Did you know?
Home Did you know? Favorites Guest Book Family Tree Directory

 

It is not clear where the name Majdalani came from. One tale is agreed upon though: 3 brothers left a village, believed to be Majd Al Akoura in Kesrewan (Mount Lebanon) around 1532 and went each in his own direction. One came to Beirut, while two others went to Bhamdoun. The brother who came to Beirut became known as the Al Majdalani (i.e. the man coming from Majd Al Akoura), while one of the brothers who went to Bhamdoun (first name Khairallah) became a Khairallah (the Khairallahs are probably the most prominent family in Bhamdoun, with the ‘mokhtar’ elected from this family for several years now).

The third came to the Chiyah area in Beirut where a neighbourhood is still called “Haret al Majadleh”.

Whereas there may be some doubt as to which village the 3 brothers started from, there seems to be agreement that this village was called Majd-Al-(?) –and hence the family name.

Toufic Nasrallah Andraos Chahine Majdalani is said to have built all train stations between Haifa and Damascus. Upon completion, Sultan Abdul Hamid II (1876-1909) awarded him a certificate of bakawet (so he effectively became a “Beik”) and decorated him.

The historian of the State of Connecticut is Jeanne Majdalani.

THE FAMILY IN THE NEWS

www.alhayat.com look at 18 April 1995, page 21 ‘Roots of Lebanese Families’(this document has also been scanned for your convenience. Click here to read)
Chafica Majdalani Read this book excerpt about Chafica Majdalani, wife of Toufic Nasrallah Andraos Chahine Majdalani.