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Why did Felix Mendelssohn’s family adopt the surname Bartholdy?
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Felix Mendelssohn
German composer Felix Mendelssohn, painting by Wilhelm Hensel.
The Mendelssohn family adopted the surname Bartholdy in 1822 as part of their transition to the Christian faith. In accordance with 19th-century liberal ideals, the family sought to mark their emancipation from the ghetto by converting to Lutheranism.
The specific choice of the name Bartholdy was inspired by Felix’s maternal uncle, who had previously adopted the name of a family farm.1