NIGHTINGALE SURNAME (JEWISH)?

[SUSSEXDER]

The Surname , NIGHTINGALE (with Jewish christian names,i.e. SOLOMAN
JOSEPH,) runs through my Grandmothers blood line (her Fathers) and so on.
Could this mean I have a little bit of Jewish in me. How would I find out please. Or is this a silly question .? (DER). As far as I know from BMD records,and CERTS that I have, all above family were found in GUILDFORD SUSSEX. If anyone can enlighten me, I would appreciate it. Thank you.|hug|
SUSSEXDER.

[Jan1954]

Hi Der,

The names Solomon and Joseph are not necessarily Jewish. They are Biblical names.

In the days before the Kylies and Darrens of this world (no offence meant if there are any forum members with these names :)) which came to popularity through the medium of televsion, radio and the like, many people had only local knowledge of names or those from the Bible.

Hence, you find many families keeping to the same names because they were either familiar with them or children were named after their forefathers.

I have an ancestor who went by the name of Solomon Mascall. His parents were Baptists. One of my great grandfathers was Caleb Goldsmith - he also went to Chapel!

Just goes to show, eh?

[SUSSEXDER]

Hi Der,

The names Solomon and Joseph are not necessarily Jewish. They are Biblical names.

In the days before the Kylies and Darrens of this world (no offence meant if there are any forum members with these names :)) which came to popularity through the medium of televsion, radio and the like, many people had only local knowledge of names or those from the Bible.

Hence, you find many families keeping to the same names because they were either familiar with them or children were named after their forefathers.

I have an ancestor who went by the name of Solomon Mascall. His parents were Baptists. One of my great grandfathers was Caleb Goldsmith - he also went to Chapel!

Just goes to show, eh?
Hi, Jan,( just knew the answer would come from you. ) Thanks. Funny though, on my dads side Adams, the name Joseph is running through as well. And the Surname of BROWN
on both sides, of the women they married.
Hope I am making sense. I found the grave of my Nightingales ( My GT grandparents) a
couple of months ago. There were four in the grave, Albert and Alice Agatha,and my Grand parents Catherine, NIghtingale who had married Edward Towner.--- Son of GEORGE WILLIAM TOWNER.
Sorry I got carried away there. But I was so happy to find them. Thanks again.
Best Wishes.
DER.

[Jan1954]

just knew the answer would come from you.

I'm full of miscellaneous information... Not bad in the old pub quiz, either |5cups|

[Colin Moretti]

Hi Der,

The names Solomon and Joseph are not necessarily Jewish. They are Biblical names....I've lots of Josephs - 4 generations, father & son plus others - all Roman Catholic.

Colin

[SUSSEXDER]

I've lots of Josephs - 4 generations, father & son plus others - all Roman Catholic.

Colin
Thank you everyone, but what I really wanted to know ,"was" What/where, do you think the NIGHTINGALE surname means/or comes from originally ??

SUSSEXDER.

[Peter Goodey]

what I really wanted to know ,"was" What/where, do you think the NIGHTINGALE surname means/or comes from originally ?

What you actually asked was whether it was a Jewish name but as it happens I can tell you about the derivation.

There's a class of English surnames which derive from nicknames from animals. NIGHTINGALE is one such example. PEACOCK is perhaps a more obvious example of a nickname from a bird.

These are theories of course - nobody can say exactly where a particular example of a surname came from. If you go to your local library you'll find several books on the derivation of English surnames. The more recent ones should be treated as more authoritative.

[SUSSEXDER]

What you actually asked was whether it was a Jewish name but as it happens I can tell you about the derivation.

There's a class of English surnames which derive from nicknames from animals. NIGHTINGALE is one such example. PEACOCK is perhaps a more obvious example of a nickname from a bird.

These are theories of course - nobody can say exactly where a particular example of a surname came from. If you go to your local library you'll find several books on the derivation of English surnames. The more recent ones should be treated as more authoritative.
Thank you Peter.
SUSSEXDER.

[MythicalMarian]

This thread reminds me that I spent several years chasing up a 'rumour' in my family (well - it was more than mere rumour - it was virtually 'fact') that my great-great grandfather Absalom Holland was Jewish. I mention it because of the OP's question about the surname Nightingale and whether or not it is Jewish. I would not say the surname started out Jewish, but trust me, I work in the medical profession and we have many Jewish patients with all sorts of surnames. There are the obvious Cohens and Bernsteins, and the less obvious Smiths and Joneses. So, it is not always possible to tell from a surname alone. Jewish surnames were often Anglicised in any case, to avoid persecution.

As far as my rumour/fact regarding Absalom - I found out that he was actually baptised at Manchester Cathedral in 1815 and his parents and grandparents can be found in the parish registers of Davenham in Cheshire. The names Absalom and Reuben appear regularly in his family but they were ordinary old CofE right down through the ages. So - beware rumours of Jewish roots.

Ah well - I had a wonderful time searching burials from Manchester's Synagogues back in the 80s, and met some very helpful and kind people who tried to assist me in my search for my Jewish great-great granddad....