Tajjeb is an Arabic word, and not a Maltese one. It is even used as a first name for men.

Thank you for the info and links on the surname Mamo. I remembered what Wettinger said in his article on Maltese surnames (the connection with Muhammad) but not what he wrote in his book “The Jews of Malta in the Late Middle Ages” which, I understand is the one you are referring to.

I have read his book on the Jews over ten years ago. Unfortunately, I only possess a photocopy as it has been out of print for a long time.

In fact, I wanted to present the book to Jewish friends but one does not present them with a photocopy.

Other very common Maltese surnames of Jewish origin are Micallef and Ellul. Actually, I have a lot of reservations on Wettinger’s theories on a number of surnames in his article.

He seems reluctant to admit the Italian connection with regards to such surnames as Pace and Gatt.

Wettinger himself, in his epic tome on the Jews of Malta, lists some notable 18th century Jews on the island, called Mamo.

The Jewish cemetery in Malta is full of graves of people called Mamo, mainly from the 19th century.

And lots of people in Israel itself are called Mamo and they are obviously and by definition not of Islamic descent. If Mohammedans of the time converted to anything, it would have been to Christianity and not to Judaism.

https://mt.linkedin.com/pub/boaz-mamo/22/912/773

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/the-settler-behind-shadowy-purchases-of-palestinian-land-in-the-west-bank.premium-1.435253

http://www.npr.org/2015/10/16/449090598/israeli-government-takes-steps-to-control-violence-by-palestinians

http://embassies.gov.il/hong-kong/NewsAndEvents/Pages/Concert-by-Alon-Mamo.aspx

http://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/2015/04/singapores-small-but-flourishing-jewish-community/

I have a special interest in the subject because my mother is a Mamo and so was my husband’s mother.

Therefore my sons have/had two Mamo grandmothers.

Maltese has absolutely no links to Hebrew.

It is 100% derived from Siculo-Arabic.

Hebrew and Arabic are both Semitic languages, but that’s about it.

As for the rest – you’re right.

Oh definitely. The population of Malta included a significant number of Jews throughout history.

Actual figures are also found in a few of the censuses. Mdina was something like a quarter Jewish prior to Spanish rule.

After the Inquisition, they disappeared. Some left, but most ‘converted’.

And then there’s the language of course. Semitic is as close to Hebrew as Arabic. Sliema-Shalom, ilma-mayim, rih-ruach and so on.

Then there’s Abraham Abulafia on Comino. But that’s another story.

Mamo is a Jewish surname.

This also applies to the Prime Minister who tolerates the attitude of this politician whom he appointed to his cabinet.