Greenberg

 

Origin of the surname Greenberg
Source: Greenberg Mailing List - by poster Terry Greene

The family name GREENBERG is a partly translation of the original German form GRUNBERG, meaning 'green mountain'. This means that the first bearer of the surname GRUNBERG must have come from the locality called also GRUNBERG. When the bearer of the surname GRUNBERG moved to the Polish territory his surname could have changed a little, namely to that of GRUNBERG, as in Polish there is no such a phone and letter as German u. There is a town of Greenberg in Hesse, Germany, and a Greenberg in Silesia. This latter town was formerly an important center of wool weaving. Polish and Russian wool would be imported and material known as "grunberg" cloth would be exported. Many Jews were in this business and were known as " grunberg merchants", When they had to take permanent family names, many of these businessmen called themselves GREENBERG. An anglicized form of GRUENBERG ( also spelled GRU'NBERG with the u-umlant), literally "green mountain". The fact that it's German doesn't contradict Polish origin, however, much of what is now western Poland was ruled by Germans for many years, and a great many ethnic Germans lived there. Also interesting is that GRUENBERG was the German for the city of ZIELONA GORA ( which means "green mountain" in Polish) a provincial capital in western Poland.

 

My Greenberg ancestors
GENERATION #1

Jacob Grunberg [1] was born in Myjava, Trenčiansky, Slovakia in March 1850 according to the 1900 census and FamilySearch records.  He married Rosa Wadler around 1864. She was born in March 1847 according to the 1900 census.  Both of their full names with spelling variations are listed in marriage records from 4 of their children.  They immigrated to America in 1892.  The 1900 census image below from Manhattan, NY shows their household. Jacob's grandson Herbert Greenberg confirmed that Philip, Max and Harry were brothers.  In this census son Harry would have moved out of the household by that time. Son Max (abt. 1887-) later married Gussie Schnall, sister of Dora Schnall.  It is unknown when Jacob or Rosa died.

Image from 1900 census:

Jacob and Rosa had the following children:

 
1 Annie (Ani) Greenberg was born in 1872 in Austria.  She married Morris J. Fortgang (c1872-) on October 20, 1896 in Manhattan, NY. She died on February 5, 1936 in NY.   Morris and son Irving appear on the 1940 Census.  (Sources: Marriage Record , Census: 1900, 1910, 1920)

     1. Isidore (Irving) Fortgang (Sep 15, 1897 in Manhattan, NY - Feb 13 1976 in NY)
         Sources: Census: 1900, 1910, 1920, 1940; NY Births, SSDI, WW1 Draft

     2. Paul (Peter/Pincus) Fortgang (Jan 7, 1899 in NY - Jun 1976 in CA)
         Sources: Census: 1900, 1910, 1920, 1925 WW2 Draft

     3. Benjamin (Bennie/Ben) Fortgang (July 26, 1902 in NY - Aug 1983 in NY)
         Married Frieda Greenberg on Sep 8, 1929 in NY.
         Sources: Census: 1910, 1920, 1940; SSDI, NY Marriage Records
              (1) Donald Fortgang (Jan 3, 1931 - Sep 1981 in NY) Source: 1940 Census, SSDI
              (2) Alan Fortgang (Abt. 1937 - ) Source: 1940 Census

     4. Bertha Fortgang (May 10, 1905 in NY - Aug 24, 1983 in NY)
         Married Jacob 'Jack" Kurtz (1893-1960)  
         Sources: Census: 1910, 1920, 1925, 1940; NY Births
             (1) Arthur Kurtz (Abt. 1932 - ) Source: 1940 Census
             (2) Roberta Kurtz (Abt. 1936 - ) Source: 1940 Census
2 Louis Greenberg was born abt. 1874 in Austria.   He married Hannah/Annie Feier/Fayer on November, 25, 1897 in Manhattan, NY.
(Sources: Marriage Record, Census: 1900, 1920, 1930)

      1. Peter (Pinkus) Greenberg (June 3, 1898 in NY -  July 16, 1980 in Chicago, IL)
          Sources: Census: 1900, 1920; IL deaths
          Married Anna Fish

      2. Morris/Maurice J. Greenberg (Dec 25, 1899 in NY - April 15, 1989 in Chicago, IL)
          Sources: NY Births, Census: 1900, 1920, 1930, 1940, IL Deaths
          Married Lottie Friedman on Jun 18, 1922
                1. Jack Greenberg (May 7, 1925 in Chicago, IL - ) Source: IL births, 1940 Census
                2. Toby Greenberg (Jun 10, 1931 in Chicago, IL - ) Source: IL births, 1940 Census

      3. Nathan Greenberg (Aug 12, 1907 - Apr 28, 1921 in Chicago, IL)
          (IL Deaths, 1920 Census)
3 Harry Greenberg was born abt. 1877 in Austria. 
       (see generation 2 below)
4 Benjamin (Bernard) Greenberg was born abt. 1881 in Austria.  He married Meimi "Mami" Beicz (Abt. 1879 in Austria - Mar 8, 1948 ) daughter of Elias Beicz (Elian Berch) and Fannie Feldman on January 18, 1903 in Manhattan, NY. Sources: Marriage Record, 1900 Census, 1910 Census (possible)
5 Sarah (Sadie) Greenberg was born in October, 1882 in Austria. She married Harry (Harris) Safran on August 22, 1903 in Manhattan. (Source: Marriage Record.) Harry was born abt. 1878 in Austria.

     1. Bertha Safran - born on Aug 23, 19043 in Manhattan, NY.

     2. Cecilia Safran - born on December 7 1905 in NY

     3. David G. Safran - born on October 22, 1907 in Manhattan, NY;
         Died in January 26, 1985 in Nassau, NY
         He married Marie Graff.
         She was born Mar 12, 1908 in Manhattan, NY
         and died Aug 19, 1976 in Elmont, Nassau, NY.

     4. Jacob (Jack) Safran - born June 16, 1920 in NY
         Died Jan 1979 in NJ
               (1) Harold Leon Safran (Feb 15, 1953 - Jun 15, 2016)
6 Philip Greenberg was born abt. 1882 in Austria. He married Anna Roth on April 16, 1904.  (Marriage Records) Anna was born abt. 1888 and died on Dec 27, 1971.  Philip died on October 24, 1959 in NY of lung/throat cancer.

     1. Samuel (Sidney) Greenberg - born on February 7, 1905;
         died on March 18, 1989 at age 84 of
         congestive heart failure.
         He married Pearl Cora Jankowitz. 
         She was born on Apr 9, 1908 and died on Oct 31, 1981 
         in Cranbury, Middlesex, NJ.
         No children listed on 1940 census.

     2. Max Greenberg - born on July 8, 1909;
         died on September 27, 1992 in Sherman Oaks, CA
         of lung cancer.
         He married Sylvia Kagle on May 25, 1937 in NY.  She was born on
         September 13, 1913 in NY and died on November 29, 1978
         in Sherman Oaks, CA.

     3. Herbert Greenberg - born in June, 1916 in NY.
7 Max Greenberg was born in January 1887 in Austria. He married Gussie Schnall, sister of Dora Schnall.  Gussie was born abt. 1893 in Austria.

     1. Betty Greenberg - born Jun 30, 1912 in IL
         Married Lee Green on Aug 29, 1934.

     2. Miriam Beatrice Greenberg - born on Jan 25, 1915
         in Chicago, IL.  Married Jack M. Bass (1913-1967) on June 6, 1937.

     3. Yetta Greenberg - born Feb 19, 1919 in IL
         Died Oct 1, 1987 in Chicago, IL.
         Married a Rosenberg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
GENERATION #2

Harry Greenberg, [1] son of Jacob and Rosa was born in Austria or Hungary in abt. 1877.  He married Dora Schnall on January 1, 1900 in Manhattan, NY (source:).  Harry would have come to America with his parents in 1892.  He was a saloon keeper and spoke 5 languages fluently according to family tradition. 

In 1920, the census image below shows the following in his household:

The 1930 census in Brooklyn found by Rebecca Gorlin provides some additional interesting information on his family.  In that year it shows both Harry and Dora as being 50 years old and age 20 when they were married.  Harry was listed as being a proprietor of a restaurant; Max was 20 and a helper in the restaurant; Beatrice was 18 and worked in a millinery, ladies' hats; and Herbert was 13 and in school.   Harry and Dora could read and write, and speak English, and were listed as naturalized. It also shows Dora's immigration year as 1892. Both came from Austria and Yiddish was their mother tongue.  Harry died on November 11, 1939 in Brooklyn .  Dora died on April 30, 1950 in Brooklyn. Both are buried in Mount Hebron Cemetery along with daughters Henrietta and Mildred.

Harry and Dora had the following children :

 
1 Abraham Lewis (Al) Greenberg was born on February 16, 1901.  He managed movie theaters and died in 1993. He married Isabelle and they had a son,  Jerold who died young at age 12 or 16.  Sources: 1920 Census
2 Joe Pincas Greenberg was born April 21, 1903 in Manhattan.  He died September 10, 1903.
3 Mildred Greenberg was born September 8, 1904 in Manhattan; She married  Herman Kaufer.  They appear on the 1920 Census. They had 2 boys, George and Jerry.  Herman died on September 9, 1968. She died July 19, 1999 in Queens, NY. 
           
     1. George Kaufer (Oct 20, 1930 NY - Apr 14, 1994 NY) - 2 children
         An electrical engineer who worked on the Manhattan Project.
4 Emanuel Greenberg was born March 8, 1907 in Manhattan. He married Billie Fishbein (13 Mar 1910 in NY - Jan 1982 in NY)  They appear on the 1920 Census. He was owner of several luncheonettes.
          
      1. Beverly Ann Greenberg (23 Jan 1931 in Brooklyn - 21 Aug 2007)
         Married Jerold H. 'Jerry' Jaker (1 Mar 1927 in Newark, NJ - 15 Mar, 1996 in Las Vegas, NV)
               (1) Eric Jaker (24 Dec 1951 in Brooklyn, NY - 2016 in Las Vegas, NV)  
5 Henrietta Greenberg
    (see next generation)
6 Max Greenberg was born abt. 1910.  He appears on the 1920 Census and 1930 Census. He married at age 50 and died abt. 1980 at age 70.
          
7 Beatrice Pearl Greenberg was born June 6, 1916. She married Harry Jaker (Feb 7, 1908 - Sep 1985) ssdi SC deaths and had 2 children. They appear on the 1920 Census, 1930 Census, and 1940 Census. She died on November 24, 1954 in Sellers, SC in a car accident. Source: SC deaths          
          
8 Herbert Greenberg (Greene) was born April 15, 1917 in New York. He married Lorraine Harris who was born in 1921 and died in January 1970, age 49.  Herbert appears on the 1920 Census and 1930 Census. He is on the 1950 census with Lorraine and their eldest child.  They had 3 children.  Herbert died April 21, 2010 in Wood Ridge, New Jersey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

GENERATION #3
Henrietta Greenberg, [1] daughter of Harry and Dora was born on September 7, 1909 in Brooklyn, NY.  She married Benjamin Bertram Fishman around 1928.  Henrietta died on February 28, 1939 in Miami, Florida.
1920 Census

The children of Bert and Henrietta are:

1 Barbara Ann Fisher (May 17, 1930 in Brooklyn, NY - Sep 22, 2018 in Somerset, NJ) (obit)
 Married (1) Gerald Silverstein (1927-1973) and (2) Monte Glover (1927-2000) - 2 children
2 Felice Fisher (see generation below)

GENERATION #4
Felice Fisher married William Marshall

GENERATION #5
Tod Marshall

 

Surnames that married into my Greenberg family
FISHMAN

SCHNALL

 WADLER

     

My Descent From The Greenberg Line
Generation Father Mother
5 Jacob Grunberg (1850-) Rosa Wadler (1847-)
4 Harry Greenberg (c1877-1939) Dora Schnall (c1879-)
3 Bertram Fishman (1907-1985) Henrietta Greenberg (1909-1939)
2 William Edward Marshall Felice Fisher
1 Tod Howard Marshall

This page was last updated on 02/24/23

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