German-PolishCatholic Genealogy

About Myself

• B.S. in History from SUNY Brockport – May 2010• Bulk of capstone work in Religious and Immigrant History

• Polish Sacred & Secular Music (2010)• Polish Immigration and Emigration to New York (2009) *• Early History of St. Mary’s Assumption Church 1891-1930 (2008)• Alsace-Lorraine and the Coming of WWI (2007)

• MLS Candidate University at Buffalo 2012• Focus in Archival and Records Management

• Other Activities

Understanding the Context

• Divisional History• Political Boundaries

• Naming Patterns• Name Meanings and Origin Tracing• The Oral Tradition

The Divisional History• Piast Dynasty adopts Christianity and Monarchy in 966 A.D.• Develops into Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1569

A.D.• Decline leads to eventual divisions in 1795

• First Partition on August 5, 1772• Second Partition on January 23, 1793• Third Partition on October 24, 1795

• Three participating countries:• Kingdom of Prussia• Russian Empire• Austrian Habsburg Monarchy

What Does This All Mean?

• Each division develops differently

• Russian-Poland• Property/Education Limitations and Restrictions• Free Religion and Culture

• Congress Poland (Tsardom of Poland *Post-Napoleon*)• Property/Education Limitations and Restrictions• Free Religion and Culture

• Austrian-Poland (Galicia)• Property/Education Limitations• Free Religion and Culture

German-Poland (Pomerania)

• Severe restrictions on Catholicism• Restricting culture practices• Excellent Education & Economy

• High rates of literacy

• German Kulturkampf (1871)• Catholic Influence

• Priests and Bishops arrested or exiled• Attempt to break politics and religion

• Congregations Law of 1875• Abolished religious orders• Marriage becomes civil ceremony

• Germans flood traditional lands with German settlers (1886)

Why Did They Immigrate?

• Russian and Austrian Poles• Low Income

• Birds of Passage

• German Poles; Most of Albion’s Immigrants• Religious Restriction• Culture Suppression

Timeline• 1875: Immigration to Albion begins (Five People)• 1880: Polish population in Albion is doubled• 1885-1890: Largest influx of Polish immigrants to Albion• 1891: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish

formed• Population: 800+

Current Political Boundaries

• The Country• Poland

• The Voivodeship (16)• Province; i.e. Kujawsko-Pomorskie• Largest political division

• In existence since the 12th century

• Cut to 16 from 49 in 1998/9• Based on historic regions

• The Powiat (379)• County; i.e. Chelmno

• The Gmina (2,479)• Taken from Gemeinde, German for “community”• Town/City or Town and surrounding villages• Smallest political division

Name Changes

• Names differ depending on what you refer to• Some records exclusively Polish• Some records exclusively German• Depends on time and Priest

• Examples

German Polish

Culm or Kulm Chelmno

Danzig Gdansk

Bromberg Bydgoszcz

Gruppe Swiecie

Schwetz

Naming patterns&

Origins

Polish Naming Patterns

• Does not follow expected naming pattern• Christian names religious based

• Corresponds with Saint’s Feast Day• Not an exact science• Proof that it works:

• First generation Americans• Typically don’t follow pattern

Person Birth Date Saint Name Feast Day

Francis Kaniecki Oct. 3, 1886 Francis of Assisi October 4th

Paul Peter Kaniecki June 9, 1890 Sts. Peter & Paul June 29th

Anthony Radzinski June 11, 1883 Anthony of Padua June 13th

Stephen Szybanski Dec. 24, 1858 Stephen December 26th

Polish Naming Patterns

• Example Families• Anthony & Mary Tkaczyk Kanieck (left)

• Immigrated 1891 w/ two children

• Francis & Veronica Sterczynski Kaniecki (right)• Immigrated 1891 at 3 years old

Name PNP?

Francis Yes

Paul Yes

Mary Yes

Stanislaus No

Frances No

James Yes

John Yes

Name PNP?

Marian Veronica No

Wanda No

Rose No

Anthony No

Birth Date vs. Date of Baptism

• Pattern develops out of birth/baptism date• Proximity to Feast Day

• Some practiced celebration of Baptism• Confusion between recorded birth or baptism on vital records

• Double Names (i.e. Middle Names)• German tradition

• Appears rarely in Polish records• Can be confused as twins in a record• Ex. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

• Uncommon amongst Ger-Poles• More common in United States

Surname Meanings• Surname derivation

• Can be key to place of origin• Can hint at religion – (i.e. Jutkiewicz is traditionally Jewish)• Three main groups

1. Animals, trees, occupations, things, etc.2. Christian name or occupation (patronym)3. Locations and places (toponym)

• Examples1. Animals, trees, occupations, things, etc.

• Kaniecki, likely Kaniewski• Derived from Kania (Kite), a predatory bird

• Swinko (Rev. Bartholomew)• Literal translation: Pig

• Jaworski• From Jawor, meaning Sycamore

• Piontek or Piatek• Literal translation: Friday

Surname Meanings2. Christian name or Father’s occupation

• Banas• From old peasant dialect, meaning Benedict

• Tkaczyk• Weaver’s son

• Romanski• Son of Roman

• Pawlak• In relation to Pawel (Paul)

3. Place or location• Nowicki

• Relating to a village called Nowicki or Nowicko meaning “Newtown”

• Kwiatkowski• Literal translation, “One from the place of little flowers”

• Kwiat meaning “to bloom” or “flower”

The Voluntary Name Change• How to explain

• Accept old folk lore?• “Babcia says Great Grandpa couldn’t get a job with that name!”

• Name changes happen in first generation Americans• Common form of assimilation

• How did they arrive at that name?• Bloom – Originally Kwiatkowski: Literal• Friday – Originally Piontek: Literal• Roman – Originally Romanski: Drop the suffix• Daniels – Originally Danielewski: Drop the suffix• Norek – Originally Norkowski: Drop the suffix• Wright – Originally Rytlewski: Sound-alike• Zwifka – Originally Zwiewka: Sound-alike consonance

• Endless list

The Involuntary Name Change• Did the immigration official really mess up my ancestor’s

name?• Possibly• Mathias Kaniecki – Mathew Kornetzky

• Is this even the same person?

• John Romanski – Johann Romansky• Stephen Szybanski – Stephan Shebanski• Olszewski – Olshefsky (spelled as is pronounced)• Romanowski – Romanofsky• Radzinski – Radzimski, Rodzimski, Radimski, etc.• Tkaczyk – Kozchek (taken from cemetery record)

• Tip: Take accents into consideration

The Records

U.S. & PolishCatholic Records

A Necessity

Catholic Records: General Overview

• Accuracy• Considered the MOST accurate record

• Catholicism has ALWAYS been important to Poland

• Standards• Latin is traditional language

• Shift to vernacular• Dependent on ruling sector

• Other Uses in Poland• Military Conscription• Civil Record

• Non-Catholics may appear

• More Than One Copy• Priests send copy of year’s sacraments to diocese

• Tedious work• Copies may have been sent to municipal office or sector

government• U.S. Catholic records remain at parish; statistics sent to diocese

The Basics

• Most Common Records• Baptismal• Marriage• Funeral

• Other Records• Confirmation• Parish Census• Collection Logs/Pew Rent• Meeting Minutes• Priest Journals/Logs

The Basics; Continued

• Availability• United States

• Barely• Non-Baptismal/Marriage/Funeral Records rarely

survive/accessible• Typical Written Requests

• Poland• Easier; Accessible through LDS• Writing to Churches & Diocese

• Quality• Lazy Priests produce poor records

The Information Within

• Baptismal Records• The absolute most valuable record

• May contain generations

• U.S. Baptismal records typically contain less than Polish• United States

• Names of Parents• Birth Date & LOCATION• May indicate birth place of parents• May indicate occupation of father• Godparents• Priest name

• Poland• All of the above• Hour of birth• Economic/Political status of parents• Residence of parents & Godparents

Sample Baptismal Register: LDS Microform

Anthony Kaniecki Baptismal RecordInterpreted As:

The 116th entry for the year 1864, the 60th legitimate boy to be baptized in the year 1864, was born on the same day of his baptism. He was given the Christian name Antoni and was born on the 19th/Nineteenth of November to Mateusz Kaniecki and Jadwega Sadowska. Mateusz resides in Obory. Jan Sadowski and Jadw. Ruchinska were the Godparents. Priest Tarnowski officiated and no comments are noted.

Latin Polish

Constantin Reis Baptismal RecordInterpreted As:

The 32nd entry for the year 1857. On the 10th of March 1857 at 6 O’clock in the morning a male child, Constantin Josephus was born to Joannes Reis and Maryanna Pastwikowska. He was baptized on the 16th of March. Joannes Reis was from Obory. The Godparents were Joannes Latkowski and Maryanna Konopacka both of Obory.

German German

The Information Within

• Marriage Records• The second most valuable record

• Contains information about bride and groom• My luck, they contain the bare minimum

• U.S. Marriage Records are just as helpful as Polish• United States

• Ages of bride and groom• Residence or birth place of bride and groom• Names of parents• Maiden names, other marriages, etc.• Religion and other civil legal/canonical comments• Witnesses

• Poland• All of the above• Marriage Banns (announcements to public for legal/canonical

reasons)• Parental approved?

Matthew Kaniecki and Hedwig Sadowski (1848)What was found:

This was the 3rd marriage recorded in 1848 in Wabcz at Sts. Bartholomew and Ann Church. The marriage took place on the 5th of March (number is difficult to interpret). Matheus Kaniecki of Obory, a 29 year old bachelor from Obory was married to Hedvigis Sadowska, a 21 year old maiden from Wabcz. Since Matheus was 29 years old and was of legal age, he did not need permission from his parents. Permission for Hedwig was given by her family in Culm on the 21st of February 1848. Marriage Banns were issued in Wabcz Pomern.*There is a lot of information that is difficult to interpret in this earlier record*

Stephan Daniels and Francis Golowski (1875)Interpreted As:

The 20th entry for the year 1875 at Sts. Bartholomew and Ann Church in Wabcz. On the 7th of November, Stephanus Danielewski, a 22 year old single Catholic married Francisca Glowaska, a 21 year old single Catholic. “Father” (Pater) is listed as the witness. The priest is listed as “the same.”

Latin Latin Latin

Ignatius Rice and Barbara Kaniecki (1879)What was found:

This was 8th marriage recorded in Sts. Bartholomew and Ann Church located in Wabcz during the year 1879. The couple was wed on the 24th of August. Ignacy Reis of Wabcz, a 21 year old Catholic boy was married to Barbara Kaniecka, an 18 year old Catholic maiden. The witnesses were Mateusz Irykowski and Jan Pastwikowski.

Polish

The Information Within

• Funeral Records• Often considered the “least” valuable• All contain similar information

• Date of Death• Location of Death• Place of Burial• Cause of Death

• May note living children, spouse, etc.

The Information Within• Funeral Records

• Where is this record helpful?• No headstone to note burial• No civil death record• No death date

• Calculate w/ census

• Confirm individual• Do I have the correct baptismal record?

• Common Situations• Anthony Kaniecki

• No headstone, no civil death record• St. Mary’s record exists

• Died June 19, 1914 from an Operation in Rochester• No burial spot listed

• Located obituary; died in Park Ave. Hospital from operation for appendicitis

• Body brought to the home in Albion• Conclusion

• Could not afford headstone, likely buried in Old St. Joseph’s Cemetery

The Information Within• Common Situation

• Looking for Mary/Marion Kaniecki• Locate Baptismal Record for Mary Kaniecki

• Daughter of Francis and Veronica Sterczynski Kaniecki• Born February 2, 1908

• Locate Baptismal Record for Mary Kaniecki• Daughter of Francis and Veronica Sterczynski Kaniecki• Born September 10, 1909

• ???????????

• Search Funeral Records• Locate Mary Kaniecki

• Daughter of Francis and Veronica Sterczynski Kaniecki• Died September 14, 1908; Cause of death: Consumption (TB)

Research Tips

• AmPol research involves “specialized” skills• Focus on Catholic records• Need to read old handwriting & script• Recognize certain words in Polish, Latin and or German• Helps to understand background

• Understand the language

• Citations are ESSENTIAL!!!!!!• If you haven’t in the past, you need to now• Will you remember where those 10 name spellings came

from?

• Think outside the box• Use sound-alikes in names• Take accents into account when assessing name misspellings

Research Tips

• Don’t be afraid to try this yourself• LDS microfilm = ~$5.50• Overseas Researchers or Translators = ~$15-$40 per hour,

postage, etc.• You experience the journey & save some cash