Genealogy Chat

My great great Grandparents(on my Grandmothers side) were 'SHERMAN' living in Northchurch Herts circa1880's. I know this may appear odd but is 'Sherman' a Jewish name? My Grandfathers mother was a 'GOLDSACK' but the Jewish names on both sides could be a coincidence. Has anyone any views on this? Brenda

According to this site: www.babynames(.)com it is English and means 'cloth cutter' - as a given name, at least.

This is Ancestry's description of the surname - seems that Jewish is a possibility too: http://www.ancestry(.)com/learn/facts/ sherman English: occupational name for a sheepshearer or someone who used shears to trim the surface of finished cloth and remove excess nap, from Middle English shereman ‘shearer’. Americanized spelling of German Schuermann. Jewish (Ashkenazic): occupational name for a tailor, from Yiddish sher ‘scissors’ + man ‘man’.

There is a Goldsack lives in my road. He said that all Goldsacks seem to have come from a very small area of Kent (easily traced back to 1500s), possibly having arrived from Holland.

Evening Richard, Thank you for your info, I suppose I am none the wiser,but the name descriptions will go on file,its such a shame I have no photo's as that may have helped.Regards Brenda

Evening Geoff, Many thanks for your input. My Goldsacks came from Eastery,which is Kent,I did notice on my look ups that Kent seemed to be a settlement area. The fact they may have come from Holland is very interesting.Regards Brenda

Brenda Probably not very helpful after reading the above replies - but I knew a Sherman who had anglicised his name from Chermanski. He was definitely Jewish but of Polish lineage. Marjorie

You say they came from Northchurch , where abouts? A less jewish community I couldn't imagine! Not being racialist or anything, andit doesn't matter what religion anyone is but just doesnt seem to fit. Ps My dad is treasurer for the northchurch local history society! Jess

Evening Bernadette, Nice to hear from you. It would now appear I am a little part jewish, and its a nice feeling to be a little bit different.Regards,Brenda

Evening Jess, What a coincidence! I quite agree about the unlikelyhood of a jewish community living in a little village in Hertfordshire. My Great Grandfather was Thomas Gates,born in Bovingdon circa 1857 but on 1881 census was living at Orchard End,Northchurch with his sister Emma and husband Job Smith.Thomas was a farm labourer,he later went to work on railway and was killed at Bushey Water troughs in 1897,leaving a widow and two young children.He married Sarah Ann Sherman born circa 1862 who lived next door with her parents Thomas and Sarah(nee Rolph) plus sisters Ada,and Emily.Thomas and Sarah were married in Northchurch in 1849.Other relatives came from Bovingdon and Flaunden. names being Rolph,Timms,Woodbridge.One Joseph Sherman being a spoonmaker. I have only just started researching the Gates/Sherman's and having lost all the generation with the answers, research is quite difficult at the moment.I didn't know there was a Northchurch Family History Society. Regards, Brenda.

very much so, alive and very active, mind you at 76 my dad is the youngest member! Norrthchurch is just along from Berkhamsted and Dad is Chair of that one! Up until recently anyway there were Gates still in Northchurch - Gates taxi hire

Brenda The Jewish connection could be much further back than this and they probably abandoned their religion - it was never a very good idea to be Jewish in Britain and certainly not in a small community. I am convinced that I have Jewish origins - you only have to look at all the photos, me included! When I discussed this with my late father he went mad - he was a bit of a bigot I'm afraid. My favourite contenders are my GREEN branch - they were jewellers for generations. But I still havent made a definite 'strike' and think it will only be luck if I do. Happy hunting Marjorie

This addiction must keep you young then! I have still to confirm that the Gates actually lived or came from Northchurch or Bovingdon. Is Northchurch a small village, and are Bovingdon and Flaunden nearby? I live in the land of the concrete cows(Milton Keynes) is it far from here,may be worth a visit - especially to the churchyear!Brenda

I think - sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong - during the Spanish inquisition a lot of Spanish Jews came to England, they abandoned their faith, as a previous poster said, it wasn't a good idea to be Jewish in England. they became known as 'conversos' Lisa