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Archiver > MarinGenSoc > 1999-01 > 0916984869


From: Lauren M Boyd <>
Subject: [MarinGenSoc-L] German Research hints
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 22:01:09 -0800


Howdy All !

This is a re-post of a re-post that I got from my friend, Mike Reck.

Thought it might be helpful.

Happy Trails,

Lauren

For new researchers in German lines, a word of caution. There was
a first name and a calling name, so John Jacob would have that name
on church records, and perhaps on deeds, etc., but for anything
else, he would be known as Jacob.

There was a naming order for families. This was observed especially
with the Mennonites. The first two sons were named after the child's
Grandfathers. It was usually the father's side first honored unless
the Mother's Father had died before the Father's Father and the
Father's Father was still living. The female's were named in like
order. They believed in honoring their fathers and mothers. This
naming order started to go out in the 1840's.

Nicknames can cause trouble. These are some among the Penn. Germans.
Anton (Anthony) was nicknamed Tunis. Barbara was Bevvy. Dietrich
became Dieter. Elizabeth could be Eliz, Eliza, or Lis. Johannans was
Hans
or Hannes. Magdalena became Matti, Matta, Lena, or Molly.
Maria was changed to Mary with the nickname of Polly or Molly.
Nicholas (Nicholaus) was Nickel or Claus. Anna or Ann had the nickname
of Nancy or Nan. Catharina was Kate or Katie. Christoph (Christopher)
was Stoffell and was confused with Christian whose nickname was
Christ or Christli. Gottfried (Godfrey, Geofrey, english) was
confused with Frederick with the nickname of Fritz. Margretha
was nicknamed Peggy or Maggie. Valentin (Valentine) became Felty.
Fronika became Fanny. Ludwig can be Ludwick or Lewis. Bernhare,
Bernd, and Barnet became Bernard.

It may be Anna Marie on her birth record and Anne on the census,
or even Mary Anne.

Don't be like the woman who saved for years to go to England and look
for a relative named Mary. She found no references and went
home disappointed, but not so disappointed as when she found out
Polly was used as Mary and there were many references to Polly,
which she has ignored.

Happy hunting,
Theda (Bare) Williamson

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