In response to: What would likely be the Jewish name for Samuel Black?

It is possible that the name is Blach (German Jews have changed their Blach name to Black).

Leslie Koelsch

Samuel could have been any of a  dozen Jewish given names or maybe something not connected at all.

Black could be a translation, in which case it would depend on the place he came from. Or it could be a "sounds like."

Israel Pickholtz
Ashkelon
allmyforeparents.blogspot.com
endogamy-one-family.com

My genealogy research is electric.
It follows the path of least resistance.

How about the simple Schwarz, which is German for black.
Frank Szmulowicz

Funny, I just watched the latest episode for Finding Your Roots on PBS and Lewis Black finds out that his relative's name on the ship manifest was Leib Blech, which was changed to Black. So that might be the origin for you too.

Valerie Chereskin

Actually, Sam was very popular as a secular name, as it wasn't seen as 'odd' like some Jewish given names. Schwartz (Gerrman) and Szwarc (Polish) are both Black. Sam is most likely Schmul, but could be anything. 

Sally Bruckheimer
Princeton, NJ

My grandfather Was Sam who’s Hebrew name Yeshiah. Yiddish name was Shiah.
There are many combinations and permutations.
One can only guess with reference to Samuel Black. In fact, in many genealogical questions and consideration, it’s a guessing game.
Larry Gaum
Toronto

My family came from a small town about 35 mi. SE of Minsk.  Two of the sons became Sam's in the USA. 
Their names on the ship manifest list were Schmerel and Schlajme.  
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Myrna (Slatnick) Waters
NJ/NY/FL USA

Researching:  SLEPACK (or similar)Belarus/Bialystok area; SLATNICK/SLOTNIK (or similar) Minsk/Puchovichi area of Russia from 1905/1914 to NY & Newark,NJ and Canada;  KURZMANN Jaslo, Poland and Drohobych, Ukraine area (both formerly in what was the Galician area of Austria prior to WWI), KURTZMAN in NY/Bronx and NJ/Newark from 1905/1910, SADOWSKY (or similar) from Belarus area of Russia/Bialystok 19th century to Newark,NJ 1905 or after.

I have one great grandfather that took the first name of Sam - his Hebrew name was Sheftel.

I have another great grandfather that also took the name of Sam even though his older brother had taken that name also.  He was naturalized under Sam (as was his older brother), but later changed his name to Joshua which was close to his Yiddish name of Gesua.  His Polish name was Osvey. 

As Sally stated - Sam was very popular.
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Elynn Boss
Frisco, Texas, United States
bossgen_1@...
Searching: Abrahams (New York); Gichtin/Gechtin/Gertin (Buffalo, New York and Canada); Dreishpoon (New York, Russia, France), Danovitch/Daynes (New York, Massachusetts, Poland/Russia) and associated branches.