> > > From: [email protected] > Date: April 4, 2006 11:24:41 PM EDT (CA) > To: [email protected] > Subject: Help with Czech spelling and pronunciation > > > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > Surnames: Kostok, Lestina, Varak, Dlouhy > Classification: Query > > Message Board URL: > > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lRC.2ACE/3493 > > Message Board Post: > > Apparently Iowa census takers in 1880 tried to spell names the way > my czech ancestors pronounced them [ e.g. Varak =Wauzak}. Usually I > can confirm a misspelled name by names and ages of spouse and > children. But here are two that still puzzle me: Would LESTINA > sound something like LESHKENA when pronounced by a recent czech > immigrant? Absolutely, that is actually quite close! It should actually be LEŠTINA. Just looking at Prague phone listings, there are plenty LEŠTINAs. http://phone.quick.cz/seznam_o.php > And what might KOSTOK be as a czech name?My great aunt Josephine > Lestina lived with an aunt and uncle, names no longer known by any > living relative. I'm wondering if I can count her as "found' since > they were living near other relatives. Or does anyone know of > Andrew and Josephine KOSTOCK, AGES 50 AND 55 IN 1880, LIVING IN > jOHNSON COUNTY iOWA IN 1880? Of course handwriting and > transcription problems add to the confusion... > Thank you for any help. Mary Could your KOSTOK be actually Kostök (Hungarian)? It doesn't sound very czech. Hope it helps. Gabriela > >