Abraham Kohn / Katz

On Abraham's surname, see the note at the bottom.

Death record: NAD 167, inv. 1239, MILEVSKO (o. Písek), Z 1784-1863 (i), folio 17, record 137, scan 12 of 43 (Vademecum; Zayt)

Familiant record, as Abraham Katz: NAD 29, inv. 9, HBF I/VIIb Berounský, Stupčice/svobodníci/a k ní náležející dvory: Čenkov. Dvůr, folio 167, scan 28 of 38 (Zayt)

Abraham and his family appear in two separate volumes of the census of 1793 (PDFs at Census lists of Jews in Bohemia, 1723/1724–1811), under two different surnames, but in the same geographical location, namely the village of Řenkov. In one record, Řenkov is listed as belonging to the town of Worlik (Orlík nad Vltavou) in the Prachiner Kreis; in the other, as belonging to the königlicher Freisaß (royal freehold) of Řenkov in the Berauner Kreis. Here is his record in the Prachin Region census (PDF, p. 80):

Abraham Kocz (1) / ist in der Herberge beim da[ hießies]ig[en][?] Freisaßen, gehört folgens zur Fiskaljurisdiktion / Ernähret sich: durchs Hausieren
Eheweib Elisabeth
erster Sohn Joachim, ledig
zweiter Sohn Salomon, ledig
Tochter Rosina

and here is his record in the Beroun Region census (PDF p. 56f.):

Abraham Kun (1) / Gehört in Schutz: nach Rzenkow dem Freis[ aßen] / Ernähret sich: mit Schnittwarenhandel
Weib Polexina
erstgeborener Sohn Jachim, ledig
zweitgeborener Sohn Salamon, ledig
drittgeborener Sohn Isak, ledig
Tochter Rosina
[Ledige Juden und Witwen:] Rosina Kuhn, Witwe, Mutter desselben Abr[ahams]

"Kohn" or "Katz"? In his death record, the surname of Abraham is set down as "Katz," but a note added later corrects it to "Kohn" and says that "Rebbe" Joseph Kraus (who seems to have been the recording clerk: his signature appears in the record of death of Abraham's wife on the same page) used "Katz" out of "Unwissenheit" (not knowing any better). There follow the signatures of witnesses to attest that the deceased was called "Kohn." Yet in records of grandchildren of Abraham (children of his daughter Barbara Kaufmann), he is sometimes called "Abraham Katz," and even "Abraham Katz oder Kohn," as if the choice between the two surnames were a matter of indifference. Further, the Familiant record, which clearly corresponds to both of the census records, Abraham is called "Katz." The spelling "Kocz" appears in one of the two census records, and nowhere else; the surname "Kun," also written "Kuhn" in the same record, appears in the other census record: it is most likely a misreading of "Ko(h)n," —M.R.