I have been searching the church records for Sajómercse the village where my grandparents were born and have a question about my great grandparents names. They are Samu Bartók Józef and castó Bartók Borbála. On my grandfathers passenger record his name is listed as Sam Joszef I had only known him to be Josef. so I thought his first name or maybe his second name was Samu. Now I'm not sure, in the records I have seen the name Sumu Bartók often for example Samu Bartók Maria and on the marriage record for my grandfathers sister it shows her name as Bartók (Samu) Barbála. I'm wondering if Samu Bartók is a last name like Nagy Bartók. Also in the records my great grandmothers name is not always shown the same. (Castó Bartók, CS Bartók, or just Bartók). Also on my great uncles death cert. (he also came to the US and lived in the same town as my Grandparents) it says his Mother's maiden name was Casto. I hope I don't sound to confusing but I am confused. Kathy kmh55@frontiernet.net

kathy hirsch wrote: > I have been searching the church records for Sajómercse the village > where my grandparents were born and have a question about my great > grandparents names. They are Samu Bartók Józef and castó Bartók > Borbála. On my grandfathers passenger record his name is listed as Sam > Joszef I had only known him to be Josef. so I thought his first name > or maybe his second name was Samu. Now I'm not sure, in the records I > have seen the name Sumu Bartók often for example Samu Bartók Maria and > on the marriage record for my grandfathers sister it shows her name as > Bartók (Samu) Barbála. I'm wondering if Samu Bartók is a last name > like Nagy Bartók. Also in the records my great grandmothers name is > not always shown the same. (Castó Bartók, CS Bartók, or just Bartók). > Also on my great uncles death cert. (he also came to the US and lived > in the same town as my Grandparents) it says his Mother's maiden name > was Casto. > I hope I don't sound to confusing but I am confused. > > Kathy > kmh55@frontiernet.net Hi Kathy, you have so far established - I hope you know? :-) - that your ggmother's maiden name is Borbála Castó. Have you found her date of birth yet? Was she born in same place? There can be some confusion about your ggfather: Samu Bartók József - because either Samu or Bartók can be an acquired name (that is after birth: legal name change or adopted possibly). Since you have the 'books', just follow them back in time: find their marriage and possibly birth(s). Likely somewhere you will find the solution to the problem; in side note(s) or addititional information (sometimes on the bottom of a page). Try also to check for death records (in the church books). Most information this side of the pond is secondary evidence at best (including ship manifests), but the church books there should be primary and therefore determinant. Make sure you take note of witnesses' and godparents' names; sometimes they are relatives and thus can give a clue to the names. Dig up all ancestors you can find on the film(s) and jot down residences and house numbers (if given); also try to follow up on kid's marriages in each generation. Spelling variations in names will occur as different pastors take over the parish and use their own way of spelling. That's normal. Also switching between Latin and the vernacular. Joe Equinunk, PA - USA jjarfas@ezaccess.net --- [This E-mail scanned for viruses by ezaccess.net]