>
>> PS Mordechai is a first-name that is in my family in the late 1700's and
>> early 1800's. You don't hear it much anymore; if at all.
>
> I'm actually very into names, their meanings, their origins, and who used
> them, and so forth.
>
> I don't know your background, but I'm Orthodox-Jewish. Mordechai is a
> common name among us, though not the most widely found. >
Might I ask what your background is, and that of your family in the 17 > and
18 hundreds?
I'm fascinated by this sort of historic information.
> Where did they live?

> Mordechai

This branch of the family (with the Mordechai and Malachai given names)
first surfaced in Virginia. Malachi gave his signature on "Early Virginia
Religious Petitions
October 22, 1776, Albemarle, Amherst, Buckingham, Dissenters, against
established churches, and for religious equality."
along with other members of this/my family group of men.

I think at that time it was prevalent for many white men, American Indian
and Black men to take biblical names.
All three races were there at that time.

With so many immigrants from Germany and much German ancestry in my family,
there may be Jewish ancestry, but none I've known about -- thus far :-))
Dee Dee