, Parish of St Mark, Kennington, Surrey.
(Son George's baptism entry)

Occupation
9 December 1827
Clerk of an Office
(Son George's 1827 baptism entry)

Residence
10 April 1831
Lambeth, Surrey. Presumably parish of St. Mary Newington.
(Baptism of Son Alexander who was born 1823)

Occupation
10 April 1831
A Clerk
(Baptism of Son Alexander who was born 1823)

Insurance
14 September 1836
Alexander Colman, 9 Mincing Lane, merchant
(MS 11936/554/1231480)

Insurance
13 October 1836
Alexander Colman, 9 Mincing Lane, merchant.
Other property or occupiers: Lower Thames Street
(Guildhall Library MS 11936/557/1231974)

Residence
4 June 1841
Albany Road, St Giles Camberwell, Surrey, England
(With wife and sons Edward & George).

Occupation
4 June 1841
Merchant
(1841 census)

Residence
30 March 1851
14 De Beauvoir Square, Hackney, Middlesex, England
(With wife, son Alexander & House Servant Mary Tanner)

Occupation
30 March 1851
Commission Agent
(1851 census)

Occupation
31 May 1851
Merchant
(Son George's marriage certificate)

Residence
7 April 1861
14 De Beauvoir Square, Hackney, Middlesex, England
(With wife & general servant Mary Mason. Martha Mason a visitor. 1861 census)

Occupation
7 April 1861
Commercial Cl Colonial Produce Broker
(1861 census)

Residence
2 April 1871
14 De Beauvoir Square, Hackney St John, London, England
(With wife and servant Mary Mason. 1871 census)

2 April 1871
Occupation
Comm. Clk. Col. Broker
(1871 census)

bef 3 April 1881
Retired
(Known from 1881 census occupation)
         
Residence
3 April 1881
14 De Beauvoir Square St John Hackney, London, England
(With wife, housekeeper Mary Mason & domestic servant Ellen Goodage. 1881 census)

Occupation
3 April 1881
‘Income From Funds’
(1881 census)

Widowed
1882
Wife Ann died aged 82 years

1887
Will
Signed and Witnessed

Death
13 August 1890
No 14 De Beauvoir Square, West Hackney, aged 88 years
(Deaths Sep 1890 Colman Alexander 88 Hackney 1b 2[8]0. He died on his birthday)

Publication
4 October 1890
‘Mr Alexander Colman late of 14 De Beauvoir Square West Hackney’ included in Wills & Bequests in this edition of the Illustrated London News

I assume from the surname that Alexander Colman’s wife Ann Habben was perhaps of German origin as well. I know she was born in 1798 to David Habben and Charlotte Pasfield, but David Habben’s origins are unclear. I think he may be identical to the William David Habben born in 1768 but I am not certain.

In his 1832 will this David Habben mentions Mincing Lane and it was presumably as a result of his death that Alexander Colman’s occupation changed from clerk in 1831 to merchant in 1841.

David Habben’s will states:

‘...the remainder of my property, goods, furniture, money and effects and money in the hands of William Coles Junr. of Mincing Lane and all other effects and property whether I may be possessed of or interested in at the time of my decease unto my daughters Anne Colman and Eliza Habben as and for their own use and benefit, the same to be divided between them in equal proportions.’

I realise all the above information is much more than you asked for and require, but as I know posts on here come up in search engines I thought the information may be useful to other researchers. If they find this post perhaps they may then get in touch with additional information.

Anything you are able to tell me in my research on this probable Jewish link would be most appreciated.

With thanks and kind regards,
Jon

[garstonite]

I have PM`d you....allan

[nonilane]

Dear Jon

I picked up on your message re David Habben. I am researching my husband's family called Habben. I have researched back to William Habben, a silk weaver at 5 King Street, Bethnal Green in the 1841 Census.  William Habben was born between 1799-1801. He married Mary Ann and appears to have had 4 sons, three of whom survived into adulthood. 

The youngest, George Habben, was my husband's great great grandfather. I cannot get any further back than this point with any information on the Habben family.  William Habben confirmed he was born in Bethnal Green in the 1841 Census (although this may not be the reality). 

Habben as you mention in your posting appears to be a German name from Ostfriesland possibly? There are also possibly Jewish ancestry and also links with a wealthy family who lived in Gidea Park.

Grasping at straws - did David have any siblings or are these a separate Habben family?

I would be grateful for any light on the above - or point me in a direction....
Regards
K.

[jonwicken]

Hi I think in your post you have incorrectly used the name William Habben when you in fact mean James Habben. It was this James who was a silk weaver in Bethnal Green.

James Habben married Mary Ann Oliver on 12 March 1822 at St Matthew Bethnal Green in Middlesex and they had four sons I know of: Josiah Habben (1831-1896), Jonathan Habben (born 1837), Joseph Habben (born 1837) and George Habben (1844-1909).

James Habben was born on 20 September 1797 and baptised at St Leonard Shoreditch on 9 April 1798. He was one of the children of James Habben and his wife Elizabeth.

This James Habben senior in turn was the son of William Habben and Elizabeth Beezley who married on 7 June 1767 at St Leonard Shoreditch. James Habben junior was baptised at Christ Church Spitalfields on 21 February 1773, but I have not yet found his marriage to Elizabeth.

This marriage may be to Elizabeth Sharp as there is such a marriage to a James Habben on ancestry, however I do not have a full membership so am not sure of the date to confirm this.

Now I theorise that my ancestor David Habben was perhaps James' brother who was baptised as William David Habben at St Luke Old Street, Finsbury, on 20 March 1768. This is why I have all the above information on the Habben family.

However while I know that David Habben died before 29 December 1832, when his will was proved, and he was of Kennington, Surrey (now London), I have not found his burial which would give an age at death. So for now my link to these Habbens remain unproved.

Have tales of Jewish links been passed down you father's side of the family? And what Habbens at Gidea Park are you referring to? I wonder if they are in my tree as well and I just can't remember what ones as there are quite a few branches!

Kind regards,
Jon

[frederby]

Hi I am just picking up on the thread of this post in January 2011. I have been researching my wife's family history and she also links in with the HABBEN family. Maria HABBEN b. 23 Aug 1802 Southwark daughter of David and Charlotte (and sister to Ann mentioned in earlier posts) married a James Robert FULLER also of Southwark. Their daughter Jane Eliza FULLER married James COSTELLO 5 Aug 1855 Lambeth. (My Wife's Great Great Grandfather).

Does this fit in with your information Jon?

Kind Regards

Mark

[jonwicken]

Hi Mark yes this does indeed all fit in with the information that I have. I have several children listed for them but it seems there was another set of parents called James and Maria Fuller having children at the same time so think some of my information could be incorrect.
  
I have James Fuller down as dying in 1873/4 and Maria's death in 1881.

Maria's father, as you say, was David Habben and with the London parish registers going online at ancestry.com his baptism has now turned up in 1771 showing him to be the son of William Habben and Elizabeth Beazley who married in 1867.

David's father William died in 1794 aged 47 so was born c1746/7. I wonder if he could have perhaps been the first of the family to come to England. I hope at some point more information may turn up on him.   

In the will of 1832 David Habben he mentions James Fuller:

'To my son in law Mr. James Fuller I bequeath the four Rural Pictures in my Parlor as a token of my esteem.'

His will however does not leave any money to Maria and instead daughters Ann Habben/Colman and the then spinster daughter Eliza Habben were the main beneficaries. I have not idea why the other children were excluded from the will and why he held his son-in-law in such esteem but only left him pictures.

I have yet to find where David Habben was buried after his 1832 death. His will showed he lived at Kennington but I have not found anything there yet. I also have not found anything out about his wife Charlotte Pasfield, other than a probable sister Harriet Pasfield who married on the same day.

I would be interested to hear of any information you have on the family.

Kind regards,
Jon