The goal of the project - to clarify who among Edelstein are relatives, and who are namesakes. Surname Edelstein (Эдельштейн, עדעלסטעין) has a double root and translated from German (or consonant with the Yiddish language) as a noble or precious (edel) stone (stein). Her first owners were immigrants from Eastern Europe - Ashkenazi (the so-called Eastern European Jews). Ashkenazim constitute the vast majority of the Jewish population of Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Kurland, Bessarabia and the Kingdom of Poland. Hereditary surnames in that time was not. Each had only his name, to which the official documents could be added the name of the father. In addition, the name is being specified the birthplace of man, the name of his mother or wife. It existed only one generation and not hereditary. In the early 19 th century the Jews were obliged to acquire the names of any of the tax authorities or to the census, or for military service. In some countries, Jews restricted in the choice of names, names of officials embezzled. Today is a common surname Edelstein, its carriers live in different countries (USA, Canada, Israel, Russia). Are all the modern Edelstein combine family ties? We assume that this name has a family. According to demographic data in Russia until the last quarter of 19. The number of children in a Jewish family reaches 7-8, sometimes 10-15 people.During the century gives way to 4 generations (range 25 years). Given the fact that the surname is passed down the male line, and the average family had a boy of 4, then by the late 19 th century from the "first" happened Edelstein least 64 names successor (excluding girls).If we assume that the name has been assigned to several families, the number of offspring of carrier names will increase significantly. Therefore, more likely, is poligeneticheskoe name origin, meaning it has multiple sources of origin and its carriers are not necessarily related. Some facts. During the years 1870-1957. United States 203 emigrated Edelstein, and from Russia - 78-33 from Poland, Austria - 31, Germany-26, Hungary-22, other countries - 13. In 1920 the U.S. population of 477 Edelstein, England in 1891 - 61. Among the victims of political terror in the Soviet Union, known in our days, 14 people under the name of Edelstein. In the e-book memory of Jewish soldiers who died fighting the Nazis (1941-1945) "indicated 69 people with the surname Edelstein (it's only those who have known). To date, according to Russian telephone directories in Moscow, home to more than 50 Edelstein, St. Petersburg - 20 in Yekaterinburg - 5, in Kiev, -7, in Novosibirsk, -2, in Kherson, -1, -2 in Yaroslavl, Rostov-on-Don -1, in Ryazan, -4, Stavropol -2. In the Russian social networks - and Odnoklassniki.Ru Mail.Ru registered Edelstein - 82 people, 5 of them live in New York, 24 - in Israel, 4 - in Germany, the rest in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus (April 2009, a study by Olga Korableva).