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TIRADO FAMILY HISTORY - JACOB TIRADO Lineage? Puerto Rico?

TIRADO FAMILY HISTORY - JACOB TIRADO Lineage? Puerto Rico?

Posted: 28 Mar 2015 9:06PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Tirado, Lopes da Costa, Medina, Robles, Salas, Pardo, Farrar, Rodriguez, Silva, Cordoso, Pereira, Rodriguez, Aguilar,

Following is information regarding Portuguese Sephardic Jewish merchant: Jacob Tirado.

I am researching the lineage of the Tirado Family of Puerto Rico and that of the legendary ship owner and merchant, Jacob Tirado aka James Lopes da Costa. He was a Marrano or Crypto Jew, a hidden Jew, Anusim....a Portuguese Sephardic Jew who sailed from Portugal to Amsterdam in 1598 and who founded the first Synagogue in Amsterdam (Holland/Netherlands) and named it: Bet Jacob or Beth Jacob.

He seems to have changed his names from James Lopes da Costa to Jacob Tirado around the time he was in Pernambuco, Brazil (Recife) living as a tax farmer and sugar mill owner, late 1500's.

The da Costa family seems to have it's origins in the Aragon, Castille and/or de Leon region of Spain. They are alleged to have departed the region in the late 1300's for Portugal fleeing persecution in Spain. James Lopes da Costa is alleged to have been born in Lisbon, Portugal.

The da Costas were one of the famous Jewish Glassmaking families of Iberia...other glassmaking families are: Medina, Salas, Robles, etc.

The Tirados also seem to be related to these glassmaking families as well as the PARDO family. Also Portuguese Sephardic Jews.

Joseph Pardo traveled from Venice to Amsterdam where Joseph became the first Rabbi of Jacob Tirado's synagogue: Bet Jacob from 1597 until 1619 (death).

David ben Joseph Pardo was responsible for consolidating the "3" synagogues in Amsterdam into one.

The PARDOS later had a significant presence in the Caribbean. Curacao, Suriname, etc.

Below is more detailed information about Jacob Tirado. I have not been able to find specific records for Jacob Tirado regarding names of his children to begin researching his line of descent to trace the Tirado family lineage to Jacob Tirado. Because he was a legendary ship owner and sugar mill owner in Pernambuco Brazil and his presence is documented in the Cape Verde Islands as well as Cartagena, Colombia, we know he and his family were present in the Caribbean in 16th and 17th century.

I have read a few posts on the geneaology forums indicating all of the Tirados in Puerto Rico are related and that all are descended of Jacob Tirado. I am trying to find proof of this.

The TIRADO family, PARDO and MEDINA families seem to have a high proportion of YDNA (male DNA line) J2 or J-M172 Haplogroup. This line is associated with the Jews/Israelites. Family Tree DNA dot com.

How did the Tirado family line/s evolve in Puerto Rico? Is it true all or most Tirados are related? How many of you have Sephardic Jewish roots? Confirmed either through DNA testing or through oral family history? Does anyone have any knowledge of their Tirado lineage being connected to that of the da Costa family or Jacob Tirado/James Lopes da Costa? What towns or cities or regions in Puerto Rico are historically associated with large Tirado populations? Do you have known connections or relations with the other glassmaking families, medina, robles, etc.?

Many thanks in advance.


JACOB TIRADO also known as:

Jakob Tirado
Jacon Tirado
James Lopes da Costa
Jaimes Lopes da Costa
Gammes Lopes da Costa
Jacon Lopes da Costa
Guimes Lopes da Costa
Geronimo Lopes da Costa
Jeronimo Lopes da Costa
Joao Lopes da Costa
Manuel Rodriques de Vega ?

His father is alleged to be: Pero Dias da Costa

His mother is alleged to be: Gracia Lopes

His brother is alleged to be: Diogo Fernandes da Costa also known as Moises Tirado from Venice.

He is alleged to have been married to Rachel in Amsterdam and/or Barbara Henriques in Lisbon, Portugal.

He is the Uncle of Abraham Farrar also known as Simon Lopes Rosa. Freethinking physican as well as Rabbi to Bet Jacob Synagogue in Amsterdam. This man would have been the son of Jacob Tirado's sister.


TIRADO, JACOB (ca. 1540–1620), one of the founding fathers of the Portuguese community in *Amsterdam.

Tirado was born in Portugal into a *Converso family. In 1598 he was living in Amsterdam where he returned to Judaism. In notarial documents he appears as a wealthy merchant under the name of James (Gammez) Lopes da Costa. His trade concentrated on Portugal and Venice. Synagogue services were held in his house, at least in 1610. In about 1608 he must have been among the founders of the Sephardi community, together with Samuel *Palache and the poet Jacob Israel *Belmonte. The community was named Bet Ya'akov. He was among the first parnassim of the community and donated a Sefer Torah. After 1612 he left Amsterdam and moved to Venice, where he was active in charity and fund raising for Ereẓ Israel. He might have spent the last years of his life in Jerusalem. According to legendary tradition Tirado left Portugal in 1593 along with a group of Conversos and reached Emden, where R. Moses Uri b. Joseph Ha-Levi helped them to return to Judaism and accompanied them to Amsterdam. Their religious practices led the authorities to suspect that they were holding Catholic services – at that time forbidden – and on the Day of Atonement, 1596, the group was arrested. Tirado was able to communicate with the authorities in Latin and, when he told them the truth, they authorized Jewish worship.
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