All persons in the world with the surname Mokotow or Mokotowski, and the spelling variants Mokotoff and Mokotov, are descended from Tobiasz Dawid Mokotów (c1774-1842), a Jewish merchant who lived in Warka, Poland in the early part of the 19th century. He was born Tuvia ben Moshe (Tobiasz son of Moses) possibly in Warka and about 1806 took the name Mokotow when laws were decreed that all Jews must adopt heridtary surnames. The name Mokotów, at that time, was a town just south of the Polish capital of Warsaw. It is now the southern section of the city. Family legend is that Tuvia took the name Mokotow because he liked the way it sounded--it reminded him of the Hebrew words m'ki tov (for He is good).

Click for larger image Death record of Mosiek Aronowicz (literally Moses son of Aron), father of Tobiasz Dawid Mokotow. From the 1810 death register of the Jewish community of Warka, Poland. It is identifiable by the decedent's name and the notation "Dawida Mokotowa Syna" (son of Dawid Mokotow). If the death record is accurate, Mosiek died at age 83, which means the Mokotow family can be traced back to 1727, and even earlier to a man named Aron whose father's name is unknown.

Tuvia had 17 children by two wives, Tauba Moskowicz and Sarah Israelowna. As the children of Tuvia married, they moved to the neighboring towns of Góra Kalwaria, Garwolin, Karczew and eventually Warsaw. By 1939, few, if any, Mokotows lived in Warka but there was a large group (over 200) living in Warsaw, a branch in Garwolin and a number of Mokotowskis in Otwock. No less than 400 descendants of Tuvia and their spouses lived in Poland in 1939. Less than 20 members of these families survived the Holocaust.

At present, descendants of Mokotows live in Argentina, Australia, England, France, Israel, Spain and the United States. To date more than 1,700 descendants and their spouses have been documented.

Branches of the Mokotow Family

1.1. Jakob Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Tauba Moskowicz) b. about 1803 in Warka, Poland, m. before 1825, Ruchli Lenemanow, b. 1799, d. before 1860, Warka, Poland. Jakob died about 1841 in Warka, Poland. Jakob was an active member of the Jewish community in Warka as evidenced by the large number of birth and marriage records he witnessed. He died at the age of 38 leaving daughters and only one son, Berek (Dov) who was only nine at the time. Berek signed documents with three circles, the sign of an illiterate Jew, rather than with his name. It is likley he had to go to work at a very early age to support his family and did not get a proper education.

1.2. Frana Mokotow (daughter of Tuvia David Mokotow and Tauba Moskowicz) b. about 1805, Warka, Poland, m. 16 Feb 1822, Mendel Bernstein, b. about 1804, Kozienice, Poland. Attempts to trace this branch have been unsuccessful. The vital record registers of Warka and Kozienice do not show any children being born to this couple.

1.3. Isaac Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Tauba Moskowicz) b. 10 Jun 1809, Warka, Poland, m. about 1830, Esther Holszkiner, b. about 1807. Probably the progenitor of all persons named Mokotowski. This branch includes the most well-known member of the family: Eliyahu Kitov (1912-1976), an author of a number of works about Judaism. He was born Abraham Eliyahu Mokotow.

1.4. Moshe Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. about 1813, Warka, Poland, m. 4 Apr 1832, Chaia Sarah Nusbaum, b. 1814. Founder of the Garwolin branch of the Mokotow family. They were successful merchants in Garwolin until the Holocaust.

1.5. Israel Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. 6 Dec 1815, Warka, Poland. Only his birth record reveals his existence. Namesake: Possibly mf.

1.6. Menachem Mendel Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. about 1816, Warka, Poland, m. (1) before 1846, Ruchla Laia Davidowicz, b. 1821, m. (2) Aft. 1874, Pesa ?. Menachem died before 1877, Warka, Poland?. Progenitor of the U.S. branch of the Mokotow family. He may have been a wealthy merchant by virtue of his signature on the birth record of his daughter which was in Polish (most signatures of Jews are in Yiddish) and it is in an accomplished handwriting. This means he had dealings with non-Jews.

1.7. Abraham Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. 3 Aug 1817, Warka, Poland, m. before 1845, Rayzele Mokotow, b. 1823. He had at least two children. Attempts to trace descendants to present day have been unsuccessful.

1.8. Gotel Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. about 1819, Warka, Poland, m. (1) before 1840, Hana Roysa Rodznow, b. 1820, d. 7 Oct 1848, Warka, Poland, m. (2) about 1849, Beyla Ruchli Lipszic, b. 1834. Gotel died before 1900. Occupation: baker. Gotel fathered mostly girls, two of whom--Gussie and Pesa--married first cousins. Gussie married Hyman, son of Mendel and Pesa married Tobiasz Berek son of Fissel.

1.9. Sosia Mokotow (daughter of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. 9 Apr 1821, Warka, Poland. Married Tobiasz Talerman.

1.10. Fissel Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. 20 Apr 1822, Warka, Poland, m. 4 Dec 1846, Judith Weisbard, b. 1827, Warka, Poland. Fissel died 7 Apr 1882, Warka, Poland. His descendants migrated to Frankfurt-am-Main, Germay, and from there to Argentina, Israel and U.S.

1.11. Josele Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. 5 Jan 1825, Warka, Poland, d. 11 Dec 1841, Warka, Poland. Died young.

1.12. Rafal Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. about 1827, Warka, Poland, m. 20 Feb 1849, Shifra Pasternak, b. 13 Oct 1829, Warka, Poland. The only know child died young.

1.13. Malka Ester Mokotow (daughter of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. 24 Aug 1829, Warka, Poland, d. 21 Feb 1832, Warka, Poland. Died young.

1.14. Pesa Dyna Mokotow (daughter of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. about 1829, Warka, Poland, m. 19 May 1851, Mordecai Rubin, b. 1832, Warka, Poland.

1.15. Hirsik Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. 27 Mar 1832, Warka, Poland, m. (1) about 1853, Sura Weber Rainberger, b. 1830, d. 7 Aug 1887, Warka, Poland, m. (2) Sara Lipszyc, b. before 1900, d. 1926, Warsaw, Poland. Hirsik died about 1900, Poland. Descendants live in Australia.

1.16. Berek Mokotow (son of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. 26 Oct 1833, Warka, Poland, m. 11 May 1856, Chava Sandomir, b. 17 Sep 1836, Warka, Poland. Berek died about 1916, Warsaw, Poland.  Descendants live in Israel.

1.17. Rysza Rojza Mokotow (daughter of Tuvia David Mokotow and Sarah Israelowny) b. about 1837, Warka, Poland, m. 15 Jul 1857, Mordecai Zeitman, b. 19 May 1837, Warka, Poland. Rysza died about 1910, Warka, Poland?.