Dr. Jeffrey Mark Paull is a genealogist, author and writer, with an avid interest in Jewish history and genetic genealogy. He has a public health and environmental science background, having earned his Doctorate and Master of Public Health degrees from Johns Hopkins University, and his MS and BS from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Paull has authored numerous pioneering autosomal and Y-DNA studies of rabbinical lineages. His book, A Noble Heritage: The History and Legacy of the Polonsky and Paull Family in America, traces his family’s ancestry over a millennium of history, to the famed biblical commentator, Rashi (1050-1105).  That he also traces back to Rashi is important to me as I belong to the Halpern & Branches group on Family Tree DNA that has ancestors such as Rashi as well.  This is something pretty exciting as Rashi had a pedigree going back to King David.  

My heritage comes from Telsiai, Lithuania and Lazdijai, Suwalki, Lithuania/Poland.  We haven't got a tree that shows our actual connection, but know this through DNA testing.  

Website: A Noble Heritage – http://www.anobleheritage.com/

“The History, Adoption, and Regulation of Jewish Surnames in the Russian Empire” (Sun-125), 3:00-4:15 P.M.

The history of the adoption, regulation, and use of Jewish surnames in the Russian Empire is quite complex. There were a myriad number of ways by which Jewish surnames were created, assigned, or adopted, while tight restrictions were placed on changing or altering surnames. As a result of Russian laws and mandates, many non-related Jewish individuals acquired the same surname, while many related family members acquired different surnames. This situation has created many challenges for genealogists who try to trace the ancestry or locate descendants of a particular Jewish lineage, many of whom have different surnames, as well as for interpreting the results of DNA tests for Jewish descendants.

The purpose of this presentation is to explain the various laws and mandates pertaining to Jewish surnames in the Russian Empire, so that those who are interested in Jewish genealogy will better understand the complexities of Jewish surname adoption and use.

Topics: Ashkenazic research, Beginning genealogists, Cemetery research, Immigration and migration over the ages, Jewish history and culture, Jewish surname adoption and naming patterns, Rabbinic research, Sephardic research

“When Y-DNA and Yichus Tell Different Stories” (Mon-114), 9:00-10:15 A.M.

As valuable a tool in the genealogical research of Jewish paternal lineages as Y-DNA analysis has proven to be, such testing has often produced confounding and unexpected results. Y-DNA results for Jewish descendants who share the same surname, and having paper trails which show descent from the same common ancestor, quite often do not match. Sometimes Y-DNA results are at odds with yichus claims, which leave descendants of that lineage searching for answers.

The purpose of this presentation is to explain some of the major reasons for these unexpected results, including:

• Men who married into prestigious lineages often took their wives’ surnames.
• Jewish surname laws required all heads of households to have unique surnames.
• Some yichus claims and oral histories are known to have been exaggerated.
• Lineage mistakes are common in rabbinical texts, family trees, and online sources.

Several examples from Y-DNA case studies, which illustrate these points, are presented.

Topics: Ashkenazic research, Beginning genealogists, Cemetery research, DNA research and genetics, Ethical considerations in genealogy, Jewish history and culture, Jewish surname adoption and naming patterns, Rabbinic research, Sephardic research

Resource:

https://www.iajgs2016.org/2016/05/speaker-profile-jeffrey-mark-paull/

https://www.facebook.com/ANobleHeritage/

More in-depth information regarding Dr. Paull’s books, and related genealogy and family history projects, may also be found on his website: https://www.ANobleHeritage.com; and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ANobleHeritage. Research questions may be directed to Dr. Paull at jmpaull@anobleheritage.com.