Benveniste

The Spanish Benveniste family is an old, noble, wealthy, and scholarly Jewish family of Narbonne, France and northern Spain established in the 11th century. The family was present in the 11th to the 15th centuries in Hachmei Provence, France, Barcelona, Aragon and Castile. Family members received honorary titles from the authorities and were members of the administration of the Kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. They were the Baillie ("Bayle") - the Tax Officer and Treasurer, Alfaquim - Senior Advisor to the King and Royal Physician in Barcelona and Aragon in the 12th and 13th centuries. They held the title of "Nasi" (prince in Hebrew), since they are considered by the Jewish tradition as descendants of King David and members of the House of David in the Jewish communities (mainly Barcelona) and were prominent religious and secular leaders in the 11th to the 14th centuries. In the 14th to the 15th century they held the titles of "Benveniste de la Cavalleria"—"of the knights" (a name given by the Knights Templar to their treasurers and tax collectors) and Don—a noble person in Aragon and Castile. In the aftermath of the massacres of Jews which began in Spain on 6 June 1391 some such as the de Cartagena family converted to Christianity and became powerful conversos in Burgos. After the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 non-converts were dispersed mainly to Portugal, Greece - Salonica other parts of the Ottoman Empire and North African countries. In Portugal they were forced to convert to Christianity in 1497 and became some of the richest traders and bankers (the Mendes family) of Europe. Today the name is borne by families in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Israel. It was also used as a prænomen. The Italian name is a composition of the words "bene" meaning "well," and "veniste" meaning "came." The name was given to babies, a welcome to the world, a way of thanking God for a descendant . The name was gradually adopted as a last name, relating to the father.