Two enthusiasts, mad for genealogy, bring together as many of the descendants of Moïse Blin, an 18th century Alsatian Jewish peddler, as they can. Out of this reunion emerges the chronicle of one family, from before the French Revolution down to the present: an exemplary history of the Jews, from persecution to assimilation. "First of the Name" is also the story of director Sabine Franel's quest. Herself a descendant of Moïse Blin, she attends every family gathering, constantly questioning others and herself, asking ""Whence come you?"" and ""Where do you stand in relation to the world?"