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The MORDECAI / MORT Family of C18th/C19th Glamorgan, Wales & Bristol, England

Distribution of the MORDECAI family name (left) & the MORT family name (right) in 1881

Head of my tree is Hopkin MORDECAI who married Alice DAVID at Briton Ferry, Glamorgan in 1753, my 5xGGPs. Hopkin died in 1779 and is buried at Margam Abbey. Their children were:

• Anne MORDECAI (1753-53 Neath);

• John MORDECAI (1754 Neath);

• Hopkin MORDECAI (1756-58 Neath);

• Hopkin MORDECAI (1758 Neath);

• Leyshon MORT (1762 Neath);

• Llewelyn MORDECAI (1765 Neath);

• William MORDECAI (1769-1829 Neath), unclear if a child of his first or second wife;

In 1769 Hopkin married Mary WILKS in Neath. Their children were:

• Jane MORDECAI (1770 Neath);

• Thomas MORDECAI (1771-72 Neath);

• Anne MORT (1774 Margam);

• Mary MORDECAI (1176-77 Margam);

Leyshon MORDECAI  m. Margaret of unknown family by 1804 and lived in the Margam area, on the coast of West Glamorgan near Port Talbot, Wales, my 4xGGPs. Two daughters are known:

• Mary MORT (1804-07);

• Alice MORT (1807). As Alice MORDECAI she m. Benjamin OSBORNE, a Master Shoemaker/Cordwainer, in 1826 at Bitton Parish Church, Kingswood area, near Bristol, England (my 3xGGPs). 

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MORDECAI or MORT?

Families may have originated from 3 brothers around 1800 in Bridgend, Coychurch, Llangan, Treos, spreading to Cowbridge and Cardiff. C19th families seem to be concentrated in three areas: Cardiff, Margam & Swansea. Each follows the same naming pattern and changed their names about the same time.

One story is that they took the name MORDECAI. MORT was used before, alongside or as an alias at times. The reason for this change is not clear. These original males were weavers and small farmers. Often moving from farm to farm in Glamorgan.

A more likely explanation is the name changing to MORT in the late C18th. Following the Welsh naming convention of X ap Y, or the X (the son of) Y, this meant that the "family name" changed with every generation. After this time, last names were standardised. So, for example, Morris ap Jenkin's son Mordecai (ap Morris) would have children "ap Mordecai". Future generations would then continue with MORDECAI as the surname when more modern conventions were adopted. It is suggested that the impetus to change to MORT may have been due to anti-Jewish sentiments at the time, and having an apparent Jewish surname may have caused the family problems.

- thanks to Caryl Jones for an update on the most recent thoughts on the history of the family

 
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