Benjamin Ginsberg and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are both prominent figures in American politics and law, but are they related by blood or marriage? The answer is no, they are not related in any way. Despite sharing a similar surname and a Jewish heritage, they have no known family ties or connections. Here is why
The Origins of the Ginsberg/Ginsburg Surname
The surname Ginsberg or Ginsburg is derived from a German word meaning “mountain of silver”. It was originally a toponymic name, meaning that it indicated the place where a person came from or lived. In this case, it referred to a town called Ginsberg in Hesse, Germany. According to Ancestry.com, the name was adopted by some Jewish families who lived in or near that town, or who migrated from there to other parts of Europe.
However, not all Jews who bore the name Ginsberg or Ginsburg came from the same town or region. The name was also used by Jews who lived in other parts of Germany, Poland, Russia, and elsewhere. Some of them may have chosen the name because it sounded prestigious or noble, or because it resembled other Jewish names that had similar meanings, such as Silberberg (silver mountain) or Goldberg (gold mountain). Therefore, the name does not necessarily indicate a common ancestry or origin among all its bearers.
The Different Spellings of the Surname
Another reason why Benjamin Ginsberg and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are not related is that they spell their surname differently. Benjamin uses the spelling “Ginsberg” while Ruth uses the spelling “Ginsburg”. This may seem like a minor difference, but it actually reflects different linguistic and historical influences on their families.
According to Behind the Name, the spelling “Ginsberg” is more common among Jews who lived in Germany or who spoke Yiddish, a Germanic language that incorporated Hebrew and other elements. The spelling “Ginsburg” is more common among Jews who lived in Eastern Europe or who spoke Russian, Polish, or other Slavic languages. The suffix “-burg” means “fortress” or “castle” in these languages, and it was often added to Jewish surnames to make them sound more local or assimilated.
Therefore, the different spellings of the surname suggest that Benjamin Ginsberg’s ancestors came from Germany or Western Europe, while Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s ancestors came from Eastern Europe or Russia. This is consistent with their biographical information. According to Wikipedia, Benjamin Ginsberg was born in 1952 in New York City to Jewish parents who were both born in the United States. His paternal grandfather was a rabbi who immigrated from Germany in 1938. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born in 1933 in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish parents who were both born in Russia. Her father immigrated from Odessa in 1909 and her mother from Minsk in 1914.
The Conclusion
In conclusion, Benjamin Ginsberg and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are not related by blood or marriage. They share a similar surname and a Jewish heritage, but they have different origins and backgrounds. Their surname is derived from a German word meaning “mountain of silver”, but it was adopted by different Jewish families for different reasons. Their surname is also spelled differently, reflecting different linguistic and historical influences on their families. Therefore, there is no evidence to suggest that they are related in any way.
