[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Agata/Henryka (German Henriette)

[AlbertMuth at aol.com]

Agata is often used in early 19th c. Catholic records in Poland for German
Henriette.  I believe the alternance comes about due to the German short 
form J-/Gette, which also shows up occasionally.

As a general rule, one does not expect to see short forms used in vital
records.  Considering the thousands of Wilhelminas that were born, it
is seldom that one finds Mina.

Short forms are also the probable reason to explain other such alternations 
as Luise/Elisabeth, Emilie/Wilhelmine, Justine/Kristine, and 
Boguslaw/Gotfryd/Fryderyk.  By alternations, I mean that it appears
that the same individual occurs in successive records (birth, marriage, 
births
of children, sometimes remarriage[s], death) with either name.

Al Muth