This Kriss Foundation site explores family history in the context of cultural and political events.
Media
We are continually adding photographs, documents, and audio media relating to our family history. Please email new digital images or other media you wish to share. Our goal is to digitize the entire existing collection of 1880-1950 materials for future generations.
Genealogy Online
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Selected Surname Origins
Tarlow
Probably a composite surname. Tar possibly taken as a geographic description from the ancient city of Tarraco (in Sefardic usage, Taragano) in northeastern Spain. The city was captured by the Romans during the Second Punic War in 218 BC. A substantial Jewish population lived there prior to the Inquisition. Low migratory branch derived from the Ashkenazic German lowe meaning lion, related to the Yiddish male name Leyb or Lieb. Use of low is sometimes associated with the Judah tribe, as in 'son of the lion of Judah'. In southern Germany, the variant is low. Alternatively, -ow is a Polish possessive suffix often used by Ashkenazic Jews. In both cases, the meaning is similar: 'one from Tar' or 'son of the lion of Judah from Tar'. Another possibility is that the name is a corruption of Tarnow, indicating a resident from the city of Tarnow (Russian/Polish origin). Possibly ancient Sefardic combined with more recent Ashkenazic origin.