Personally speaking, I think getting the marriage authorisation is an excellent move! But again, sometimes (as with some in my family) a few porkie pies can be found on these (in my case they'd put that they were not related, but they were in fact first cousins, and on another, the place the bride came from does not match any other document I have for others in the same family). I found the comments about a possible Sephardic name interesting, but of course Swidler is also derived from Eastern European Ashkenazics too. Please keep us informed! Bea in London!