This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: ZlaticaBeca Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.ceeurope.histreg.galicia/2171.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: gprice58 A map of Austria of old: http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/austhung.htm Galicia : www.halgal.com www.kresy.co.uk/galicja.html http://www.e-targ.org/Maps/galiciamap.html Somehow you need to find his place of birth or "Polish" spelling of his surname. Is it derived from a first name JAKOB/JACOB? Can it be JACOWICZ, JAKOWICZ? I would think childrens baptismal church record would have their parents place of birth. Was your ancestor naturalized citizen? Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.

Hi gprice58 The Old World: JACKSON is today a Polish surname in the same way as ANDREWS and BROWN are today Polish surnames - they are all surnames and they can currently be found in Poland. That certainly makes them "Polish", but not much else can be said about them. The New World: It is impossible to accurately provide you the root and source of an Americanized Slavic surname. While some folks kept their names intact, other immigrants often were quite inventive when it came to adapting their surnames to their newly adopted homelands. Sometimes they chose to be called by names which were phonetically similar, sometimes they chose names that had similar meanings, and sometimes they picked a name out of thin air. Example: Upon crossing the border, you might find the Polish surname KOWALSKI evolving into KOVALSKY (phonetic) or SMITH (meaning) or ROCKEFELLER (thin air) or simply remaining KOWALSKI. The possibilities are endless. You need to roll up your sleeves and do some further research. Since you know that your great-grandfather JOHN JOSEPH JACKSON married your great-grandmother MARGARET MEEHAN in New Rochelle NY in 1892, the easiest way to get the information you desire is to visit or contact the rectory of the church at which they married and get a copy of their marriage record. (Not a marriage certificate, but the entry from the parish marriage register.) That entry will provide the names of his parents, John's home village and parish back in the old country, and quite likely his birth name as well. (Plus a lot of other interesting information.) While the internet is an entertaining place and a window to the world, it has its shortcomings. There are no Polish fairies waiting to jump out from behind your screen and provide you with your family history. (We'd like to, but we have our physical limitations.) You still have to find this stuff the old fashioned way, through locating and researching old records. Cheers and good luck! Dennis Benarz http://spuscizna.org ----- Original Message ----- From: <gc-gateway@rootsweb.com> To: <GALICIA@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 3:38 PM Subject: Re: [GALICIA] John Jackson (real Polish name) > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > Author: ZlaticaBeca > Surnames: > Classification: queries > > Message Board URL: > > http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.ceeurope.histreg.galicia/2171.2/mb.ashx > > Message Board Post: > > gprice58 > > A map of Austria of old: > http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/austhung.htm > Galicia : www.halgal.com > www.kresy.co.uk/galicja.html > http://www.e-targ.org/Maps/galiciamap.html > Somehow you need to find his place of birth or "Polish" spelling of his > surname. Is it derived from a first name JAKOB/JACOB? Can it be JACOWICZ, > JAKOWICZ? > I would think childrens baptismal church record would have their parents > place of birth. Was your ancestor naturalized citizen? > > Important Note: > The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you > would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link > above and respond on the board. > > > > ********************************* > Need to contact the list manager? > GALICIA-admin@rootsweb.com > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GALICIA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >