So, originally, the parish of Ayo el Chico (Ayotlán) encompassed most of what are now the municipios of Ayotlán, Arandas, Jesús María and Degollado. In the late 1700s the parish Ayo el Chico was split into two, Ayo el Chico and Arandas. Later, in about the 1820s or 1830s the parish of Arandas was split into two as well, Arandas and Jesús María (also known for a time as Barranca de Viudas).

I looked for El Carrizal in the 1825 padrón for Arandas and Jesús María. There are two places named El Carrizal: El Carrizal de Arriba and El Carrizal de Abajo. They are listed together in the padrón so it is very likely that they were located next to or close to each other. Based on the names of some of the other places that were listed along with the two Carrizales, and with the help of a somewhat recent municipal map of Arandas, it is likely that El Carrizal was located about here: 20°40'43.5"N 102°23'37.0"W. Similarly, El Chilarejo was possibly located here: 20°42'02.0"N 102°19'49.7"W.

So, as you suggested, El Carrizal (which translates to The Reedbed) is a common place name in the region. What is the name of the parish or town that your ancestors went to for their Sacraments? An old padrón for that location may provide some clues to the current location of the El Carrizal you are curious about.

Hi Everyone,

I read the recent comments regarding dietary customs and slaughtering rituals and want to share a link to research released in the 1990s by Schulamith Halevy. She researched Sephardic customs remaining in northern Mexico. If you scroll down to Chapter 4 of her paper, you will find a list of customs and rituals. If any of these customs are familiar to your family, please share with us. I'd also be curious to know what family branches the customs descend from and whether the families connect to my tree. Here's the link:

https://www.cs.tau.ac.il/%7Enachum/sch/AnusimMexico.pdf

I've heard this tale before, but only from small regions in central Mexico. It might be left over by migrating Spaniards from the areas in Southern Spain controlled over many centuries by the Moors and further influenced by the Sephardic populations residing there. 

For the most part, Mexico's past cuisine didn't lend itself to mixing pork with cheese...probably due to the ingredients, safety handling and the crude storage methods used long ago. Today's cuisine say...pork carnitas burrito a la wet with melted cheese, sauce and sour cream has put that notion to rest.

From what I've uncovered is that many of the early settlers from Spain to Mexico were from the northern region of Spain where pork is used abundantly and lard is almost always used as a cooking oil. This may explain why Mexico isn't really known for olive oil use as in other South American countries and olive oil is perceived as medicinal rather than for general cooking. 

As to why some Mexican habits, cuisine and myths may seem to be Jewish or Moorish in origin or likeness...well...a significant portion of Spain was under their control (Moors-North African) and influence (Sephardic-Jewish) for 700 hundred years and these idiosyncrasies were brought over as just ordinary ways of life. It doesn't mean that we are directly related to these groups, but possibly just influenced by them. My Filippina partner also has many similar tales as well.

As to Why "No Pizza Then"?

Neopolitans, Sicilians and Calabrese in Italy were once part of the Spanish Empire. As part or the vast Mediterranean culture, these two groups [Spanish and Southern Italians] are probably the most similar in the entire region. This cross cultural influence at the beginning of the colonialist era in Mexico may further cement the fact that there was a minimal Kosher influence in the early settlers as dietary habits were similar at the beginning and only diverged in modern times. This particular topic opens up a whole new understanding of how Mexico isn't really a country made up simply of Spaniards and Indigenous peoples, but a truly international and cosmopolitan hub preceding the United States as a melting pot. I have found that over many centuries certain regions/countries and peoples have had a significant influence in Mexico.

Here's a list:

India, China, Japan, The Philippines, The Netherlands (Holland), Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, France, Angola, Russia, Germany, North Africa...just to name a few.

I have never heard of this. I have heard of no pork, as someone else said. In my family we had a no blood rule. My mom grew up on a farm and her dad would always hang the animals upside down when slaughtering them for food by slicing them across the neck. All the blood had to drain into the ground before they could use the meat. When I asked my mom for the reason behind this, she said all she knew was that her father told her they should never eat the blood, because blood would make you sick. I know this is definitely not a widespread belief in Mexican culture, so I think it could reflect a Jewish influence. In that same vein (no pun intended!), on both sides of my family no egg is eaten without first inspecting it for any sign of blood. If there's even one spot, the whole egg gets thrown out. 

Hi David, 

It may be a far reaching custom derived from Jewish dietary law, except observant and some non-observant Jews to this day would NEVER eat pork.  As a matter of fact, they won’t even mention the word “pork”. 

You are correct that they will not mix dairy with beef. No cheeseburgers for them. 

Dietary laws are found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14:21-22. 

Happy researching. 

Hi David, 

It may be a far reaching custom derived from Jewish dietary law, except observant and some non-observant Jews to this day would NEVER eat pork.  As a matter of fact, they won’t even mention the word “pork”. 

You are correct that they will not mix dairy with beef. No cheeseburgers for them. 

Dietary laws are found in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14:21-22. 

Happy researching. 

Hello Alice,

I found the proposed Rangel to Ha Levi ancestral line.   We discussed it here on nuestrosranchos in another thread.    There are mistakes in that line. I will do more research before posting it again.  

Thanks for bringing this up again, 

Rick A. Ricci

I have not connected the Romo family to the ha Levi family but it would not surprise me.  My Grandfather J HERMENEGILDO Romo Franco told me that we descended from Jews but never gave details.   He stated that presently our family was Roman Catholic but that family had a past with a different religion.   It was his way of saying that we had Jewish ancestors.   But these Jewish ancestors that he was talking about could have come from any of his ancestral lines, and not from a direct Romo ancestry. My grandfather is a third cousin to Santo Toribio Romo twice.

Diego el Romo was accused of Blasphemy in 1569 by the inquisition.  I still haven’t connected this Diego el Romo to my family line but he is from the same area as my Romo ancestors 


Rick A. Ricci

I have not connected the Romo family to the ha Levi family but it would not surprise me.  My Grandfather J HERMENEGILDO Romo Franco told me that we descended from Jews but never gave details    He stated that presently our family was Roman Catholic but that family had a past with a different religion.   It was his way of saying that we had Jewish ancestors.   “ Diego el Romo” was accused of Blasphemy in 1569 by the inquisition.  This Diego lived in the same area as my Romo ancestors.    

My ancestor Diego Romo de Vivar is a grandchild of “Juan Luis Rincon and Maria Romo” who lived at the same time, and in the same area, as Diego el Romo.

Rick A. Ricci

You mentioned “late Sergio Gutierrrez”.   Is this the same Sergio Gutierrez that wrote a few  of books regarding Gutierrez genealogy and genealogy in Jalostotitlan? When and how did he pass away?   

works to see a LOT on one page.  The items are selectable and if updated then when clicked on it will display the individual and where from.

Hola a todos:

Me enteré de que el apellido Parga es toponímico y procede de una villa en la costa de la actual  Grecia.

Fue a través de la magnífica novela turca "El Sultán" sobre la vida del sultán Suleymán el magnífico, cuyo mejor amigo y luego cuñado fue Ibrahim "El Pargali" esclavo procedente de Parga, que fue adoptado por una dama turca y se convirtió en sabio, casi hermano del sultán y luego mentor de su hijo mayor en príncipe Mustafá. Aunque me quedó la duda su la cultura de Ibrahim era griega o italiana.

Marcelina (Fabiola)

Thank you so much for that video link! So interesting for me, especially because I am a descendant of all three of these families!

Link to the video: Mexican Genealogy: Jewish Origin of Three Families in Jalisco