My great grandparents immigrated from Bohemia in 1867. They named their 1st son born in early 1869 Missouri "Wenzel". He later became known as "William" or "Willie". The first several years in Missouri, they spelt their Bohemian name "Bochnicek" in German "Bochnischek". John - I, too, have a grandparent "John Dvorak" and for the first 10 years living in Missouri, he spelled "Dvorak" as "Deworack", then it was changed to "Dworak", and then finally back to "Dvorak". When I inquired through family lines why the changes in spelling, I was told 1) when he first came here, the change was "political", wanting a hard "ack" [D-VOR-ACK] because everyone pronouced his name as "De-zore-sack". Later, as he learned English, it became Dvorak, and we pronouce it with a hard "ack". [no one speaks Bohomian or Czech in the family anymore - a shame]. Lynn Brown (Dvorak) -------------------- Ron Mlejnek <rvmlejnek@navix.net> > > This might be one of those "urban legends", but I remember > corresponding with a instructor in Slavic Languages many years ago > who told me that "old" Czech (perhaps old Slavic) did have a "W" > and it was the same as a "V". The modern Czech language does not > use the "W", but it is still carried on in many names. For > example, look at any list of surnames in the Czech Republic and > one will see the "W" used a lot and interchangeably with "V". > > As for Wenzel and Vaclav, I think Wenzel is German and Vaclav is > uniquely Czech. Wenceslas is English for Wensel/Wenzel and there > is no English equivalent for Vaclav. > > Ron Mlejnek --------------------- [CZ] "W" From: "john.dvorak" <john.dvorak@sbcglobal.net> > > that originated from VACLAV........that's my great grandpappy's > name! :) Vaclav Dvorak. pronounced D vor zhak like the famous (or > not) Bohemian Composer, Antonin Dvorak > ---------------------- Visit my genealogy website: http://webs.lanset.com/lingbro Key surnames: BOCHNICEK, BROD, BROZ, DVORAK, GRAHAM, HRASKY, ONTL, PETRAN, PAZDERA, SMRCKA, STEUERNAGEL, TOUPAL, VANICEK, VOKRACKA and more, most from Missouri, Illinois and New York areas. "ALL INCOMING AND OUTGOING E-MAIL IS SCANNED WITH NORTON ANTI-VIRUS, updated daily"

I just found out from my GGM marriage license that her father's name was Vaclav. However on her death certificate it's listed as Joseph. Stefanie