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Unusual name

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Amy

Amy Report 15 Nov 2007 14:20

Hi guys,

I've just come across one of my ancestors with an unusual name, and wondered if anyone else had come across it?

It is a female name, Mahlah. It sounds quite interesting - I thought maybe Hebrew? No idea though! She was born in Norfolk though so maybe not!

Thanks!

Amy

Amy Report 15 Nov 2007 14:24

I've just looked it up and found out it is actually Hebrew! It means "sick" or "ill" apparently!

Do you think this could give me any clues as her religion? Was it common for Hebrew names to be given in Norfolk in the mid 1800s?

♥ Raych ♥

♥ Raych ♥ Report 15 Nov 2007 14:27

I have relatives by the name Mahala, quite similar.

MAHALA
Gender: Feminine

Usage: English

Variant of MAHLAH

MAHLAH
Gender: Feminine & Masculine

Usage: Biblical

Other Scripts: מַחְלָה (Hebrew)

Pronounced: MAH-la, MAY-la [key]

Possibly means "weak" or "sick" in Hebrew. This name is used in the Old Testament as both a masculine and feminine name.

It was in the bible, so would have been used in England, as an example, my name rachel is hebrew and from the bible and there are many rachels in my tree in the 1700s and 1800s.

J* Near M3.Jct4

J* Near M3.Jct4 Report 15 Nov 2007 14:34

Just a thought - do any of your rellies have a Hebrew surname?
I have surname Abraham for one set of my great-grandparents but as yet have not traced their ancestors so I'm not sure of their origin yet although it is a biblical name. Good luch with your searches.

Amy

Amy Report 15 Nov 2007 14:51

Nope - Baker is her surname!

Will keep it in mind!

♥Deetortrainingnewfys♥

♥Deetortrainingnewfys♥ Report 15 Nov 2007 16:11

Amy

What part of Norfolk was she born?

I have had a quick look at my CD for marriage 1801-1837 and there are quite a few "Baker" gentlemen with hebrew/biblical names. Such as Zebulon, Nehemiah, Moses....maybe her father???

Dee

♥ Raych ♥

♥ Raych ♥ Report 15 Nov 2007 17:01

Deetortraining - Is the cd just for Norfolk?

Sean Subexpired

Sean Subexpired Report 15 Nov 2007 18:07

I had several female ancestors in East Anglia called Sabra, or Saberah. It sounds like an Arabic or Hebrew name but I've no idea how or why they chose it. Maybe its something from the Old Testament.

To confuse matters further, in the 1841 Census Sabra became "Savory" *confused look*

♥ Raych ♥

♥ Raych ♥ Report 15 Nov 2007 18:21

The girl's name Sabra \s(a)-bra, sab-ra\ is pronounced SAY-brah. (Hebrew) "cactus" or "to rest". Also used to describe a native-born Israeli.

Sabra has 3 variant forms: Sabrah, Sebra and Sabrette.

I think Saberah, was maybe a typo on the part of the census taker, it doesnt seem to be a name.

♥ Raych ♥

♥ Raych ♥ Report 15 Nov 2007 18:22

Aha. Just found this on rootsweb too..

Re: Has anyone heard of the name Sabra ? Is It of Indian origin ?
Mary Rice (View posts) Posted: 20 Aug 2002 3:55AM GMT

Classification: Query
Surnames:
I have a twin sister named Sabra. She was named after my Grandmother. The originates from the Bible. It is only in there once. I couldn't even begin to tell you where it is. But my Grandmother showed it to us once when we were younger.

Chica in the sun ☼

Chica in the sun ☼ Report 15 Nov 2007 21:12

Sean if you go to wisegeek.com it gives quite abit of info on Sabra, it now means more than a name!

tory

tory Report 15 Nov 2007 21:21

i have the name mahalla or could be malalla in 1820's any ideas.victoria by the way the family she married into were all baptised in the roman catholic church so i would be intrested to know if the name means anything

♥ Raych ♥

♥ Raych ♥ Report 15 Nov 2007 21:36

Read the top post of mine for the meaning of Mahala, Mahalla will just be a slightly different spelling. This was a biblical name, so it would not really matter what denomination the family was, catholics would still have used biblical names.

Sean Subexpired

Sean Subexpired Report 15 Nov 2007 22:37

Thanks for your help, Raych! And apologies for hijacking your thread Amy ;o)

tory

tory Report 16 Nov 2007 08:42

sorry raych should of read more closely.best wishes victoria

Angela

Angela Report 16 Nov 2007 09:43

Amy - I have two Mahala or Mahalia Baker in my tree. They were sisters b. Rayleigh, Essex.
One b. 1844 died 1845
One b. 1846 probably also died young.
Do they ring any bells with your Norfolk Baker family? Angela

Judith

Judith Report 16 Nov 2007 10:23

The name seems to have been used fairly often in East Anglia. I taught a little girl called Mahala in Suffolk only a few years ago. There is a novel called "Mehalah: a story of the salt marshes" written by the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould in 1880 and set in Essex.

Heather

Heather Report 16 Nov 2007 10:57

There were a lot of non comformists in Norfolk, huge numbers got obscure biblical names which is a nice change from James or Sarah in my lot.

♥Deetortrainingnewfys♥

♥Deetortrainingnewfys♥ Report 16 Nov 2007 13:28

Raych, sorry for not getting back sooner.

The CD covers Norfolk parishes & 25 Suffolk.

Do you have any names you would like me to look up?

Dee

♥ Raych ♥

♥ Raych ♥ Report 16 Nov 2007 13:53

Dee, my family is cumbria, kent and glamorgan, I was more interested in whether there is a cd for those areas?