How do I know if I have Jewish genealogy?

Question:

How do I know if I have Jewish genealogy?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: There are a number of things to do. First, many Jews took on last names that were place names, especially in Germany and Italy. Is there anyone in your family whose last name is a place? Also, amongst German Jews, you often see last names with Stein, Burg, Heim in the name, or with an 'er' at the end, which means someone from that town. Like "Hamburger" means someone from Hamburg. Also, look for odd customs in your family, like lighting candles but keeping them in a closet, which might indicate a family that was forced to convert. You might also want to just go to a synagogue and start talking to people and see if anyone there might know of something. Just say that you wonder if there's someone Jewish in your family and see what questions people ask you and what your answers are.