Search Moroccan Jewish Cemeteries
A good name is better than fine oil - Kohelet 7:1 - קהלת ז:א
Yahasra.org Cemetery Statistics
Comprehensive Analysis of Moroccan Jewish Heritage Records
Generated: December 08, 2025
AI-Powered • Auto-Sync • Coordinate-Based Classification
Geographic Zone Classification
All 54 cemeteries in our database are classified into 3 geographic regions based on their precise GPS coordinates. This objective, coordinate-based approach ensures consistent regional classification for surname distribution analysis.
⬆️ North
latitude ≥ 34.26° (Kenitra and northward)
6,497 records (22.8%)
Includes: Tanger- Route de Rabat, Tetuan, Larache, Larache - Ancien cimetière, Tanger- Route du Portugal, Tanger- Route d'Assilah
⬌ Central
32.0° < latitude < 34.26° (Between Marrakech and Kenitra)
19,302 records (67.8%)
Includes: Casablanca BenM'Sik, Fez, Rabat - Ancien cimetière, Safi, Meknes, Debdou
⬇️ South
latitude ≤ 32.0° (Marrakech, Safi and southward)
2,688 records (9.4%)
Includes: Marrakech, Agadir, Mogador, Taroudant, Tafilalet, Demnate
Cemetery Distribution by Zone:
North:
• Ahfir
• Ceuta
• Imzoughen
• Kenitra
• Ksar-el-Kebir
• Larache
• Larache - Ancien cimetière
• Ouazzane
• Oujda
• Region du Rif
+ 5 more...
Central:
• Agourai
• Azemmour
• Azrou
• Beni-Mellal
• Boujad
• Casablanca
• Casablanca BenM'Sik
• Debdou
• Fez
• Mazagan
+ 9 more...
South:
• Agadir
• Ait Ourir
• Akka
• Anzal (Ouarzazate Province)
• Azaouia
• Boumalne Dades(province de Tinghir)
• Demnate
• Draa
• Er rachidia
• Erfoud
+ 10 more...
Methodology
1. AI-Powered Coordinate Discovery
When new cemeteries are discovered in burial records, the system automatically uses Claude AI to research and obtain precise geographic coordinates. Only when coordinates cannot be found automatically does the system request manual input.
2. Canonical Name Matching (Levenshtein Distance)
The Yahasra.org database employs the Levenshtein distance algorithm (Levenshtein, 1966) to standardize surname variants across cemetery records, enabling systematic identification of phonetic and orthographic variants of the same family name.
3. Location Quotients (Spatial Concentration)
Adapted from regional economic analysis (Isard, 1960), Location Quotients (LQ) measure the relative concentration of surnames across Morocco's 3 macro-regions, enabling identification of historically rooted family clusters and migration patterns.
Regional Distribution (Coordinate-Based)
Cemetery Demographics
| Cemetery | Region | Coordinates | Records | % of Sample | Male % | Female % | Surnames | Rabbis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casablanca BenM'Sik | Central | 33.58°, -7.57° | 9,423 | 33.1% | 56.7% | 42.3% | 869 | 27 |
| Fez | Central | 34.05°, -4.99° | 6,004 | 21.1% | 51.2% | 41.2% | 450 | 803 |
| Tanger- Route de Rabat | North | 35.78°, -5.81° | 4,137 | 14.5% | 49.7% | 49.6% | 470 | 7 |
| Marrakech | South | 31.62°, -7.98° | 2,212 | 7.8% | 52.7% | 39.4% | 311 | 214 |
| Rabat - Ancien cimetière | Central | 34.02°, -6.84° | 1,982 | 7.0% | 54.6% | 42.3% | 401 | 37 |
| Tetuan | North | 35.58°, -5.37° | 1,513 | 5.3% | 51.2% | 41.6% | 269 | 96 |
| Safi | Central | 32.30°, -9.24° | 852 | 3.0% | 65.0% | 29.6% | 224 | 16 |
| Meknes | Central | 33.89°, -5.57° | 598 | 2.1% | 40.1% | 24.6% | 154 | 237 |
| Larache | North | 35.20°, -6.15° | 502 | 1.8% | 52.2% | 47.2% | 189 | 3 |
| Agadir | South | 30.44°, -9.60° | 312 | 1.1% | 52.9% | 39.7% | 117 | 10 |
| Debdou | Central | 33.98°, -3.04° | 214 | 0.8% | 43.5% | 43.5% | 20 | 37 |
| Larache - Ancien cimetière | North | 35.17°, -6.16° | 107 | 0.4% | 57.9% | 41.1% | 59 | 0 |
| Sefrou | Central | 33.84°, -4.84° | 91 | 0.3% | 13.2% | 4.4% | 34 | 78 |
| Tanger- Route du Portugal | North | 35.78°, -5.81° | 80 | 0.3% | 40.0% | 47.5% | 23 | 11 |
| Sale | Central | 34.04°, -6.81° | 80 | 0.3% | 6.2% | 0.0% | 41 | 80 |
| Tanger- Route d'Assilah | North | 35.78°, -5.81° | 77 | 0.3% | 61.0% | 29.9% | 30 | 0 |
| Mogador | South | 31.52°, -9.76° | 35 | 0.1% | 2.9% | 0.0% | 26 | 35 |
| Taroudant | South | 30.47°, -8.88° | 31 | 0.1% | 77.4% | 12.9% | 21 | 11 |
| Ksar-el-Kebir | North | 34.99°, -5.91° | 30 | 0.1% | 46.7% | 26.7% | 25 | 10 |
| Tafilalet | South | 31.28°, -4.27° | 28 | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 15 | 28 |
| Oujda | North | 34.69°, -1.91° | 23 | 0.1% | 56.5% | 39.1% | 10 | 1 |
| Oufrane | South | 29.22°, -9.47° | 19 | 0.1% | 47.4% | 0.0% | 15 | 19 |
| Demnate | South | 31.73°, -7.00° | 19 | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 8 | 19 |
| Taza | Central | 34.21°, -4.00° | 18 | 0.1% | 22.2% | 0.0% | 13 | 15 |
| Beni-Mellal | Central | 32.34°, -6.35° | 16 | 0.1% | 87.5% | 12.5% | 12 | 1 |
| Ahfir | North | 34.95°, -2.10° | 13 | 0.0% | 61.5% | 30.8% | 11 | 1 |
| Settat | Central | 33.00°, -7.62° | 8 | 0.0% | 87.5% | 12.5% | 8 | 1 |
| Region du Rif | North | 34.84°, -4.50° | 7 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5 | 7 |
| Draa | South | 31.11°, -5.20° | 6 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6 | 6 |
| Erfoud | South | 31.42°, -4.24° | 5 | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 3 | 0 |
| Azaouia | South | 30.73°, -6.45° | 4 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4 | 4 |
| Er rachidia | South | 31.92°, -4.42° | 4 | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 4 | 3 |
| Rabat - Nouveau cimetière | Central | 34.01°, -6.86° | 4 | 0.0% | 25.0% | 75.0% | 2 | 0 |
| Souss-Massa | South | 30.43°, -9.57° | 3 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3 | 3 |
| Agourai | Central | 33.63°, -5.58° | 3 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 | 3 |
| Oulad Tagra | Central | 32.40°, -8.65° | 2 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 | 2 |
| Ceuta | North | 35.89°, -5.32° | 2 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 | 2 |
| Tagante (Guelmim Province) | South | 29.13°, -9.78° | 2 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 | 2 |
| Tamanarte (Souss-Massa) | South | 29.18°, -8.98° | 2 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 | 2 |
| Kenitra | North | 34.27°, -6.59° | 2 | 0.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% | 2 | 1 |
| Ouazzane | North | 34.80°, -5.58° | 2 | 0.0% | 50.0% | 0.0% | 2 | 2 |
| Mazagan | Central | 33.26°, -8.50° | 2 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 2 |
| Azrou | Central | 33.43°, -5.22° | 2 | 0.0% | 50.0% | 0.0% | 2 | 2 |
| Casablanca | Central | 33.59°, -7.60° | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 1 |
| Boujad | Central | 32.76°, -6.39° | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 1 |
| Azemmour | Central | 33.29°, -8.34° | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 1 |
| Anzal (Ouarzazate Province) | South | 30.76°, -7.29° | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 1 |
| Saidia | North | 35.08°, -2.22° | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 1 |
| Akka | South | 29.42°, -8.25° | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 1 |
| Telouet (Province de Ouarzazate) | South | 31.29°, -7.24° | 1 | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 1 |
| Tamgret | South | 30.26°, -5.66° | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 1 |
| Ait Ourir | South | 31.56°, -7.66° | 1 | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 0 |
| Boumalne Dades(province de Tinghir) | South | 31.37°, -5.99° | 1 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 1 |
| Imzoughen | North | 34.88°, -4.24° | 1 | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 1 | 0 |
Data Completeness
Temporal Distribution
Peak decade: 1950s with 5,004 records
Top 100 Surnames (Overall)
Regional Entropy Analysis
Understanding Shannon Entropy (H)
Shannon Entropy measures the geographic diversity of surname distribution across Morocco's three regions: North, Central, and South.
The Formula:
H = -Σ(pi · ln pi)
Where:
- H: Entropy score (higher = more dispersed across regions)
- pi: Proportion of the surname in each region
- ln: Natural logarithm
Interpretation:
- High Entropy (H ≈ 1.0-1.1): "Cosmopolitan" families spread evenly across all three regions (e.g., 40% North, 35% Central, 25% South)
- Low Entropy (H ≈ 0.1-0.4): "Rooted" families concentrated in one primary region (e.g., 85% Central, 10% North, 5% South)
Note: Analysis includes only major surnames with ≥50 burial records and presence in at least 2 regions.
Visualizing Surname Dispersion Across Regions
Top 10 Most Dispersed Surnames
Families spread across multiple regions
| Surname | Entropy (H) | Regions | Primary Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| moryoussef | 1.094 | 3 | Central (37.8%) |
| nezri | 1.06 | 3 | Central (42.1%) |
| benyayer | 1.04 | 3 | South (50.0%) |
| benlolo | 1.039 | 3 | Central (50.0%) |
| tangy | 1.038 | 3 | Central (50.0%) |
| benharbon | 1.03 | 3 | South (50.0%) |
| bentata | 1.026 | 3 | North (47.5%) |
| azancot | 1.014 | 3 | North (45.1%) |
| pinto | 1.009 | 3 | North (52.9%) |
| corsia | 1.004 | 3 | North (42.9%) |
Top 10 Most Localized Surnames
Families rooted in one primary region (≥50 records)
| Surname | Entropy (H) | Regions | Primary Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| garzon | 0.087 | 2 | North (98.3%) |
| hacohen | 0.088 | 3 | Central (98.5%) |
| nahmani | 0.098 | 2 | Central (98.0%) |
| elalouf | 0.139 | 2 | Central (96.9%) |
| amiel | 0.161 | 3 | Central (96.9%) |
| ruimy | 0.161 | 2 | Central (96.2%) |
| zagury | 0.163 | 3 | Central (96.8%) |
| zazon | 0.185 | 2 | Central (95.5%) |
| elkaim | 0.191 | 2 | Central (95.2%) |
| marciano | 0.236 | 2 | Central (93.7%) |
Top 10 Most Rooted Surnames (One region only)
Rare families with 100% concentration in ONE region only (Entropy = 0). These are truly indigenous names that never migrated across regional boundaries. Sorted by total count (≥50 records).
| Surname | Total Records | Region | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| cherbit | 84 | Central | 100% |
| derhy | 51 | Central | 100% |
Sub-Lineage First Name Signature Analysis
Research Hypothesis
Even within the same canonical surname, distinct genealogical lineages may have evolved separately in different regions. These sub-lineages can be identified by their first name preferences — different branches of the same family favor different naming traditions.
Example: If Ouaknine families in Tangier favor "Salomon" and "Isaac" while Ouaknine families in Marrakech favor "Abraham" and "Joseph", this suggests two distinct genealogical lineages that happen to share a surname.
Metrics Used:
- FNCI (First Name Concentration Index): Analogous to Location Quotient, measures if a first name is over/under-represented in a specific region within a surname. FNCI > 1.5 indicates a "signature" first name for that regional branch.
- Jensen-Shannon Divergence: Measures the "distance" between first name probability distributions across regions. Higher values indicate more distinct naming traditions.
- Chi-Square Test: Statistical test for whether first name choice is independent of region. Significant result (p < 0.05) confirms distinct sub-lineages.
108
Surnames Analyzed
11
With Distinct Sub-Lineages (p<0.05)
267
Signature First Names Identified
Top 15 Surnames with Distinct Regional Naming Patterns
Sorted by Jensen-Shannon divergence (higher = more distinct traditions). *** indicates statistically significant differentiation (χ² test, p < 0.05).
| Surname | Records | JS Divergence | χ² Stat | p-value | Signature First Names by Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bendavid | 70 | 0.6866 | — | — | South: ouyoussef abraham (2.33×); Central: joseph (1.75×) |
| corcos | 51 | 0.6823 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| castiel | 50 | 0.6565 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| illouz | 90 | 0.6473 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| mimran | 139 | 0.6427 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| obadia | 92 | 0.6414 | — | — | North: esther (3.29×) |
| knafo | 98 | 0.6268 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| afriat | 57 | 0.6256 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| bibas | 53 | 0.6232 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| laredo | 72 | 0.6230 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| elmaleh | 145 | 0.6209 | — | — | North: isaac (6.9×); South: Yaakov (13.18×) |
| amsellem | 120 | 0.6174 | — | — | Central: zohra (1.56×), esther (1.56×), rahma (1.56×), simha (1.56×), myriam (1.56×), jacob (1.56×) |
| ettedgui | 60 | 0.6160 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| dery | 74 | 0.6147 | — | — | No strong signatures |
| sananes | 78 | 0.6061 | — | — | No strong signatures |
Detailed Sub-Lineage Analysis: Top 5 Most Differentiated
bendavid — 70 records across 2 regions
Regional Distribution:
- Central: 40 (57.1%)
- South: 30 (42.9%)
Divergence Scores:
- Central-South: 0.6866
Signature First Names (FNCI > 1.5):
Central:
- joseph: 1.75× (5 in region)
South:
- ouyoussef abraham: 2.33× (4 in region)
corcos — 51 records across 2 regions
Regional Distribution:
- Central: 39 (76.5%)
- South: 11 (21.6%)
Divergence Scores:
- Central-South: 0.6823
Signature First Names (FNCI > 1.5):
Central:
- No strong signatures
South:
- No strong signatures
castiel — 50 records across 2 regions
Regional Distribution:
- North: 25 (50.0%)
- Central: 22 (44.0%)
Divergence Scores:
- North-Central: 0.6565
Signature First Names (FNCI > 1.5):
North:
- No strong signatures
Central:
- No strong signatures
illouz — 90 records across 2 regions
Regional Distribution:
- North: 16 (17.8%)
- Central: 73 (81.1%)
Divergence Scores:
- North-Central: 0.6473
Signature First Names (FNCI > 1.5):
North:
- No strong signatures
Central:
- No strong signatures
mimran — 139 records across 2 regions
Regional Distribution:
- Central: 124 (89.2%)
- South: 10 (7.2%)
Divergence Scores:
- Central-South: 0.6427
Signature First Names (FNCI > 1.5):
Central:
- No strong signatures
South:
- No strong signatures
Methodological Notes:
- Analysis restricted to surnames with ≥50 records and presence in ≥2 regions (10+ per region)
- FNCI (First Name Concentration Index) adapts Isard's Location Quotient for first name analysis
- Jensen-Shannon divergence is a symmetrized version of KL divergence, bounded [0, ln(2)]
- Chi-square test uses top 20 first names per surname to ensure adequate cell counts
Family Naming Culture Fingerprint
Concept
Each surname family has its own "naming culture" — certain first names appear more frequently within that family than in the general population. This analysis identifies distinctive first names that serve as markers for each family lineage.
Example: If "DAVID" appears in 7% of OUAKNINE records but only 3% of all records, then DAVID is 2.3× more common in Ouaknine families — suggesting it's a characteristic name for this lineage.
Metric Used:
- FN-SQ (First Name Surname Quotient): (% in surname) ÷ (% globally). FN-SQ > 1.5 indicates a distinctive family name.
Note: As the database grows, these patterns will become more statistically robust.
1,696
Surname Families
28,209
Records Analyzed
2,190
Unique First Names
392
With Distinctive Patterns
Top 30 Largest Surname Families — Naming Fingerprints
| Surname | Records | Unique Names | Most Common First Name | Distinctive Names (FN-SQ > 1.5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cohen | 1,229 | 29 | ISAAC (4.1%) | SIMHA (1.5×) |
| levy | 707 | 19 | ESTHER (6.5%) | ESTHER (1.7×), ISAAC (1.65×) |
| ohayon | 565 | 21 | ABRAHAM (5.0%) | MEIR (2.05×), SIMY (1.92×), JOSEPH (1.6×), MESSOD (1.51×) |
| dahan | 507 | 20 | JOSEPH (5.7%) | HANNA (2.1×), JOSEPH (1.91×) |
| bendayan | 466 | 14 | GRAND (4.9%) | GRAND (4.56×), ZOHRA (1.55×) |
| bitton | 455 | 17 | DAVID (4.8%) | SHALOM (2.48×), DAVID (1.56×), SIMON (1.55×) |
| soussan | 439 | 14 | ABRAHAM (4.3%) | — |
| hamou | 410 | 14 | ABRAHAM (5.4%) | MERIAM (2.04×), SIMHA (1.61×) |
| amar | 384 | 15 | ABRAHAM (4.7%) | MEIR (2.61×), FREHA (2.54×), SIMHA (2.23×), SHALOM (2.2×) |
| moyal | 362 | 14 | RACHEL (11.3%) | RACHEL (4.0×), ELIE (3.12×), HAIM (1.72×) |
| azoulay | 354 | 14 | ABRAHAM (4.8%) | NISSIM (2.86×) |
| oiknine | 314 | 11 | DAVID (7.3%) | DAVID (2.36×), HANNA (2.08×), MEIR (1.96×) |
| abitbol | 308 | 14 | JOSEPH (4.5%) | RAFAEL (3.03×), HAIM (2.03×), MEIR (1.75×), JOSEPH (1.52×) |
| elbaz | 305 | 11 | ESTHER (5.9%) | SHALOM (2.16×), GRAND (2.12×), ESTHER (1.54×) |
| attias | 287 | 15 | JOSEPH (5.2%) | GRAND (3.22×), SIMON (2.9×), MESSOD (2.45×), MERIAM (2.18×) |
| mamane | 287 | 14 | HANNA (7.0%) | HANNA (5.7×), ELIE (3.01×), RAFAEL (2.44×), ESTHER (1.64×) |
| malka | 273 | 12 | DAVID (5.9%) | HAIM (2.97×), ELIE (1.95×), DAVID (1.89×), ZOHRA (1.51×) |
| serero | 271 | 8 | GRAND (17.3%) | GRAND (16.04×), MAZAL-TOV (5.55×), RAFAEL (2.15×) |
| perez | 266 | 12 | DAVID (6.0%) | HANANIA (5.71×), MEIR (2.32×), SALOMON (2.09×), DAVID (1.94×) |
| harroch | 262 | 11 | MOSES (5.0%) | SIMHA (2.77×), MERIAM (1.86×), MOSES (1.83×), ZOHRA (1.57×) |
| toledano | 248 | 9 | ABRAHAM (4.4%) | ESTRELLA (5.99×), YOSSEF (2.96×), MESSODY (2.47×), SIMY (1.8×) |
| botbol | 245 | 11 | ABRAHAM (4.5%) | REINA (4.36×), HANNA (3.0×), MESSOD (2.05×), MERIAM (1.99×) |
| suissa | 244 | 10 | ISAAC (4.5%) | FREHA (2.28×), MESSOD (2.06×), SIMON (1.84×), HAIM (1.79×) |
| assayag | 242 | 11 | ABRAHAM (7.0%) | MESSOD (2.91×), SIMON (2.38×), YOSSEF (2.28×), MESSODA (2.27×) |
| chocron | 236 | 9 | ISAAC (6.4%) | AMRAM (5.12×), LUNA (4.72×), CLARA (4.01×), ISAAC (1.77×) |
| serfaty | 229 | 10 | ABRAHAM (7.4%) | GRAND (4.85×), MESSODA (2.06×), ABRAHAM (1.9×), HAIM (1.64×) |
| bensimhon | 223 | 10 | MESSODA (4.5%) | MESSODA (3.52×), GRAND (2.9×), HANNA (2.57×), SIMHA (1.77×) |
| assouline | 221 | 11 | ESTHER (7.7%) | MAKHLOUF (4.43×), HANNA (2.59×), HAIM (2.26×), FREHA (2.21×) |
| benzaquen | 217 | 11 | SIMY (8.3%) | SIMY (5.29×), HANNA (2.26×), JOSEPH (1.69×) |
| benchimol | 215 | 9 | ESTHER (6.0%) | ESTRELLA (4.32×), MESSODY (2.38×), JUDAH (2.34×), ESTHER (1.58×) |
Detailed Naming Analysis — Top 10 Families
cohen — 1,229 records, 29 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISAAC | 50 | 4.1% | 3.6% | 1.13× |
| JACOB | 46 | 3.7% | 3.07% | 1.22× |
| ABRAHAM | 45 | 3.7% | 3.91% | 0.94× |
| DAVID | 43 | 3.5% | 3.11% | 1.13× |
| RACHEL | 36 | 2.9% | 2.83% | 1.04× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 11.5% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 1
- Distinctive names:
- • SIMHA: 1.5× more common (28 occurrences)
levy — 707 records, 19 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESTHER | 46 | 6.5% | 3.83% | 1.7× |
| ISAAC | 42 | 5.9% | 3.6% | 1.65× |
| MOSES | 22 | 3.1% | 2.72% | 1.15× |
| JOSEPH | 20 | 2.8% | 2.99% | 0.95× |
| DAVID | 17 | 2.4% | 3.11% | 0.77× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 15.6% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 2
- Distinctive names:
- • ESTHER: 1.7× more common (46 occurrences)
- • ISAAC: 1.65× more common (42 occurrences)
ohayon — 565 records, 21 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABRAHAM | 28 | 5.0% | 3.91% | 1.27× |
| JOSEPH | 27 | 4.8% | 2.99% | 1.6× |
| ESTHER | 26 | 4.6% | 3.83% | 1.2× |
| RACHEL | 23 | 4.1% | 2.83% | 1.44× |
| DAVID | 23 | 4.1% | 3.11% | 1.31× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 14.3% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 4
- Distinctive names:
- • MEIR: 2.05× more common (15 occurrences)
- • SIMY: 1.92× more common (17 occurrences)
- • JOSEPH: 1.6× more common (27 occurrences)
- • MESSOD: 1.51× more common (17 occurrences)
dahan — 507 records, 20 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOSEPH | 29 | 5.7% | 2.99% | 1.91× |
| ABRAHAM | 27 | 5.3% | 3.91% | 1.36× |
| ISAAC | 19 | 3.7% | 3.6% | 1.04× |
| JACOB | 17 | 3.4% | 3.07% | 1.09× |
| MOSES | 16 | 3.2% | 2.72% | 1.16× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 14.8% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 2
- Distinctive names:
- • HANNA: 2.1× more common (13 occurrences)
- • JOSEPH: 1.91× more common (29 occurrences)
bendayan — 466 records, 14 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRAND | 23 | 4.9% | 1.08% | 4.56× |
| ESTHER | 19 | 4.1% | 3.83% | 1.06× |
| MOSES | 15 | 3.2% | 2.72% | 1.19× |
| DAVID | 15 | 3.2% | 3.11% | 1.04× |
| ZOHRA | 14 | 3.0% | 1.94% | 1.55× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 12.2% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 2
- Distinctive names:
- • GRAND: 4.56× more common (23 occurrences)
- • ZOHRA: 1.55× more common (14 occurrences)
bitton — 455 records, 17 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID | 22 | 4.8% | 3.11% | 1.56× |
| ABRAHAM | 21 | 4.6% | 3.91% | 1.18× |
| JOSEPH | 20 | 4.4% | 2.99% | 1.47× |
| ESTHER | 15 | 3.3% | 3.83% | 0.86× |
| JACOB | 14 | 3.1% | 3.07% | 1.0× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 13.8% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 3
- Distinctive names:
- • SHALOM: 2.48× more common (12 occurrences)
- • DAVID: 1.56× more common (22 occurrences)
- • SIMON: 1.55× more common (11 occurrences)
soussan — 439 records, 14 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABRAHAM | 19 | 4.3% | 3.91% | 1.11× |
| DAVID | 19 | 4.3% | 3.11% | 1.39× |
| MOSES | 15 | 3.4% | 2.72% | 1.26× |
| ESTHER | 15 | 3.4% | 3.83% | 0.89× |
| RACHEL | 13 | 3.0% | 2.83% | 1.05× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 12.1% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 0
hamou — 410 records, 14 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABRAHAM | 22 | 5.4% | 3.91% | 1.37× |
| ESTHER | 13 | 3.2% | 3.83% | 0.83× |
| RACHEL | 12 | 2.9% | 2.83% | 1.03× |
| MERIAM | 12 | 2.9% | 1.44% | 2.04× |
| JACOB | 11 | 2.7% | 3.07% | 0.87× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 11.5% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 2
- Distinctive names:
- • MERIAM: 2.04× more common (12 occurrences)
- • SIMHA: 1.61× more common (10 occurrences)
amar — 384 records, 15 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABRAHAM | 18 | 4.7% | 3.91% | 1.2× |
| JOSEPH | 16 | 4.2% | 2.99% | 1.39× |
| ISAAC | 15 | 3.9% | 3.6% | 1.09× |
| DAVID | 15 | 3.9% | 3.11% | 1.26× |
| FREHA | 14 | 3.6% | 1.44% | 2.54× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 12.8% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 4
- Distinctive names:
- • MEIR: 2.61× more common (13 occurrences)
- • FREHA: 2.54× more common (14 occurrences)
- • SIMHA: 2.23× more common (13 occurrences)
- • SHALOM: 2.2× more common (9 occurrences)
moyal — 362 records, 14 unique first names
Top 5 First Names:
| Name | Count | % in Family | % Global | FN-SQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RACHEL | 41 | 11.3% | 2.83% | 4.0× |
| ELIE | 17 | 4.7% | 1.51% | 3.12× |
| ISAAC | 15 | 4.1% | 3.6% | 1.15× |
| JACOB | 12 | 3.3% | 3.07% | 1.08× |
| HAIM | 10 | 2.8% | 1.6% | 1.72× |
Family Statistics:
- Top 3 names cover: 20.2% of family
- Distinctive names (FN-SQ > 1.5): 3
- Distinctive names:
- • RACHEL: 4.0× more common (41 occurrences)
- • ELIE: 3.12× more common (17 occurrences)
- • HAIM: 1.72× more common (10 occurrences)
Methodological Notes:
- Analysis uses canonical_firstname field for normalized first name comparison
- FN-SQ (First Name Surname Quotient) = (% in surname) ÷ (% globally)
- FN-SQ > 1.5 indicates a distinctive name for that family (50% more common than expected)
- No minimum record threshold — all families included for future growth
- As database expands, patterns will become more statistically significant
📊 Surname Wordcloud
Visual representation of the most common surnames. Larger text indicates higher frequency.
Location Quotients (Regional Concentration)
Surnames with LQ > 1.5 indicate regional concentration. Higher values suggest historical family clusters.
| Surname | Region | LQ | Regional Count | National Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nahon | North | 3.89 | 142 | 160 |
| benzaquen | North | 2.98 | 149 | 219 |
| bitton | South | 2.55 | 111 | 462 |
| benarroch | North | 2.41 | 107 | 195 |
| pinto | North | 2.32 | 92 | 174 |
| chocron | North | 2.11 | 115 | 239 |
| hazan | South | 2.05 | 37 | 191 |
| oiknine | South | 2.01 | 61 | 321 |
| pinto | South | 2.01 | 33 | 174 |
| ohayon | South | 1.88 | 102 | 574 |
| benchimol | North | 1.86 | 92 | 217 |
| sibony | South | 1.86 | 27 | 154 |
| abitbol | South | 1.82 | 54 | 314 |
| toledano | North | 1.79 | 101 | 248 |
| azoulay | South | 1.76 | 60 | 361 |
| abecassis | North | 1.75 | 73 | 183 |
| perez | South | 1.68 | 43 | 272 |
| benaim | North | 1.66 | 56 | 148 |
| benchetrit | South | 1.57 | 30 | 202 |
| benatar | South | 1.57 | 28 | 189 |
Canonical Name Matching - Confidence Distribution
Canonical name matching is calculated on the basis of the Laredo Moroccan Sephardi Names Index, the authoritative reference for standardizing name variants in Moroccan Jewish onomastics.
The Yahasra.org database employs the Levenshtein distance algorithm (Levenshtein, 1966) to standardize surname variants across cemetery records. This computational approach measures the minimum number of single-character edits required to transform one string into another, enabling systematic identification of phonetic and orthographic variants of the same family name against the canonical forms established in Laredo's authoritative index (1978).
Laredo, A. I. (1978). Les noms des Juifs du Maroc: essai d'onomastique judéo-marocaine. Hebraica Ediciones.
Match Distance Statistics
Rabbinic Distribution
Temporal-Spatial Migration Analysis
Tracking surname movement across Morocco's 3 geographic regions over 16 decades (1880s-2020s)
Most Mobile Families
Surnames showing significant geographic redistribution across decades. Mobility Score measures how frequently a surname's primary zone changed over time (0 = stable, 1 = maximum mobility).
| Surname | Mobility Score | Zone Changes | North % | Central % | South % | Total Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pinto | 0.67 | 4 | 52.9% | 28.2% | 19.0% | 174 |
| toledano | 0.5 | 5 | 40.7% | 59.3% | 0.0% | 248 |
| benarroch | 0.5 | 3 | 54.9% | 44.6% | 0.5% | 195 |
| azoulay | 0.44 | 4 | 20.2% | 63.2% | 16.6% | 361 |
| chocron | 0.44 | 4 | 48.1% | 49.4% | 2.5% | 239 |
| benchimol | 0.43 | 3 | 42.4% | 53.5% | 4.1% | 217 |
| benaim | 0.4 | 2 | 37.8% | 59.5% | 2.7% | 148 |
| levy | 0.33 | 4 | 27.3% | 60.3% | 12.4% | 718 |
| mamane | 0.33 | 4 | 22.0% | 68.6% | 9.4% | 287 |
| botbol | 0.33 | 4 | 22.0% | 78.0% | 0.0% | 245 |
| assayag | 0.33 | 3 | 33.3% | 63.0% | 3.7% | 243 |
| gabay | 0.33 | 2 | 31.6% | 63.1% | 5.3% | 187 |
| abecassis | 0.33 | 3 | 39.9% | 48.1% | 12.0% | 183 |
Most Rooted Families
Surnames maintaining stable geographic distribution across 5+ decades. These families demonstrate strong regional anchoring with minimal inter-zone migration.
Surname Persistence & Evolution
📍 Continuous Presence Across All Decades
These 2 surnames appear in every decade from Pre-1880s to 2020s, demonstrating unbroken genealogical continuity across 140+ years.
🎯 High Zone Loyalty (≥80% in One Zone)
Surnames demonstrating exceptional regional anchoring with minimal migration patterns.
🆕 Emerging Surnames (Post-1920)
Surnames first appearing in records after 1920, potentially indicating immigration, marriage alliances, or new cemetery documentation.
| Surname | First Appearance | Total Records | Dominant Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| anidjar | 1920s | 93 | North |
| benabou | 1930s | 74 | Central |
| moryoussef | 1920s | 74 | Central |
| benisty | 1920s | 66 | Central |
| ifrah | 1940s | 60 | Central |
| farache | 1930s | 56 | North |
| ifergan | 1930s | 53 | Central |
| barugel | 1920s | 49 | North |
| bouhadana | 1930s | 49 | Central |
| bouganim | 1920s | 47 | Central |
| elharrar | 1940s | 47 | Central |
| abisror | 1920s | 40 | Central |
| zafrany | 1930s | 40 | South |
| bensabat | 1930s | 39 | Central |
| kakon | 1940s | 39 | Central |
First Names Analysis
Comprehensive analysis of 4,546 unique first names across all records
First Names Overview
Top 50 First Names
📊 First Names Wordcloud
Visual representation of the most common first names. Larger text indicates higher frequency.
First Names by Decade
Evolution of popular first names across different time periods.
Pre-1880s
1880s
1890s
1900s
1910s
1920s
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
🆕 Emerging First Names (Post-1920)
First names appearing in records after 1920, indicating evolving naming traditions, immigration patterns, or cultural shifts.
| First Name | First Appearance | Total Records | Dominant Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| messody | 1920s | 216 | North |
| albert | 1930s | 175 | Central |
| hanina | 1920s | 112 | Central |
| luna | 1920s | 90 | North |
| mazal | 1920s | 86 | Central |
| marie | 1930s | 82 | Central |
| perla | 1920s | 70 | Central |
| alice | 1920s | 64 | Central |
| alegria | 1920s | 54 | North |
| rebecca | 1930s | 54 | Central |
| jacques | 1940s | 53 | Central |
| izza | 1940s | 52 | Central |
| maurice | 1940s | 52 | Central |
| hola | 1930s | 52 | North |
| yudah | 1920s | 49 | North |
Temporal Analysis by Period
Detailed breakdown of surnames, name variants, and first names across 16 time periods
Pre-1880s
1,540 records (6.8% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1880s
210 records (0.9% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1890s
322 records (1.4% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1900s
667 records (2.9% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1910s
483 records (2.1% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1920s
867 records (3.8% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1930s
2,044 records (9.0% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1940s
3,206 records (14.1% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1950s
5,004 records (22.0% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1960s
3,963 records (17.4% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1970s
1,803 records (7.9% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1980s
1,179 records (5.2% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
1990s
809 records (3.6% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
2000s
499 records (2.2% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
2010s
154 records (0.7% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
2020s
10 records (0.0% of temporal sample)
Top 20 Surnames
View Name Variants (Top 20)
View Top First Names (Top 20)
About This Analysis
This comprehensive statistical analysis is based on the Yahasra.org digital heritage project, documenting Moroccan Jewish cemetery records spanning 1850-2025. The methodology employs coordinate-based geographic classification, Levenshtein distance for canonical name matching, and Location Quotients for spatial concentration analysis.
Research and analysis by: Dr Yohanan Ouaknine
Yahasra.org - Preserving Moroccan Jewish Heritage
References
Isard, W. (1960). Methods of regional analysis: An introduction to regional science. MIT Press.
Laredo, A. I. (1978). Les noms des Juifs du Maroc: essai d'onomastique judéo-marocaine. Hebraica Ediciones.
Levenshtein, V. I. (1966). Binary codes capable of correcting deletions, insertions, and reversals. Soviet Physics Doklays, 10(8), 707-710.
Ouaknine, Y. (2025). Yahasra.org: Digital archive of Moroccan Jewish cemetery records [Database]. Retrieved December 08, 2025, from https://yahasra.org