[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] surnames with evidence of aristocracy

[Nancy Gertner]

Has anyone seen evidence to support the statement of Henry Teichrob
that Napoleon's reign of Prussia in the early 1800s caused people to
drop evidence of nobility from their names?  And did they revise their
names again after Napoleon disappeared from political power?

Nancy
--
from http://www.mhsbc.com/news/2004/2004v10n1.htm

WHATS IN A NAME?
by Henry Teichrob

Our family name connects us to our ancestors and places us into a
family tree. Nationality, ethnicity and family relationships are
inherent in it. This identifies us in the larger picture of life. It
show that we are rooted in the human family.

The study of surnames can be most interesting. Not all societies have
considered family names very important. In Western Europe family names
became important when rulers listed their citizens for taxation
purposes. In Christendom, especially in Northern Europe the common use
of family names seems to parallel the rise of nationalism. From the
Middles Ages we know of Leaf the Lucky, Eric the Red and later of Ivan
the Terrible. Napoleon Bonaparte insisted on the use of family names in
his day.

It seems that in Northern Europe several naming patterns were used.
Occupations like baker, butcher, carpenter, cooper, hunter, miller,
plumber, smith, tanner, tailor, wagoner and many others became family
names. Physical or personal characteristics like long, short, swift,
stout, sweet, strong, etc. all became family names. Some used colors
like green, brown, black, white and gray.

In some regions the adding of son to the fathers personal name
produced names like Jackson, Johnson, Williamson, Thomson, Cornelson
and probably Klassen and Thiessen.  In days when people were largely
illiterate the spelling was often done phonetically leading to a
variety of spellings for the same name. Much can be learned about
people and societies by studying names.

Today much genealogical material and the internet allow for good
research. Russian Mennonites can easily trace their migration from the
Danzig (Gdansk) region. The Registration ordered by Fredrick the Great
(der Alte Fritz) in 1772 and completed in 1776,  sometimes called a
Consignation, is readily available. Research beyond that registry can
be difficult. Some call that registry a firewall  almost impenetrable.
  Germanization was still often resisted by the largely Dutch Mennonite
people of the lower Vistula.

  Folklore handed to my father by his grandfather gave us as children
some pride in our name. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the folklore
but it pleased us. He told us that some generations ago our name was
Dyck and the reason for the added syllable was the awarding of the
title of Count (Graf). This was brought about by the bravery of an
ancestor who rescued a princess of the royal family from drowning after
slipping down a dike. Of course in Napoleons rule of Danzig (1806 
1812) any evidence of aristocracy was dangerous. Knowledge of the
guillotine had spread throughout Europe. Obscuring all aristocratic
symbols was expedient.

Nancy

On Apr 4, 2005, at 8:28 AM, Jerry Frank wrote:

> At 04:57 AM 04/04/2005, David Wade wrote:
>> Can anyone explain to me why it seems there are so many surnames from
>> this area that end in 'ski' or some variation of 'ski' (or is it my
>> imagination)?
>>
>> Thank you,
>> Lois
>
>
> There are a variety of possibilities for this situation with respect
> to Germans in East-central Europe.  First, understand that the 'ski'
> suffix is equivalent to 'von' in German.  Like von, it can have two
> connotations.  One is nobility.  It implies that you are "from" a
> noble family.  The other is locational, implying that your are "from"
> a certain town.
>
> So how do peasant class people get such a name?  Several
> possibilities.  One might be that a noble family loses its fortune or
> the fortune gets spread thinly among the descendants so that they
> become the same level as peasant class people.  Another way was that a
> nobleman could grant the right for a peasant to use his surname,
> especially for some form of meritous service, perhaps in battle.
>
> Jerry Frank - Calgary, Alberta
> FranklySpeaking at shaw.ca