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View Full Version : LETSON-LITZIN-JACOBS FAMILY SURNAME ORIGINS



phillip
18-03-2010, 9:45 PM
For my distant Jacobs/Litzin cousins here are some records taken from the Susser Great Synagogue Burial Records which have raised questions regarding the origin of the Litzin/Letson/Litzen last name. These records were identified some months ago by one of my Jacobs distant cousins and further questions raised about the family surname by another Jacobs cousin. The records also appear on the website of the Jacobstree but were not followed up.

Burial 8 Jan 1803
father Lazer b Israel Litzin child of Lezer ( Eliazer) b Hh LITZIN Israel

Israel b Isaac Levi 22Kislev +1 OG Garden Court Petticoat Lane LITZIM? Jester 17 Dec 1791 Israel Isaacs

Father's Hebrew name Isaac Levi LITZIM? Jester

Widow of Meir LITZIN OG

Sarah wife of Leib ( Jester?) RH Adar 11 BBR+1 Bethnall Green DEHN LITZIN

Widow of Jessel ( Joseph) LITZIN OG

Widow of R.Israel LITZIN OG

Child of Lezer ( Eliezer) b Hehaver LITZIN Israel OG

David b Jacob LITZIN OG 14 Shevat Stoney Lane 31 Jan 1809 Petticoat Lane

Importantly, the Yiddish translation of Clown is Le-TSAHN-lets (Leytsim)
Bufoon and jester is -let ; leytsim/letsonim/letsonem

The derivation of the term Leytsim also refers to Jewish public performers such as musicians

On the Synagogue Scribes site and the Susser Archives site the above burial records show that the term Jester was used in combination with Litzin. Litzin and Letson also appear as the last name on the David Jacobs family tree on the Hyamson record.

It is therefore possible that the use of the last name LETSON/LITZIN was a family nickname rather than a place name origin such as LIETZEN in West Prussia. This areas was too small and rural for the trade of glass making which is what the David Jacobs line did on arrival in England. We know from the Newgate prison record of David Jacobs in 1801 that he came from Germany but there is no mention of the actual area. It is more likely that David and possibly his father Jacob learner their glass making skills on the borders of Germany and Czechoslovakia ( Bohemia) where there was a history of glass making and engraving.

It also appears from the above records that the last name LITZEM was probably Litzin and that there are more Jacobs family members than were originally thought.

We would welcome comments from Jacobs relatives as well as others
Phillip