David, Would this theory also apply to a name such as my great-grandfather whose name was "Johannes" but through family stories he was also referred to as "Johanovich" . Is there a hidden clue here? ----- Original Message ----- From: "David F. Schmidt" <dfschmidt@astound.net> To: <ger-volga@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 8:21 PM Subject: Re: [GV] GER-VOLGA Digest, Vol 2, Issue 266 > Sharon McGinness asked: > > Can anyone tell me the meaning of "Oddels Michel"? It was apparently a > nickname for my great-great grandfather... > > My response: > > Sharon, I think that is a Beiname, and it could be a very valuable > genealogical clue for you. Let me explain. In the Volga villages, most, > if > not all of the men, had Beinamen. These were like nicknames. They helped > to identify people, especially in Volga villages where there were many men > with the same first name and even several with the same first and last > names. In some cases, the Beinamen referred to a person's physical > characteristics (example: rote Fritz = red Freddy, who had red hair). But > many Beinamen actually were clan names that helped identify the branch or > clan of a family that a person belonged to. > > For example, the Schneiders in Stahl am Karaman were divided into three or > four clans: "die Appels Schneider," "die Vakles (or Frahlers?) Schneider," > and "die Wilhelms Schneider." Evidently, the original Schneider colonist > in > Stahl had three sons. One married a woman named Appel, and their > descendants became "die Appels Schneider." I'm not sure of the > explanation > for "die Vakles Schneider" and "die Wilhelms Schneider," but they referred > to the descendants of the other two sons. Among the Stahl immigrants to > the > U.S., there was one whose Beiname was "Appels Heine." From that, one knew > that he was named Heinrich and that he belonged to the Appels Schneider > clan > (i.e., the descendants of the first Schneider son who married an Appel). > > As for your great-great-grandfather's Beiname (Oddels Michel), I presume > that his name was Michael and that "Oddels" referred to the clan name. It > is likely that the family name had several branches, one of which was > Oddels. A possible explanation is that a man in that branch of the family > married a woman named Oddel. Another possibility is that "Oddel" refers > to > a place name. For example, in Stahl, there was one branch of the Kraus > family referred to as "Wina" or "Wine." My theory is that the original > Kraus colonist from which that branch is descended came from Wien > (Vienna), > Austria. > > The Beinamen are an invaluable tool for Volga German family researchers. > Wherever possible, we should do everything possible to identify and > preserve > the Beinamen for our families and villages. > > David F. Schmidt > Walnut Creek, CA, USA > dfschmidt@astound.net > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.15/949 - Release Date: 8/12/2007 > 11:03 AM > >

Excuse me for interupting here: But the "vich" at the end of the name, is an indication he was the "son of Johan". My gr uncle's name was Johann Georg. But on his Russian military papers he was named Georg Friedrickovich, because he was the son of Friedrick. Hope that helps. Suzanne Dodge, Eckheim VC J Welch <jwelch3@verizon.net> wrote: David, Would this theory also apply to a name such as my great-grandfather whose name was "Johannes" but through family stories he was also referred to as "Johanovich" . Is there a hidden clue here? ----- Original Message ----- From: "David F. Schmidt" To: Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 8:21 PM Subject: Re: [GV] GER-VOLGA Digest, Vol 2, Issue 266 > Sharon McGinness asked: > > Can anyone tell me the meaning of "Oddels Michel"? It was apparently a > nickname for my great-great grandfather... > > My response: > > Sharon, I think that is a Beiname, and it could be a very valuable > genealogical clue for you. Let me explain. In the Volga villages, most, > if > not all of the men, had Beinamen. These were like nicknames. They helped > to identify people, especially in Volga villages where there were many men > with the same first name and even several with the same first and last > names. In some cases, the Beinamen referred to a person's physical > characteristics (example: rote Fritz = red Freddy, who had red hair). But > many Beinamen actually were clan names that helped identify the branch or > clan of a family that a person belonged to. > > For example, the Schneiders in Stahl am Karaman were divided into three or > four clans: "die Appels Schneider," "die Vakles (or Frahlers?) Schneider," > and "die Wilhelms Schneider." Evidently, the original Schneider colonist > in > Stahl had three sons. One married a woman named Appel, and their > descendants became "die Appels Schneider." I'm not sure of the > explanation > for "die Vakles Schneider" and "die Wilhelms Schneider," but they referred > to the descendants of the other two sons. Among the Stahl immigrants to > the > U.S., there was one whose Beiname was "Appels Heine." From that, one knew > that he was named Heinrich and that he belonged to the Appels Schneider > clan > (i.e., the descendants of the first Schneider son who married an Appel). > > As for your great-great-grandfather's Beiname (Oddels Michel), I presume > that his name was Michael and that "Oddels" referred to the clan name. It > is likely that the family name had several branches, one of which was > Oddels. A possible explanation is that a man in that branch of the family > married a woman named Oddel. Another possibility is that "Oddel" refers > to > a place name. For example, in Stahl, there was one branch of the Kraus > family referred to as "Wina" or "Wine." My theory is that the original > Kraus colonist from which that branch is descended came from Wien > (Vienna), > Austria. > > The Beinamen are an invaluable tool for Volga German family researchers. > Wherever possible, we should do everything possible to identify and > preserve > the Beinamen for our families and villages. > > David F. Schmidt > Walnut Creek, CA, USA > dfschmidt@astound.net > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.11.15/949 - Release Date: 8/12/2007 > 11:03 AM > > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message --------------------------------- Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out.