Lithuania Naming Customs
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Understanding customs used in surnames and given names can help you identify your ancestors in records. Learn to recognize name variations and see clues in names. |
Online Tools[edit | edit source]
Surnames[edit | edit source]
Surname Changes of Immigrants in the United States[edit | edit source]
As Immigrants moved into English-speaking countries, their surnames were impacted in a variety of ways.
- Most of the time the surname spelling changed to accommodate the different phonetic spelling in the English language. In other words, the recorder tried to write the name the way he heard it.
- Surnames may also have been translated outright into English, sometimes with a slight twist.
- Within the community, such as the local parish, immigrants may continue to use the original name, while at the same time using English-language equivalents when dealing with local government, census takers, and other English speakers.
- Different branches of the same family may adopt various surname spellings.
- Prior to 1900, formal surname changes documented in local court records are relatively rare.
- During the early 20th Century, especially the World War I era, surname changes are recorded more frequently, as immigrants or, more often, their children, tried to adopt more neutral surnames.
Given Names[edit | edit source]
For Further Reading[edit | edit source]
FamilySearch Library[edit | edit source]
Additional sources are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog: