[updated June 25, 2023]
Like most of the Jewish communities in the Levant, Baghdad’s Jewish population too was not properly indexed so far. The community which counted in 1947 about 77,000 members downsized by more than 90% in 1951 due to mass immigration, mainly to Israel.
The following decades witnessed a continued immigration with a peak in the early 1970s and nowadays only a handful of Jews still reside in the city. Most of the Jews left in a hurry and the vital records were left behind, captured at a certain stage by the authorities and are inaccessible until these days. Thus, anyone who is trying to find out the names of the families which resided in the city faces what seems to be a brick wall. Although many book were published about various aspects of the Baghdadi Jewry and its rich heritage none of them contain systematically researched lists of surnames and those which have partial lists are in Hebrew and thus not accessible to those who do not know the language.
The present index follows similar indexes of Cairo and Damascus composed recently by this author[1]. Hopefully they will serve future researchers in Jewish anthropology, demography and genealogy providing a basic data base to build upon.In the process of composing this index of surnames we have utilized 4 major primary sources of surnames, all of them in Arabic (one in Rash”i Hebrew script),2 books in Hebrew with partial lists of surnames which were published before most of those primary sources came to light and one Hebrew Facebook group dedicated to the preservation of the Iraqi language.
Lists of Exemptions from Ottoman Military Service 1892-1899[2]
During the last decade of the 19th Century the Jewish community managed to arrange an exemption from military service in the Ottoman army for the Jewish young males. This involved financial arrangements and included males eligible for conscription, namely those born from 1874 onwards. The two lists of 1892 and 1899 were published by the printing house of Rabbi Shlomo Bekhor Husin and the microfilms of them are in the National Library of Israel. The 1892 list contains 1905 names of exemptees and is indexed on the IGRA Website. The 1899 list contains 2483 of exemptees.
Two remarks should be mentioned about those two lists:
. They were written in Arabic language but in Hebrew Rash”i script.
. They contain the given name +the father’s name (and sometimes the grandfather’s name) +the surname.
It goes without saying that families which had only daughters or did not have sons at a conscription age are absent from those lists. In other words, they do not reflect all the Jewish surnames residing in Baghdad during that period.
The 1951 Register of Baghdadi Jews Whose Iraqi Nationality Was Withdrawn[3]
Following the American toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003 a lot of looting took place in Baghdad. Government offices were ransacked and many official documents were basically thrown to the streets. Among them was also a volume of 530 printed pages listing the names of all Baghdadi Jews whose Iraqi nationality was withdrawn from them according to a law passed in 1950. The volume was found by an Iraqi national who scanned it and posted it on the web. This volume pertains only to Baghdad Governorate (there were supposedly separate volumes for other governorates) and contains about 38,000 names of individuals born before 1935 (minors are not included). Considering the average size of Jewish families in Baghdad one may assume that total number of those who lost their nationality according to that law was around 70,000 persons Iraqi Jewish Archive (IJA)[4]
After the downfall of Baghdad in 2003 the U.S. forces found in the cellars of Saddam Hussein’s Intelligence thousands of documents of the Jewish community pertaining to the years 1922-1971. Those documents include prayer and religious books, administrativ documents, school attendance records, burial society lists and fragmental lists of households. They are written or printed mainly in Arabic (and some in Hebrew). The documents were found in very poor condition because they were exposed to dump and moisture and were transferred to the National Archives in Washington D.C. There, after long restoration process most of them were brought back to a readable condition and posted on the web in 2013.
List of Burials 1949-2001[5]
Israel State Archives has a copy of hand written file in Arabic of all the burials in Baghdad between 1949-2001. It includes many of the surnames included already in the above mentioned sources but also several which are not there. It seems likely that these belong to families or individuals who moved to Baghdad from other locations after the mass immigration in 1951.
“A History of the Jews in Baghdad” by David Solomon Sassoon[6]
This book which was published in English in 1949 is based on a long journey of the author to Iraq in 1911.It was translated into Hebrew in 1955 by Meir Bnayahu who added to it a list of Baghdadi surnames and their meaning. The list was composed in 1911 by two Baghdadi respected scholars upon a request of D.S. Sassoon but was not included in the 1949 English edition. Bnayahu expanded the original list, was also aware of the exemption lists of 1892-1899 and interviewed some immigrants from Baghdad who arrived to Israel in 1951.It is the first attempt to compose a list of Baghdadi Jewish surnames but it is only partial, as we found in the process of composing the present index.
Dictionary of the Baghdadi Jewish Dialect (in Hebrew) by Gila Swery-Yona[7]
This book appeared first in 1995 (with a 2nd edition in 2013) as a dictionary of Baghdadi Jewish words and idioms aiming to make it accessible mainly to the second generation of Iraqi Jews who do not read or speak Arabic. The appendixes include a list of 664 Baghdadi surnames and also lists of given names of males and females. The lists were composed from memory and in consultation with the late Rahamim Rejwan, a native of Baghdad, but are not based on systematic research of primary materials. This is a very valuable list but is not accessible to non-Hebrew readers and also those who do read Hebrew are challenged by the courageous attempt to transliterate those surnames in the way they were pronounced in the distinctive Baghdadi Jewish dialect.
“Preserving the Iraqi Language” Facebook Group (in Hebrew)[8]
A very vibrant Israeli group with more than 70,000 members dedicated to the preservation of the popular heritage of Iraqi Jews. Most of the postings are about words, Iraqi music, memorabilia, folklore, proverbs and recipes. A significant portion of the members has Baghdadi roots. In many cases one can verify whether a certain surname is Baghdadi or not by just posting a question about it. The search option inside the previous postings is a very useful thus turning this crowd sourcing tool into an integral part of any future research.
The present index includes 784 Baghdadi surnames extracted from the above mentioned sources. It is by no means a complete list and probably contains few surnames which are not Baghdadi though appear in the Baghdadi sources. Like with my previous indexes, people who will note mistakes or missing names will hopefully notify me about them.
1.see Jacob Rosen-Koenigsbuch, “A Consolidated Index of Jewish Surnames in 20th Century Damascus”, Avotaynu Online, June 21, 2020; also see Jacob Rosen-Koenigsbuch, “Index of Jewish Surnames Found in 20th Century Cairo.”Avotaynu Online, Dec 1, 2019.
[2] “Daftar Tawzi’a Badlat Alaskaria” Baghdad, Shlomo Bekhor Husin, 1892(microfilm at the National Library of Israel in Arabic in Rash”i Hebrew script) Register of Military Exemptions in 1892
https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH001866853/NLI
and “Daftar Tawzi’a Rasm Badlat Alaskaria” Baghdad, Shlomo Bekhor Husin, 1899(microfilm at the National Library of Israel in Arabic in Rash”i Hebrew script) Register of Military Exemptions in 1899
https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH004380648/NLI
[3] http://www.imarawatijara.com/register_iraqi_jews/
[5] https://www.archives.gov.il/archives/?fbclid=IwAR06X4lB7KgahmyrDAjUurCFN1LuVwRqY_xzadMXPTjBkpL2ygPXdHOVT2A#/Archive/0b07170680035544/File/0b071706810771c6
[6] Sassoon,David Solomon A History of the Jews in Baghdad, Letchworth, NY (1982) and the Hebrew edition of 1955: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH990020693500205171/NLI
[7] Swery-Yona,Gila Lahag Yehudei Bavel, Hod Hasharon (2013) pp. 284-287 https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH003938400/NLI
[8] https://www.facebook.com/groups/zahavb/
Baghdadi Consolidated Jewish Surnames Index (1874-2001)
| Abaiji/’Abatji |
| Abbada |
| Abd Alaziz |
| Abd Alnabi |
| Abd Alrazzaq |
| Abdu |
| Abduluzeir |
| Abdush |
| Abed |
| Abu Al Sabun/Abu Sabun |
| Abu Alabaer |
| Abu Alaraq |
| Abu Al’asir |
| Abu Alazan |
| Abu Alba’ba’/Ba’ba’ |
| Abu Alfiusa |
| Abu Alghazal |
| Abu Alhalib |
| Abu Alkarfas |
| Abu Alkheir |
| Abu Alkhubz |
| Abu Almarayat |
| Abu Almilh |
| Abu Alnil |
| Abu Alnugha |
| Abu Alpaja |
| Abu Alsaffar |
| Abu Alsamak |
| Abu Alsanadiq |
| Abu Alshaqqia (very undecent word) |
| Abu Alsiraj |
| Abu Alsuf |
| Abu Altamgha |
| Abu Altiman/Timan |
| Abu Al’unuz |
| Abu Batula |
| Abu Beid |
| Abu Dagga/Dakka |
| Abu Daud |
| Abu Dawid |
| Abu Digam |
| Abu Elias |
| Abu Fariqa |
| Abu Goz |
| Abu Hashish |
| Abu Jam |
| Abu Luf |
| Abu Mashwi |
| Abu Qau/Qau |
| Abu Rasuli |
| Abu Sandiq |
| Abu Sayyed |
| Abu Sha’afa |
| Abu Shalat |
| Abu Shifta |
| Abu Sigara/Abu Alsagair |
| Abu Silan |
| Abu Tira |
| Abu Turshi |
| Abu Tutun/Abu Altutun |
| Abu Uti |
| Abu Yas |
| Abu Zwili |
| Abud |
| Abudi |
| Abyad |
| Adam |
| Ades |
| Agha |
| Agha Jan/Agagin |
| Aghababa |
| Aghai |
| Aghasi |
| Aharon |
| Aisha |
| Ajami |
| Ajayeb/ Abu Alajayeb |
| Ajimi |
| Ajini |
| Ajuz |
| Akhras |
| Akka عكا |
| Akku |
| Ala’araj |
| Alafi |
| Alafnas/Afnas |
| Al’aqra |
| Alasfar/Asfar |
| Alaswad |
| Albig/Albeg |
| Alewi |
| Alhajji |
| Alika |
| Alima |
| Alkabir |
| Alkateb |
| Almadawi |
| Aloya/Elwaya |
| Alsaghir |
| Alu |
| Alwakil/Wakil |
| Ambar |
| Ambarji |
| Aminu |
| Amir |
| Ammara |
| Ammartli |
| Amram |
| Amran |
| Anaba |
| Anbar |
| Anbarji |
| Aqiba |
| Aqireb |
| Aqrawi |
| Aqri |
| Arab |
| Arbili |
| Archi (Agahatchi) |
| Arsuli |
| Arvili |
| Arzuni |
| Asafir |
| Asfa |
| Asher |
| Asia |
| Askaji |
| Aslan |
| Asper |
| Atraqji |
| Attar |
| Azaji |
| Azari |
| Azaria |
| Azuri |
| Ba’aqubli |
| Baba |
| Babai |
| Babi |
| Babila |
| Babu |
| Badnani |
| Bahari |
| Baher |
| Bahr |
| Bahri |
| Bakhash |
| Bakshi |
| Balbul |
| Ballas |
| Bamia |
| Banani |
| Baniri |
| Bantai |
| Baqqal |
| Barazani |
| Barhum |
| Barizat |
| Barmag/Barmagh |
| Barshan/Burshan/Birshan |
| Barukh |
| Barzil |
| Basha |
| Bashi |
| Basma |
| Basrawi |
| Basri |
| Bassa/Basa |
| Basson |
| Basus |
| Bata |
| Battat |
| Batusha |
| Bdur/Badur |
| Beibish or Bibesh |
| Bekhor |
| Bibi |
| Binno |
| Binyamin |
| Biri |
| Birka |
| Biru |
| Bishi |
| Bistri |
| Bivas/Bibas |
| Bonfils |
| Boya |
| Brakhel/Brachel/Abrakhil |
| Buba |
| Bulat |
| Bumbaili |
| Buweita/Boita |
| Chaichi |
| Chitiat/Jitiat |
| Da’abul |
| Dabbas |
| Dabbi |
| Dabura |
| Daga |
| Dahan |
| Dahud |
| Dalah |
| Dali |
| Dallal |
| Dangur |
| Daniel |
| Danu |
| Danus |
| Darwish |
| Darwisha |
| Darzi/Derzi |
| Dashti/Dasht |
| Daud |
| Daudau |
| Dayyan |
| Dhiba |
| Dib |
| Diba |
| Digmi |
| Dik |
| Dina |
| Dinu |
| Djapani |
| Dlumi |
| Dori/Duri |
| Dosh |
| Dudi |
| Duga/Dugha |
| Duzli |
| Efraim |
| Eini |
| Eiwan/Iwan |
| Ekka/Akka |
| Elani |
| Elazar |
| Elias |
| Eliezer |
| Elisha |
| Eluzeir |
| Elyahu |
| Enjuma |
| Ezer |
| Ezra |
| Faqiro |
| Farah |
| Faraj |
| Farfur |
| Farfuri |
| Farha |
| Farhana |
| Fathi |
| Fattal |
| Firi |
| Gabbai |
| Gali |
| Ganawi/Janawi |
| Ganti/Ginti |
| Garazi |
| Gareh/Algareh |
| Gasri |
| Gavriel |
| Gedalia |
| Ghanima |
| Gharib |
| Ghawi |
| Ghazal |
| Ghaznawi/Ghiznawi |
| Ghurbali |
| Gilaj |
| Grei’ |
| Greiji |
| Gurdana/Gardana |
| Gureiji |
| Gurji |
| Haba |
| Hababa |
| Habaquq |
| Habbusha |
| Habib |
| Habsha |
| Habsha |
| Habub |
| Haddad |
| Haglu |
| Haguli |
| Hai |
| Haik |
| Haim |
| Hajama |
| Hakham |
| Hakhma |
| Hakim |
| Hakkak |
| Halabi |
| Halabiyya |
| Halabli |
| Halima |
| Hamama |
| Hamed |
| Hami |
| Hamis |
| Hammal/ Alhammal |
| Hamrawi |
| Hananel |
| Hanania |
| Hangali |
| Hanina |
| Hanukka |
| Harash |
| Hardon |
| Harun |
| Hasqil |
| Hawila |
| Hawwa |
| Hayya |
| Hayyu |
| Hayyun |
| Hazma |
| Hazzan |
| Hendiri |
| Hezkelu |
| Hibi |
| Hilali |
| Hillawi |
| Hillawia |
| Hillel |
| Hilli |
| Hilu |
| Hindawi |
| Hindi |
| Hiyyawi |
| Hleil |
| Homsani |
| Horesh |
| Hubaiba |
| Hugi |
| Huli |
| Humi |
| Huri |
| Huti |
| Ida/Idu |
| Idan |
| Idgar |
| Ihleil |
| Ilya |
| Imanuil |
| Inchi/Ainatji |
| Irani |
| Ishayyeq |
| Israel |
| Istanbuli |
| Iwan |
| Jadda’/Jeddaa’ |
| Jaffani |
| Jahla/Chahla |
| Jal’ut |
| Jamal |
| Jamali |
| Jamel/ Chamel |
| Jamji |
| Jan |
| Jangana |
| Janti/Ganti |
| Jarrah |
| Jawhari/Jawharji |
| Jejek/Chechek |
| Jiflawi/Chiflawi |
| Jijan |
| Jiji |
| Jurakhji |
| Juri |
| Jurji |
| Jweila/Chweila/Chuela |
| Kabir/Alkabir |
| Kadusi/Qadusi |
| Kahaji |
| Kahila/Kheila |
| Kalu |
| Kamilian |
| Kamma |
| Kanush |
| Karadi/Keradi |
| Karandi |
| Kariman |
| Karkukli |
| Kashi |
| Kateb |
| Kettawi |
| Khabbaz |
| Khabbaza |
| Khabu |
| Khadduri |
| Khadrawi |
| Khagi? |
| Khalasji |
| Khali |
| Khalif |
| Khalifa |
| Khalili |
| Khaluk |
| Khamis |
| Khammara/Khimmara |
| Khanem |
| Kharmush |
| Khashi |
| Khastawi |
| Khatina |
| Khawwaz |
| Khayyat |
| Khazama |
| Khazum |
| Khazzam |
| Khdeir |
| Khizma |
| Khizmaji |
| Khudada |
| Khushangi/Hushangi |
| Klaskiato |
| Kuberli/Kuperli |
| Kuhin (Cohen) |
| Kuku |
| Kulu |
| Kundarji |
| Kurdi |
| Kurdiyya |
| Kuweiti |
| Laila |
| Laniado |
| Lati |
| Latifa |
| Lawi/Liwi |
| Luhi |
| Ma’atu |
| Ma’atuq |
| Madawai |
| Madlal/Mudallal |
| Mahbash/Mahbesh |
| Mahleb |
| Majzib/Marzib |
| Makhluf |
| Makinji |
| Makmal |
| Malfuf |
| Malka |
| Malki |
| Maluka |
| Mamukha |
| Mandalawi |
| Mane’ |
| Mani |
| Mansur |
| Mariama |
| Mariuma |
| Marudi |
| Marzib |
| Mash’al/Mish’al |
| Mashallah |
| Mashhadi |
| Mashti |
| Masliah |
| Masri |
| Masslawi |
| Matalon |
| Matana |
| Matityahu/Matitya |
| Matlub |
| Mawsili |
| Mazala |
| Meir |
| Menahem |
| Menashe |
| Merimi/Meghimi? |
| Meshita |
| Mgheimi |
| Mikhal |
| Mikhu |
| Mimi |
| Mina |
| Mir |
| Mirtut |
| Mizrahi |
| Mjaber |
| Mordan |
| Mordan |
| Mordekhai |
| Mordukh |
| Moshe |
| Mrayyed |
| Mreidech |
| Mteira |
| Muallem |
| Mubarak |
| Mufattesh |
| Muhajer/Muhajera |
| Mujalled/Mjalled |
| Mukhtar |
| Mulla |
| Munis |
| Muqaddas/Mukaddes |
| Muqaddasi |
| Murad |
| Musaffi |
| Mushiah |
| Mushiah/Mashiah |
| Muzikji |
| Mzayyen/Mezayyen |
| Nab’a |
| Nadi |
| Naftaji |
| Naftali |
| Nagola |
| Nahum |
| Na’im |
| Na’imi |
| Najjar |
| Najma |
| Namrudi |
| Nana |
| Naqqar |
| Naqqash |
| Na’sa |
| Nasabji |
| Naser |
| Nashawi |
| Nasi |
| Nasrallah |
| Nassar |
| Nassari |
| Natan |
| Natanel |
| Nati |
| Natniel |
| Nawi |
| Nawwama |
| Nisan |
| Nissim |
| Nuh/Noah |
| Numa |
| Nuna |
| Nunu |
| Nuri |
| Ossi |
| Otaji |
| Ovadia |
| Ozer |
| Pallaw |
| Parizat/Frizat |
| Pata |
| Pataw/Patou |
| Patchachi |
| Patya |
| Penina |
| Peretz/Biretz |
| Pinhas |
| Pito/Pita |
| Plau |
| Qabbanji |
| Qabela |
| Qadusi/Kadusi |
| Qahtan/Gahtan |
| Qahwaji/Qahwati |
| Qalabji |
| Qalu |
| Qamar |
| Qaqi |
| Qari |
| Qarr/Qirr |
| Qarra Gula/Qarragula |
| Qashqush |
| Qasir قصير |
| Qasiro |
| Qassab |
| Qattan |
| Qatu |
| Qau/Abu Alqau/Kaau |
| Qazma |
| Qazzaz |
| Qoqa/Quqa |
| Qor’in/Koreen |
| Quja |
| Quzaji |
| Quzi |
| Rabia |
| Rafael |
| Rahamim |
| Rahima |
| Rahmani |
| Rahmin |
| Rajwan |
| Rashti/Rishti |
| Rasuli/Arsuli |
| Raznawi |
| Reuben |
| Rihana |
| Rosh |
| Ruhan/ Ruham |
| Rumia |
| Sa’adia |
| Sa’adu |
| Sa’at |
| Sa’atji/Sa’ati |
| Sabbagh |
| Sabha |
| Sabih |
| Sabti |
| Saddiq/Tzadiq |
| Sadqa |
| Safania |
| Saffar |
| Safha |
| Said |
| Salama |
| Saleh |
| Salem |
| Salim |
| Salman |
| Salton |
| Salumi |
| Samak |
| Samaka |
| Samarai |
| Samarli |
| Sambal/Sombol |
| Samih |
| Samira |
| Samoha/Smuha |
| Samra |
| Saqa |
| Saraj |
| Sarraf |
| Sassoon |
| Sayegh |
| Sefania/Tsfania |
| Segman |
| Sethon |
| Sha’aya |
| Shabath |
| Shabi |
| Shabtai |
| Shabu/Shabo |
| Shahmun |
| Shahrabani |
| Shakarji |
| Shakuri |
| Shalom |
| Shama |
| Shambik |
| Shambikho/Shanbikho |
| Shami |
| Shami’ Abu Alshami’ |
| Shammai |
| Shammash |
| Shamsi |
| Shamula |
| Sham’un |
| Shanabi |
| Shanakha/Shanha |
| Shanata |
| Shanbani |
| Shani |
| Shasha |
| Sha’shua |
| Shater |
| Shati |
| Shaul |
| Shayeb |
| Sha’yu ??? |
| Shbiro/Shbero |
| Sheikh Auda |
| Shellu |
| Shem Tov |
| Shimon |
| Shina |
| Shirazi |
| Shiri |
| Shirin |
| Shlaim |
| Shlam |
| Shlomo |
| Shma’aya |
| Shmarya |
| Shmeia |
| Shmeil |
| Shmuel |
| Shmuli |
| Shmuli/Shamuli |
| Shofet |
| Shohat/Shohet |
| Shoua/Shua |
| Shreida |
| Shubbath/Shabbat |
| Shuker |
| Shuna |
| Sigawi |
| Simach/Tzemach |
| Simantob |
| Sit Alkull |
| Sitti/Setti |
| Sittihon |
| Sofer |
| Somekh |
| Sudai/Sawdai |
| Sufi |
| Suleiman |
| Sultana |
| Sura |
| Surani |
| Suri |
| Susa |
| Sweiri |
| Swigi |
| Tabbakh |
| Tabi’i |
| Tahhan |
| Tajer |
| Tako |
| Tanakji |
| Taqiyya |
| Tarrad/Abd Altarrad |
| Tati |
| Tawfiq |
| Tawil/Altawil |
| Tawwaf |
| Tchafkhun/Jafkhun/Shafkhun |
| Tebbu |
| Tilaji/Tailji |
| Tini |
| Tiro |
| Tubaji |
| Tuka??? |
| Turjeman |
| Turshi |
| Tutunji |
| Tuz |
| Tweig/Tweik/Tweiq |
| Tweina |
| Tweis |
| Ubaid/Ubeid |
| Uzeiri |
| Wakil |
| Wazan from Alhilla |
| Wazza |
| Yaakov |
| Yaaqub |
| Yabes |
| Yadu |
| Ya’il |
| Yakranji |
| Yamin |
| Yantub |
| Yas |
| Yasu |
| Yatar |
| Yatim/Abu Alyatim/Beit Alyatim |
| Yauda |
| Yedidia |
| Yehezkel |
| Yehoshua |
| Yehuda |
| Yekutiel |
| Yihia |
| Yissachar |
| Yohanan |
| Yona |
| Yosef |
| Yosfan |
| Za’arur |
| Zabbal |
| Zaburi |
| Zada |
| Zakaria |
| Zakkai |
| Zakri/Zekri |
| Zambartut/Zanbartut |
| Zamir |
| Zangi/Zengi |
| Zbeida/Zubeida |
| Zevulun/Zablun |
| Zgheir |
| Zibli |
| Zilkha |
| Zlayyet |
| Zlikha |
| Zluf/Abu Zluf |
| Zlufi |
