My Vizels are from what was then Kis-Kirva (somtimes just "Kirva"), Maramaros, Austria-Hungary and is now Bilovartsi, Ukraine. Similarly to the way I looked at the Kolodne census records which have been indexed on JewishGen, I decided to look at Jewish individuals enumerated in Kis-Kirva to try to follow the population growth and figure out which were my relatives. In addition, I found here that in some censuses, only first names were recorded. In others, patronymics were used. And in others, last names were given--but they sometimes morphed from census to census. Systematically tracking individuals through the census records allows you to link names to one individual and see how over what period that person was being enumerated.
During census years 1774, 1775, 1779/80 and 1781, at most three Jewish heads of household were listed. A man named "Mosko Jeruchomovics Joel," "Mosko Joel," "Joel Jerikomovics" and simply "Joel" was listed through all four of these years. There was a man named Michel Marko Zimkovics (sometimes with and sometimes without Zimkovics) listed in 1774, 1775 and 1781. And a "Mosko" is enumerated in 1781. None of these are (to my knowledge) connected to my family.
In 1795, only one individual was enumerated in Kirva--a gentleman named Abraham Gruner or Griner. He appeared again in the 1815 census, along with several others.
Along with Abraham Grina/Gruner were 6 other people--including my 5th great grandfather, Avraham Vizel. (Mendel Volf Miller is also first mentioned in 1815--I have a hypothesis that he was another 5th great grandfather, but I'm still working on finding proof.)
1818 sees the additional of two more individuals--Duvid and Abraham Lebovics. As Abraham Gruner disappeared in that census, it is possible that the two Abrahams are the same person--one with a surname and one with a patronymic.
And then my 4th great grandfather, Eizik Yehudah Vizel makes an appearance beginning in the 1821/2 census. His surname is sometimes referred to as Vizel, sometimes as Szegal (referring to his Levite status); his given name is sometimes Ajzik Leb and sometimes Izsak Juda, which are equivalent names. Another Vizel (Lazur) only appears in the 1821/2 census and never again.
In the following censuses, additional heads of household are added, potentially sons who have grown to adulthood. The odd woman gets mentioned, generally with a notation that she was a widow.
Nine Jews were enumerated in 1828, two of whom were my 4th and 5th great grandfathers.
Many additional heads of household were added in the 1838 and 1843 censuses, including two additional Vizel/Szegals--Efraim Abraham and Ezra Abraham. As Abraham Vizel was still being enumerated through 1838, these were likely his sons, with Abraham being their patronymic.
So how many heads of household were there in Kirva?
Over the 69 years for which censuses have been transcribed, there were only 39 heads of household--and some of these may be duplicate individuals because of the fluidity of surname and patronymic use. The number of Jews enumerated as heads of household during any one census ranged from 1-3 in the late 1700s to 19 in 1843, the last year indexed on JewishGen.
And what about my family? Abraham Vizel is enumerated in censuses from 1815-1838, with the exception of 1835. Eizik-Yehudah is enumerated from 1821 through the final indexed census in 1843; his daughter Etya (my 3rd great grandmother's sister) was born around 1825, so it makes sense that shortly before he had his own household (and Etya may not have been the oldest child).
I have names of two of the Vizel sons--Ezra and Efraim/Froim. And a mysterious Lazur to investigate.
Note: I'm on Twitter. Feel free to follow me (@larasgenealogy).
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| Jewish Census for Kirva, 1774 |
During census years 1774, 1775, 1779/80 and 1781, at most three Jewish heads of household were listed. A man named "Mosko Jeruchomovics Joel," "Mosko Joel," "Joel Jerikomovics" and simply "Joel" was listed through all four of these years. There was a man named Michel Marko Zimkovics (sometimes with and sometimes without Zimkovics) listed in 1774, 1775 and 1781. And a "Mosko" is enumerated in 1781. None of these are (to my knowledge) connected to my family.
In 1795, only one individual was enumerated in Kirva--a gentleman named Abraham Gruner or Griner. He appeared again in the 1815 census, along with several others.
1818 sees the additional of two more individuals--Duvid and Abraham Lebovics. As Abraham Gruner disappeared in that census, it is possible that the two Abrahams are the same person--one with a surname and one with a patronymic.
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| Some of the Jews Recorded in 1828--Note the "Jud" notation next to their names. 50 & 51 are my ancestors. |
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So how many heads of household were there in Kirva?
And what about my family? Abraham Vizel is enumerated in censuses from 1815-1838, with the exception of 1835. Eizik-Yehudah is enumerated from 1821 through the final indexed census in 1843; his daughter Etya (my 3rd great grandmother's sister) was born around 1825, so it makes sense that shortly before he had his own household (and Etya may not have been the oldest child).
I have names of two of the Vizel sons--Ezra and Efraim/Froim. And a mysterious Lazur to investigate.
Note: I'm on Twitter. Feel free to follow me (@larasgenealogy).
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