Benioff
The Benioff family came from a small town near Kiev called Ignatovka (the Yiddish name is Anatovka)—the town that Fiddler on the Roof is based on.
Benjamin Beniov (b. 1824) had five sons: Simon (1863-1944), Isaac (1841-1934), Joel, Simkha Leib, and Leo (1856-1934) and three daughters: Frejda, Sarah, and Chaya. Of those, one daughter and three sons came to the United States. Sarah Benioff (1860-1930) married Morris Horowitz (1858-1939). Some of them settled in Allentown, Pennsylvania and some in Southern California. They were furriers, for the most part, and many of the descendants had stores selling fur coats. Simon Benioff, my great grandfather, was a ladies tailor in Los Angeles.
Some of the Benioffs were left behind. Chaya Benioff (1869-?) married Leyba Guttman (1855-?), and that family stayed in the Ukraine until 1987. We don’t know what happened to Frejda (1854-?), Joel, or Simkha Leib (1857-?), but that is a question for ongoing research.
The family of Isaac settled in Viola, Delaware where they tried their hand at farming before relocating to Allentown, PA.
Ignatovka, or Hnativka as it is called today, is the town of origin of many of the Benioffs.
Bob Horowitz talking about the Horowitzes and Benioffs and how they got here, at the Benioff Reunion-May 27, 2007 in Walnut Creek, CA.
Benioff Siblings
Unknown Benioffs
Sadly, we don’t know who these Benioffs are. If you have any clues, please contact me!
Read More About the Benioff Family
Click on each post below to find more information about the individual in each photo. You may find information such as a family tree, timeline, historical documents, letters, or more photos.
