Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:58 am
Post subject: Surname changes in Poland
I'm curious about why the Polish people would have changed their own surname over time. My family surname is spelled Kieta but in my family research, I've found records where the name is spelled Kita.
Kita seems to be the older spelling of the name and Kieta seems to have been first used in the mid 1850's. In at least one case I found a family where some of the children used one spelling and other siblings used the second spelling. Does anyone have any insight as to why the name might have been changed? Is there any significance in adding the "e" to the name?
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Elzbieta PorteneuvePO Top Contributor
Joined: 09 Nov 2012
Replies: 3098
Location: Paris, FranceBack to top |
Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 11:33 am
Post subject: Re: Surname changes in Poland
| stankieta wrote: | I'm curious about why the Polish people would have changed their own surname over time. My family surname is spelled Kieta but in my family research, I've found records where the name is spelled Kita.
Kita seems to be the older spelling of the name and Kieta seems to have been first used in the mid 1850's. In at least one case I found a family where some of the children used one spelling and other siblings used the second spelling. Does anyone have any insight as to why the name might have been changed? Is there any significance in adding the "e" to the name? |
Stan,
I am sur Dave with his knowledge of historian may have good explanation for us all. The people did not know how to write, civil records were ear-dependent, etc.
As an example - Polish orthography makes a clear distinction between "u" and "ó", or "rz" and "ż", but the pronounciation is identical. You must know a bit about etymology to apply the correct orthography. But sometimes you just must have learn on case by case base. For exemple we see in this forum in so many records with Jakub (today correct orthography), and Jakób (an old one), you cannot make your choice, it was decided by linguists.
Besides changing a name because of orthography or difficulties to spell, we had also other cases in Poland. After WWII it was easy to change the name and it was used by a number of people to escape. Sometimes to save their life, sometimes to hide their past.
Concerning your name, "kita" means "crest".
Kieta is quite close to French "quête", ankieta and enquête mean the same, making a query, searching, collecting answers.
Both Kita and Kieta are easy to be spelled by native Polish.
Best,
Elzbieta
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Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 1:44 pm
Post subject:
Thanks Elzbieta,
That makes perfect sense. Having grown up in the States I just assumed that my ancestors could read and write. Looking back, I should have known that they couldn't. I know that my grandfather only went to third grade in Poland and my grandmother didn't go to school at all. I just didn't make the connection between being educated and being able to write. My bad. You, and everyone on Polish Origins have been a great help to me. Thank You!
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