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It may be the one I'm thinking of, HP. I googled and tracked similar surnames around and did all sorts of things. And it all got deleted.

The one you're thinking of might have been before my time, though. Possibly by the same person ...

This sounds so familiar - Im sure we had a similar query possibly literally years back. That involved a Russian merchant in Liverpool though - who for some reason I remember this - moved to Ireland. Im sure it was something to do with trading gems or whatever. And the name had become Spiro or Sipro.

Hm, I don't think marrying as Presbyterian would have been too unlikely if they were Jewish. Assimilation was not uncommon, and it would likely have been easier and/or more socially expedient at the time, and possibly more pleasant in both respects, to assimilate to Protestant than to Roman Catholic. Possibly just formally, as in for getting married.

I have a dim memory of looking into a possibly Jewish family, I think in Devon, for someone here some time ago, and reading some stuff about the assimilation situation. But I'm not finding anything on a search. It could have been at the Devon Family History Society discussion board, in which case it's long gone since the site doesn't archive posts.

KB

I wish I had seen your old thread before it was deleted.

I have searched Shapiro in the UK and Ireland but can't link any of them to Isaac or David.

I suspect Isaac was born in Eastern Europe and moved here with his parents David (anglicised) and his mother ???.

Were their other siblings I can't find any in Belfast or Manchester.

On Isaac's marriage cert it gives his fathers occupation as a publican!

Marriage Record for Isaac Serpison & Elizabeth Jane Duff Belfast Co Antrim Both at same address 6 Mcclure Terrace Belfast Both Presbyterian Occupation General Dealer none for Elizabeth Both Full Age (Over 21) Bachelor/ Spinster Both Previously Unmarried Husbands Father David Serpison Occupation Publican Wifes Father John Duff Witness1 William Duff Witness 2 Amelia Duff By Licence Rev G Cron MGR Wife's Father Dead

The other strange thing for 'Russian Jews' is that they married as Presbyterian.

I am convinced this is them though. It ia on the 1901 census that states Isaac as Russian. He is of course called Sipiro their not Seripson.

"Shpiro (Sokó€ka, Pruzhany, Velizh) ..."

I was just coming back to wonder whether Sipiro etc. might not be an unusual variant of the much more common Shapiro.

Lewella

Thank-you for that

Exact Search Results - Dictionary of Jewish Surnames in Russian Empire
You searched for Sapira

Sapira (Vilna) R: see Shpiro.

Shpiro (Sokó€ka, Pruzhany, Velizh) R: from the Jewish name for the town Speyer in Bavaria (Germany) (related to French Spire) {Shpir, Spiro, Spirer, Shpira (Spira), Shpire, Shpirov; Shapir (Shuper , Shupper, Super, Supir, Saper, Sapir, Tsapir), Shapira (Sapira, Shafira), Shapirin (Shafirin), Shapiro (Sapiro, Shafiro), Shapiro-Shuper, Shuper-Shapiro, Shapirov (Shafirov), Shapirovich (Shafirovich, Safirovich, Safarovich, Shiperovich, Shapilevich), Shapirovskij, Shaporinskij, Shaparinskij, Shafir-Shapiro, Sapirson (Saperson, Saferson)}. The surname Spira (traditional German spelling) appears at the beginning of the 16th century. One of the first bearers of this surname in Eastern Europe was rabbi of Grodno Nathan Nota, who died in 1577 (JE, 11:520-23).

On Ancestry, the Sapira families appear to be from Poland

Found a Sapira on familysearch. Family was from Lithuania.

Simon didn't specify, but he has all those kids in his tree here at GR -- as do two cousins of his.

I suspect that the person whose thread I posted in a few months ago was the Michael who has Annie in his tree, but I can't be sure.

All the children (except Sarah) and mother Eliza were born in Belfast. Sarah was born in Manchester

It's such a shame that all the time I spent on the Sipiro conundrum in the thread some other person had here a few months ago got wiped out with a click of the "delete" link ...

If you search at FreeBMD for surname

sapir*

with no events or dates or places, there are dozens. Have you looked into any possible connections?

Also,

sepir*

produces a Sepira and a Sepiro.

I think it was Isaacs dad David (probably anglicised name) who came here with a young Isacc.

Is this on the GRO website?.

If I type the three surnames into google on Sapira is a known surname of any note

Probably not much help, but maybe the gro have records when this family came over,boat they sailed on?

Yes thats them with the Sipiro variation of the name.

on Annies birth cert it says Sapira.

On Isaacs marriage to Elizabeth it states Seripson as his surname.

Any ideas?

For reference - is this the family in 1901?


1901 England Census
about Isaac Sipiro
Name: Isaac Sipiro
Age: 43
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1858
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Eliza
Gender: Male
Where born: Russia

Civil Parish: North Manchester
Ecclesiastical parish: St Albans
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View Image

Registration district: Prestwich
Sub registration district: Cheetham
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 154
Household Members:
Name Age
Amelia Sipiro 14
Annie Sipiro 18
Bennett Sipiro 16
David Sipiro 12
Eliza Sipiro 43
Isaac Sipiro 43
Louis Sipiro 7
Sarah Sipiro 5
William Sipiro 10

View
Original
Record

View original image

I have a great grandmother who on her marriage cert gave her name a Sipiro

However she seems to have been names Sapira.

Annie Sapira born Belfast 1882 but brought up Sipiro

Her father was Isaac Sapira or Seripson.

I believe Isaac was born in Russia about 1860

Does anyone know anything of these surnames where they came from.

Is it Russia?

If so how do you research Russian ancestry?

Thanks in advance.