FOA (FOI or FOY):

French family; migrated from Italy in the eighteenth century. One branch of the family has been authorized to assume the name of "Margfoy." Solomon Foa, the first member of the family to settle at Bordeaux, was the father of David Ḥayyim Foy, a privileged mercer, who received a permit from the parliament of Navarre, Aug. 27, 1787, to establish himself at Pau. His son, Israel Foy, bought for the community of that city the Jewish cemetery, which was laid out April 24, 1822. At Bayonne and Bordeaux the name is spelled "Foy," while at Marseilles the form "Foa" has been preserved. To the latter branch belong the explorer Edmond Foa, Captain Crémieu-Foa, Commander Léon Franchetti, and the engineer J. Sciama.

Bibliography:
  • Archiv. Municip. de Bordeaux, g. g. 800 bis, Aug. 21, 1751, July 23, 1753, Jan. 22, 1766;
  • Arrêt du Parlement de Navarre qui Fait Défense de Troubler les Juifs Portugais dans l'Exercise de Leur Commerce, Pau, 1787;
  • H. Léon, Hist. des Juifs Bayonne, p. 218;
  • Le Siècle, March 24, 1898.
G. C. de B.
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