Neviazhsky Family Website- Background

Background

We have tested two families with varients of this family name. Both are Jewish; one is Levite, the other Israelite. The Levites have haplotype 'R1A' while the Israelites have haplotype 'Q'. Since the haplotypes are different, they cannot be descended from the same male ancestor. But they lived together in Kovna (Kaunas) city from the early 1800s, were involved in the same Benevolent Societies, and were prominent figures in the Jewish community. They might have been related through female members. Possibly an Israelite man married the daughter of a Levite, and assumed his father-in-law's family name - a common practice back then. Or maybe a Levite man married the daughter of an Isarelite and assumed his family name. But we have no documentary evidence yet to prove this theory.