Sephardic Jews are descendants from the ancient and traditional Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Sefarad or Hispania in Hebrew), i.e., Portugal and Spain.

How do I prove my Sephardic ancestry?

A family genealogical report in the form of a tree or an ascending lineage, elaborated by a qualified professional and that establishes a link between the applicant and one/some well-known Sephardic person/people, can be the most effective element of proof of the Sephardic origin of a person.

Does ancestry test for Sephardic?

There is no DNA test for Sephardic ancestry, although some companies are refining their tests for some sub-communities. So, there will be families that have been Catholic for over a thousand years whose DNA may be from elsewhere, and families who have been Jewish even longer who have clearly Iberian origins.

What percent of Israelis are Sephardic?

After the establishment of the State of Israel and subsequent 1948 Arab–Israeli War, most Mizrahi Jews were either expelled by their Arab rulers or chose to leave and emigrated to Israel. According to the 2009 Statistical Abstract of Israel, 50.2% of Israeli Jews are of Mizrahi or Sephardic origin.