The residents of Castrillo Matajudíos, which loosely translates as Little Fort of Jew Killers, have voted to change the name of their village to erase any links to the persecution of Jews and a dark chapter in Spain’s history. The name change was approved by 29 residents and opposed by 19, Mayor Lorenzo Rodríguez Pérez said Sunday. The village has only 56 registered inhabitants. The village will be renamed Castrillo Mota de Judíos, or Little Hill Fort of Jews. Historical records have so far failed to yield a definitive answer about how the village got its name. One possible explanation is that Jewish converts to Catholicism in the 17th century switched to a name that would clearly distance them from their Jewish past and reduce the risk of further persecution. Another is that a local clerk mistakenly changed “mota,” or hill, into “mata,” or kill.