[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Surname: Bonakoske

[Otto]

On Aug 27, 2011, at 8:43 PM, Helen Gillespie wrote:

> or Boniakowski -  there are 4 listed in Canada - 2 in Peterborough, one each in Espanola and Sudbury\
> but there are other variations:  Bonakowski, Bonakowska, Bonkowska, Bonkowski  
> 
> In the US, SSDI has both Bonakowski and Boniakowski - Chicago, Illinois mostly and New Jersey  But there are many more Bonkowski and Bonkowska
> 
> You'd have to verify your family name because it may be that spellings have changed on documents.
> 
> Helen
> 

Good evening Helen and All,
I would suggest using the cluster effect to proof out the correct family line, the birds of a feather flock together bit.  Verify the cluster then check the spelling.  Their cultural base is usually woven around their kitchen language and religious persuasion. This proves useful as you step back in time.

I was hinting at a possible Pomeranian spelling of 'Bonkoske'. It is an existent surname.
The various spellings hint at possible different cultural based families beyond the spelling of the surname.
1. Did Bonkoske morph into the Bonkowski spelling?
2. Did Bonkowski morph into the Bonkoske spelling.
3. Are they two distinct separate families?

A simple googling of just the surnames proves out persons using the  surnames Bonkoske, Bonkowski and Bakowski all exist.

Bonkowski could well be a Polish place-name based spelling of the surname.
A Polish village exists in once West Prussia named Bąkowo (between Pila and Bydgoszcz). The squiggly tail at the bottom of the 'a' indicates the character is pronounced with a trailing 'n' sound. The village name would be pronounced in Polish as Bonkowo.

. . .   Otto
         " The Zen moment..." wk. of January 01, 2011-
                  _____________________________________
                                "Everything . . .  isasis"