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The Malka family is an ancient family that can be traced back to 14 Century Morocco and earlier according to some. There was a Malka who was Gaon of the Talmudic Academy of Sura and another Malka who was the Gaon of the Talmudic Academy of Pumbadita in the 7th century Babylon. Both of them and many others can be found in the Encyclopedia Judaica and many other sources.
We are all familiar with Malka as a common Jewish first name which means "queen" in Hebrew. This Malka is a Hebrew word spelled with a "heh" at the end. The Malka family name, however, is not Hebrew. It was originally spelled with an "aleph" at the end because it is an Aramaic word which means "king". Recently however, and especially in Israel, it has become common to see the surname spelt with a heh at the end to conform with the hebrew spelling of the word.
There are two schools of thought about the origin of the Malka Sephardic surname.
The first and most likely is that it is the name of a family of Jews that came from Malaga. Like many other Spanish coastal towns, Malaga was originally settled by Punic speaking Phoenicians. Punic is a language closely related to aramaic. For example the word for priest/priests in Punic is Cohen/Cohanim. The Phoenicians named their town Malaka or, more correctly (since, like Aramaic and Hebrew, Punic has no vowels) MLK. There being no "K" in Spanish, Malaka became Spanish Malaga. The Malka (Malki, Malqui, etc.) name has the identical vowels as Malaka (MLK) and means "from Malaka", like Toledano means from Toledo. In fact, though Malka is today a very large family in Morocco, the name appears for the first time in Morocco only in the 14th century when many Jews left Andalusia and especially Malaga.
Another, less likely and unprovable origin is that the name is much more ancient and originated in Babylonia. The experts say that after the Babylon captivity period, many Jews in Babylon followed the fashion of the time and changed their names to the Aramaic version of their name. This is bolstered by the Aramaic spelling of the name ("Aleph" ending) and the names of two Babylonian Malka geonim.
Many variants of the Malka name are known and include:
Ben Malka, Ibn Malka, Abenmalca, Malca, Shahin in Persia, etc.
Here is a partial listing of some Malkas from the past.
yr: 771-775
Rab Malka bar Mar Aha
"Gaon" of the Pumbaditta Rabinical Academy in 771/775
SOURCES: JE;Sepher Yohacin;.Laredo
yr: 885
Mar Rab Malka
"Gaon" of Sura around 885
SOURCES: Ozar;.Laredo
yr: 1282
Jaffia Avimelca
Inhabitant of Lleida, Catalonia
Recaudador (tax farmer) for the parish of San Juan, Lleida
SOURCES: Romano, David. Judios al servicio de Pedro el Grande de Aragon (1276-1285)
Reg 46, fols 85v-2, 85 v-3 (ambos del 28-4-1292)
yr: Feb 18, 1317
Ines Melcha
Inhabitant of Monzon, Aragon
SOURCES: Cathedral Archive of Lleida
yr: 1336
Haym Melqua
Inhabitant of Viana, Navarra
SOURCES: Arch General de Navarra:
List of "Heads of Families who lived in Viana, Navarra in 1316"
yr: 1392
Haym Malka (same as above)
Inhabitant of Viana, Navarra "excommunicated and fined 50 florins"
SOURCES: Arch Nav R.C. vol 216, fol 10),
Beatrice Leroy: "Jews of navarre in the late Middle Ages"
yr: 1397
Juce Melca
Inhabitant of Monzon, Aragon
SOURCES: List of Jews of Monzon in 1397 (Pita Merce, Rodrigo)
Lascorz-Arcas, F.A. La Aljama Judia de Monzon ?la Recordada?
yr: Feb 14, 1414
Davi Melca
Inhabitant of Alcolea, Aragon
SOURCES: A.C.A., C, Reg 2368, fol. 63v. Latin.
Hispania Judaica. Sources for the History of the Jews of Spain -6:
Tortosa Disputation Regesta of Documents
from the Archivo de la Corona de Aragon
yr: Nov 27, 1414
Salomon Avimelqua (son) and Saul Avimelqua (father)
Inhabitants of Alcolea de Cinca, Aragon
SOURCES: A.C.A., C, reg 2445, Fols. 232r-v, Latin
yr: Dec 2, 1414
Salomon Avimelqua (son) and Saul Avimelqua (father)
In Alcega, Catalonia
SOURCES: ACA Canc. 2386 f.79 v
ACA Canc. 2386 f.80 r
Sources for the History of the Jews of Spain -6:
The Tortosa Disputation Regesta of Documents from the Archivo de la Corona de Aragon.
yr: 1478
Salamo Avimelcha
Inhabitant Monzon, Aragon
SOURCES: F Asensio 1478 7r-v, Latin
yr: 1478
Mosse Melqua
Inhabitant Monzon, Aragon
SOURCES: F Asensio 1478 58, Latin
yr: 1479
Salamo Melcha & Jeffuda Melcha
Inhabitant Monzon, Aragon
SOURCES: F Asensio 1478 53v, Latin
yr: Don Meir Malka and nephew
Almoxarife of King Alfonso the Just of Aragon.
SOURCES:(Edmond):from A. Bernaldez: Cronica de los Reyes Catolico
in the lib of Casa de Cultura in Malaga. Could not verify.
yr: XIV
Nissim Malka
Well known Cabalist Rabi of Fez in XIV century.
Author of "Sepher Zenif Melukhah" and "Imre Melukhah" about Cabala
SOURCES: NM 41;MR;.Laredo
r: 1365
Judah Malka
[son of Nissim (3)], Cabalist Rabbi and philosopher of Fez in XV centur
Plato he composed an important 3 vol Philosophical work finished in 136
1 "Uns Al Gharib" (intro to Sepher Yezirah)
2 "Tafsir Yezirah" (commentaries on Sepher Yezirah)
3 "Tafsir Pirque Rabbi Eliezer" (treatise on R Eliezer)
Also wrote "Al Miptah" and "Tafsir ESalawat"
SOURCES: JE;N.M.;.Laredo,JE VI 536; NM 41
r: 1465-1475
Salomon Avinmelcha (Ben Malka)
of Monzon, Spain. Francisco Asencio, notary of the town of Moncon in the
years 1465-1475.
SOURCES: Laredo, 830 Cabezudo
r: XV
Aharon ben Salomon Malka
Rabbi originally from Dra'a in Fes, XV century. Left his home to go to P
Tlemcen
SOURCES: N.M.47;.Laredo
yr: XVI-XVII
Salem Malka
Rabbi of Fes XVI-XVII
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: XVII
David Malka
Rabbi of Fez XVII
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: XVII
Moshe Malka
Rabbi in Fez XVII
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: XVII-XVIII
Khalifa Malka
Rabbi in Agadir XVII-XVIII. EMMigrated to Jerusalem where he died aroun
of 86 yrs. Author of "Kaf va-Naqui" about prayer rituel in 5 vols;
"RaK ve Tob" about the Shulhan Arukh and other works in manuscript form.
SOURCES: N.M.162;.Laredo
yr: XVII-XVIII
Isaac Malka
Rabbi in Morocco, XVII-XVIII
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: XVII-XVIII
Mimon Malka
Rabbi in Fez, XVII-XVIII
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: 1700-1771
Jacob Malka
Rabbi,"dayyan" of Fez, fleeing the famine he went to Tetouan where he wa
of the Rabbinical Tribunal of the Talmudic Academy of that town. There
synagogue that carries his name. Became very famous and considered one o
rabbis of his period. Authored numerous "Pessaquim" in manuscript form.
work:"Ner ha-Ma'arabi" in Jerusalem 1932. Died in Tetouan at a very adva
SOURCES: MR;N.M. 138;.Laredo
yr: 1772
Mosheh Malka
Rabbi, member of "Beth Din" of Tetouan in 1772
SOURCES: Ben Malca 61;.Laredo
yr: XVIII
Mordekhay Malka
Rabbi in Meknes during XVIII
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: 1761
Samuel ben Jacob Malka
Rabbi in Meknes who died in 1761 following a beating inflicted by order
the Sultan's Khalifa.
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: XVIII
Samuel Malka
Posthumous son of Samuel [15]; Rabbi in Tetouan during the XVIII century
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: XVIII
Joseph ben Salim Malka
Rabbi in Fez during the XVIII century.
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: XVIII-XIX
Mimon Malka
Rabbi in Marrakesh during XVIII-XIX centuries.
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: XIX
Salem ben Isaac Malka
Rabbi in Fez during the XIX century.
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: XIX
Samuel Malka
Rabbi in Meknes during the XIX century.
SOURCES: MR;.Laredo
yr: 1826
Moshe Malka
Rabbi in Agourrai, assasinated near Meknes in 1826.
SOURCES: N.M.180;.Laredo
yr: 1877
Moshe Malka
Rabbi originally from Morocco, member of the Jerusalem Rabbinate, signat
Malka # 23) of an introduction to "vayomer Yishag" of Isaac Bengualid in
SOURCES: VY;.Laredo
yr: 1877
Solomon Malka
Rabbi originally from Morocco, member of the Jerusalem Rabbinate, signat
Malka # 22) of an introduction to "vayomer Yishag" of Isaac Bengualid in
SOURCES: VY;.Laredo
yr: 1899
Yocef Bekhor Malka
Author of "Sephat Emet" in 1899.
Rabbinical Professor at "Talmud Torah" of "Ma'arabim" in Jerusalem.
SOURCES: Gaon II,435;.Laredo
yr: XIX
Yahya Malka
One of Directors of Charitable works of Jerusalem's "Ma'arabim" comunity
SOURCES: Gaon II,435;.Laredo
yr: 1939-53
Elie Malka
Author of numerous works incl. "Proverbes Judeo-Arabes de Fes" with Loui
(Hesperis,1937), "Textes Judeo-Arabes de Fes" with Louis Brunot (Rabat 1
Judeo Arabe de Fes" with Louis Brunot (Rabat 1940) etc.,etc. Diplomate
Superieures Marocaines", Principal interpreter of Affaires Cherifiennes
SOURCES: .Laredo
yr: XX
Mosheh Hayyim Ben Malka
Born in Jerusalem, prof of Hebrew at the Rabbinical Seminary of Tangier
Jerusalem in 1954.
SOURCES: .Laredo
SOURCES
Ben Malca
Ya'acob Ben Malca "Sepher Ner ha-Ma'arabi" 2 vols
Jerusalem 1935
EJ Encyclopedia Judaica
IL Isaac Laredo: "Memorias de un viejo tangerino",
Madrid 1935
JE Jewish Encyclopedia,12 vols,Ny and london 1906.
Laredo Abraham I. Laredo, "Les Noms des Juifs du Maroc",
Consejo Superior de investigationes cientificas,
Instituto B Arias Montano, Madrid
MB Michaux Bellaire, Les Habous de Tanger (Archives
Marrocaines vol XIII, 1914.
MR Joseph ben Naim "Sepher Malkhe Rabbanan ve Sepher
Kebod Melakhim, Jerusalem 5691
NM Ya'aqob Mosheh Toledano, "Sepher Ner Ma'arab",
Jerusalem 5671
VY Isaac Bengualid, "Vayomer Yizhap", 2 vols,
Livourne, 1876
Yohacin Sepher Yohacin
Y Abraham Ya'ari:"Sheluhe Erez Yisrael Toledot
ha-shelihut me ha arez la-Golah, me horban Bayit
Sheni Ad ha-Meah ha-Tesha Asarah". Jerusalem 5711
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