The loss of their ties to the family name (and heritage) really bothers
me (I try not to think about it).  And it causes nightmares for
genealogical searching, if you don't have the original name to follow.

So, there isn't even a Maniery name in Italy (I'm assuming this was the
origin of your father)?  It's a made-up name...?

As far as I know, our family (both sides) didn't suffer this fate...so
the names were not changed.  I think the 'von' was dropped at some
point, from one family's name (Von Bussewitz)...but that was done back
in the Home Land (I think).

My dad's father (he died way before I was born) changed the
pronunciation of our last name (rhymes with 'fur'), because the family
was in America now...and well, German's werent exactly in good favor in
the 2nd decade of the 20th cent.  So, until I started trying to find
distant relatives...if didn't even occur to me that only our family says
it in a non-German way.  Everyone else says it rhyming with 'herr' in
German (or 'bear' in English).  Hmmm...  And yet, people who know me
introduce me to others saying my name the German way (without the roll
of the r's tho)...even tho that is not how I told them my name was said.
I don't correct them tho.

Language is a funny thing.

>-----Original Message-----
>From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On 
>Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
>Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2007 1:42 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: important database - Ellis Island
>
>on the name thing...
> 
>My father-in-law entered Ellis Island as Vincenzo Agostino 
>Fimignari.   He 
>left Ellis Island as James Joseph Maniery.  He was only 7 and 
>doesn't  remember why, nor did he ever ask his parents what 
>happened.  We have his  green card and other paperwork though 
>to back up the name change.
> 
>Mary L.  Maniery
>PAR Environmental Services, Inc.
>PO Box 160756
>Sacramento, CA  95816
>1906 21st Street
>Sacramento CA  95814
>916/739-8356
>
>
>
>************************************** See what's free at 
>http://www.aol.com.
>