Jewish Name

[Robert Fletcher]

My 3rd Great Grandfather was LEVI Greenfield b. 1761 in Sixhills Lincolnshire. He married a Sarah Bradley in 1787. What I am curious about is what seems to me an unusual name of Levi when applied to a non Jewish person. But then was he descended from a Jewish family going back another 2 generations I have no evidence.
Further is would seem the Jews was exiled from Lincoln in 1255.
So I am looking for some reasons on the use of such a prominent Jewish name. Maybe it's more common that I understand.

[PrueM]

Hi ahaqq 

I think you'll find that it's a Biblical name, rather than one specific to the Jewish religion/people.  There are hundreds of Levis in the 1881 England census, for example.

Cheers
Prue

[JustinL]

The name is Jewish and therefore biblical. I think you'll find such names were popular amongst religious people.

On my non-Jewish side, I have Absalom, Elijah and Aaron - the last two were brothers and baptists.

Justin Levy

[Robert Fletcher]

Thank you for that and I can see it. I find that back then they were no very imaginative with names. On the Biblical names whilst I have not come across Levi the Australian aboriginal people in the Central Desert seem to have a great fondness of Biblical names particularly the names of the Prophets from the Hebrew Bible more than Christian names as such.
Thank you again for your replies.

[Arranroots]

Hi Ahaqq

You  might well find that your ancestor was non-conformist (not Protestant but still Christian) as they tended to choose old testament names, which of course are also found among the Jewish population.

It would be worthwhile looking for adult baptisms just in case.

Kind regards, Arranroots 

[Robert Fletcher]

Hi Ahaqq

You  might well find that your ancestor was non-conformist (not Protestant but still Christian) as they tended to choose old testament names, which of course are also found among the Jewish population.

It would be worthwhile looking for adult baptisms just in case.

Kind regards, Arranroots 

Thanks for the suggestion. I am finding things getting very sketchy so the records may be elsewhere. Thanks worth another search.

[Matilda SP]

Jews were readmitted to England in 1656 under Oliver Cromwell.  Many Spanish and Portuguese Jews had gone to Amsterdam after being expelled from Spain.  I have a couple of family surnames that are Jewish, but they seem to have assimilated into Nonconformist families.  I've been trying to learn more about them.

[Robert Fletcher]

Jews were readmitted to England in 1656 under Oliver Cromwell.  Many Spanish and Portuguese Jews had gone to Amsterdam after being expelled from Spain.  I have a couple of family surnames that are Jewish, but they seem to have assimilated into Nonconformist families.  I've been trying to learn more about them.

Hi Matilda,
Thank you very much indeed for this information. It could explains some peculiarities around this time if at this point they were Jewish and kept their identity up to this point. Some sources suggest she had 10 illegitimate children and they disappear from the IGI. I will purchase the Lincolnshire indexes when I come to the UK later this year.
I think I have to keep an open mind on this.

[coombs]

I have a Levi and an Elijah in Essex in the 19th century.