Hello, Many Germans anglicized their surnames and locals because of World War One. See Links below. Many others settled in America and adapted to their English speaking neighbors by changing or anglicizing their names. For example; My oldest sister was born Eugenie Hannalora and when we came to America, she took an English version; Laura Gean. Another example; My next oldest sister was born Sieglinde Margareta and when we came to America, she took an English version; Linda Margaret. Why? My mother was a German national and German law required German names. German laws changed by the time I was born, allowing me to be John Robert instead of Johan Roberto. ;-) John R. Carpenter La Mesa, CA Carpenter Cousins Y-DNA Project http://members.cox.net/johnrcarpenter/index.htm Carpenter CD Project Update http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/a/r/John-R-Carpenter/index Links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American#Assimilation_and_World_War_I_anti-German_sentiment Some Germans during this time "Americanized" their names (e.g. Schmidt to Smith, Müller to Miller, Rickenbacher to Rickenbacker, Eisenhauer to Eisenhower) and limited their use of the German language in public places. Similarly, foods with German names such as sauerkraut and bratwurst were renamed "liberty cabbage" and "liberty sausage". In Chicago Frederick Stock temporarily stepped down as conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra until he finalized his naturalization papers. Berlioz replaced Wagner on programs. In Cincinnati, reaction to anti-German sentiment during World War I caused the Public Library of Cincinnati to withdraw all German books from its shelves.[19] German-named streets were renamed. For example, in Indianapolis, a street named Germania Avenue was renamed Pershing Ave.-for a World War I general of German descent. http://www.newberry.org/genealogy/news/default.asp?id=173&action=single Street names from German to English during WW1 in Chicago. http://usa.usembassy.de/germanamericans-language.htm During World War I, many German-Americans discontinued the use of German to demonstrate their patriotism. Many German newspapers ceased publication. There are to this day, however, still a small number of German language newspapers. The German "Washington Journal" is, for example, the oldest newspaper in the nation's capital. http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Search/rg/guide/Ger_BMD_RefDoc_HandbookGermanResearch6.asp Chapter 7 Analyzing Surnames and Place Names German Surnames in America Translative Many Germans, upon immigrating to America, merely changed their names to the English equivalent of the German. The following are examples of this: Schwarz - Black Schneider - Taylor Baer - Bear Becker - baker Zimmerman - Carpenter Mohler - Miller Scharff - Sharp Klein - Little Of all the name changes, this was by far the least confusing. The only real problem this may cause is that in tracing an ancestor that changed his name this way, you may not realize that he was German and, therefore, not look for him under the German equivalent of the name. Often, the only clues would be the area in America where he was residing. If the family name stops in a heavy German settlement area, then it is a strong indication that he was German, and that you will need to change the name to the German equivalent in order to continue the search for the family in Germany. NOTE: More details continue on this page on how German names ... May have been Translative, Anglicization of Names, or given a Total Change.
So its not far-fetched that my husband's grandmother after her German husband died in the flu epidemics would have changed her name back to her maiden French name (de Mare) to teach French in the schools? "John R. Carpenter" <johnrcarpenter@cox.net> wrote: Hello, Many Germans anglicized their surnames and locals because of World War One. See Links below. Many others settled in America and adapted to their English speaking neighbors by changing or anglicizing their names. For example; My oldest sister was born Eugenie Hannalora and when we came to America, she took an English version; Laura Gean. Another example; My next oldest sister was born Sieglinde Margareta and when we came to America, she took an English version; Linda Margaret. Why? My mother was a German national and German law required German names. German laws changed by the time I was born, allowing me to be John Robert instead of Johan Roberto. ;-) John R. Carpenter La Mesa, CA Carpenter Cousins Y-DNA Project http://members.cox.net/johnrcarpenter/index.htm Carpenter CD Project Update http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/a/r/John-R-Carpenter/index Links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American#Assimilation_and_World_War_I_anti-German_sentiment Some Germans during this time "Americanized" their names (e.g. Schmidt to Smith, Müller to Miller, Rickenbacher to Rickenbacker, Eisenhauer to Eisenhower) and limited their use of the German language in public places. Similarly, foods with German names such as sauerkraut and bratwurst were renamed "liberty cabbage" and "liberty sausage". In Chicago Frederick Stock temporarily stepped down as conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra until he finalized his naturalization papers. Berlioz replaced Wagner on programs. In Cincinnati, reaction to anti-German sentiment during World War I caused the Public Library of Cincinnati to withdraw all German books from its shelves.[19] German-named streets were renamed. For example, in Indianapolis, a street named Germania Avenue was renamed Pershing Ave.-for a World War I general of German descent. http://www.newberry.org/genealogy/news/default.asp?id=173&action=single Street names from German to English during WW1 in Chicago. http://usa.usembassy.de/germanamericans-language.htm During World War I, many German-Americans discontinued the use of German to demonstrate their patriotism. Many German newspapers ceased publication. There are to this day, however, still a small number of German language newspapers. The German "Washington Journal" is, for example, the oldest newspaper in the nation's capital. http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Search/rg/guide/Ger_BMD_RefDoc_HandbookGermanResearch6.asp Chapter 7 Analyzing Surnames and Place Names German Surnames in America Translative Many Germans, upon immigrating to America, merely changed their names to the English equivalent of the German. The following are examples of this: Schwarz - Black Schneider - Taylor Baer - Bear Becker - baker Zimmerman - Carpenter Mohler - Miller Scharff - Sharp Klein - Little Of all the name changes, this was by far the least confusing. The only real problem this may cause is that in tracing an ancestor that changed his name this way, you may not realize that he was German and, therefore, not look for him under the German equivalent of the name. Often, the only clues would be the area in America where he was residing. If the family name stops in a heavy German settlement area, then it is a strong indication that he was German, and that you will need to change the name to the German equivalent in order to continue the search for the family in Germany. NOTE: More details continue on this page on how German names ... May have been Translative, Anglicization of Names, or given a Total Change. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CARPENTER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message Barbara L. de Mare, Esq. Historian, genealogist and attorney 155 Polifly Road Hackensack, New Jersey 07601 (201) 567-9440 office BarbaradeMare@yahoo.com (home) http://historygenealogyesq.blogspot.com/
Barbara, Not only is it not far fetched but perfectly reasonable with a good economic reason. If one speaks proper French and has a French name, then one is French. If one speaks French but has a German name then distrust is proper. If one speaks French, and is born is France, but does not look French, one must be a foreigner until one looks French. If one does not speak proper French, then one is a foreigner. Foreigners are also to be distrusted. They may be German spies or after the mid 1950s, uncouth Americans. Just ask (figuatively) Mata Hari who spoke French but pretended to be a foreigner and "hung" around with some alleged German spies during WWI. Never forget the animosity that persisted between France and Germany from about 1878 to about the mid 1950s. Why not 1945? The French occupied a small part of Germany for over ten years after WWII. It was only then when the French decided that the Germans were defeated enough that they felt safe with the British occupying the North of Germany and the Americans in the South. Shortly after they pulled out of NATO ... but that is another story! John R. Carpenter La Mesa, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: "Barbara de Mare" <barbarademare@yahoo.com> To: <carpenter@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, December 17, 2007 5:57 PM Subject: Re: [CARPENTER] Zimmerman to Carpenter in America So its not far-fetched that my husband's grandmother after her German husband died in the flu epidemics would have changed her name back to her maiden French name (de Mare) to teach French in the schools?
I was not quite 4 yrs old when Pearl Harbor was bombed. My mothers mother was American born of German parents and had many relatives in AR, some of whom had been born in Germany and had been listed as enemy aliens during WWI. Because he knew we probably would not be able to travel again for a long time, my father took us all to AR to visit the aunts, uncles, cousins, etc, that Mama had not seen in many years. I remember one of her great uncles, then in his 80s who was upset because he feared that he and the rest of the family would be targeted again because of their German names and the German they spoke among themselves. None of them changed their names, but they began to speak English even among themselves so that German eventually died out in their area in AR. I remember the wonderful German food, the Christmas trees cut down in the woods and the general kindness they showered on us, 4 west Texans, and how much we liked them. During WWI it became illegal in Texas to teach in any language but English in order to stop the speaking of German in public schools. Like now, fear made it a good idea to fit in, but unlike now, we were not in danger from our own government. -----Original Message----- From: carpenter-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:carpenter-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Barbara de Mare Sent: Monday, December 17, 2007 7:57 PM To: carpenter@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [CARPENTER] Zimmerman to Carpenter in America So its not far-fetched that my husband's grandmother after her German husband died in the flu epidemics would have changed her name back to her maiden French name (de Mare) to teach French in the schools? "John R. Carpenter" <johnrcarpenter@cox.net> wrote: Hello, Many Germans anglicized their surnames and locals because of World War One. See Links below. Many others settled in America and adapted to their English speaking neighbors by changing or anglicizing their names. For example; My oldest sister was born Eugenie Hannalora and when we came to America, she took an English version; Laura Gean. Another example; My next oldest sister was born Sieglinde Margareta and when we came to America, she took an English version; Linda Margaret. Why? My mother was a German national and German law required German names. German laws changed by the time I was born, allowing me to be John Robert instead of Johan Roberto. ;-) John R. Carpenter La Mesa, CA Carpenter Cousins Y-DNA Project http://members.cox.net/johnrcarpenter/index.htm Carpenter CD Project Update http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/a/r/John-R-Carpenter/index Links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American#Assimilation_and_World_War_I_an ti-German_sentiment Some Germans during this time "Americanized" their names (e.g. Schmidt to Smith, Müller to Miller, Rickenbacher to Rickenbacker, Eisenhauer to Eisenhower) and limited their use of the German language in public places. Similarly, foods with German names such as sauerkraut and bratwurst were renamed "liberty cabbage" and "liberty sausage". In Chicago Frederick Stock temporarily stepped down as conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra until he finalized his naturalization papers. Berlioz replaced Wagner on programs. In Cincinnati, reaction to anti-German sentiment during World War I caused the Public Library of Cincinnati to withdraw all German books from its shelves.[19] German-named streets were renamed. For example, in Indianapolis, a street named Germania Avenue was renamed Pershing Ave.-for a World War I general of German descent. http://www.newberry.org/genealogy/news/default.asp?id=173&action=single Street names from German to English during WW1 in Chicago. http://usa.usembassy.de/germanamericans-language.htm During World War I, many German-Americans discontinued the use of German to demonstrate their patriotism. Many German newspapers ceased publication. There are to this day, however, still a small number of German language newspapers. The German "Washington Journal" is, for example, the oldest newspaper in the nation's capital. http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Search/rg/guide/Ger_BMD_RefDoc_HandbookGerma nResearch6.asp Chapter 7 Analyzing Surnames and Place Names German Surnames in America Translative Many Germans, upon immigrating to America, merely changed their names to the English equivalent of the German. The following are examples of this: Schwarz - Black Schneider - Taylor Baer - Bear Becker - baker Zimmerman - Carpenter Mohler - Miller Scharff - Sharp Klein - Little Of all the name changes, this was by far the least confusing. The only real problem this may cause is that in tracing an ancestor that changed his name this way, you may not realize that he was German and, therefore, not look for him under the German equivalent of the name. Often, the only clues would be the area in America where he was residing. If the family name stops in a heavy German settlement area, then it is a strong indication that he was German, and that you will need to change the name to the German equivalent in order to continue the search for the family in Germany. NOTE: More details continue on this page on how German names ... May have been Translative, Anglicization of Names, or given a Total Change. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CARPENTER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message Barbara L. de Mare, Esq. Historian, genealogist and attorney 155 Polifly Road Hackensack, New Jersey 07601 (201) 567-9440 office BarbaradeMare@yahoo.com (home) http://historygenealogyesq.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CARPENTER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message