Quote Originally Posted by ScotFree View Post
It is my understanding that Glasgow has the largest of the Jewish communities in Scotland.
Yes, that's correct, there are 10 synagogues in Scotland, 7 of which are in Glasgow. Jewish migrants started arriving from the Lowalnds and Germany during the Napoleonic Wars. One of them was Isaac Cohen who became Burgess in 1812. By the outbreak of WW1, the Jewish population of Glasgow was 12,000, but this number increased by to 19,000 by 1919. These days it's around 7000 for Scotland in it's entirety and many synagogues closed in Glasgow.

As you will know, it was common practice for many immigrant Jews to here to take on Scottish surnames, the film makers Kevin and Andrew MacDonald, the artist Scotty Wilson, author Muriel Gray, etc, may appear to have Scottish names but are in fact children of Jewish immigrants. Scottish Jewish descendents with names that sound more Scottish include Robert Downey, Jr and Simon Cowell.
Our Glasgow comedian Arthur Brown revealed his birth name was Abraham Arnold Lizerbram, and he was both Scottish and Jewish, "Two stereotypes for the price of one".


So although Jewish immigrants adopting Scottish surnames is nothing new, I am unaware of any links between the House, or indeed the Duke of Gordon and the Jews of Glasgow. They are really almost at opposite ends of the country from one another. I work for Glasgow Museums in an area that investigates the historical integration of cultural and religious identities in the city, so the subject is of interest to me.