Ashkenaz was the son of Gomer. He was Noah’s great-grandson through Japheth (Genesis 10:1–3; 1 Chronicles 1:6).
Ashkenaz is mentioned in Jeremiah 51:27 with Ararat and Minni. This shows that Ashkenaz was likely the ancestor of a group called the Scythians. The Scythians lived in the Ararat region during Jeremiah’s time. They were known for being strong fighters and caused trouble for the Assyrian Empire. They helped bring about its fall.
Today, the name Ashkenazim (the plural form of Ashkenaz) means something different. It refers to Jewish people who settled in central and eastern Europe after being forced to leave their homeland. This is different from the Sephardim, who are Jewish people who lived in Spain and Portugal.