Debbie from the Hebrides and I have a mutual problem and need some help about Hebrew names.We are trying to find out if two of our ancestors were brothers. My ancestor is Michael BENJAMIN of Gravel Lane - Menachem Menke ben Simcha Her ancestor is Abraham BENJAMIN of the Minories - Abraham ben Simcha There is also an 1818 marriage for an Esther bat Mr. Jacob ben Simcha to a Joseph ben Tsebi Hirsh NA Getz (Yates?) so Mr. Jacob could be another brother. We are trying to find out if they were brothers. They were close enough in age to be older and younger brothers. They were both members of the New Synagogue where Michael married in 1793 and when the children of both were born and there are similarities in family names. I have been through the marriages and births for the New Synagogue and found men referred to as Simcha (Michael and Abraham and this Jacob are the only three referred to as ben Simcha), Mr. Simcha, Simcha HaLevi, Simcha Cohen and Simcha Lazer Somewhere in the back of my mind I think someone told me that sometimes names were given so there would be no confusion. Sometimes the extra name referred to origins, address or occupation (I have a Behr Hatter in my BARNETT family and he was a Hatter). Can anyone out there give us a lesson on this subject? Could these men be brothers? Hope you can help as I have a similar problem with Naphtali Hirsh and Mr. Napthtali Hirsh. Keira Lockyer country Victoria