I have come across a person who was born about 1842 in Lithuania. His father's name is listed as "Tsalko". I have never come across this name before. Is it Yiddish? What would the translation of that name be?
Thanks for any help.
George Mason
USA

It's a diminutive for Betsalel, just like Tsal, which is more common.

Mike Vayser

Tsalko, along with Tzalel and Tzalek, is a diminutive of Betzalel. In "the old country", the Tz was pronounced as Ch, and the English version is often Charles.

Billie Stein
Givatayim, Israel

Just to add to the possibilities:  my gggfather Zelman Ber Milner was listed as Zelman Tsalko or Tsalel on the birth records of six grandchildren.  My own theory is that this is an error by the scribe for Zalko, listed by JewishGen as a nickname for Zalman/Zelman.
Fred Millner, Trenton, NJ

My fourth great-grandfather was a Tsalko (aka Tsalel).  The surname was Grosbard (aka Gruonbort aka "Krudzdbert").  He was born between about 1770 and 1773; according to the 1816 Revision List, he was living in Vilkija, Lithuania in 1816.  So there was at least one Tsalko in Lithuania prior to your person who was born there in 1842.
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Erika Gottfried
Teaneck, New Jersey