Is the surname Sedor/Sidor Jewish?

[Beth]

Hi, everyone, this is my first post here. I am trying to find out more about my family history, which is extremely sketchy; No one really kept accurate records on my mother's side of the family, and it wasn't until recently that we found out that my great-grandfather did not come from Romania, as we'd thought, but from the Ukraine. Even more puzzling is that the story we know about this is that he supposedly left the Ukraine when he was about 12 years old, which would have been not long after the turn of the century, and went to Canada, where he changed his name to James Stewart. We don't even know what his original first name was, but have come to learn that his last name was "Sedor" or "Sidor."

Also, we have reason to believe that his younger sister also may STILL live in Canada, but how SHE got there, and why, we don't know.

I'm trying to find out a few things about this. Can anyone help me understand why/how a 12 year old could/would have made that journey at that time?
Was this common?

Also, I participated in a mitchondrial DNA genographic study through National Geographic, which traced my mtDNA all the way from Africa, 60 million years ago, through the middle east, on the west of the Black Sea, and then, apparently, my ancestors spend nearly 40,000 years in Russia, travelling more than halfway to the top of the continent before taking a sharp turn westward. The trail goes cold from somewhere in Eastern Europe, although the study somehow told them that I am "of Northern European descent," even though they only had my name and my DNA.

As an aside, I bear a striking resemblence to my Ukrainian great-grandfather and his sister.

Through the course of the DNA study, I was introduced to another group of people who belonged to the same genetic "haplogroup, "J," from all over the world and through various emails with these people, we found that a good deal of the group were of Ashkanazi Jewish descent.
So, now, because of THIS, I am also wondering if I, too, am as well, and perhaps my Great-Grandfather's surname was Jewish?

I would appreciate ANY comments or help concerning this. It's a cold trail...
Thanks,
Beth

[brian400]

Hi Beth,

Have you found him on any census records? Where did he settle in Canada? What documentation have you obtained for him & his family?

Joyce

[Beth]

Originally Posted by brian400

Hi Beth,

Have you found him on any census records? Where did he settle in Canada? What documentation have you obtained for him & his family?

Joyce

We have NOTHING on him other than what I wrote.
I woudn't even know how to find the census records...his name wasn't James Stewart when he got to Canada, probably not "James" Sedor, either. Any suggestions?

All we think we know is that he may've settled in Quebec inititially before, at some point, moving to the states...possible NY, but we don't know when. And also, it's believed that he drove an ambulance in WWI....

Not much to go on, hmm..?

[brian400]

Hi Beth,

Were any of his children born in Canada? US? If you know when & where for the children, may want to start by obtaining their birth and baptismal records. This is the usual way of tracing family, because the records for his children will provide information on him.

Do you have any idea of year of birth and death & where he settled in the US?

Joyce

[Beth]

Ah, I typed a long email, and my time ran out!

I'm getting excited and thank you SOOO much for your help!!!!
He has several children, as far as I know, ALL born in the US. I only know of 2 remaining great-aunts, the ones who provided me with the previous info I had, and they are getting up in age.

My maternal grandmother, his daughter, died the year I was born, but he was alive for perhaps another year or so. Ironically, he used to sing "Frère Jacques" to me!
Seems more like he had been in Quebec prior to moving here. I just remembered that!

I am almost CERTAIN that my grandmother was born in Ashland Hospital, Ashland, PA, where my mother and I were also born. He had settled in PA, in "the coal region," in a town called "Lavelle" on farmland with his (mostly) German wife.

ALSO, I now recall that a CHURCH in that town was named AFTER, one of his descendents, or relation by marriage, Elizabeth, who was married to someone of the same German name that his wife's maiden name was.
St Elizabeth St. Elizabeth's Chapel.....

[Hannia]

The many family claims of name changes at entry ports, stowaways, jumping ship and such, are almost always fictitious.

The documentation of name changes during US naturalization procedure have only been required since 1906. Prior to that time, only those immigrants who went to court and had their name officially changed and recorded leave us any record. Congress wrote the requirement in 1906 because of the well-known fact that immigrants DID change their names, and tended to do so within the first 5 years after arrival. Without any record, immigrants and their descendants are left to construct their own explanations of a name change. Often, when asked by grandchildren why they changed their name, old immigrants would say "it was changed at Ellis Island."

excerpt
INS History, Genealogy, and Education - American Names / Declaring Independence
INS History, Genealogy, and Education - American Names / Declaring Independence

There were stowaways, but they were mostly adults, who made their way across the ocean on cargo carriers/merchant ships.

Children under 16 generally traveled w/parents and relatives, real and paid for/make believe.

The steamship companies were highly competitive during the Great Migration of 1900-1914. It was cheaper to immigrate to States via Canada. The border crossings in Eastern Canada were located mainly along the Vermont border. Immigrants went thru thorough customs and documentation review, which also included how they got to Canada. Then they boarded trains and crossed to USA.

The St. Albans, VT Entry Records are available thru LDS or NARA.

As per Canadian or USA immigration laws of the time, any immigrant arriving without proper documentation was sent back at the expense of the steamship company. Having no desire to pay such expenses, all the shipping lines would verify documentation @exit port before allowing their passengers to embark. The exit port verification process took a minimum of three days+.

The St. Albans, VT Entry Records are available thru LDS. This is a tedious search process. Using the Soundex Code facilitates the research some.

CIMO - Cimorelli Immigration Manifests Online
CIMO - Cimorelli Immigration Manifests Online

Soundex Code for Sedor or variant transliterations of same surname is S-360.

Roll 343, Starting Record S356-S362, series M1461
Soundex Index to Canadian Border Entries thru St Albans VT, District 1895-1924

Roll 2, Series M1462.
Alphabetical Index to Canadian Entries thru small ports in VT. 1895-1924
(Norton & Island Pond, VT)

Roll 3, Series M1462
Entries thru small ports in VT. 1895-1924
(Beecher Falls, VT)

Roll 4, Series M1462
Entries thru small ports in VT. 1895-1924
(Highgates Springs, Swanton, Alburg, Richford, VT)

Roll 6, M1462
Entries thru St. Albans and Canaan, VT. 1895-1924
_________________________________________________________

???

I looked thru Ellis Island for Sedor/Sador surname and found that most of these were ethnically Ruthenians/Ukrainians, coming from what was
Austro-Hungarian Empire. Some were Lemkos (micro-ethnic Ruthenian group) coming from Galicia Province, Austro-Hungarian Empire, in what is SE Poland today. The only area of what is Ukraine today, taken over by Roumania, was Northern Bukowina. There were many Germans living in Bukowina. GGrandfather was not uncomfortable w/German. He probably spoke German
before he emigrated his home village.

Bukovina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bukovina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As per Ellis Island, any "Hebrew" immigrants w/your surname variants came from what was Czarist Russia at the time.
___________________________________________________________

There are no short cuts.

The only way to confirm GGrandfather's story is by documentation.

Have you checked American Census Records? Did GGrandfather have SS Card ? What church did GGrandfather attend? Where was he married? Where were his children baptized? Was GGrandfather ever in the American Military? Was he naturalized?

Once you have all metrikal particulars re GGrandfather, you can then easily proceed w/search for
GG Aunt. There may even be distant cousins still residing in ancestral village or in nearby
towns.

[Serhii]

Hi Beth,

I'd like to add a few words concerning Sidor/ Sedor surname. Hope you know that it is mainly the first ( not the second name) . The correct form of it is Sydir ( Сидір) in Ukrainian or Sidor in Russian. Old Slavonic form was Isidor. This name it completely out of fashion these days.

Traditional Ukrainian surnames are Sydorenko/Sidorenko , Russian - Sidorov. They are very popular and you can meet them at every corner. The surnames Sydir, Sidor ,Sedor ( a bit twisted) ,etc. are possible as well but very seldom.

It isn't of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Ashkenazi Jewish came from Europe mainly in 17-19 centuries and they had had or received another names.

I don't have any idea about your/my ancestors in Africa 60 mln years ago but I am almost sure he came from West Ukraine (( as Hannia mentioned) and that you are on the right way.

Good luck and hello from Ukraine !