Daniel J. Murray wrote: > > MARGARET SHEREMATA wrote: > > > > Jamie, > > > > You mentioned that Polish was one possibility for the origin of LESBA as > > surname, or a similar sounding name, > > > > The following URLs were included in the FAQ.Posen which Adalbert Goertz > > posted to GEN-SLAVIC very recently: > > > > A10: For information on Polish archives consult the web site: > > > > http://www.man.poznan.pl/~bielecki/geninfo6.htm > > http://ciuw.warman.net.pl/alf/archiwa/ > > http://www.man.poznan.pl/~bielecki/archive.htm > > http://www.wsdsc.poznan.pl/arch/archive.htm > > > > If you can ascertain whether your ancestors used the Roman or Cyrillic > > alphabet, it would help - i.e. rule Poland out if Cyrillic. You did > > mention Russian, would be Cyrillic. > > > > Margaret Sheremata > > > > On Sat, 24 May 1997, Jamie Freitas wrote: > > > > > It is highly possible that this is a gross mis-spelling of the name. I > > > The name may be correct --- when I was in college, I had a friend whose > family had come from Poland and his surname translated as a crude > anatomical term-not the medically correct term. He always surmised > humorously that in the days of serfs, peasants had only one name and > when they were given second names by their lords, it was done as a cruel > joke at times. However, that was based on fancy, not fact.. > ..djm in Ann Arbor Check out "Polish Surnames" by Hoffman, Polish Gen. Soc of America,984 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622. Author mentions "joke" surnames, often vulgar. E.g. Oszust = cheater, Burdel = brothel, Mierzwa = manure. (There was a high school football coach in our area named Mierzwa, who had a custard stand nearby: Red Mierzwa's Custard. (Now that was funny!)) Author mentions animal root word names: zuk = dung beetle, Zukowski; szczur = rat; robak = worm; wrobel = sparrow, Wroblewski's tavern named Sparrows in my old neighborhood; and food - przywara = leftover food in a container. BUY THE BOOK if you're into Polish names, and other Slavic as well. Incidentally, I have heard about the lords giving joke names to peasants many years ago. Probably true, else why call oneself pig, or fly, or pickle, etc? (There's a Metzger Medical Supply near my home. Metzger is butcher in German!) JIM