Do you have waldensian Ancestors? They may Have Been Crypto-

If you have Waldensian ancestors, they may be your source of your Hidden Jewish Ancestry! This is not a simple story, so I prepare you in advance, this is an article with a lot of twists and turns. However, if you are Waldensian, it is worth your while to go for the ride. 

Before I can even begin to tell this story, I must say this. The Waldensians were a secret religious sect, from the 11th century onwards and maybe before.  The word secret is a complete sentence. They did not leave a paper trail in any of the centuries in which they lived because a paper trail could lead the Inquisition, the Inquisitors, and a near certain burning at the stake to your door. It was a secret religion that survived by being secret. 

Thus, telling their story from a historical perspective is challenging. You have to grab bits and pieces of information, from here and there, and piece them together. A lot of the pieces suggest to me they were either an early Judeo-Christian sect that never died out, or they welcomed a lot of Jews into their sect over the centuries, or both. 

I have several resources for a person on Waldensian descent looking for Jewish roots. I did a study, comparing Waldensian surnames with Italian and Sephardic Jewish surnames. The result was a hole bunch of matches. Many Waldensian surnames are either Italian Jewish surnames or Sephardic Jewish surnames. You will find the list of both below. 

In addition to that, I wrote a whole paper on Crypto-Jews in the Waldensian sect. You will find the PDF below. 

Lastly, I have access to a 16th century Hebrew Bible made in La Corona, Spain. I had access to a 16th century Waldensian Bible. Below all of the above, you will find a photo array comparing the two Bibles. The similarities are astonishing.

Waldensian surnames that match Italian Jewish surnames (370/2480)

Aadith, Abonel, Achard,  Aghit,  Aghitto, Aiello, Albert,  Albertengo, Alberti, Albertin,  Alemand,  Alesan,  Alesani,  Alesano,  Aliberti,  Amat,  Andre,  Andrion,  Andrioni,  Asari,  Azari,  Baile,  Baille,  Barac,  Baral,  Barus,  Baruzzo,  Bech,  Bellon,  Ben,  Benedet,  Benedetto,  Bermond,  Bernard,  Bernardi,  Bernardus,  Besson,  Bianchi,  Bianchis,  Bianco,  Bianque,  Blanchi,  Blancho,  Blanchon, Bon,  Bonardel,  Bondrano,  Bone,  Bonet,  Bonetto,  Bongiorno,  Bonin,  Bonino,  Bonjour,  Bonna,  Bonne,  Bonnin,  Bonos,  Borgo,  Brunnet,  Bufa,  Buffa,  Caglieri,  Cairus, Calandre,  Callandre,  Calva,  Calve,  Calvin,  Calvino,  Canton,  Canton-Durant,  Cantone, Cantone,  Cantons,  Carbonero,  Cardon,  Cardone,  Casset,  Castagna,  Castagno,  Castelan,  Castellano,  Catalin,  Catalino,  Cattalino,  Cattallino,  Caviglia,  Ceretto,  Cesan, Cesano,  Coign,  Coignio,  Coin,  Colombe,  Colombe,  Colombo,  Cordero,  Coriera,  Costa,  Costantino,  Cottino,  Crespin,  Crispino,  Cupin,  Cupini,  Damiano,  David,  Davit,  Davite,  Davyt,  Dio,  De, Donaudo,  Durand,  Durand-Canton,  Durando,  Durant,  Enriue,  Faisan,  Falco,  Falcoin,  Falconero,  Falconnier, Faucon,  , Favat,  Felippone,  Fenochio,  Fernando,  Ferrand,  Ferreri,  Ferrero,  Filipin,  Filipon,  Filipone,  Fontaine,  Fontana,  Fontane,  Forneirone,  Fornero,  Forneron,  Fornerone,  Forneyron,  Fornier,  Fraissinet, Franchi,  Francois,  Frasche,  Fraschia,  Fraschia,  ,  Frassia,  Frizet,  Funda,  Gabet,  Gabrel,  Galean, Galero,  Galissi,  Gallean,  Gallet,  Gallian,  Galliano,  Gallo,  Gamba,  Garcin,  Garcino,  Garda,  Garde, Garsino,  Garzino,  Gazai,  Gerard,  Gerardeti,  Gerardo,  Giordan,  Giordan,  Giordano,  Giordano,  Giovenale,  Giovenale,  ,  Giovenello,  Giradeto,  Girard,  Girardi,  Girardo,  Grande,  Gras,  Grasso,  Grigli,  Griglio,  Guglielmino,  Guglielmo,  Ham,  Hector,  Heretero,  Hodier,  Jacoma,  Janin,  Janni, Jannin,  Job, Joly,  Jordan,  Jourdain,  Jourdan,  Jourdan,  Jouvenal,  La,  Vigne,  Lagar,  Lanzarotto,  Lombard,  Lombardo,  Lorans,  Lorenzi,  Luserna, Maire,  Mairia,  Malan,  Malerba,  Malerbe,  Malherbe,  Marchetti,  Marchetto,  Marco,  Maria,  Marina,  , Marinet,  Marino,  Mariot,  Marquet,  Martina,  Martini,  , Mas,  De, Masse,  Mayer,  Mazonir,  Melli,  Mellij,  Michel,  Milano,  Millan,  Miraud,  Mirot,  Morel,  Morello,  Muglia,  Mussato,  Navarre,  Navarro,  Nazarot,  Negrin,  Negrino,  Nicolet,  Noel,  Oliva,  Olivat,  Olivet,  Olivier,  Oudin,  Paiaso,  Palias,  Paliasso,  Paris,  Parisa,  Parise-, Parisia,  Pariso,  Pascal,  Pascale,  Pascalis, Paschal,  Pasgal,  Pastor,  Pastore,  Pavarin,  Pavarino,  Pelegrini,  Pelegrino,  Pellice,  Pera,  Peracchione,  Perino,  Pernichon,  Perrin,  Perron,  Picard,  Polano,  Pollino,  Pollinque,  Pomare,  Ponis,  Pont,  Ponte,  Porcero,  Porciero,  Porte,  Porto,  Prat,  Rabbi,  Rainaldo,  Rainaud,  Raynaud,  Raynaude,  Reimondino,  Reinaud,  Reinaudin,  ,  Reinaudino,  Ricardi,  Ricardone,  Richiardo,  Ricque,  Rique,  Rocha,  Roche, Rochia,  Roghia,  Roman,  Romano,  Rosel,  Rosello,  Rossane,  Rosso,  Rozel,  Salain,  Salein,  Salomon, Sammartino,  Samuel,  San,  Martino,  Sapei,  Sappe,  Sappe,  Sappei,  Seizan,  Semonet,  Sessano,  Sezane,  Sezzano,  Simon,  Simond,  Simondetto,  Simondi,  Simondo,  Tagliero,  Toia,  Toije,  Tolosan,  Tolosano,  Torre,  Toscano,  Uliva,  ,  Uscegli, Usseglio,  Viton,  Vittone,  Vola,  Vole, Volla,  Volle,  Willielm,  

Waldensian Surnames that match Sephardic Jewish Surnames (565/2480)

Abundet, Acay, Achard, Alamanda, Alamandi, Alamanni, Alatia, Alaxia, Albare, Albarracin de, Alberge, Alberge, Albergia, Albergue, Alberguin, Alberico, Albert, Alberti, Albertin, Alemand, Aliot, Alioud, Allamani, Allemanno, Allemdandi, Allevato, Alouer, Alye, Amat, Amstetto, Andre, Andrioni, Anselme, Armand, Arnaud, Asari, Assolo, Assoul, Aurelio, Ayasse, Azari, Baile, Bain, Bal , Balme, Barac, Baral , Barale, Baret, Barot, Barrac, Barral, Barrale, Barret, Barthelemy, Bartholomia, Bartolmio, Bartolome, Bartolomio, Barus  Baruzzo, Bastie, Bec, Bein, Beleart, Bellino, Beltramino, Beltramio, Ben, Benaud, Benecchio, Benech, Benechio, Benedet, Benedetto, Benesh, Berard, Bergat, Bernard, Bernardi, Bernart, Bernaton, Berru, Beus, Beux, Beuz, Bianchi, Bianchis, Binnin, Blanc, Boerio, Boin, Boine, Bon, Bone, Bonet, Bonetto, Bongiorno, Bonin , Bonino, Bonjour , Bonna, Bonne, Bonnet , Bonnin , Bontempo, Borgo, Borrel, Bosc, Bosia, Bosia , Bosii, Bosj, Bosque, Botto, Bouc, Boudrandi, Bountemp, Bourg, Bourke, Bourlot, Bourque, Boveri, Bovero, Boysa, Bressi, Bressia, Breton, Bruggia, Brun-Bruno, Brunet, Brunetto, Bus, Cadet  Cadett, Caettino, Caglieri, Cairus, Calandre, Callandre, Calma, Calva, Calvet, Calvino, Cambon , Canal , Canale, Canone, Canoni, Canton, Canton-Durant, Cantone, Cantons, Carbonero, Cardon, Cardone, Casset, Castagna, Castelan, Castellano, Catalin, Catalino, Catelin, Catine, Catre, Cauvi, Caviglia, Ceretto, Cerutti, Cerutti, Cerutto, Cervera, Cesan, Cesano, Chabriol, Chabrol, Charbonnier, Charreau, Charret, Chavet, Chiaretti, Claret, Clementi, Colomb, Colombe, Colombe , Comte, Constans, Constantin , Constanzo, Contandin, Conte, Coriera, Corriero, Corsone, Corvej, Corvelo, Coscione, Costa, Costabello, Costantino, Cot, Cotta, Cottino, Coysson, Coyssone, Crespin, Crispino, Cunil, Dagot, Dalmas, Dalmaso, Dalmasso, Dalmatio, Damiano, Damien, Dan, Danna , Danne, DAnne, Dauit, Davi, Davico, David, Davin, Davit, Davite, Davyt, de Cottes, Domenici, Dominico, Dominique, Don, Doneodo, Durand, Durand-Canton, Durando, Durant, Duval, Enriue, Escolier, Estellei, Faber, Fabre, Fabri, Facioti, Falacian, Falaziano, Falc, Falco, Falcoin, Falconero, Fallacian, Farco, Farquet, Fauato, Faucon  , Faure, Favatero, Favolo, Felippone, Felot, Fernando, Ferrand, Ferreri, Ferrero , Ferrier, Filhol, Filipin, Filipon, Filo, Fina, Fontaine, Fontana, Fontane, Forchino, Forneirone, Fornero, Forneron , Fornerone, Fraccia, Fracha, Frache, Frache , Fracia, Franc, Francesot, Franchi, Frasche, Fraschia, Fraschia   , Frassia, Frega, Freiria , Freyre, Freyria , Frizet, Front, Funda, Gabet, Gabrel, Gaillan, Gaj, Galean, Galero, Gallean, Gallet, Gallian , Galliano, Gallo, Gamba, Garcin, Garcino, Garda, Garro, Garrou, Garsino, Garussin, Garzino, Gazai, Genero, Gerard , Gerardo , German, Grande, Gras, Grasso, Griglio, Grill, Grillo, Gris, Grises, Guanta, Guardiola, Guerin, Guerrin, Guigou , Ham, Harbaud, Heretero, Hodier , Iacumin, Jacobin, Jacoma, Jahier , Jaime, Jalla, Jananel, Janin, Jannin, Jaquet, Jayme, Jiniux, Joan, Jobert, Joly, Jordan, Jourdain, Jourdan, Jouvenal, Julien, Jullian, Lagar, Laidet, Laurens, Lombard, Lombardo, Longho, Longo, Loque, Lorans, Machon, Maggi, Maghit, Maiers, Malerba, Malerbe, Malherbe, Marco, Maria, Marin, Marina  , Marinet, Marino, Marque, Marquet, Martel, Martin, Martini  , Masse, Mate, Matheus, Matteo, Mattieu, Mayer, Mayre  , Mazonis, Meli, Melli, Mellij, Menier, Meyer, Michel, Milano, Millan, Mirot, Molinatto, Monelio, Moratto, Morel, Morin, Morino, Morizio, Morlia, Muglia, Mus, Mussato, Musset, Navache, Navachia, Navarre, Navarro, Navas, Nazarot, Negrin, Negrino, Negro, Nevache, Noel, Oliva, Olive, Olivier, Olma, Orditto, Paillas, Palias, Paliasso, Paris, Parisia, Pariso, Parses, Pascal, Pascale, Pascalis, Paschal, Pasgal, Pasquai, Pastor, Pastore, Pelegrini, Pelegrino, Pelias, Pellegrin, Pellenco, Pellice, Pera, Pereti, Perin, Perino, Pero, Peron, Peroni, Perron, Perrone, Perrot, Persat, Peyret, Peyretto, Picard, Pillon, Pilon, Pilone, Poeto, Polano, Pons, Pont, Ponte, Porte, Porto, Prat, Queirus, Querus, Queyrus, Rabbi, Ramondetto, Raymondet, Revel, Revella, Revello, Rey, Ricard, Ricardi, Richard, Richardo, Richiardo, Rigat, Riva, Rive, Riveire, Robert, Rocha, Rolland, Rollo  , Roman , Romano, Rosel, Rosello, Rosset, Rossetto, Rosso, Roul, Roy, Rozel, Ruet, Ruetto, Ruffin, Salen, Salin, Salomon, Salvaiot, Sammartino, Samuel, San  Martino, Sape, Sapetto, Sarre, Sarvai, Serre, Sessano, Sezane, Sezzano, Sibil, Sibile, Sibille, Sibille , Simon, Simonet, Solera, Solie, Sollie, Sordel, Stalle, Tholosan, Thomas, Thoulosan, Tolosan, Tolosano, Tolousan, Torre, Toscano, Toure, Tourno, Truchet , Uliva, Ulvieri, Vachero, Vallon, Valone, Velliot, Vinay, Vincent, Viton, Vitone, Vittone, Volat, Zemoat,