GIVEN NAMES, JUDAISM, AND JEWISH HISTORY

2.  HOW JEWISH NAMES CAME TO BE CHOSEN

2.3.  NAMES OF U.S. IMMIGRANTS, 1881-1914

During the massive immigrations 1881-1914 from Europe to the US, certain English names were very popular among the immigrants.  There was a definite statistical linkage between each of these English names and the Jewish names which the immigrants had in Europe, and this linkage can be useful in genealogical research.  The same was true of immigrants to other English-speaking countries.  Some of the most popular English names adopted in the US were:

Males:  Abe, Benjamin, Isadore, Hyman, Sam, Max, Harry, Herman, Irving, Jack, Jacob, Israel, Joseph, Julius, Louis.

Females:  Bessie, Bertha, Clara, Celia, Dora, Etta, Esther, Ethel, Frieda, Fannie, Goldie, Gussie, Ida, Jennie, Lena, Minnie, Mollie, Mary, Nettie, Pearl, Rose, Rebecca (Becky), Sarah, Sadie, Sophie, Tillie, Yetta, Zelda.