INTRODUCTION TO SURNAMES
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- GeraldS_2
- Dan_Ellsworth
- crisbe
- crisbe
- Dan_Ellsworth
- Dan_Ellsworth
- GeraldS_2
- DanaP
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» GeraldS_2 - Christine, how would you like to have a surname like mine which
Christine, how would you like to have a surname like mine which in German means "crosseyed", "squint-eyed" or "jealous"? And then when you add my given name you obtain, "The mighty crosseyed spear wielder".-- posted by GeraldS_2
» Dan_Ellsworth - Besides family disagreements, sometimes surnames were changed to
Besides family disagreements, sometimes surnames were changed to fit the dominant English-speaking culture more, in the U.S. It might have been either or both that led to a "Surato" I remember, said to be derived from "Surateaux".Dan Ellsworth (e-mail, bio), Editor, "Christianity - Protestant"
-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth
» crisbe - Christine Sievers csievers@concentric.net Gerald (the might
Christine Sieverscsievers@concentric.net
Gerald (the mighty cross-eyed spear wielder),
Wow,what a great surname! :-) And, first name. I get these wonderful visual images about my ancestors. Now, if you also have an ancestor with the first name Gerald, can't you just picture him in the Dark Ages, running over that hill with his spear? We certainly can appreciate our ancestors better when we explore our surname.
My mother's maiden name, HINKEL, means chicken, I like to think that is because they raised chickens. '-) I'm not one to look for nobility from my ancestors. More than likely, we came from good, strong peasant stock. That's how we survived to this day. The nobility had a nasty habit of killing each other off.
-- posted by crisbe
» crisbe - Christine Sievers csievers@concentric.net Daniel, Right
Christine Sieverscsievers@concentric.net
Daniel,
Right on. It is interesting to realize that so many German names (most of my ancestry is German) were changed to fit the English ear, when at one time there were more Germans in the United States than English. The national language almost became German.
Have you read anything about what happened in the United States during WWI to the Germans? If you were born in Germany, even if you were a citizen, or married to a German born, you had to register with the government. That is the time that my g-grandparents stopped speaking german. I think that many German names may have been anglicized at that time, too.
-- posted by crisbe
» Dan_Ellsworth - Right, Christine, including ace pilot Eddie Ric<b>h</b>enbacker,
Right, Christine, including ace pilot Eddie Richenbacker, who had his name changed to the way we know it now, Rickenbacker. "He's taken the Hun out of his name," was the approving remark at the time.Ellsworth, as far as Judy and I know (She's the genealogist of the family; I'm just along for the ride and to help occasionally.), is from "Ayl's Sward", the latter word meaning something like a meadow. Ayl, I think, is a small town near Oxford, England. So at least one of my ancestors was from near a small town near a college town. I grew up on a farm near Mason and Holt, Michigan (then not very large towns), about 10 miles from East Lansing and Michigan State University. Meadows near a college town - I like it.
Dan Ellsworth (e-mail, bio), Editor, "Christianity - Protestant"
-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth
» Dan_Ellsworth - I meant to say, Gerald Scheel, your explanation of your name has
I meant to say, Gerald Scheel, your explanation of your name has brightened a day or two for me. Good work. Ever tried throwing the javelin in track? ;-)Dan Ellsworth (e-mail, bio), Editor, "Christianity - Protestant"
-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth
» GeraldS_2 - Daniel, In highschool I tried out for track and the coach advise
Daniel, In highschool I tried out for track and the coach advised me to join the chess club instead. I was blessed with quite a muscular body and in those days was quite tall (today I am almost a midget alongside the newer generation) and everyone thought I should be an athlete. But I was at best mediocre at every track event, except once I ran the 880 yard dash in short time but that was because another guy was chasing me with a sharp stick.Christine: Like Daniel, I wasn't much into genealogy until my wife bought some softward dealing with the subject, so the last month or so I have been into it. An interesting thing I found, my wife's mother's surname was Rumel. Going back four generations in my mother's family I find a "Rummel". I wonder if we are distantly related?
Thank you for the links. I have explored a couple so far.
Jerry Scheel
-- posted by GeraldS_2
» DanaP - Looking for roots...please help
Hi. I just started looking for my ancestors and was wondering if you could help me or guide me in the right direction. What I know is that 5 brothers(the Kelly brothers)came over to the USA in 1717.I would appreciate any and all help or info you could give me please.
Thank you.
-- posted by DanaP
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