Bernard Mendelsohn - Jewish naming help

[axecalibre]

I have now received the Naturalisation papers for Bernard Mendelsohn (thanks to Gaie)

On the papers it states that he was born in Russia, Mitau, Liefland. 

The son of Eli Powell and Lena Mendelsohn.  I presumed that Eli Powell would have been his father and Lena his mother, but why would Bernard take his mothers surname, was this usual or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

axecalibre

[Gaie]

Hi!

The papers read:

"... his parents are Eli Powell Mendelsohn (Father) living and Lena Mendelsohn (Mother) now deceased ...."

So he has taken his father's surname; unfortunately it doesn't give you mother's maiden name 

KR
Gaie

Added:  Ok, I can see where the confusion comes from.  On the certificate the words are "... the son of Eli Powell and Lena Mendelsohn..." ; looking at the other certificate that I obtained for another person, it is written in the same style - John and Jane Smith.  So Eli's surname was Mendelsohn.  Powell (could originally have been Paul, Pawell) was Eli's middle name.

[axecalibre]

Thank you Gaie, I had a moment of panic.....  One of the best pieces of information was the origin of Bernard, another lead, again so many thanks for your help.

Amazing the numbers of referees an applicant needed

Bernard named his last son Eli Powell.

I am also trying to get a handle on the naming of Jewish families, how names evolve from one to another, what was the tradition, still so much to learn..

Best wishes

axecalibre

[Gaie]

Mitau was a very good find, wasn't it?  I think he made a mistake in the statement, though.  I think Mitau is/was in Kurland rather than Liefland.

I've found Bernard and Sarah his wife back to the 1891 census (funny how his wife is never mentioned by name in the naturalisation documents, isn't it?  ).  There is a possible 1901 census, and possible deaths for his parents.  And possible relatives in Wales as well.  Have you got all these?  Bernard & Sarah's marriage?

[axecalibre]

Yes thanks Gaie have traced Bernard and his wife Sarah, I think Karnofsky, although on the marriage certificate she stated her name as Sarah Isaac.  Also managed to trace all the children except Marks/Max, who married, had a watch business in Cardiff then disappeared.  Some of his brothers and a sister went off to US to make their fortunes...... Eli Powell returned and married in London.

Have not got notes to hand but don't think that I found for certain the deaths of Bernard's father Eli P Mendelsohn...

[Gaie]

Well, there are these interesting entries:

1891 Census
RG12 piece 301 folio 64 page 19
83, Greenfield Street, Mile End Old Town
Elias MENDELSOHN Head 62 Goldsmith b Milu (could be Mitu) Kurland Austria
Simon (sic) Wife 61 b Milu Kurland Austria
Rebeca Grand-daughter 18 Tailoress b Dionaburg Rosse ?

1901 Census
RG13 piece 311 folio 16 page 23
62 Morgan Street, St George in the East, Stepney
Elias MENDELSOHN Head 73 Goldsmith, b Russia, Russian Subject
Linnie Wife 70 b Russia, Russian Subject

Death
Mar Qtr 1902 St George in the East, Vol 1C Page 251
Lena MENDELSOHN Age 70

Birth
Dec Qtr 1902 Cardiff Vol 11A Page 326
Lena MENDELSOHN

Death
Sep Qtr 1907 Mile End Vol 1C Page 213
Elias Pascal MENDELSOHN Age 74

Birth
Sep Qtr 1907 Cardiff Vol 11A Page 372
Eli Powell MENDELSOHN

My understanding is that Jewish families will not name a child after a living relative, so the timing of Eli and Lena's names for Bernard & Sarah's children do seem more than coincidence.

Gaie

[axecalibre]

Wow, thank you Gaie, I didn't know that about naming of children.

Another lead to follow and maybe the death certificate of Elias Pascal Mendelsohn to see who signed it, maybe granddaughter Rebecca b1891, there is a Rebecca Mendelsohn died Edmonton 1953, aged 68, only 10 years out!

Enumerator could have heard Simon, Linnie, Lena...... Same person, especially the last two very similar sounding.

Strange how Kurland has now moved to Austria!! Thought it was on the boundaries of Russia/Poland.... Beyond the Pale, what an evocative expression.  Tried to Google Dionaburg but could not find just a mention of Ukraine, any ideas?

Sunshine from Devon 'attached'

[Berlin-Bob]

Hi axecalibre,

Strange how Kurland has now moved to Austria!! Thought it was on the boundaries of Russia/Poland.... Beyond the Pale, what an evocative expression.

Many countries in Central and Eastern Europe changed "ownership" several times between 1700 and 2000.  I can't see any mention of Austria though ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courland

The Pale of Settlement is described here:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/pale.html
My greatgrandmother came from Brody (just west of the Pale).  Brody is now in the Ukraine.

Dionaburg Rosse ?

Due to the "change of ownership" mentioned above, many places had 2, 3, 4 or even more names, depending on who was occupying it at the time.  Dionaburg looks like the German/Austrian version name of a placename.

regards,
Bob

[Berlin-Bob]

Added:

have a look at the map in the wiki-link !!!

South-east of Mitau there is a Dünaburg on the River Düna. 

That could be your Dionaburg 
The modern name is Daugavpils

Historically, several names in various languages have identified Daugavpils. Some are still in use today.

    Belarusian: Даўгаўпілс (Daŭhaŭpils), Дзвінск (Dzvinsk),[nb 1] historically Дынабург (Dynaburh)
    Estonian: Väinalinn
    Finnish: Väinänlinna
    German: Dünaburg
    Latgalian: Daugpiļs
    Lithuanian: Daugpilis
    Polish: Dyneburg, Dźwinów, Dźwińsk, with Dźwińsk and Dyneburg the names still in use in Polish today
    Russian: Даугавпилс, Борисоглебск (Borisoglebsk 1656–1667), Двинcк (Dvinsk)
    Yiddish: דענעבורג (Dineburg)

Here is a chronology of name changes:

    Dinaburg (1275—1656)
    Borisoglebsk (1656—1667)
    Dinaburg (1667—1893)
    Dvinsk (1893—1920)
    Daugavpils (1920—today)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daugavpils

Bob