SFERDLIN might be a highly unusual spelling, but Sverdlin, Zverdling, Zwerdling and Swerdlin are more common forms of this well known Jewish name. I wonder if the root is SFARAD - Sephardi (from Spain). Swidler could be an anglicized form..... David Levy Professor, Department of Management University of Massachusetts, Boston 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125, USA http://www.faculty.umb.edu/david_levy/ -----Original Message----- From: british-jewry-bounces@rootsweb.com on behalf of jeremy frankel Sent: Sat 3/8/2008 11:40 AM To: British Jewry Subject: Re: [BRITISH-JEWRY] SWIDLER versus SFERDLIN Miriam Pollak raises several interesting questions concerning her "find" of her great grandmother's last name apparently being SFERDLIN as recorded on the marriage certificate. Naturally she is excited but as always a measure of caution ought to be thrown into the pot. Is this name real? Is it possible there might have been an error. Miriam didn't say whether the certificate was hand-written or typed.