[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Names, names, names. . .

[Otto]

This may help.
Our understanding is an art, not a science.  Being an art, we are  
practitioners exchanging technique.  I always welcome pointers and  
helpful bits from everyone.  We remain, Man, the namer.

I have a cousin in Houston I share my surname with, a cousin that has  
the same first given name as I but his second given name is not Otto,  
his second given name is my younger brother's first given name.

Cousin Richard and I have come to a conclusion; the colonists  
originally had a Name Book shared by the villages, a book that  
eventually was destroyed in a fire at the beginning of the  
colonization. . . that is, all but one page of names that were  
memorized and used by them as they dispersed throughout Eastern Europe.

We were only kidding, yet it would not be difficult to believe it was  
so as one becomes involved in microfilm research.

As already stated, cultural or social patterns are iffy. We, who live  
in a global world and information rich society, must first  
familiarize ourselves with living conditions of the time period in  
question. Traveling with a horse and wagon would limit one to places  
fifteen miles distant.(24 kilometer)  One half day to travel there,  
one half day to travel home before dark. At four miles an hour by  
horse or foot, it amounts to seven and one half hours of non-stop  
travel. (really 8 hrs. - 1/2 hr. alloted for a McDonald's stop)

15 mi./24 km. distance is a behavioral pattern based on self- 
preservation. When one left an immediate familial cluster, one faced  
the then present dangers of travel.   Think on this.

Farming clusters were dependent on each other for survival. Birthing,  
Planting, Harvesting, Dying. A single loss was a loss to everyone.
People did not live in a village. They were the village.

That brings us to the foremost pattern.
-"The Cluster Effect". . . generated by survival based behavior.
I cannot claim credit for the observation; the term, "Cluster Effect"  
was used in a genealogical lecture I attended in Chicago many years  
back. The lecturer was Stephen Barthel. (Posen/West Preussen-Steve's  
Dad was German, his mother Polish) At that time Steve was head of the  
European Eastern Territories records at the Main LDS library in Salt  
Lake City. I heard he eventually became head of the LDS library but  
that remains unsubstantiated on my part.

The following are my observations based on working with Lutheran  
records-Catholic records/patterns differ.
Little clusters are affected by the Big World.

The Cluster Effect also generates insight to the past.  Patterns  
become visible.
When extracting 'names' from village microfilm records, extract both  
paternal and maternal names. Extract witness and godparent names.  
(usually relatives until you prove out differently-think 'clan')   
Extract names of family friends-they  may well be relatives a hundred  
years distant.

Create a graphic diagram to visual the cluster. I call it my 'bunch  
of grapes'.  Usually where I find a 'grape', I know the 'bunch' is  
close by.

-Each cluster will vary a bit.  Life is fluid.

I've noted a trendy pattern regarding given names, say in 50-100 year  
increments in clusters.  Near the end of the 1600's and the beginning  
of the 1700's, around the Danzig area, 'Martin' (undoubtedly Luther  
influence) and 'Regina' (L.-queen-a female sovereign) were popular.  
Reviewing film of that period, it seems every third person is a  
Martin or Regina.  As they migrated the given name 'Jacob' became  
popular. (a bible-based leader-type character that traveled and  
prospered) Michael as a given name became popular. (now they were  
invoking the great archangel's power during times of turmoil) There  
are 'Friedrich' from "der alter Fritz the Great" period in history  
(an indicator) There are 'Lousia' after the beloved Prussian queen.  
(an indicator)
Catholic girls usually have a 'Mary' in there somewhere, and Lutheran  
girls an 'Anna'. (indicators)

-Become familiar with your Cluster's given name trends. (You'll come  
upon an earlier cluster and notice the given names are  
similar...Hmmm? It is in the names...)
-Itemize all of the 'sisters' in a given family and their marriage  
surnames.
-Sisters will have more effect on the shape and direction of a cluster.

-Individuals of the cluster lost through war or disease, individuals  
childless, or individuals with lost children, may be commemorated by  
naming offspring after them to keep their name and memory alive.  
(loss of a cluster member left a saddening void)

The locus of the cluster was undoubtedly their local Chapel or  
Parish. Their 'belief structure' held them together.

-Research the life of the Pastor of the Parish.  (I consider this  
very important)
He was the door to the big world for the farming clusters.
Where was he born? What seminary did he graduate from? Is this his  
first Parish assignment? If not, what Parishes had he served  
previously?  He was the one that would indicate to his flock, "Come,  
this way," or indicate, Go, that way."  Knowing this may open the  
door to where the cluster came from or went.  Based on the pastor's  
education, he may also have been an influence in spelling changes of  
surnames, updating them to his present day accepted spellings.

. . .   Otto

                      " The Zen moment..." wk. of September 24, 2006-
                          ________________________________
                     "Wisdom... has a corrosive effect on  
complications."