Hi, I am looking for information on Henri(Henry) and his wife Rose Nathan(MN)... my Grandmother Myrtle Marie was born in Brooklyn(1906) and came to Australia with her uncle(a Judge Levi), she changed her name to Ivel, as well as her fathers surname(from Levi to Ivel)... no idea why. I think Henri and Rose would have been born about 1870-1885... they are supposed to have been of Austrian Jewish origins, not sure if it was their generation or the one before? The only Rose and Henri I can find have been on a census(1901?) in England under the name of Nathan(probably not them then)... not sure if there were other children, and I have checked the Ellis Island records but have found nothing on any of them... maybe they didn't want to be found back then, but it is proving extremely frustrating with such a brick wall now. If anyone has any info or ideas on this please let me know.

Adele

Hi,
this is probly no information to you but i was browsing my family history, Im 15 and from my dads side of the family i know that my grandad or his dad was orginally Levi, but change to Ivell, because at the time Jews were not wanted and my family obviously didnt want to be found and since Levi was a jewish name they just put it backwards and added another L, making Ivell. I was just intereste din my family history, So, if you know of any relations, i know my dads My dads mum, was called May Ivell who is sadly dead now. Dont know if this is any use to you. :)

Hello Joel,

thank you for writing a reply here. Now I know what you are talkking about here as this is exactly what my family did. They were Levi and were Jewish. This was my dad's mums family. She was Myrtle Ivel and we always knew the name was reversed but were never sure if she did it or if her dad or even his dad had made it that way. Myrtle was born in Brooklyn NY in about 1906 is all I know, to parents Henry(Henri) Ivel/Levi and her mum was Rose Nathan... we know that at the family)her mum or dads side) were Austrian Jews. The only ones I foind so far have been a Samuel Nathan b. Hungary 1830 and went to USA and his wife Rossa? b. 1832 in Austria... I can't verify them as Myrtle's grandparents but they may be. I know that Myrtle came to Australia in 1932 with we think her mother's brother and his wife, a relation of that closeness not sure which one though and can't find anything so far for emigration here. I have been hoping to find some relatives of hers most likely in the USA... but so far no good... but what you have said makes so much sense... maybe a few families did the same... if you are in the USA then maybe it is the same family... I would not know.

Thank you again Joel.

Adele