Is everyone with this surname Ashkenazi Jewish?

**~~Sikeliot~~** · 02-13-2019, 01:07 AM

"Portnoy"

I saw a show once where an Asian character with 2 East Asian parents had this surname. It was very odd to me because everyone I have seen with this surname otherwise are Jewish.

**~~Joso~~** · 02-13-2019, 01:11 AM

According to Wikipedia: "The name Portnoy, sometimes spelled Portnoi, is a Jewish surname of Russian origin. The Russian word 'портной' translates as 'tailor'."

**~~Sikeliot~~** · 02-13-2019, 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by Jolsonaro

According to Wikipedia: "The name Portnoy, sometimes spelled Portnoi, is a Jewish surname of Russian origin. The Russian word 'портной' translates as 'tailor'."

This is what I thought.

**ModernMaskil** · 02-13-2019, 10:56 AM

I've never even heard this surname, but as far as I can tell ethnic Russians could easily have the name too. Highly doubt an East Asian would though, lol. Maybe his dad was adopted.

**~~Sikeliot~~** · 02-13-2019, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by ModernMaskil

I've never even heard this surname, but as far as I can tell ethnic Russians could easily have the name too. Highly doubt an East Asian would though, lol. Maybe his dad was adopted.

I have heard it a few times and it was always Russian Jews. Except some TV character who was Asian.

**KuriousKatKommittee** · 02-21-2019, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by Sikeliot

"Portnoy"

"Portnoy" sounds as real a surname as "McLovin" does, lmfao.
The only Portnoy nigga I know of had a neurotic fixation with fingering women's buttholes and who once attempted to rape an Israeli army female officer but to no avail because the officer overpowered him instead.

**Smeagol** · 02-21-2019, 04:27 AM

Surnames are a poor guide for telling ancestry. Someone could have a typical Jewish or Irish surname or whatever and yet not have an ancestor from either of those groups born in over 100 years.